Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
list also shows those industries that would be the least affected—retail
and wholesale trade, real estate, and fi nance. The relative costs of pro-
duction in these industries would be lowered by a CO
2
price, and their
output and employment would tend to expand.
In democratic countries, elected representatives will face pressure to
oppose measures that disadvantage their current constituents or fi nan-
cial contributors. Thus representatives from coal mining states and coun-
tries are particularly resistant to global warming policies that raise coal
prices. This would include the United States, China, and Australia among
countries, and West Virginia, Kentucky, and Wyoming among U.S. states.
Similarly, countries with large oil exports such as the OPEC nations
will fi nd their incomes declining and therefore would generally oppose
strong curbs on CO
2
emissions.
In countries like Britain, Sweden, and Spain, with minimal pro-
duction and employment in coal-based industries, governments can
support aggressive global warming policies with less fear of domestic
opposition. Similarly, those countries that import most of their energy
fuels will face less opposition to climate-change policies from domestic
businesses.
Over the long run, strong global warming policies will probably
benefi t the majority of people in countries like the United States. How-
ever, industries like fi nance or pharmaceuticals, which would benefi t
slightly from a recycled carbon tax, are too busy fi ghting regulatory re-
forms to support strong climate-change policies. Therefore, a small mi-
nority from well-represented industries and their amply funded lobbying
groups are able to block policies that would benefi t the larger, longer-
run interests of the majority—born and unborn.
PRISONERS OF ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST
While the roadblocks of representative democracy are a fundamen-
tal part of an open society, a more pernicious obstacle arises from what
argument is that scientifi c or pseudo-scientifi c advocates undermine
the normal processes of science. This process differs from the demo-
cratic process, where competing interests and values jostle for votes. In
