WHAT THE MALDIVES TELL US ABOUT THE ECO-NUTSIES

NYTIMES:

The Maldives is an archipelago of 1,190 islands in the Indian Ocean, with an average elevation of four feet. Even a slight rise in global sea levels, which many scientists predict will occur by the end of this century, could submerge most of the Maldives.

Last November, when Nasheed proposed moving all 300,000 Maldivians to safer territory, he named India, Sri Lanka and Australia as possible destinations and described a plan that would use tourism revenues from the present to establish a sovereign wealth fund with which he could buy a new country — or at least part of one — in the future. “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own, and so we have to buy land elsewhere,” Nasheed said in November.

When the movie ended, Nasheed approached a microphone stand in front of a giant house palm. He has a jockey’s physique, and the fronds of the palm arched over his shoulder. His wonder-boy demeanor might seem naïve, but he spent almost 20 years opposing a dictator and enduring torture; few doubt his fortitude.

The audience in the ballroom listened closely when Nasheed declared that it was time to act. “What we need to do is nothing short of decarbonizing the entire global economy,” he said, his high voice cracking. “If man can walk on the moon, we can unite to defeat our common carbon enemy.” Nasheed didn’t use notes for his speech; aides say he never does.

“And so today,” he continued, “I announce that the Maldives will become the first carbon-neutral country in the world.”

MOVING WHOLE POPULATIONS & COUNTRIES!? BECOMING "CARBON NEUTRAL" ?!

SEROUSLY, THIS CRAP IS INSANE.

• CORAL REEFS COME AND GO.
• SHEESH: IN GEOLOGICAL TERMS, FREAKIN' CONTINENTS COME AND GO.
• AND THE CLIMATE CHANGES.
• SEA LEVEL CHANGES.
• IT'S NATURAL.
• CHANGE IS NATURAL.
  

CHANGE: WHY, IN POLITICS, DOES THE LEFT THINK IT'S GOOD, BUT IN NATURE IT'S BAD!?

ECO-MUTSIES ARE UNDER THE MISAPPREHENSION THAT NATURE IS STATIC AND PRISTINE AND WOULD REMAIN SO WERE IT NOT FOR MAN.

• ACTUALLY, THE WORLD IS A HOSTILE PLACE; IT'S TOUGH TO FEED NATION WITHOUT CAPITALISM, INDUSTRIALISM AND A FREE MARKET.

• JUST ASK THE CHICOMS.

• THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS THE HISTORY OF A LONG SLOW DIFFICULT CRAWL FROM POVERTY, STARVATION, DISEASE TO WEALTH, ABUNDANCE AND HEALTH.

• WE CAN LOSE IT ALL IF WE DO WHAT THE SOCIALISTS AND ECON-NUTSIES WANT US TO DO: RAISE TAXES; CURB INDUSTRIALISM AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND BURN LESS CARBON.

DISSENT ACCORDINGLY.