much of the busy agenda was taken up by proposed climate rollbacks, including the replacement of the 2035 combustion-engine phase-out with weaker CO2 standards for new cars and weakening its carbon-pricing system for industries and power production.

Europe’s own electrification path has been slow compared to some other large economies, rising only about five percent since 1990. During this time, China went from six percent to almost 30 percent

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[–] 37 points 2 months ago (16 children)

climate policy rollbacks during historic heatwave

How much more do we want to be taken for fools? How do we get responsible politicians?

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  • [–] 23 points 2 months ago (5 children)

    Main one: Prohibit lobbying (or soft corruption as I.like to call it). Others: Set payment + 100% illegal to receive gifts, services for free, any type of advantage + extreme high fine for both parties if they are caught breaking the rules.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 months ago* (1 child)

    I would also include aggressive financial oversight, constant supervision of all financials, assets and so forth. Possibly even mandatory external management for the duration of their term.

    Officials and their families should not be able to privately invest at all while they are holding office. Seems inconvenient for them, but anyone going into politics hoping to do some insider trading should get the fuck out anyway.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago

    All good points... but it will never happen... Money can buy everyone, every decision maker in the line can be bought and influenced.

    You need some rules like: If you're caught accepting money of any kind except your salary, you go in jail for 1 year or something. Without exception or early release.

    With that some probably would think twice before going corrupt.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago* (1 child)

    Maybe it's worth considering that "prohibiting" lobbying would also ban or severely restrict many NGOs such as Amnesty International and Greenpeace, trade unions, the recent initiative to "Stop Killing Games" as has been discussed on this instance extensively, etc.

    Obviously politicians should be banned from accepting cocaine, hookers, chests of golden doubloons, etc. from other parties, but it can still be useful for them to consider the perspective of different groups in society, including environmental groups, citizen initiatives, but also industry advocates.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 months ago

    Yes, thank you. "Prohibit lobbyism" is such a dumb, populist hot take, and actually going through with it would effectively be the end of democracy.

    Instead, let's talk about how we can make lobbyism more equitable and fair, and how we can prevent corruption. But those are complex issues, that require genuine, deliberative debate, in order to find real and better solutions.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago* (4 children)

    How do we get responsible politicians?

    Easy: Pay them as much as the industry they are actually working for. Oh, you don't have enough money for that? Well, it's your problem (and entirely your fault) that you are too poor to matter.

    On a more serious note: People seem to believe that voting more and more for screaching morons promising burn the planet faster while at the same time rolling back every positive development of decades is the way to go. So the actual answer is you won't. Because in a democracy the majority is calling the shots and sadly that majority is criminally stupid.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago

    Easy: Pay them as much as the industry

    Gathering those kinds of funds as simple peasants is not easy at all :(

    Because in a democracy the majority is calling the shots.

    I'm confused, you just said those with money call the shots. Is it because the politicians aren't the only ones receiving big bags of money? We the peasants not only need responsible politicians but also responsible (and well-funded) media outlets.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago (2 children)

    in a democracy the majority is calling the shots and sadly that majority is criminally stupid

    What can be done about the stupidity?

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago

    Better education, more measures against fake news and propaganda. Some nations (like, as per usual, the Nordics) are working hard on this, including even with providing courses for adults on how to spot fake news (as well as incorporating it into the general curriculum), but most are complacent at best, far too slow at adapting to rapidly changing times.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago*

    Now? Not much.

    The actual main measures so voters don't fall for stupid bullshit against their interests (education and proper journalism) already failed. In big parts because the propagandists prepared well by buying out a lot of media and defunding education.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (4 children)

    People are increasingly voting rightwing parties, and this is the price they pay.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    They dont pay it because it is mostly old people voting right wing

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  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago*

    And old people think, right wing parties protect our pensions

    (While they kick the pensions even lower and blame insert any group with little power for their own greed)

    It is not old people that are our enemy. The only enemy we have is but the reactionary elite who manipulates the labourers!

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago

    That's only half the truth. At least in my country.

    While it is true that many Boomers vote conservative, e. g. Millenials like to vote far right instead. In total there is not that much difference between generations (Gen-Z excluded but this will change as soon as they have themselfs established and have something to loose).

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago*

    We are the extinction event

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    revisions may be necessary "to keep the family together."

    What's more important:

    Pleasing some members governments that defend fossil fuel industry interests, or avoiding severe harm threatening all EU citizens?

    Grow a pair (of gonads)!

    If a majority agreement possible, there need to be a majority behind more ambitious goals. Ohers could be ignored as long as they can't veto.

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