You're thinking about this from an engineering point-of-view.  Essentially "business as usual" but gradually replacing old technologies with new ones as they become economically viable.


The climate change protesters aren't thinking like that at all.


Here's a few possibilities I have just come up with off the top of my head...

• What proportion of air flights are actually necessary?  If we ban flying on holiday, and most business trips, then we could perhaps cut 90% of all flights immediately.  There would be a knock-on effect on the supply of perishable foods, but we would just have to grow our own food instead.

• Shipping is a lot more efficient than air, but burns dirty oil.  Push through a programme of converting ships to solar and wind.  That will be costly, and the ships will be slower.  So less stuff imported from overseas.  Insist that goods are designed to last longer, and be repairable (just like the olden days).  Forget buying that latest iPhone.

• Convert all buses, taxis and trains to electric.

• Scrap all petrol and diesel cars.  Discourage large electric cars - we won't have enough electricity to charge them.

• Improve home insulation standards.  Ban landlords from renting inefficient homes (we've made a token start on that already) and offer grants for energy efficiency.  Ban gas, oil or coal heating. And cooking.  Make sure new houses actually meet the latest building regulation standards (most don't), and make those standards tougher every year.

• Decarbonise the electricity supply.  That will mean less electricity generated.  Live with it.

• Electricity will have to go up in price.  Introduce an escalating pricing scheme.  The more units you use, the more each unit costs.  That will encourage people to save electricity.  Heating your swimming pool will become ruinously expensive.

• Things that use a lot of energy to make will go up in price.  Live with it.  Make things last longer.

Will the average member of public accept that?  Possibly not.  When you work through it all, it will be like going back to the 1940's in many respects.  Maybe including the food rationing until things get sorted out.  Could we do it?  I would have thought so.

You're thinking about this from an engineering point-of-view.  Essentially "business as usual" but gradually replacing old technologies with new ones as they become economically viable.


The climate change protesters aren't thinking like that at all.


Here's a few possibilities I have just come up with off the top of my head...

• What proportion of air flights are actually necessary?  If we ban flying on holiday, and most business trips, then we could perhaps cut 90% of all flights immediately.  There would be a knock-on effect on the supply of perishable foods, but we would just have to grow our own food instead.

• Shipping is a lot more efficient than air, but burns dirty oil.  Push through a programme of converting ships to solar and wind.  That will be costly, and the ships will be slower.  So less stuff imported from overseas.  Insist that goods are designed to last longer, and be repairable (just like the olden days).  Forget buying that latest iPhone.

• Convert all buses, taxis and trains to electric.

• Scrap all petrol and diesel cars.  Discourage large electric cars - we won't have enough electricity to charge them.

• Improve home insulation standards.  Ban landlords from renting inefficient homes (we've made a token start on that already) and offer grants for energy efficiency.  Ban gas, oil or coal heating. And cooking.  Make sure new houses actually meet the latest building regulation standards (most don't), and make those standards tougher every year.

• Decarbonise the electricity supply.  That will mean less electricity generated.  Live with it.

• Electricity will have to go up in price.  Introduce an escalating pricing scheme.  The more units you use, the more each unit costs.  That will encourage people to save electricity.  Heating your swimming pool will become ruinously expensive.

• Things that use a lot of energy to make will go up in price.  Live with it.  Make things last longer.

Will the average member of public accept that?  Possibly not.  When you work through it all, it will be like going back to the 1940's in many respects.  Maybe including the food rationing until things get sorted out.  Could we do it?  I would have thought so.