This is a big victory for European consumers. Looks like the big foolish rain dance for a better climate is off, at least for the time being.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The European Union’s flagship program to fight global warming suffered a major blow Tuesday when lawmakers rejected a proposal aimed at shoring up the region’s carbon-emissions trading system, putting its survival in doubt.
After the European Parliament’s surprise afternoon vote, spooked investors drove the price of emissions permits down by nearly half. Benchmark electricity prices also fell.
The legislature derailed—at least temporarily—a plan to push up permit prices by postponing issuance of new permits”…continue reading.
German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier tweeted:
ETS-vote was serious setback for Climate Protection. We will have to encourage a public debate on the best way to reduce CO2 emissions.
— Peter Altmaier (@peteraltmaier) April 16, 2013
This news is tantalising because it is not clear what is really going on. Some of the bloggers here probably know more than the media is telling. I am interested in your opinion:
1) Did the majority vote against this because of pure economic realities or have they become sceptical of the reliability of the science?
2) Is Altmaier still a fully fledged warmist?
3) Has the winter weather woken some sleepy MEPs up?
4) Can this one thing alone spark any recover in the EU or does it just delay the demise?
read this -> http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/04/16/thunk-thats-the-sound-of-the-eu-carbon-credit-inverse-hockey-stick-hitting-the-floor/
I think Altmaier tries a walk on eggshells. The German population is exposed to a continued storm of desinformation by the public media they are forced to pay and completely unpredictable; tend to go from panicking over Global Warming to panicking over Fukushima and now panicking over the Euro in an instant. Throw into the mix exploding energy prices caused by the policies the Germans have DESIRED in the past as well.
In other words, talk the talk – EVERY talk – but try to not walk any of the walks before election day.
The debate has always been about politics.
In Europe, the reality of freezing populations and untimely deaths caused in part by quixotic energy policies are concentrating political minds, who will be looking to save face, and their seats, by finding scapegoats. Some scientists on both sides have been the PBI, providing rationales to bolster the demagoguery of the politicians. Now the warmist politicos are finding that the answers they demanded are not based in reality. the scientists who did their bidding will pay the price.
Could it just be that Copenhagen marked the turning of the tide for Climastrology?
don’t forget this either…
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/04/15/fireworks-in-the-eu-parliament-over-the-pause-in-global-warming/
This is a good day for Polish cement producers!
http://wyborcza.biz/biznes/1,100896,13748832.html
Outstanding. Now, if they’ll just stop subsidizing those Carbon Crucifixes, they may get a clue.
Here is another surprise. The dam is leaking badly now. 😉
BTW this just means they’ll change some minor points and give it to the parliament for rubberstamping it again in a week. The EU principle of polling is that you poll until you get the desired answer.