In an historic move, the European Union has announced that all citizens will be required to subscribe to the My Carbon app by 2025. The app, developed by a consortium of tech companies and environmental organizations, tracks an individual’s carbon footprint in real-time and provides personalized suggestions for reducing emissions.

The decision has sparked both praise and criticism, with climate activists hailing it as a necessary step in the fight against global warming, while privacy advocates decry the invasive nature of the technology. Critics argue that the app’s monitoring capabilities, which include tracking an individual’s energy use, transportation habits, and consumer choices, infringe on personal privacy and could be abused by the government or corporations.

Despite these concerns, the EU has defended the mandate, citing the urgent need to address the climate crisis and the app’s potential to significantly reduce emissions. The EU Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen, stated in a press conference: “The My Carbon app is a crucial tool in the fight against climate change. It empowers individuals to make informed choices and take action to reduce their carbon footprint. The expense and potential risks to privacy are outweighed by the benefits to the planet and future generations.”

However, some experts have raised questions about the efficacy of the app and the cost of implementing – and enforcing – the mandate. A study by the European Environmental Agency found that while the app can help individuals reduce their emissions, the real impact on the climate would come from aggregating per-capita data and targeting large-scale emissions from industries and transportation.

Furthermore, the expense of monitoring and policing individual carbon footprints, as well as the potential for the app to be hacked or used for nefarious purposes, could outweigh any potential benefits. In a report for the New York Times, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Amsterdam, Dr. Janice van der Zee, stated: “The My Carbon app may be well-intentioned, but it’s a misguided solution. The cost and risks of monitoring and enforcing individual carbon footprints are not worth the potential benefits. We need to focus on collective action and systemic changes, not individual behavior.”

And we all know the owners of private jets will simply disregard the mandate. The penalties for not using the app are insignificant, compared to the fines they would get for their personal carbon excesses!