Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
22
SECOND BEST AND BEYOND
Many people who think global warming is a grave concern may agree
with the proposals of the three previous chapters. They see the impor-
tant role of carbon pricing; they may like cap and trade or carbon taxes
or both; they recognize that a global effort is necessary for effective and
effi cient management of our global commons. At the same time, they
might say, “Alas, these are utopian ideas. Scientists and economists may
agree with such plans. But the people have other priorities. They are
worried about their jobs, their declining incomes, and their health care.
Americans are not ready for such radical surgery.”
A sober assessment of current attitudes and policies would have to
agree with a pessimistic assessment of trends in public attitudes and
national policies. Europe is the only major region where countries
have actually raised the price of carbon, through its Emissions Trading
Scheme. The U.S. Congress has repeatedly failed to enact strong climate-
change policies. Part of the diffi culty is that people resist raising the
price of energy goods and services, particularly if it takes the form of
taxes. This sentiment is widely shared around the world, although the
United States exhibits an extreme allergy to taxes in its rhetoric and
politics.
In response to the resistance to price-raising measures, countries
have often turned to other approaches. We can take the United States
as an example. The Clinton administration advocated the binding emis-
sions caps negotiated in the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. However, because of
