At what point does continual self-assurance become continual self-delusion? Perhaps that is the true 'tipping point' now being reached in our Europe:

To retain leadership in the battle to curb climate change, the European Union believes it must show the rest of the world how to stop a predicted ecological catastrophe, while maintaining a healthy environment for business.

But that lofty goal — the promise of green growth — looks somewhat different from the factory floor, according to Michel Wurth, president of Arcelor Mittal France.

Arcelor Mittal, the world's largest steel company with 135,000 workers in Europe, is among several companies that are sending out distress signals two years after the EU began capping carbon dioxide emissions from 10,000 factories and power plants.

Tougher EU policies to cap emissions "could threaten two of our plants" because they would significantly raise costs, Wurth said during a recent interview. Instead of battling pollution, he argued, the measures were encouraging "less production in Europe and more imports from places with fewer environmental regulations" — a result that Wurth deemed "absolutely ridiculous."

What could this possibly mean for the prospect of economic growth and employment in the brave new forced world of religious-based environmentalism:

For other industries, the main concern is the higher cost of electricity, which was exacerbated by the introduction of emissions trading.

The Norwegian company Hydro has closed two aluminum units in Germany since 2005 because of high power costs, in part citing tough environmental laws in Europe.

A Norsk Hydro spokesman, Thomas Knutzen, said his industry would make new investments mainly in countries that "do not have obligations to reduce their CO2 emissions through Kyoto."

In the case of Arcelor Mittal, Wurth said the combination of high electricity prices and the prospect of buying carbon allowances could lead to partial plant closures in France.

As with all religions; faith, hope, and the conversion of others is paramount:

EU officials will be hoping this week that other countries grow more interested in replicating their model. They are also expected to propose a new international agreement on energy efficiency that could be signed during the Beijing Olympic Games in mid-2008.

That could help to create a more level playing field for European business to compete globally at a time when the EU is planning to toughen regulation to sectors like air travel, car manufacturing and construction.

More like "drag others down to your level".

Jobs, economic growth, wealth, technological advancement, the furtherment of mankind, all fair game for sacrafice on the religious altar of deluded environmentalism in Europe.