Comment by elfexec | Hacker News Reader

Comment by elfexec | Hacker News Reader

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Of course it's misleading. It's PR/virtue signaling by wealthy privileged european nation.

It's like how Ireland was one of the great recycling nations of the world. Did you know that they recycled nearly all of their plastic? Turns out that they just ship their plastic to china.

https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-plastic-waste-3786393-Jan2...

Sort of like how Norway is pro-environmental and anti-fossil fuel nation. Did you know that they have a trillion dollar soveriegn wealth fund and they are courageous going to divest all investments in oil companies? Of course you did because of all the PR about their divestment. But did you know that the money in the trillion dollar sovereign wealth fund all came from the oil they sold? Did you know that norway is the 4th largest oil producer per capita?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_oil_produ...

Wealthy european countries love to virtue signal and pat themselves on the back and they are especially hypocritical about it.

As an Australian pulling my hair out about our domestic policies w.r.t to fossil fuel exports / consumption, let me just say I would take token gestures and virtue signalling over total ignorance, passivity and inaction, any day of the week.

I don't think anyone would disagree that wealthy European countries are privileged, or that they should do more. But there is actual, tangible progress being made here. To maintain the hard-line cynical view is in itself a form of 'virtue signalling'.

> But did you know that the money in the trillion dollar sovereign wealth fund all came from the oil they sold?

I think it's a positive thing that one of the world's largest oil producers is moving away from fossil fuels and that they're being vocal about it.

We could do with more virtue from leading countries, and signalling about it.

> I think it's a positive thing that one of the world's largest oil producers is moving away from fossil fuels and that they're being vocal about it.

That would be a positive thing indeed. However from all I can tell this is not at all what's happening: https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2019/11/14/norway-oil-c... https://www.offshore-mag.com/regional-reports/article/140747... https://bellona.org/news/fossil-fuels/2018-01-norways-new-oi...

> One of the world's largest oil producers is moving away from fossil fuels

I mean, afaik, they're not moving away from generating oil and selling it. Arguably given the SWF is based on oil production/extraction revenues the obvious conclusion is that they were over exposed and this dis-investment is more like sensible diversification.

But maybe that's just cynicism

They're not moving away. They've just opened up a new field.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/19/business/norway-oil-field-cli...

Agreed. All countries want to be seen as leaders, and this can nudge them in the right direction.

I think this is a great achievement by Scotland but I agree with your general point. I was disappointed to see that the NY Times great series on EU farm subsidies and their massive environmental cost got no traction here but negative news about the EU doesn't seem to get much of an audience.

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