What can we do to change the minds of decision makers and people in general to actually do something about preparing for the forthcoming economic/energy crises (the ones after this one!)?
On Tuesday 27 June 2006 Prime Minister Tony Blair met with a selection of magazine editors for a special question and answer session in the State Dining Room of Number 10. This particular question and more specifically Blair's answer disserves far more exposure that the media seems to have given it.
Question:
I would focus on my title of European business, but I am aware that all of the energy provision of Rotterdam city is from a decentralised source, and 50% of Denmark's energy is from a decentralised source. Why is the government moving towards a nuclear solution for Britain's energy production when there is ample evidence to suggest that the challenge of global warming and fossil fuel shortages can be better met through a decentralised energy production infrastructure embracing renewable fuels and energy sources?
Tony Blair:
Well I think the answer to that is you are going to have to do everything if you want to deal with the energy security issues and climate change. But when we publish the Energy Review it will not simply focus on nuclear, it will focus on renewables and a big expansion of renewables, energy efficiency, there is combined heat and power which of course is very much the solution in Denmark.
There are a whole series of things that we will be focusing on, but there is a simple stark fact that I would just like to put in front of people, which is we are going to go over the next 15 or 20 years to a situation where: one, the 20% that we get of our electricity from nuclear is going to decline to virtually zero; and two, where we are going to go from being 80 or 90% self-sufficient in oil and gas, to 80 or 90% importing it.
And I think what that means is if we want to safeguard our energy supply, as well as deal with climate change, we have got to put everything in the mix and have a balanced policy. And I am talking about whether we replace the existing nuclear power component of our electricity, but if we are not going to replace it we are going to have to, well what is going to happen on renewables is going to have to be absolutely massive.
I haven?t heard TB talking as straight as that before!
I wouldn't give him too much credit. He obviously isn't even going to entertain the prospect of reducing demand (except by efficiency measures). That's really the key to the whole question. Demand destruction will happen, and governments ought to start being honest with people about it.
I was impressed the TB volunteered the information about nuclear decommission AND North Sea depletion AND our increasing reliance on imports all with numbers and all without being directly asked.
That was something new.
It would have been nice if he had then added "...and we won't be able to afford such imports." Maybe he'll say that next week.
a) You should not expect psychopaths to never tell you the truth.
b) Just because someone tells something truthful once in a while instead of the usual spin and lies, does not mean you should give them respect/credit etc. We should expect all people (however realistic that is) and especially our pseudo-democratically elected governments to tell the truth and the whole truth all the time. Once in a blue moon and in a forum that might not get too much attention is just not good enough.
"You can't be stationary on a moving train" - Howard Zinn
newmac wrote:a) You should not expect psychopaths to never tell you the truth.
b) Just because someone tells something truthful once in a while instead of the usual spin and lies, does not mean you should give them respect/credit etc. We should expect all people (however realistic that is) and especially our pseudo-democratically elected governments to tell the truth and the whole truth all the time. Once in a blue moon and in a forum that might not get too much attention is just not good enough.
Now dont this take this the wrong way - I wouldnt want to be accused of defending Tony Blair.
However it could be argued we , the general public , leave the politicians no choice but to lie to us.
In short - Tell the truth, and you get voted out........
Also there are times when you need to be conservative with the truth. If Blair declared PO tomorrow it would crash the economy overnight.....
Totally_Baffled wrote:Also there are times when you need to be conservative with the truth. If Blair declared PO tomorrow it would crash the economy overnight.....
I don't think that's true at all. Blair has so little respect among the general public, everyone would just think he was lying again. The man is manifestly incapable of telling the truth most of the time, so why should anyone believe him over this?
In any case, I don't think even a respected politician would be able to spook the public on PO. It's too complex a subject to convey in politician-speak.
