Ireland Isn't As Green As It's Ruling Class, If This Climate Survey Is Any Indication

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has just produced one of the junkiest climate reports I’ve seen to date. It’s titled as the “Climate Conversations 2023 Report” and is based on the results of an on-line survey of 12,000 people and interviews of the members of 18 groups of Irish and non-Irish. The only thing good about the report is that, despite a major effort to demonstrate the citizens of the Emerald Eyre are ready to do anything to save the planet, the responses were akin to being handed a warm beer.

There are a ton of things wrong with this report, but perhaps it can best be summed in this chapter heading:

People Taking the Most Climate Action are Earnest Do-Gooders

Another name for “do-gooders” in common parlance, of course, is “busybodies,” or, if you prefer the slang version, “Karens.” And, the survey is very biased toward the interests of such folks. The report notes the following (emphasis added):

When asked how worried they are about climate change, an overwhelming 72% of the 4,061 respondents surveyed said they were “very worried.” This is around double the proportion recorded in the CCIM [Climate Change in the Irish Mind] 2021 study (37%), thus highlighting the high level of concern amongst this audience compared to the wider population as reflected in the CCIM research.

The survey and interviews, in other words, captured the views of those most likely to fear climate change and who want to make everyone join in their cause. Yet, despite that:

• 73% Don’t plan to go vegan (no fish, meat or animal products),

• 58% Don’t plan to live car-free,

• 55% Don’t plan on living without pets, and

• 54% Don’t plan to go vegetarian (no fish or meat).

Think about these responses and what they mean. The people answering this survey are largely true-believers and even they aren’t willing to give up their car, live without pets, or change their diet for the planet. That’s the only valuable information to be gotten from this ridiculous report. Nonetheless, there are other things to be learned, starting with the title thrown up on the cover page:

As one can see, it’s all about changing the behavior of individuals to make them better members of the collective. Call it what you will, but this is pure leftism; the sort that destroys liberty in the name of the common good. It’s voluntary, of course, until it’s not, just like Joe Biden’s COVID vaccination program.

Changing behavior is, in fact, the theme of this entire report, as if the governing class was entitled to demand such changes from its constituents when, in reality, it is only the citizenry that has the right to demand anything from anybody. Over and over again, the pitch is made that the sovereign citizenry must adapt to the ruling class’s desires. There is not so much as a hint that just maybe the government should be adapting to the people’s priorities.

This is what passes for seriousness among elites who govern us. it’s a sad state of affairs.

Hat Tip: JoNova

#Ireland #Behavior #Climate #Leftism