For more than 30 years, Americans have been propagandized with a climate alarmist apocalyptic message: global warming (now climate change) is an existential threat to the planet caused by humans (specifically by capitalism, greed and fossil fuels) and we must stop using fossil fuels to save the planet. The propagandists include the left, the Democratic Party, academia and most of the grant-driven science community. They have now been joined by the Sunrise County Economic Council, which was originally a center-right non-profit established to promote economic development in Washington County, but has now morphed into a full service leftist grant whore promoting state power and climate alarmism.
COP stands for conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), which started with COP1 in Berlin 1995. COP3 in 1997 negotiated the infamous Kyoto Protocol, where Vice President Al Gore led the way to an international treaty that pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, as an international Treaty, Kyoto required Senate ratification (for Constitutional and Democracy reasons), which never happened. Nevertheless, blue states like Maine pursued policies to implement the Kyoto Protocol, because you cannot let Republicans and annoying constitutional democracy requirements for consent of the governed get in the way of saving the planet.
COP15 gave us the Paris agreement to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The voluntarily was very important, because as a voluntary executive agreement, Paris supposedly did not require Senate ratification (which it would not have got). Paris did require a 4 year opt out waiting period, so the evil orange guy got America out for a few months before Brandon put us back in, while apologizing for the rude exit in a reminder of the unlamented craven Obama apology of 2009-2016.
COP22, just completed in Egypt, gave us climate reparations, where evil developed nations will make payments to developing nations (including #1 greenhouse gas emitter China) to signal our sincere regret.
Back in the 90’s,when I thought that the climate alarmists were just misguided (as opposed to being deluded anti-capitalist eco-fascists), I used to ask this simple question: How much global warming (this existential apocalyptic problem that we have to address now to save the planet) will this policy avert?
I never, ever got an answer, because the answer was none. That was true of Kyoto, the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Agreement (an updated regional version of Kyoto signed by Angus King in 2001), Paris, Janet Mills’ Climate Action Plan and the new Climate Reparations agreement (which I am sure Maine’s Congressional delegation will wholeheartedly support with our tax dollars, especially Finance Committee Vice Chair Susan Collins).
In 2001, I briefed the Maine House Republican caucus on emerging global warming policy. Rep. Henry Joy stopped me after I asked that very question about how much global warming would be averted and said- it’s not about saving the planet, it’s about control. He was absolutely right.
The high prices for gasoline, electricity and heating oil are deliberate policy choices made by Brandon and the climate alarmists. They are the predictable consequences of the war on fossil fuels. Our economy and standard of living are the victims of climate alarmism and the environmental left. There will be no measurable effect on the climate, but freedom and prosperity will be diminished. And that is really the point- and the goal.