Post #3162932

2023-09-01 21:05 UTC

All that news about amazing growth of solar and wind, how cheap renewable energy is now or new "investments" into green growth always make me ask "OK, but are we burning less fossil fuels?" And the answer invariably is "Oh, this will happen eventually, obviously the invisible hand of the market will sort this out."

Replies (10)

@jackofalltrades@mas.to 2023-09-01 21:06

This is such a dangerous belief in the system that got us into this mess in the first place. Ignoring externalities will always be more profitable. This problem requires a systemic fix, not slapping a green sticker on top.

Open ##3162933
@MisuseCase@twit.social 2023-09-01 21:10

@jackofalltrades@mas.to One thing that always grinds my gears is when people use the argument “nuclear power isn’t an option to decarbonize because it’s too slow and expensive to build,” never mind that you can bang out a reactor in 2-3 years if you settle on a standardized design, but the fine print is *it’s too slow and expensive to build if you want to turn a quick profit in the next 2-3 quarters.*

Open ##3162936
@chromatic@kolektiva.social 2023-09-01 21:14

@jackofalltrades@mas.to the invisible hand of the market is actually choking on our throats, stabbing on our back or getting on our pockets...

Open ##3162944
@BrentInMasto@mastodon.coffee 2023-09-01 21:16

@jackofalltrades@mas.to Did someone just call for The Invisible Hand of the Free Market Man? (not completely on topic, but along the same lines) https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/20/2159017/-Cartoon-Invisible-Hand-to-the-rescue @tomtomorrow@mstdn.social

Open ##3162945
@dibi58@this.mouse.rocks 2023-09-01 21:17

@jackofalltrades@mas.to invisible hand ... economics Is another religion ...

Open ##3162946
@amhrasmussen@universeodon.com 2023-09-01 21:34

@jackofalltrades@mas.to sometimes, yes, we are burning less fossil fuels! The drop might have happened due to abnormal events, and be geographically limited, but seeing it being possible is great! https://mastodon.energy/@janrosenow/110977193491548260

Open ##3162948
@peteriskrisjanis@toot.lv 2023-09-01 22:12

@jackofalltrades@mas.to to move away from "hand of market" would require fundamental rebuilding of system of power and trust. People who have power not gonna pass that power, even to survive.

Open ##3162950
@BlueintheSouth@newsie.social 2023-09-02 07:30

@jackofalltrades@mas.to for decades now

Open ##3162951
@Frances_Larina@sfba.social 2023-09-02 16:32

@jackofalltrades@mas.to We're burning more fossil fuels. But the connection seems tenuous. Moderates argue that we have to keep burning in order to build up the alternatives. I'd buy that if the two forms of energy usage chart out as inversely proportional.

Open ##3162952
@RhinosWorryMe@climatejustice.rocks 2023-09-02 17:26

@jackofalltrades@mas.to

Open ##3162953