It’s All Greek to Me
Via E&E News, here's a leading climate skeptic's explanation of his qualifications to pass judgment on climate science: While he acknowledged he had no scientific credentials that would allow him to speak with authority on climate science, Monckton said he was uniquely qualified to explain the various logical fallacies that supporters of man-made climate change had engaged in to attack their critics "because I was classically trained." Yup, a knowledge of Ancient Gre...
CONTINUE READINGCarbon Auctions & Prop 13
California is planning to auction some of the carbon allowances in its new cap-and-trade system. There's an interesting question about whether the auctions should be considered a "tax" under state law, which may turn in part on what the money is used for. If the auctions are considered a tax, they would run into trouble under California's famous anti-tax initiative, Prop 13. Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy and Environment has released a new report 0n this issue....
CONTINUE READINGUsing a Carbon Tax to Decrease the Deficit
A carbon tax would provide an incentive to reduce the use of fossil fuels, fostering the growth of clean energy. But it would have another benefit as well: providing revenue to help cut the deficit. Much the same effect could be produced by auctioning allowances within a cap-and-trade system. According to Resources for the Future, a carbon tax of $10 per ton of CO2 could generate annual tax revenues of $60 billion, and a carbon tax of about $25 could raise roughly $12...
CONTINUE READINGWhat Bonneville Salt Flats can teach us about CEQA exemptions
The Bonneville Salt Flats need to be saved. The location where many of the world-records for land speed have been set is in danger. A combination of years of racing, plus the construction of Interstate 80 and alterations in salt mining techniques has meant that the hard salt surface of the flats (similar in hardness to concrete) has worn down and is not being replaced. There is a risk that in a few years high-speed racing will no longer be feasible at the flats. T...
CONTINUE READINGAdapting to Increased Flood Risk in the Midwest
Here is a blog post about adapting to increased flood risk. I wrote it after reading this news release. This is the "classic adaptation two-step". In the first step of the dance, climate scientists identify location specific climate trends. In this case, the RMCO research documents 50 year trends in increased flood risk in states such as Illinois and Ohio. In the second step of the dance, self interested households, firms and local governments respond to ...
CONTINUE READINGWhy We Need Administrative Agencies like EPA
Bureaucrats aren't very popular. But consider the alternatives when it comes to dealing with environmental problems. Basically, bureaucrats are part of the executive branch of government. For instance, the head of EPA is appointed by the President and can be removed by the President at any time. (A few agencies such as the SEC enjoy some protection from presidential removal power, but that's not true for any of the environmental agencies.) I explained in my las...
CONTINUE READINGWhy the Environment Requires Government Protection: Some Simple Economics
The key to understanding the economics of environmental protection is the concept of externalities. An externality is simply a cost that one person or firm imposes on another. In general, an externality means that an activity is causing more harm than it should. Of course, a company or individual could decide to voluntarily correct the problem to eliminate the externality. But if the cost is significant, many people will not be altruistic enough to bear a heavy cost...
CONTINUE READINGThe Climate Misinformation Nation
Scientists are more confident than ever that climate change is happening and is largely caused by human activities. Yet, according to a recent poll, the American public is less likely to believe that climate change is caused by humans than they were even last year. When it comes to climate science, are we a misinformation nation? A new report from the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication f...
CONTINUE READINGDebunking Myths About Energy Security and Independence
The phrases "energy security" and "energy independence" get thrown around a lot in debates about clean energy, climate change, oil drilling and any policy having to do with our energy supply. And they get used in at least two highly misleading ways by groups that are often diametrically opposed to each other. First, supporters of aggressive alternative energy policies frequently argue that policies like renewable portfolio standards will "promote energy independence....
CONTINUE READINGRand Paul, Constitutional Pervert
..and he's not the only one. You can be forgiven for not knowing the name of Arunava Majumdar: he is a distinguished energy engineer who currently runs the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA - E), and who until a few days ago was President Obama's nominee (since last November) to become DOE's new Undersecretary. It was a great appointment. By all accounts, Majumdar did a terrific job at ARPA - E. He even received the suppo...
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
