Quote Originally Posted by Franconicus
That is exactly why I started this thread.

I think we have a problem and it is clear to me that we have to act. No problem to analyze the root cause, the measures and the effects. However, it seems to me that the deniers know that the there is a global warming caused by mankind, but they rather pretend they didn't, because then they can go on living like they used to do. Do nothing without bad conscience, you know?
I know I have complained about the effects this change has already brought to us (the Norwegians) and continues to effect us. We are self sufficient on fuels and exports most of it (the surplus). But still, we have one of the highest petrol prices in the world.
True, we have an average hourly wage that allows us to buy about 11 litres of it, but I still feel it unjust that it matters nothing on a world basis.
The main responsibilities lie with industry on-shore and off to do emission reductions that would actually make a global difference.
But as Odin mentioned, the costs of investing in emission reductions will have to be transported to the consumers. There will be an increase on my electric bill when they invest billions in CO2 capturing technology for the power plants.
(As a side note; our clean water based power is no longer sufficient, our increasing demand for more power is incriminatory to our current power grid)

People are always opposing change; any consultant working with people and organisations knows this all too well.
You have to sell the benefits to them, how the change will help make it all better.
Pushing people against their will is the road to sabotage and strong opposition. Humanity has never been known to tolerate too much control and suppression.
I bet if they raised the gasoline prices in USA to a European level, a new civil war would tear that nation apart.

If we should change completely and shut down all fossil fuelled industry, what would be the result? Firstly the worth of a US dollar would be reduced to nothing since it is the petroleum that keeps it unnaturally high. Many nations that keep large amounts of this currency, those that buy petroleum and other fossil fuels would suddenly have a vault full of toilet paper.
Oh by the way before I forget, Coal is also sold in the US dollar currency, and the prices is today higher then it has ever been at about $80 a ton (norm. would be about $35).
Only economists would know the full ramification of such an event.
Secondly … (who knows)

Some say, nuclear power is clean and therefore an option, no?
I know nearly nothing about this but somehow the environmentalists think this is worse than fossil fuelled power.
There is a new hype of Thorium based reactors, a nuclear substance that is much ‘cleaner’ then the uranium based ones. Yes of course there have been found large deposits of this material in Norway, and they are planning a whole new industry based on this which means more money into our, already so big that it can never be used because the inflation it will cause, slush fund.

What about the developing countries, shouldn’t we place nuclear plants in those countries as well, to ensure a real global reduction of climate gas emission?
Oh noez, that means they could develop weapons of mass destruction. Oh yeah, what about Thorium reactors – you can’t build bombs with Thorium, can you?

If Europe goes ahead and take action – say reducing their emissions with just less than 30%, would that make a difference globally? Note that this reduction will cause a lot of economic and social upheaval in Europe. Will the rest of the world have to follow?