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Comment

Comment: Sanctioned environmental destruction

The exaggerated climate crisis

Tege Tornvall

Environmental considerations don't seem to apply to wind and solar power if one listens to the conflicting messages of Swedish environmental policy.

Published 8 January 2025
– By Tege Tornvall
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This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

Swedish environmental policy sends mixed messages. The main rule is not to spread toxins or pollute. The main exception is that no environmental considerations may prevent wind and solar power.

These energy sources are advocated by the EU, and as we know, EU law takes precedence over Swedish law. If EU law requires us to hang from trees upside down, then we shall hang from trees upside down.

Since the EU wants us to switch to unsafe wind and solar power from reliable nuclear power, those who oppose this must be convinced – or forced. That also applies to regions and municipalities and their veto power.

The previous government tasked Centre Party politician Ulrika Liljeberg with proposing ways to persuade municipalities to approve wind power projects. Her proposal can be summarized in a single word: bribes.

They should be bought. But it will be expensive. So now comes a new proposal. The new investigator Magnus Hermansson simply proposes that regions and municipalities should lose their right of veto.

He is acting on behalf of the Moderate-led government. This government is so eager to dance to the EU’s tune that it is prepared to override regions and municipalities.

It has no mandate for that whatsoever. But it was not an election issue, neither in the 2022 parliamentary elections nor in the 2024 EU elections. There, such thoughts were discreetly swept under the carpet.

Swedish environmental policy sends mixed messages

But in practical terms, this means that the Moderate-led government may approve and endorse (sanction) energy policies that result in outright environmental destruction. A red-green government with the Green Party would likely do the same.

Both would cite the threat of global warming from more carbon dioxide from human activities as an excuse. But the IPCC’s Scientific Working Group WG1 provides arguments both for and against that more carbon dioxide from human activities would dangerously warm the atmosphere.

WG1 presents the facts of the climate debate, but they are distorted by working groups WG2 and WG3, which study the possible effects of alleged warming and how these should be addressed and managed. This is then summarized in an overly alarmist way for policy makers in the SPM report, which politicians and media take for a scientific report.

The alleged climate threat has become the new Swedish state religion, with the disoriented Church of Sweden and all political parties as eager supporters.

The only way to stop this is for it to go completely off the rails. And that seems to be happening, with massive green losses and an impending energy crisis on the horizon.

Nothing to be happy about but still to be welcomed. Back to Reality!

 

Tege Tornvall

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/denmark/new-research-on-the-bovaer-supplement-amid-a-wave-of-criticism/

Denmark

New research on the bovaer supplement amid a wave of criticism

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 15 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The Danish Animal Welfare organization argues that cows risk being excluded from grazing pastures due to bovaer.
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Further research will be carried out on the highly controversial feed additive bovaer, researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark have confirmed. The decision is based on the widespread criticism of the methane-reducing additive.

From the beginning of the year, all Danish dairy farms with more than 50 cows must use methane-reducing supplements in their feed. This can be done by adding more fat to the feed or by using the new supplement bovaer for 80 days per year. Swedish Arla has recently faced harsh criticism for its use of bovaer, with many calling for a boycott of the company.

The decision has been welcomed by some dairy farmers, but also faced strong criticism, especially against the bovaer, from, among others, the Danish Dyrenes Beskyttelse.

– We don’t know how it will affect them in the long term. At the same time, cows risk being locked up in stables all year round because the effect of the substance is more uncertain when they go to pasture, the organization states.

“Focus on animal welfare”

Earlier this week, Danish farmers also protested against, among other things, climate taxes, but also the compulsion to use bovaer for their cows.

Due to the widespread criticism, more research is being planned on the impact of bovaer on the health of cows, as well as on the milk and meat of the animals that receive the supplement.

– In the trials we have done so far, the focus has been on the effect on methane, feed intake and milk yield. Therefore, we will focus on animal welfare in the trials we will do in the new year, and we also need new research that provides a better understanding of what happens in the cow’s rumen when we use Bovaer and other effective methane-reduced feed additives, he tells Danish tjekdet.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/denmark/danish-farmers-protest-against-climate-taxes-and-bovaer/

Denmark

Danish farmers protest against climate taxes and bovaer

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 15 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
– I won't be feeding my cows with bovaer, that's for sure, says farmer Thorbjørn Thomsen
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On Monday, Danish farmers protested against new climate taxes and rules that they say make farming in the country more difficult and worse. Among other things, the protests were directed against the criticized feed additive bovaer, which farmers are now forced to use to reduce methane emissions.

Last year, the Danish government agreed on a new climate agreement with the aim of making Denmark “green”. One of the targets is to reduce nitrogen emissions from agriculture by 13,780 tons per year, to be achieved through a carbon tax on farmers.

The No FFF demonstration, which stands for “No Food, No Farmers, No Future”, was organized in several Danish cities on Monday. Farmers drove their tractors to Aalborg, Kolding, Holstebro and Aarhus, among others.

The farmers are demanding the removal of all taxes and regulations that make it difficult to farm and raise animals in Denmark. They also want car and registration fees to be abolished, the green tripartite agreement to be stopped and no more solar parks to be built on agricultural land.

Demand for methane-reducing supplements

A significant part of the protests is directed against the much-criticized feed additive bovaer. Since January 1, all dairy farms in Denmark with more than 50 cows must use methane-reducing supplements in their feed.

– I won’t be feeding my cows with bovaer, that’s for sure, farmer Thorbjørn Thomsen told Danish state broadcaster DR.

Arla has recently faced strong criticism after boasting that it feeds British dairy cows the dietary supplement bovaer. Many Britons have called for a boycott of the company’s products and openly declared that they will not support a company that gives its animals what they consider to be experimental and unnatural supplements. In Sweden, too, criticism has been noticeable, and initiatives such as Mejerikollen have been launched to help consumers avoid dairy products containing bovaer.

Not wanting to restrict traffic

In several European countries, demonstrations against taxes and regulations on agriculture have taken place under the slogan No Farmers, No Food. However, the Danish demonstration is not supported by the major official agricultural organizations.

– We don’t want to be part of taking ordinary Danes hostage on this issue. There are some things we are not happy with, but we are not in favor of restricting traffic for that reason, says Torben Farum, vice president of the agricultural organization Agilix in Northern Jutland.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/professor-of-climatology-95-of-forest-fires-are-caused-by-humans/

World

Professor of climatology: “95% of forest fires are caused by humans”

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 14 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
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The fires in California, especially in and around Los Angeles, are not caused by climate change but by human activity. That’s according to a recent study that reviewed decades of fire incidents. Whether through carelessness, accidents or intentional acts, humans are behind the overwhelming majority of fires.

John Abatzoglou, a professor of climatology at the University of California, Merced, has analyzed three decades of fire data from Los Angeles County. His research shows that most fires in the area are caused by human activity, NBC News reports.

– More than 95% of these are human-ignited fires. Arson is among the causes, but most human-caused fires are not intentional, Abatzoglou explains.

According to his analysis, vehicles and other equipment are the most common causes of fires in the area between 1992 and 2020. Sparks from faulty machinery or heat from engines can quickly ignite dry vegetation, especially during the hot and dry months of summer.

However, Mr. Abatzoglou stresses that changes in the weather, such as strong winds, can contribute to exacerbating the conditions that make fires more difficult to control, but they are not the primary cause of fires.

Poor maintenance of power lines and infrastructure problems are other examples of factors contributing to the current and perhaps most devastating fires in California’s history.

The statistics seemingly support a growing criticism of simplistic explanations that refer only to climate change.

Nonchalant political governance

California’s authorities have long been questioned for what many believe is their inability to address the problems and work preventively. As recently as 2020, the state experienced one of its worst fire seasons ever, with millions of acres burning and thousands of people forced to leave their homes.

The state’s criticized governor, Gavin Newsom (D), has previously highlighted climate change as a key factor behind the growing problems with fires in the state. At the same time, there are growing calls for more pragmatic solutions that address the human factors behind the fires.

Critics of the theory that climate change is the main cause of the fires say the focus should shift to human behavior. The dryness and heat that make areas particularly vulnerable to fires are exacerbated by poor infrastructure maintenance, carelessness and illegal actions.

The impact of eucalyptus trees

Eucalyptus trees, common in many parts of the world and especially in California, have been shown to have a significant impact on forest fires. The trees contain large amounts of oils that are extremely flammable – making them particularly risky in hot and dry conditions.

Research has shown that eucalyptus oils, released at high temperatures, can create a kind of ‘fire torch’ that makes the fire spread faster. In some cases, it has also been shown that these trees can help make forest fires more intense, acting as a form of “fire torch” rather than a barrier.

Eucalyptus trees arrived in California in the 19th century, mainly via migrants from Australia. The trees were initially introduced as a solution to provide fast-growing trees for paper production and fuel.

By the early 1900s, thousands of acres of eucalyptus trees were planted with the encouragement of the state government. In modern-day California, and particularly in Los Angeles, eucalyptus is a common feature of the landscape, with large stands in both urban and more remote areas.

Arson is part of the problem

Arson is another part of the problem. Authorities in California report that individuals sometimes intentionally set fires on land for a variety of reasons, including insurance fraud, revenge or pure vandalism.

At the same time, experts point out that many fires are accidental and could be prevented with better training and safety practices. According to Mr. Abatzoglou, much of the responsibility lies with individuals and businesses to take precautions.

According to statistics from California, the number of fires linked to human activity has remained stably high for several decades. This includes everything from cigarette butts discarded in the wild to accidents on construction sites.

Despite this, some argue that climate change has a contributing role by creating longer periods of extreme heat and drought. But, as Abatzoglou points out, in the vast majority of cases the direct causes are human.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/majority-of-swedish-children-suffer-from-climate-anxiety/

Sweden

Majority of Swedish children suffer from climate anxiety

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 16 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Swedish psychologists claim that climate anxiety can actually be a positive thing.
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Most children and adults in Sweden today are said to suffer from climate anxiety – often to the extent that it interferes with their daily lives.

However, Swedish psychologists argue that climate anxiety does not have to be a negative thing at all – on the contrary, it should be considered “a reasonable and adequate reaction”.

Climate alarmist reporting, with its recurring message that the world is becoming uninhabitable or ending due to human impact and emissions, has by all accounts had very negative effects on people’s – and especially children’s – mental health.

6 out of 10 Swedish children say they are worried about the climate and feel that adults have “let them down”. At the same time, roughly half of adults report experiencing climate anxiety so severe it affects their daily lives.

However, psychologist Fabian Lenhard believes that the widespread and very strong climate anxiety is both reasonable and logical and thinks that more people should go around feeling this anxiety.

– It is a reasonable and adequate reaction. We are concerned that something is not right, and that we need to solve a problem that we are facing. In that sense, concern is exactly the emotion we should and need to feel in relation to the climate crisis, he argues.

“Concern alone is not enough”

Many Swedes have trouble sleeping, are restless or feel tense because they are constantly walking around worrying about the climate, and this is also something that affects their everyday lives and social interactions with others.

– We do not yet know why these situations are perceived as difficult, but it may have something to do with the fact that climate is still perceived as a taboo topic in some social contexts. At the same time, we know that it is very important to be able to have open, constructive conversations about the climate, as this is a prerequisite for finding common solutions, Lenhard speculates.

Many Swedes also ask for help in dealing with their climate anxiety, but the psychologist insists that in many ways this is actually a positive thing.

– In the past, people have wondered whether there is such a thing as “eco paralysis”, i.e. being paralyzed by climate anxiety. But the opposite seems to be the case. But we also know that concern alone is not enough – guidance and support are needed to make meaningful and sustainable changes.

“Reasonable response”

Around six out of ten children feel sick or anxious about real or perceived climate change, but a large proportion of the adult population also suffers from climate anxiety.

In 2012, 39% of Swedish adults said they were “very worried” about alleged climate change – a figure that rose to 51% in 2023. If you also include the proportion of people who say they are “quite worried”, the figure rises to 84% of the population.

However, the researchers do not question the media’s often apocalyptic reporting and its impact on Swedes’ perceptions of the situation. Instead, the message is that both children’s and adults’ fears about the climate should be seen as something natural and good.

– Anxiety is a reasonable response to climate change, and under the right conditions it can lead to action. The important thing is to validate it, says psychologist and researcher Maria Ojala, from Örebro University.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com