In a Dutch appeals court verdict, the government of the Netherlands has been ordered to uphold a lower court's ruling that the Netherlands is responsible for reducing its own greenhouse emissions more, so that the effort better reflects the seriousness of the consequences of global warming for the Low Countries' own citizens.
This is a worldwide first, that a government is ordered to take measures against AGW.
From the Guardian: Dutch appeals court upholds landmark climate change ruling
Other sources: de Volkskrant (unfortunately paywalled :-( )
NRC Handelsblad 2018-10-09 "Urgenda-uitspraak maakt burgers partij in klimaatbeleid" (in Dutch)
FAZ 2018-10-09 "Niederlande werden zu Klimaschutz gezwungen" (in German)
Le Monde: nothing yet
"Urgenda", the activists that started the court case: Urgenda Foundation (in English) N.B. website very slow at the moment.
CNN: nothing yet
Fox News: Fox Business 2018-10-09 "Dutch appeals court upholds landmark climate case ruling"
(I can already imagine the advert: "For sale: coal power plant "MPP3". slightly used. Location: Maasvlakte, probably a bit above sea level (ish). Conveniently next door to de Noordzee. Transport costs not included.")
(to eds: I couldn't decide if this topic fell under "survival", "politics", "law", "tech" or "energy", so I plonked it in "Techonomics". Please advise. FAZ put it under "economics" and NRC under "news")
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday October 09 2018, @10:45PM (1 child)
> For some straaange reason I just can't imagine the country shutting off power plants with no alternatives ready whatsoever.
Well, the Japanese learnt to waste a bit less, and it mostly worked.
The Germans barely had more time, yet they did.
But it's either gonna be open season for building windmills and solar fast in Holland, or they're gonna have to pray that the EDF has those new nukes running. Alternatively, they could pass some kind of law to buy time, which would make more sense.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by NewNic on Tuesday October 09 2018, @11:33PM
If only the Netherlands were near a large body of water where wind powered turbines could be sited ....
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory