Pay Attention, America: Edmund Burke and the Folly of British Climate “Leadership”
1 day ago
Guest Blogger
By Benjamin Zycher
January 14, 2024
“Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.” This timeless wisdom was articulated by Edmund Burke, a famous philosopher, member of the House of Commons for many years in the mid- and late 18th century, and often described as a “father of conservatism.” British energy policies since 2008 — the year that Parliament enacted an 80% “decarbonization” policy into law — would have proven vastly less destructive had the MPs borne in mind two central conservative truths: Government officials know far less than they imagine, and policy initiatives attempting to effect huge changes in economic and social conditions engender hugely adverse consequences unforeseen by government planners.
In a magnificent new study of British climate policy, “The Folly of Climate Leadership: Net Zero and Britain’s Disastrous Energy Policies” — an apt title indeed — Rupert Darwall, Senior Fellow at the RealClear Foundation, notes that “in 2019, the target was raised to the elimination of 100% of net emissions by 2050 and became law after an 88-minute debate in the House of Commons.” Andy Puzder in the Foreword to Darwall’s study summarizes some of the findings as follows:
“The results have been a disaster. Even before the recent surge in energy costs, in 2020, Britons were paying about 75% more for electricity than Americans; and during the energy crisis in 2022, electricity rates for British businesses were more than double the average paid by US businesses. High and rising energy costs have locked Britain into economic decline. British politicians’ boasts of climate leadership by cutting greenhouse gas emissions faster than any other major economy ignore the unfortunate fact that the British economy has been stagnating since 2008. This luxury net zero policy, which only the rich can afford, has been devastating for ordinary Britons just trying to heat their homes and get to work.”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/01/15/pay-attention-america-edmund-burke-and-the-folly-of-british-climate-leadership/
