He, Who Pays the Piper, Calls the Tune!

The UK government has devised a 'cunning plan' for it to reach carbon zero by 2050. It only did so, however, after losing a case in the High Court. This 'climate plan', has not been generally greeted enthusiastically by scientists. Most experts think that fossil fuels need to be rapidly phased out, to get anywhere near limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Centigrade. In total constrast, the government plan argues, that oil and gas extraction must be intensified, to 'maintain energy security'. They say this can be safely done, as carbon capture and storage will remove extra emissions (very unlikely),'green' mini nuclear reactors, supplied with imported radioactive fuel, will be built and hydrogen-based technologies developed, largely eliminating carbon dioxide release (it depends how the hydrogen is generated). Naturally, solar and wind power are viewed as playing an increasing role but electricity, generated in these ways, will lose its subsidies (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/30/half-baked-half-hearted-critics-ridicule-uk-long-awaited-climate-strategy). Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised at the tone of the government's 'smoke and mirrors' climate plan? The climate website, DeSmog, used parliament records to establish the sources of donations to the ruling party. Strangely, £3.5m was from entities linked to fossil fuels, high polluting industries and climate change deniers (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/30/tory-partys-35m-dirty-donations-revealed-by-desmog-analysis). As they say, 'he who pays the piper, calls the tune'.