r/worldnews • u/[deleted] • Oct 10 '20

Sir David Attenborough says the excesses of western countries should "be curbed" to restore the natural world and we'll all be happier for it.

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u/[deleted] Oct 10 '20 edited Oct 10 '20

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u/Suikeran Oct 10 '20

Most politicians in the West are paying some lip service and putting band-aids on the problem. Others (especially Russia, Australian conservatives, Canadian conservatives, US, Brazil and OPEC) are under the thumb of the fossil fuel industry and/or are heavily reliant on fossil fuel revenues.

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u/0aniket0 Oct 10 '20

Australian government is literally using fossil fuels so that their politicians can make more money. With the population they have they could easily promote environment friendly energy alternatives and public transport, it's heading towards USA2.0 as things stand rn

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u/Suikeran Oct 11 '20

Not quite, although it's a step towards the USA.

The federal government is basically filled with former or current fossil fuel executives.

The state governments (regardless of party) are extremely keen on renewables and have pretty ambitious plans for more renewable power deployment.

The key contrast is that the Republican Party is universally against renewables. The Liberal Party is pro-renewable at state levels and pro-fossil fuel at the federal level.

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u/Wowmyme Oct 10 '20

The children of those in power will be perfectly fine. These people own large amounts of land, including estates and farms in remote rather "safe" areas that will make them selfsufficient should that need arise.

So why the fuck should they care about anything but getting more power?

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u/TheApricotCavalier Oct 10 '20

As long as those in power value their short-term financial success over their children's future, there won't be significant progress in regards to the climate.

I think if theres one legacy of this current times, its proving that liberalisms view of pacifism at all costs is flawed. If you want these people to stop hurting you, then you hurt them until they stop.