It is important when talking about “the greens” to differentiate between the Green Party on the one hand and the Green movement, which the Green Party serves, on the other hand. I write that because as yet, the Irish Green party has not, to my knowledge, directly proposed any kind of limitation on having children. The Green movement, on the other hand, is all about the idea that there are too many humans on the planet, and that the population should be reduced. Which is why every few months a mainstream media outlet will run a piece about the hip new generation that is childless by choice in order to save the planet. The latest was in the Guardian, just six days ago. Emphasis mine:
The study, by a team of academics at University College London, is believed to be the first systematic review to explore how and why climate-related concerns may be affecting reproductive decision-making.
Their analysis found that, in 12 of 13 studies, stronger concerns about climate breakdown were associated with a desire for fewer children, or none at all.
Smart says the reasons for her decision were twofold. “It was, one, that moral responsibility of do you bring a child into a world where potentially they might not have a pleasant, even livable future,” she told the Guardian.
“But then there is the secondary moral dilemma of the kinds of emissions behind having a child.
These views run deep in the green movement, which is, at heart, an anti-human movement: Greens believe that people, after all, are destroying the planet. Fewer people, and the planet will do better. Some are more overt about that belief than others, but it’s a foundational principle of the Green approach to the world.
It is not surprising, therefore, that anti-family and anti-child attitudes would sneak into Green Party policy, either deliberately or subconsciously because such policies align with the instincts of the Green movement. These policies manifest themselves in obvious, and less obvious ways. One perhaps less obvious way is the proposal from the country’s green dominated Sustainable Energy Authority to drive up taxes on larger cars:
A boiler scrappage scheme to encourage homeowners to install electric heat pumps and an SUV tax to discourage them from buying fuel guzzlers are among the emergency measures the energy watchdog is seeking.
Flight restrictions, a ban on new data centres and a halt to the expansion of existing large energy-using industries should also be considered, it says.
Surprisingly, the only political voice in the country to notice the impact of an extra tax on large vehicles was somebody who has yet to even be elected: Aontú’s Eric Nelligan, who is seeking a council seat for the party in Limerick:
The SUV tax proposed by the Greens and their ‘eco socialist’ allies in the form of Labour, PBP and Soc Dem should be just remained as
🚗the ‘FAMILY CAR’ tax 🚗
Families with children being disproportionately targeted again, aided and abetted by many in the opposition. pic.twitter.com/DmFqDUWite
— Eric Nelligan (@eric_nelligan) November 16, 2023
Taxes on larger cars and larger houses and using more resources are, of course, taxes on having more children and larger families. The difference to the climate between driving a Toyota yaris for five years and driving a Toyota RAV4 for the same period is absolutely miniscule: But the difference to your ability to transport your children around the place may well be very significant. We cannot say if those who are advocating for this kind of policy have actively considered that, but based on everything we know about the Green movement, it’s likely that they would consider it a feature, not a bug.
Sadly, this is the kind of thing that simply isn’t on the political radar as evidenced – and no disrespect to the man – that it took a council candidate for a small political party to raise the issue. All I can do here is amplify his voice, and hope that some others might notice.
The birth rate in Ireland has been falling for years, and is now substantially below replacement rate, meaning that our population will age over time, driving up the cost of pensions and healthcare, while increasing the burden on taxpayers. The Government has eschewed pursuing any policies, of any kind, that might encourage people to have more children, and instead seems intent instead on driving the birth rate down while making up the difference via immigration.
If this is what the public really wants, so be it. But it seems to me that yet again, it’s an example of the country adopting policies without really considering the consequences, either in the short term, or the long.
Loading ...
There is a significant and growing anti-human element on the left ..
Probably would not involve a great deal of brain power to work out what humans they would like to see exit the world
Many single childless women, will purchase an array of dogs and cats in order to make up for the fact that they have no child to nurture.
I personally know a woman in her forties with 8 of these beasts. The carbon emissions that comes from these dogs is no different to the carbon emissions that her children would emit, if she had any. These dogs get driven around in an SUV.
Back when I worked in retail, specifically a large optical retail chain, I had a woman push her dog into the store in a buggy. This dog is obviously pampered to the point of producing excess carbon emissions because the dog can walk and doesn’t need a buggy made from plastic to get around.
John, you might have added:
– no babies mean no one to care for you when you’re old. This might not matter if you’re counting on the state to euthanise you when your body starts wearing out (it was 35 in Logan’s Run) or if they plan to import carers from countries and religions that still favour large families.
Everyone should also be clear that the green movement is a modern day death cult, no different from the Aztecs who also sacrificed babies to appease the weather gods. It worked out well for their culture too.
If you can pay yourself, you are taxed. If not, you are given ample allowances, benefits and subsidies. It would appear the goal might be to increase dependance upon the State
A radical down sizing of Govt and the Irish administrative state is urgently required , the tentacles of the State are attempting to choke the life from the inalienable rights, privacies and freedoms of Irish citizens …….
Like it or not, the pattern of urban development over the past 60 years has made car ownership a necessity. And most especially for families with small children. Public transport, even if available, is in no way a suitable alternative. The Hungarian government recognises this and subsidises car ownership for couples with young children.
Here, the Green cult doesn’t just want to eliminate SUVs, they want to eliminate all cars. (Just look at the traffic nightmare they are creating in Dublin city.) The unstated objective is to reduce the human population by making the necessities of life unaffordable. This agenda targets European peoples exclusively since the rest of the world has no intention of joining this suicide pact.
Of course, the official “climate change” narrative is bogus. There is no climate “emergency”. Carbon dioxide emissions are entirely harmless. And it is noteworthy that Western governments are not at all concerned about the vast emissions resulting from the Ukraine (& now Gaza) wars.
Nonetheless, the Green movement provides an ample supply of useful idiots to help further a totalitarian agenda.
Some SUV’S eg Toyota Rav4 and Nissan quasqai get good mpg. The Nissan with its diesel engine does about 50 mpg, the Toyota being hybrid is not too far behind…so the idea of these types being called gas guzzlers makes me laugh.
Yet no one mentions the bigger yokes like the shit range rovers, or audi q7 or those stupid looking BMW x series.
Also I would ask why do people drive these things, well if you take the first 2 I mentioned the Toyota and Nissan. I would drive these as I would find it easier to get in and out of rather than a car.
Also easier to put kids in child seats at that height than in a car.
Griot must be getting successful and attracting the attention of the green movement. A lot of pro green policy people all of a sudden .
I come from a family of 7. We had one small corolla growing up. We just used to cycle and walk everywhere and we were happy out. What a ridiculous article
why can’t those families drive a smaller (and lighter) car?
Why should they?
There’s no road space to accommodate them, never mind parking space. Additionally they are pedestrian killers due to the height of the grill.
Excess deaths are up significantly and dwarf road deaths .. do you back calls for an in-depth, thorough enquiry ..
This is simply untrue. In fact it’s the opposite. Id love to see ANY research on road deaths in Ireland that show a correlation between large SUVs and increased deaths. There are many reasons for increased road deaths, including suicide which they rarely publish.
New large cars are mostly in the Level 2 safe drive category. They have driver assist, lane assist, automatic emergency breaking, light and sign recognition, automatic speed limit compliance, driver fatigue warning. If a ball suddenly goes out in front of my car, red lights flash all the way around the windscreen, an alarm sounds and the car automatically slows down. Compare that to your Yaris and distracted drivers and tell me it’s more unsafe.
They aren’t driving them on Private roads Tom, rather they are Public roads. Subsequently the Public gets a say in how much public space one’s vehicle commandeers.
Hi Joseph, I have 2 brothers, my parents are above average height. Myself and my brother’s were giants growing up. I hit the 6ft mark at 14 years old, my brother’s around a similar age. We couldn’t fit in our small car by the time we were teenagers as we all played rugby and had broad shoulders. My parents had to get a bigger car. We were still pressing our knees into the back of the front seats but at least it wasn’t uncomfortable anymore. They didn’t even get a new one they bought second hand.
As a child my family of 5 took a 1980 Pontiac Phoenix hatchback, on a road trip from NY to Miami, and back again, with luggage.
There was always plenty of room on our donkey and cart for the whole family to go to Church on Sunday. the bog for a load of Turf on Monday and a trip to Fair Day on Wednesday.
No emissions and a little excretions which went in with the potato planting.
No maintenace,a lttle feed for Ned, no license and and Ned took us home from the Pub, when we were above the odds and no fare or tip asked.
Got a hee-haw now and again when he wanted feeding..
Haw haw haw
Ha! As a child everything looks big. The Phoenix was called a compact car in the 80s which means it is probably closer in size to a modern Corolla than a Aris. I’m not sure this makes your point. If you’d made the trip in a Yugo I’d be impressed however. Of course it is very likely no Yugo ever made that trip.