Yikes. If this is the best Europe can do we are well and truly effed. FTA >The commission is betting that instead of hordes of yellow-vest protesters taking t

Yikes. If this is the best Europe can do we are well and truly effed. FTA >The commission is betting that instead of hordes of yellow-vest protesters taking to the streets, citizens will be willing to pay a price for cleaner air, lower emissions, and more sustainable lifestyles. color me skeptical. Granted, I’m not European just interested in international politics , but this bill seems tilted heavily in favor of particularly Germany and also France(the mentioned protesters, I know). If they really wanted this for the good of the Bloc, their would be plans to give aid (power plants, expertise, transmitted green energy, grants for the required renovations) to the poorer members/regions. Perhaps i’m just misinformed, but wouldn’t the burden of higher petrol taxes, more ambitious targets for renewables and renovation requirements be a much greater burden on the more eastern members? This particularly seems devious: >A requirement for countries to more quickly renovate buildings that are not deemed energy efficient Not the development of new stricter standards that everyone should follow, just adding more pressure on those who couldn’t afford to do it promptly (because if you are required to make an efficiency upgrade, the only reason not to make it promptly and enjoy the benefits of the efficiency is if you can’t afford it.) I’m also very very critical of carve outs. Why should their be an exemption for low-carbon alternatives to jet fuel? Just make the tax that much higher because of the impact of high altitude emissions. Apparently their is an exemption for both Private (jfc) and Cargo jets.[1] which explains the rationale, but doesn’t make it any better. I’m very saddened by the Carbon border tax, which seems like direct protectionism to me. I’m a huge fan of border taxes on imported goods to level the playing field (offshoring dirty business is unacceptable from an environmental standpoint), but it’s a bankrupt idea if you are applying it to only certain goods and only on Carbon. Tax them for dumping, for not being required to have sealed floors, for not having to catch fumes/dust, etc. Using climate change to enact rules that will disproportionately affect poorer people and give carve outs to the wealthy is disgusting. This looks like class warfare to me. It’s a cowardly and entirely inadequate attempt at addressing the problem and seems to target the poorest and give carve outs for the rich. [1] https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2231434-eu-draft-exempts-private-jets-cargo-from-jet-fuel-tax https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2231434-eu-draft-exempts-...