This seems like a simple and very good idea — even the United Nations is behind it: want to keep some trees on the planet? Pay the people who own them, NOT to cut them down. People pay for them to do the opposite, yet the entire world benefits, particularly the developed nations, i.e. big carbon producers.
Tag: carbon reduction
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Carbon Footprint Label
We have labels on our food to alert us as to what is in it, shouldn’t we also know the environmental costs of the products we consume? If we knew that when we drink ordinary water imported from Fiji, we are contributing X to the carbon emission crisis, would we change our habits? How would we get manufacturers to post a simple label on all products?
The New York Times had a relevant article back in April, posted here. Evidently, Tesco, Britian’s largest supermarket chain has voluntarily introduced just such a system. Can we import that?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a great piece in the May Vanity Fair. Check it out via the link, or if you want a hard copy, your neighbors should be putting the issue in their recycling bins now.
A carbon cap-and-trade system designed to put downward pressure on carbon emissions is quite simply a no-brainer. Already endorsed by Senators McCain, Clinton, and Obama, such a system would measure national carbon emissions and create a market to auction emissions credits. The supply of credits is then reduced each year to meet pre-determined carbon-reduction targets. As supply tightens, credit value increases, providing rich monetary rewards for innovators who reduce carbon. Since it is precisely targeted, cap-and-trade is more effective than a carbon tax. It is also more palatable to politicians, who despise taxes and love markets. Industry likes the system’s clear goals. This market-based approach has a proven track record.
