Norway to ban petroluem powered cars?

[john14]

Yeah, that and the fact that they're mostly powered by incredibly dirty coal burning power plants... Pay attention.



Political haymaking, where a good politician's priorities always are…



This isn’t the frontrunner for global change because it isn’t going to make even the slightest dent. The world isn’t going to see a real drop in CO2 emissions without overhauling the power generating industries of the US, Russia, and China.



Depending on how you grow the plant matter to make alcohol based fuels, you can end up emitting more carbon into the atmosphere than with gasoline because farmers use Fossil-Fuel fertilizers to grow the grain used. But it’s Ok, because a few Solar, Geothermal, and Wind based power facilities will do a lot more…

change will eventually come but the government shouldn't be able to ban the selling of a freaking car. that is rediculous i have no idea how anyone could live in a place like that. it shouldn't be some politician trying to "save the world" banning cars.QUOTE]

The US already bans the import of thousands of vehicles on emissions grounds every year…



That’s a ridiculous perversion of statistics. Humans are natural emitters of CO2 it’s true, but we’ve more than compensated for the emissions of an increased population by killing off those pesky herds of Bison. A decreased population WOULD decrease the CO2 emissions levels by decreasing demand for many of the products and services that are the main source of pollution.

bruxell, you are using more smileys than Drakkie, which is worrying.

[MRR]

This would be too harsh and demagogic considering that the automobile accounts for less than a quarter of the emissions and brings many other advantages in terms of personal freedom and economy too.

The car seems to be the favorite scape goat these days, I agree with encouraging more fuel efficient cars through taxes but this is going too far too soon...

Thats an overstatement. Cars account for 15-20% of CO2 emissions in the United States and Europe and only 1/30th of total global emission of CO2. Doesn't the other 80% cause global warming as well?

[Matt]

That’s a ridiculous perversion of statistics. Humans are natural emitters of CO2 it’s true, but we’ve more than compensated for the emissions of an increased population by killing off those pesky herds of Bison. A decreased population WOULD decrease the CO2 emissions levels by decreasing demand for many of the products and services that are the main source of pollution.

I'm pretty sure that's what he meant by that anyway. And it's true. The global population has nearly quadrupled in the past 50 years. It's absolutely ridiculous, irresponsible and completely unnecessary. People will argue that it's a human right to bear children. To a degree, that's true. But, it's generally and universally accepted that we have rights only to the point that we don't infringe on the rights of other people. Well, there are many countries, with their overgrown population, that are now infringing on my rights to live in a clean and safe world. I am in full support of population control for everyone.

[Matt]

Doesn't the other 80% cause global warming as well?

There are very few other single products that cause that much of percentage of the CO2 emissions. Electricity production might be the only other one. So, just because it's 20% instead of 80% does not make it a poor candidate for change or elimination (eventually).

[MRR]

I'm pretty sure that's what he meant by that anyway. And it's true. The global population has nearly quadrupled in the past 50 years. It's absolutely ridiculous, irresponsible and completely unnecessary. People will argue that it's a human right to bear children. To a degree, that's true. But, it's generally and universally accepted that we have rights only to the point that we don't infringe on the rights of other people. Well, there are many countries, with their overgrown population, that are now infringing on my rights to live in a clean and safe world. I am in full support of population control for everyone.

OMG someone agrees with me here. Yes there should be population controls. Every problem in this world is somehow attributed to overpopulation. We could just let it keep getting bigger but eventually history will repeat itself and a plague, global climate change, (war, famine, pestilence, etc) will wipe out a significant portion of the global population.

In terms of Norway doing this it won't work I suspect that the vast majority of people in the country own a gas or diesel car. What do they expect? Everyone to toss their old cars into a junkyard and immediately buy an electric or alternative fuel model. Its ludicrous and hypocritical in the most extreme way unless they stop exporting oil at the same time.

[MRR]

There are very few other single products that cause that much of percentage of the CO2 emissions. Electricity production might be the only other one. So, just because it's 20% instead of 80% does not make it a poor candidate for change or elimination (eventually).

Electricity generation accounts for 30-40% (I think I know its an enourmous number). Also keep in mind that 20% of the CO2 emission that your car emits over its lifetime is emitted during the vehicle's production.

Edit: greenhouse gas sources

[bruxell]

bruxell, you are using more smileys than Drakkie, which is worrying.

I'll take steps to correct the situation.

[bruxell]

I'm pretty sure that's what he meant by that anyway. And it's true. The global population has nearly quadrupled in the past 50 years. It's absolutely ridiculous, irresponsible and completely unnecessary. People will argue that it's a human right to bear children. To a degree, that's true. But, it's generally and universally accepted that we have rights only to the point that we don't infringe on the rights of other people. Well, there are many countries, with their overgrown population, that are now infringing on my rights to live in a clean and safe world. I am in full support of population control for everyone.

Population control is a natural process in most cases. Honestly, I think humans take a lot of crap in environmental terms. We're certainly not rediculous, or irresponsible, unnecessay I'll grant you. In the animal kingdom, humans are the only specie which even considers its impact on the world around it. Give us some credit for fighting our own natural inclinations, and at least giving ourselves the chance not to die off like a heard of water buffalo who've come to the end of the grass...

[ScionDriver]

This article could help me with my 90-page paper I am currently writing on alternative fuel sources. However from my research I would say that this proposal is wishful thinking. Plus they reference Brazil there, but newsflash: Brazil is the world's leader in ethanol-making, they are perhaps the only energy independant country in the world. They make and therefore supply their own ethanol from sugar cane. Norway can't important that much ethanol and I doubt they have enough farmland to sustain the entire country. Its too soon to jump onto these alternative energy sources. Ethanol is not a wildly better fuel: you get worse fuel economy, there is no soild proof that its energy positive, and it releases other harmful gases. I think this is a case of "Good ideas make bad government" - They got it in their head to do something green but they aren't thinking it through.

[ScionDriver]

I'm pretty sure that's what he meant by that anyway. And it's true. The global population has nearly quadrupled in the past 50 years. It's absolutely ridiculous, irresponsible and completely unnecessary. People will argue that it's a human right to bear children. To a degree, that's true. But, it's generally and universally accepted that we have rights only to the point that we don't infringe on the rights of other people. Well, there are many countries, with their overgrown population, that are now infringing on my rights to live in a clean and safe world. I am in full support of population control for everyone.

Children of Men! The government should start a secret program where we all become sterile for a good 16 years.

Or we should feed half the world to the other half of the world and solve world hunger and overpopulation at the same time.

[MRR]

Population control is a natural process in most cases

Not for us

Have you seen how our global population is increasing exponentially?

[LotusLocost]

Jeez.. many of you could do well with reading both articles one or two more times.

This is a law-proposal i have never heard about, and the latest article was released on 23rd of May.. Which you may conclude in that this is not a very hot political law-proposal. Both politicians who has their name in the second article, I have never heard about, just to make it clear that this articles are not very valid, or even valid at all.

The first article is so little serious and based on so thin facts, that it is only assumptions.

Anyway, like I understand this, if this proposal will be effected, in 2015 there will only be sold cars that can run on bio-ethanol or some sort of flexi-fuel. (I have to add.. Rosenborg just scored against Valencia on Mestalla, in CL.. WOOT!) The old cars will not be banned.. they will run until they stop or whatever. And next time the average Norwegian is buying a car, he will not have the option to buy a petrol-only car. And in 8 years (2015) i doubt that any brand of everyday cars sell petrol-only cars.

Though, this law-proposals, is purely political bacon.
We had "local" elections this July, and as you know, anything a politician says 6-3 months before an election can be seen as pure bacon.


I bet it was good for some of you Americans (read:MRR) to shout hipocrasy for once. But remember to read and understand the given "facts" first. And of course, it takes one to know one....


RRRoooooooooOOOOOSSSSSeeeeennnnBBBBbbboooooorrrrGG !!!!!

[bruxell]

Not for us

Have you seen how our global population is increasing exponentially?

Well, by natural, I meant that in the animal kingdom, whole populations die out because they strain the environment to the breaking point. Humans though are very good at adapting their environment, so we let other things die, instead. Basically we're just too good for the planet to take. As I said, we're also the ONLY animal that thinks about these things, at least enough to do anything about it. Most western nations have very limited population growth, and in fact, China and Japan are experiencing population decline in the east as well. The situation in Africa is different, but the population growth there and in some Asian nations can't go on like it is without mass starvation and huge local environmental problems, which we're seeing. The humanitarian situation in these regions is likely to get much worse unless the population growth is slowed, which seems to be up against some pretty stiff cultural barriers. It's a terrible situation and I do hope a better way is found than say mass die offs of humans, but Population controll is a natural situation, one way or the other...

[Matt]

Electricity generation accounts for 30-40% (I think I know its an enourmous number). Also keep in mind that 20% of the CO2 emission that your car emits over its lifetime is emitted during the vehicle's production.

I do understand that. Still doesn't make it a poor candidate for change.

[Piacki_117]

Not for us

Have you seen how our global population is increasing exponentially?

The only way to reduce population growth is development.