[AstralStorm]

Carbon neutral is a fancy way of saying "let's pollute the same as we do now". Generally achieved via fake offsets, as we do not have the technology to offset something like US pollution.

Even EU ETS (the most developed offset system) is much too slow to cause major dent in the problem.

Where most climate predictions require us to stop altogether to avoid most painful results of climate change.

[hollerith]

>Carbon neutral is a fancy way of saying "let's pollute the same as we do now".

"Carbon neutral" has a precise definition, and that's definitely not it.

[PeterStuer]

Context: very small western EU country.

Over here we are:

- cutting down the very few square kilometers of forest we have because the EU declared that everyone has to be carbon neutral or pay fines, and 'wood pellets' are considered 'renewable' energy sources by the administration. The cabinet minister in charge has admitted to the absurdity but stated he is not going to stop the practice as this would lead to being fined.

- keeping open severely damaged aging nuclear plants even when under the protest of several neighboring countries recognizing the dangers. The person in charge of this matter at the energy minister's cabinet just moved through he revolving door and got a very cozy 'job' at the company that owns and operates the plants. The energy minister was not amused as it is customary to await the next elections before cashing in and this person moved in a potential election preamble period.

- The nuclear test facility operated by the government has once more run out of storage space for nuclear waste. In the 'good old days' they just dumped all the waste in the North Sea (it's still there), but now they have to store it. The cement vats they have been using were leaking in the past, and now they have ran out of space for storing them as the piles keep on growing.

Nuclear might be sound in theory, but humans just can't handle the responsibility in practice. And the one answer a neoliberal market economy based socio-economic system is incapable of providing is abstinence, as it is systemically antithetical to it and outside of its potential solution space.

[Luc]

I suppose you didn't mention the country in an attempt to not get criticized?

Because if you're talking about Belgium, half of what you said is plainly wrong.

[cure]

Which half? Please elaborate.

[PeterStuer]

I'm curious as well