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ExternalSeat t1_j2iqru2 wrote

Reply to comment by Certain_Suit_1905 in Defying Expectations, EU Carbon Emissions Drop To 30-Year Lows by doyouhavetono

They cut down on consumption of fossil fuels because a gun was tied to their head and heating your home with natural gas is now more expensive than most mortgages. It was more that they were almost forced to go into fuel rationing rather than by choice.

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BagisBerra t1_j2isuod wrote

Well yes and no. The EU has been on a path to phase out fossil fuel for quite some time, and has been investing heavily in carbon free electricity sourses. So this is a path we've been on for a while, that was intensified by Russias illegal invasion of Ukraine, and the failed efforts of putin to use Russias gas and oil as an extortion tool. If anything, putin has hence only sped up a trajectory that the EU was already on. And gasprices are lower now than at the time of the invasion, so please check facts before echoing krelin propaganda talking points. No gun was pointed to our heads, we could have said "off course putin, whatever you like sir". We chose not to. I pay around €90 per month on heating and electricity now, compared to around half of that a year ago. €90 is what I spend on wine when I go out to eat, so it's not that much. My morgage is €1000 per month, so it's no where close. Source: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/12/29/european-natural-gas-prices-return-to-pre-ukraine-war-levels.html

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ExternalSeat t1_j2itu0z wrote

Fair point. I guess my numbers were coming from the UK which is suffering from the biggest self-inflicted crisis in its history.

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BagisBerra t1_j2iuvuo wrote

Ah. Yes the UK, especially poorer people there, are suffering under the higher gas and electricity prices. This war hit us just as we were phasing out carbon based energy sources, and quite honestly, not that many countries where even close to be self sufficient in their carbon free electricity and heat generation. I happen to be from one of the countries that was self sufficient, and our challenge has been that the Germans (who turned off their nuclear power plants before having a substitute) are bidding for our electricity. So my prices have gone up primarily because of higher bidders in Hamburg 😀 I take a higher bill and helping my fellow Germans any day compared to sucking up to putin though. Even if he "wins" this war, Europe will never again buy from him anywhere close to the quantities we used to. Russia is a gas station with an army, and they will never see as many European customers ever again.

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dancingraccoons t1_j2jybza wrote

>I take a higher bill and helping my fellow Germans

holy shit it's so refreshing to read someone not feeding the 'divide and conquer' psyop bullshit

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BagisBerra t1_j2lrqa4 wrote

If anything the west has come together and is stronger in its resolve as a result of putins actions. He wanted to divide us. He got the opposite. It's amazing to see. Take the EU. The sanctions packages. The joint message. The total lack of sucing up to that murderous dictator. Beautiful. If Trump would have been in power I honestly do not know what would have happened. But under Biden we've been able to pull this off. Impressive. Sure, Hungary and Serbia are still on team putin, but they are too small to make a dent in the otherwise aligned democracies of the world. India is neutral, but not really helping putin. Just extremely impressive how alone he is on the world stage, with only dictatorships such as Belarus, Iran and North Korea as his buddies.

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[deleted] t1_j2k57mk wrote

Phasing out fossil fuel is a ridiculous pipe dream. Renewables don't even come close to supplying the energy needs of the world. I think the last chart showed it at like 4% of the total and that is before you consider the fossil fuels necessary to build the solar panels, electric cars, the coal powered electricity needed to power the electric cars, etc. The only thing that comes close to being a viable alternative is nuclear and we have been getting rid of those for years now. Our energy policy is insane.

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BagisBerra t1_j2lqqxd wrote

As can be noted, I did not mention renewable energy. I talk about phasing out fossil fuel, becoming carbon neutral, i.e. including nuclear power. Take Sweden and Norway as examples, no gas is being burned there to generate electricity or heating. The public opinion on nuclear has shifted thoug, the public has realized - as you point out - that nuclear is needed as the base power generation, as well as the adjustable component of the total power generation. But Norway has zero nuclear, and manages to supply their power needs (including the world's biggest fleet of electric vehicles per capita) from hydro alone. Sweden has roughly 45% hydo and 45% nuclear, and solar and wind makes up for the rest. So renewable, short term, is not realistic, no. Carbon / fossil free is however.

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[deleted] t1_j2k4e69 wrote

Exactly. You make things too expensive and people will use less. This isn't rocket science. I guess old people freezing to death because they cant afford to heat their homes is considered a necessary evil for the sake of "progress".

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