France Fuel Tax Delayed, But Can They Ever Get The Working Man To Confront Global Warming?

That so-called carbon tax had already increased diesel by 7.6 cents per litre and petrol by 3.9 cents in the last year, and it was due to rise again in January.

Yet as the rage over the added expense spilled into the cities and on to front pages, the original reason for the increase became somewhat lost.

It was supposed to help reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuel-guzzling cars, part of a wider attempt to reduce emissions and curb the effects of man-made climate change.

What's more, it would have been a chance for French President Emmanuel Macron to prove politicians could make difficult decisions when it came to the fight against global warming.

But now his government has bowed to pressure and promised to suspend the tax rise for at least six months, which raises the questions: where does this leave France's fight against global warming - and what message does it send to the wider world?

valhallakey - 12/6/2018 2:26:25 PM

+6 Boost

Human induced global warming is a well known hoax perpetrated by every country on the earth, virtually all climate scientist (less the 3% that know the truth) and every non-fringe political party. Fortunately for the US we have a political party and millions of people who recognize this hoax,. These non-climate scientists experts trolling the internet are happy to expose this hoax by pointing you to credible (non peer reviewed, discredited to the hoax perpetrators) web sites that totally discredit all those stupid money grubbing “real” climate scientists. So no worries about convincing the average Joe non-climate scientist expert..

Vette71 - 12/6/2018 3:10:32 PM

0 Boost

Historically democracies react to real circumstances. They aren't proactive in anticipation. Human nature. Similar to when you buy something it's easier to sell you something when you decide you need it then when the seller has to convince you that you need it. Right now the working man sees this all as something that the rich elite are pushing because the cost really is small to them, where as its large to the working man.

ggrcrash - 12/6/2018 3:34:46 PM

0 Boost

The problem is the corporations and created the problem and made bucks doing it yet the people are left with shouldering the price of fixing said problem...WTF?

PUGPROUD - 12/6/2018 5:12:23 PM

+3 Boost

This planet has been evolving, changing and experiencing major climate change for billions of years needing no help from mankind. There have been at least 78 very significant temperature cycles documented of both extreme cold and warmth in just the past 4,500 years. Meteorites and volcanic eruptions have and will have more influence on this planet than mankind ever will. The planet has even reversed its magnetic poles and will do so again. Sure we should take reasonable steps to curb pollution and carbon footprint but lets not follow the crazies in setting policy, timetables and lets not go bankrupt picking up the tab for everyone everywhere. Planet earth itself will dictate what planet earth will look like going forward more than political policy and spending.

valhallakey - 12/6/2018 8:51:58 PM

+2 Boost

What say about volcanoes, asteroids and other natural phenomena is true and new discoveries of an asteroid hit in Greenland about 12000 years ago could explain the Younger Dryas climate swings. However the atmosphere is a very thin shell around the earth with the troposphere only extending about 10 miles up and the vast bulk of that less than 5 miles deep. Real climate scientists around the world are seeing and documenting the impacts of human activity (fortunately no large asteroids or major volcanic activity lately) and it would be wise to listen to what they have found. We normally listen to scientist when developing policies, unfortunately now we mainly listen to politics.

supermoto - 12/6/2018 5:33:42 PM

+2 Boost

If climate change and the environment were real priorities, there would be a global limit on population growth.

But instead we are told the world can support many billions more people, while we cut down forests and cause mass extinctions as long as we pay more taxes. What a joke.

The only thing green is the money.

ricks0me - 12/6/2018 6:25:02 PM

+1 Boost

All of the above... Nothing for me to add.

mpls - 12/6/2018 6:38:06 PM

+1 Boost

Well said all..