this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
360 points (96.9% liked)

Technology

55744 readers
2747 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
L3s@lemmy.world
enu@lemm.ee
fry@fry.gs
L3s@fry.gs
enu@lemmy.world
L4s@fry.gs
L4s@lemmy.world
360
New EU climate chief: 'The sooner fossil fuels become history, the better' (www.rechargenews.com)
submitted 9 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
15 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

New EU climate chief: 'The sooner fossil fuels become history, the better'::Former Shell man Wopke Hoekstra stressed the importance of phasing out fossil fuels and its subsidies

all 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] tony@lemmy.hoyle.me.uk 59 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Removing subsidies is a start.. they've never made any sense. If a company can't make money selling fuel then they must be the most incompetent company on earth.

This is just posturing for COP28 though.. makes good headlines but won't happen.. lots of countries talk tough before COP so they can claim it wasn't their fault when nothing is decided, again.

[–] dukeGR4@monyet.cc -5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I think corporations will just pass on the cost to the consumers if they don’t get subsidies lol.

Given our reliance on it it’s a lot more than just basic supply and demand

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 32 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I think corporations will just pass on the cost to the consumers if they don’t get subsidies lol.

yes, kind of the point.

While it would definitely, absolutely suck to be on the receiving end of the price hike, it would cause more and more people to finally switch to alternatives or use less of it, where possible.

Quick edit: Basically, move the subsidiaries from fossil fuels to renewables. Make that market cheaper for the people who need it

[–] ViciousTangerine@lemmings.world 10 points 9 months ago

Remove the subsidies and institute an actual carbon price mechanism, and we'll see how quickly people begin to switch over.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's a little late in the game to painlessly transition away from fossil fuels. I'd support programs to improve mass transit or provide gas cards to those that can barely keep gas in their vehicle as-is. Continuing the business-as-usual of running our nation on fossil fuels because it'll hurt someone's budget is a poor excuse.

[–] vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago

It's a little late in the game to painlessly transition away from fossil fuels

Again, that’s the point. It doesn’t have to be painless. It has to get done.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 3 points 9 months ago

The reliance thing is part of demand.

[–] Megabazos@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

*Candidate climate chief, he isn't elected yet. I'm really hoping Wopke doesn't get the position, because his nomination is nothing else than a ploy to weaken climate ambitions in the EU

Edit: Welp, he did it, he made it through the commision

[–] adeoxymus@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

There's still the European Parliament. But yeah I guess he gets the job...

[–] Shelena@feddit.nl 19 points 9 months ago

So, yeah, they picked the wrong person for the job. He is really good at chest thumping. He is an opportunist who adapts his beliefs to what works best to supports his career. In the Netherlands, he is known for trying to postpone measures to protect nature to keep the farmers voting for him, amongst others.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 15 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Ok so do it then. There's no need to do a lot of chest thumping, we will do all of the noticing and appreciating after you do it.

[–] vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 9 months ago

The guy is a fucking joke.

[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Technically id say fossil fuels are history, history that has decayed and formed a hydrocarbon.

[–] Korkki@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Empty words...

Any bureaucrat or politicians who was driven to do what needed to be done would have to risk their career and life at this point. The amount of fundamental systematic changes needed to be done would make too enemies. Also you can't just say fuck it and collapse society, by going cold turkey in a few years. It needs plans and long term thinking something that is impossible when for politicians is like six years max time in office and of which the latter half needs to be in practice lived elections in mind.

[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago

I am starting to think there is a reason Dinos were removed from the world.