it would mean we should really cut down on CO2 releases and this would likely mean cutting down on our standard of living, though not directly as much as the reduction in emissions. The reductions currently proposed are no way enough. It is just a first step - a sustainable level would be more like < 1% of current levels.
It is possible, to increase the standard of living and reduce emissions. We can increase the quality of rails for long term travel, make car sharing or cheap renting avaliable, and crazy citys in the benelux can live on bicycles.
Don't take this personal but this kind of crap is exactly what makes the greenies' ideas so unrealistic. In the NL they have been trying to price people out of the cars but it has had zero effect. The number of cars has been growing steadily.
I have a very strict differentiation between fanatics greens and greens. Fanatics will chain themselves to trees and "we should all ride bicycles". That is stupid. If there is a green revolution, it will be technology driven and it will improve things, not restrict me and not make my life less comfortable or more expensive.
I believe in green revolution. Your country did a lot for that. As I recall 10+% of new car sales are plug in or electric. Steadily growing, and you have plans to phase out petrol engine. That is exactly, what they should do everywhere.
There are plans to increase the usage of green energy in a clever way. There is a manager working on just this, sitting next to me. Working on variable pricing of electricity, social studies, etc. Trial runs are expected to start. Very simple concepts, like charging your car when the sun is shining. It requires infrastructure, data processing, smart meters, controllable chargers, websites, etc. The end result is higher solar production, and less fossil usage.
It is simple. If you tell someone, that it is cheaper to use green energy, and buy the technology to reduce waste, pollution, they are going to do that. And maybe we can prevent half of Holland going underwater.