The sins of the fathers
Our gubmint has created a nice little conundrum for itself.
It passed a law committing itself to reach “emission targets” by the end of the decade. It also did that without deciding what those targets were.
So it has now decided on those targets. There was a bit of a row because farmers claimed they couldn’t stop their cattle farting or burping so a compromise had to be reached where other sectors were set much higher targets.
The one that interests me is the Transport one. It is apparently our second biggest “emitter” after the unfortunate cattle. They have now decided that Transport has to cut emissions by 50%.
Transport presumably means private cars, lorries, buses, trains, ships and aircraft? How the fuck are they supposed to cut emissions by 50%? Lorries and buses are almost 100% diesel powered and there is little viable alternative. They’re messing around with a couple of electric buses but I doubt if a couple of buses could satisfy the national need? Trains around Dublin are grand as they all have overhead catenaries but it would be a struggle to electrify the rest of the rail network [or what’s left of it after they have converted so many lines into bicycle “Greenways”]. I presume ships and aircraft are fine because once they leave our shores we can disown them?
So that leaves buses lorries and cars. So far the public in general don’t seem to be that enamoured with the electric car. There are a few around but most us prefer to stick with petrol. I can’t see that changing so radically in a mere eight years. Lorries are a big snag here. Should we revert to rail transport on the few remaining lines? How about canals? They could stick a mast and sails on a few old barges and try that? Deliver everything by drone?
The interesting bit though is not so much how they intend to reach their target, but rather what happens when they fail to reach it. Which they will. They are obliged to reach those targets by law, so presumably and inevitably they will break the law which they themselves created. Will they all be slammed in gaol? I doubt that. Presumably they will end up fining themselves? And this is where my nasty suspicious mind gets to work.
What the bet that we will have to pay those fines with extra taxes?
On second thoughts, the odds are too daft.
You’re not alone, governments everywhere set targets which are (a) stupid and (b) unachievable, but then continue to pour our money into that direction, even when it’s obvious to all that it’s a fool’s errand, the emperor really is naked.
In the 21st century UK, they’re building a big 19th century train set, aiming to take hardly anyone between places they don’t want to be, just a few minutes quicker than an existing train that no-one uses anyway: it’s called HS2 and it’s swallowing billions, apparently unstoppably. They get so sucked in that they just can’t stop themselves, so we all end up paying the price.
The Big Green Con is just another one of them – just bend over and prepare to be shafted every time.
Our crowning glory is the National Children’s Hospital which is estimated to come in at over two billion [the most expensive hospital in the world?]. Now they want to build a National Maternity Hospital and start on an underground rail system for Dublin. I wonder how many billions those two will end up costing us?
Most exalted grandpop, mayhap you should suggest that said cows emitting clouds of toxic gas should be so provisioned that the gaseous waste be propelled unto a windmill strategically placed athwart top midsection thus mitigating and compensating for aforementioned toxic emissions. I suspect I will be put forward, forthwith, for a ‘Nobble Prize’ for being a bit of a twat. Arse Sausage.
You mean shove a little turbine up their arses? That’s not a bad idea. Of course an additional refinement would be to pipe the exhaust gasses into the house to fuel the heating system?
Nah, they’ll just pass an Act of Parliament repealing the previous one. Simples!
I doubt that. They never miss an excuse to add an additional tax. Do you ever remember them removing a tax from anything?
Been there, done that.
The fetish for charging employees (I.e. employers) per car parking space provided. Pure unadulterated cost to private business, which they are expected to pass on to their hapless employees.
Council building often generously cover the costs for their highly important “key” staff because reasons. Wonder where the money comes from.
For some reason I no longer get your emails! Can you please reinstate