Comments KiraMarch has made
The only way to limit carbon emissions...
Fascinating story, Tom. Among other things, it shows that a particular price doesn't necessarily lead to the consumption changes that economists predict. In a complex market like energy, it's impossible to anticipate all the factors. A price that everyone thought was enough to keep us at home in the dark somehow became business as usual.
That's why a legal limit on global warming pollution is the only sure way to tackle global warming. We have to get carbon emissions down to the target level. We don't have leeway to mess with uncertain, indirect controls like taxes. People thought $80 a barrel for oil would drastically alter consumer behavior. But it didn't. Any tax is vulnerable to the same mistake.
The only way to cap carbon emssions is to set a cap on carbon emissions.On Why $100-per-barrel oil would be no big deal posted 2 years, 2 months ago 12 Responses
Mankiw's misconceptions
There are a few problems with Mankiw's arguments.
One is his view that carbon tax revenue would be used for "good" purposes, and that a carbon cap would raise no money. In reality, it could cut either way -- under a cap, revenue from an auction of carbon allowances could fund good things, and carbon tax revenue could get shanghaied into support for heavy carbon-emitting interests (oil companies hold no sway with Congress, right?).
Nat Keohane, the director of Environmental Defense's economic policy and analysis, did a post on this yesterday... it outlines other troubles with Mankiw's column, and is quite accessible, especially for one econ PhD arguing with another econ PhD. :-)
http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/climate411/2007/09/1 ...On Conservative economists agree: Taxes rule! posted 2 years, 2 months ago 5 Responses
All the docs from the filing
...can be found here, if you are so inclined:
http://environmentaldefense.org/secOn Investors petition SEC to require companies to disclose climate risk posted 2 years, 2 months ago 3 Responses
And add these, too...
David, you're right on to focus on how to make sure the cap and trade system does the job.
Sean, cheers for the economy-wide provision.
And I have two more for the list:
- Include a standard for biofuels. America's farmers can be a huge part of slowing global warming, but not all biofuels make the cut.
- Make sure the government doesn't prop up particular technologies. We need inventiveness, flexibility and results, not favored technologies picked by Congressmen with consituents to please.
- Include a standard for biofuels. America's farmers can be a huge part of slowing global warming, but not all biofuels make the cut.
nice clear post, thanks!
Good job explaining a complex policy proposal!
And just to echo -- what makes this cost containment strategy so promising is that it keeps the environmental goals front and center. On Moderate senators are ready to get on board posted 2 years, 4 months ago 3 Responses
Ooops, never mind
Read again more carefully, and it does say it's the U.S. too. Okay, I'm back in line, not walking to Canada.On Harry Potter is way greener than your average book posted 2 years, 4 months ago 5 Responses
Is this the U.S. edition, too?
The last couple Canadian editions were published on recycled paper, but the US ones weren't. So do we still have to invade Canada to get this eco-friendlier paper?On Harry Potter is way greener than your average book posted 2 years, 4 months ago 5 Responses
A cap with a safety valve isn't a cap
The reason someone might say it's not worth passing a cap with a safety valve is that the safety valve makes it possible to shoot right through the cap. It gives the illusion that you're limiting carbon emissions, but it's just an illusion.
I won't go into the details here, but Mark MacLeod has a nice clear explanation of safety valves.On It's weak posted 2 years, 4 months ago 7 Responses
Another resource on offsets
For large, multi-year purchases of offsets, it makes a lot of sense to work closely with an offset supplier -- they can start or tailor a project to match your criteria. Supporting the research of professors and students is a great way to do that.
But for smaller purchases, projects from these suppliers passed through some pretty tough screens (there's a link on the page to more about what the screens were).
http://fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=270On Some students don't want to go carbon neutral posted 2 years, 7 months ago 36 Responses
some more details...
Here's a link to the actual plan on the mayor's site: http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/plan/plan.shtml
And refelctions from a member of the advisory board on whether it can work: http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/climate411/On The Gothman Prophecies posted 2 years, 7 months ago 6 Responses