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| Harry Hope... |
 Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:42 pm |
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From USA Today, 11/3/09:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2009-11-03-economist-climate_N.htm
Survey: Economists see threat in climate change
By Dan Vergano, USA TODAY
Researchers who deal in cold numbers rather than warming climates
believe the "significant benefits from curbing greenhouse-gas
emissions would justify the costs of action," a new survey finds.
In fact, the survey of economists finds 94% believe the U.S. should
join climate agreements to limit global warming.
The survey results to be released today come as debate over the
economics of global warming moves center stage in Washington, D.C.
Republican senators boycotted a hearing Tuesday over an Environmental
Protection Agency analysis about the costs of a clean-energy bill.
In addition, the United States and European Union are preparing for a
December meeting in Copenhagen to discuss a climate treaty.
"An economist tree hugger is an imaginary creature," says Michael
Livermore of New York University's Institute for Policy Integrity,
which conducted the survey.
"But we found that economists really see climate change poses a lot of
risk to the economy."
The survey approached the 289 economists who had published
climate-related studies in the top 25 economics journals in the past
15 years.
About half, 144, responded, and 75% agreed or strongly agreed on the
"value" of greenhouse-gas controls.
In 2006, the British government found that charging industries a fee
for greenhouse-gas emissions would reduce gross domestic product
globally about 1% by 2050.
Last month, a National Research Council report found that burning
fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide,
exerts a hidden $120 billion cost on the U.S. economy because of
higher health costs, leaving aside climate damage.
Greenhouse gases are transparent to sunlight but retain heat, warming
the atmosphere.
Industrial greenhouse-gas emissions have raised global average
temperatures about 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1905, according to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and will likely increase
them from 3 to 7 degrees more by 2100.
"Many observers look at economists as skeptics of the need for
(climate) mitigation," says economist Gary Yohe of Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Conn.
But "most accept the unquestionable consensus from the natural
scientist that the planet is warming and humans are to blame."
In the survey of economists:
•91.6% wanted a tax or "cap and trade" system, where polluters buy and
sell emission permits, instead of regulation, to cut greenhouse gases.
•84% agreed the effects of global warming "create significant risks"
to the economy, particularly to agriculture, fishing, insurance and
health.
•Of the 94.3% who favor the U.S. joining climate agreements to limit
greenhouse-gas emissions, 57% say greenhouse-gas cuts should come
"regardless of the actions of other countries."
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Harry |
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| Claudius Denk... |
| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:42 pm |
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Gee, what a surprise. Economists want more economic based
legislation. I never would have guessed. |
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| Ouroboros Rex... |
| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:50 pm |
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Claudius Denk wrote:
[quote]Gee, what a surprise. Economists want more economic based
legislation.
[/quote]
Why? lol |
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