Quote Originally Posted by anthonykay View Post
Ah, so you agree with the point that I was making, and which you didn't include in your quote, Mossdog: no government has enacted any laws dictating what citizens can eat, how many children they can have, where and how they can travel, or what goods they can buy, on the basis of the climate emergency. There has certainly been advice, even pressure, on governments to adopt such policies, but as the Guardian article makes clear, there has been very little take-up of that advice by governments (contrary to your original allegation).


I thought you said that you were a scientist. Why do you reject as a scare story any scientific research that doesn't agree with your prejudices? And in any case, what is there to be scared about in the story about the earth's rotation slowing?

You're missing the point I was attempting to make, which is probably down to my poor grammar or explanation, rather than you being deliberately obtuse. I've listing a few of the manny bonkers 'scare stories, not because i don't believe some of them might have an element of truth, but because they represent a whole host of 'alarmist' messages, meant to nudge/scare/unsettle people into clambering for more action against the alleged 'crisis'. Yes, I agree, there isn't anything to be hugely worried about regarding changes in the earth's rotation, it's likely benign too, but if you explore the headlines across various sites on that issue alone, you can readily see how the media has sensationalised this to varying degrees.

Let's return to the Government control issues, and your sense that this is all benign - nothing to see here folks.

Have a looks at this. https://committees.parliament.uk/pub...74873/default/

HOUSE OF LORDS Environment and Climate Change Committee HL Paper 64
1st Report of Session 2022–23
In our hands:behaviour change for climate and environmental goals

"The Government should provide clarity to individuals about the changes we need to make, in how we travel,
what we eat and buy, and how we use energy at home, and should articulate
the many co-benefits to health and wellbeing of taking those steps." (All good so far...)

Behavioural science (nudge, nudge - my addition) evidence and best practice show that a combination of policy levers, including regulation and fiscal incentives,(ie. tax the proles until they comply) must be used by Government, alongside clear communication..."

"Businesses are in a position to enable behaviour change through increasing the affordability and availability of greener products and services and engaging customers and employees, but need direction from government (Oh dear, some top-down do as we tell you or else creeping in (remember ecocide!))"

BINGO....

"Lessons can be learned from both successful and unsuccessful behaviour change interventions in other policy areas. Most notably, the widespread behaviour change brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognise that the changes demanded by the pandemic were seen as a short-term response to a short-term emergency, nonetheless it will be a major missed opportunity if the Government does not seize the chance to evaluate behaviour change interventions implemented during the pandemic and apply lessons learned.

"Swift action to rectify the approach is required".

Let's just recall what some of those policies and 'actions' were. Draconian, overnight, imposed laws that forced people to stay indoors for weeks on end, with a brief 1 hour period, for exercise, but only near their home. Police action for anyone, for example, who wanted to sit on a park bench, for too long, and take a coffee with a friend. Obligatory wearing of masks, even when the Government knew this was complete bunkum. The banning, under pain of arrest, for anyone who wanted to visit and spend the final hours of a relative's life, to share and comfort them; banning of public attended funerals; the destruction of children's education by banning them from attending school for long periods - aside from damaging their mental health; the closing of churches and other places of public social assembly, leaving people lonely and scared. The abandonment of many cancer patients so that now we have a waiting list for NHS operations of 7 million on the waiting list, and a further 2 million 'shadow' patients on the waiting list to get on the waiting list; etc. All orchestrated for the public good to combat 'the crisis'.

And look, we're being primed for another, must-act now crisis.

No surprise that the most oppressive laws were enthusiastically enacted by Labour in Wales and the SNP in Scotland, including such life-saving actions as banning the sale of books (in Lockdown!) and baby clothing in supermarkets, while sending police to patrol virtually empty train carriages checking where free citizens were journeying. Guess who is bragging about forming the next Government.

But, perhaps you're right. This apparent ratcheting up of the rhetoric, setting the scene for another impending global 'crisis' won't impose similar restrictions on people's lives and liberties and degrade their life-style. And if it does' it'll all be for good, sound reasons - the scientists agree 99.9 %

“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

― George Orwell, Animal Farm