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18 comments on EuroElections 2009 : EPP-ED
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18 comments on EuroElections 2009 : EPP-ED
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@Nick42
>> While I agree with you, I'm not happy that I do. <<
Well, at least I am happy that you do.
>> Re-localisation is essential, but also not enough (at least without massive de-population of certain areas, such as my country, the UK!). <<
I read mr. Lovelock's latest publication, his Gaia's final warning. As the British Isles, in his view, will be a save haven, when the effects of global warming strike, he expects millions of people from the continent and beyond to flock to them, needing food and shelter. Around 2020-30 the UK can "boast" of a hundred million inhabitants. It is the continent that will be depopulated, overcome by droughts, and the Netherlands, though a possible save haven themselves, will be only "nether", without the "lands", by a faster than expected sea-level rise.
As for the remainder of your post, I appreciate your point of view, but I beg to differ. I think your opinion is sensible, if projected back to the world of twenty years ago. I agree with JMK, e.a., on the subject of BAU and globalisation, they are over. In the wake of our current economic troubles, there will be upheavals, and deteriorating social conditions. Many people will be without a job, and I don't pretend to know where it all will end.
I hope the grand schemes, like the EU itself, will die in beauty, and take with them the unrealistic mega-projects to the scrapyard, super-duper grid included. We must re-learn to think small, for small is beautiful, and, above all, small is manageable in an energy-starving world.
My comment on "some semblance of BAU" was supposed to show recognition that BAU is not possible, and even without resource depletion/climate change it is unlikely. Just think of the changes over the last 10, 20, 50, 100, 2000 years! BAU has been changing at an ever faster rate, fed by our consumption of energy.
My comment was really picking up on that I like my central heating, turn on and offable light switches, cars, disposable nappies and so on.
However I agree that the EU (and world) has missed its opportunity, and it is quite clear that by the time things really start to be recognised, we will be well on the down slope, and probably heading for WW3.
As for the UK, assuming that the Gulf Stream doesn't collapse then I agree, it probably will be better than most places. We Britts may like to moan about the weather, but ultimately we have a generally easy climate: mild winters, cool summers, fairly consistant rainfall year round. Food production on a year round basis is fairly straight forward. But even so 60 million mouths is too many to feed (as I understand it), and we still need an energy source to transport the food from farms to cities.