Chapter 12 · Resources
Mitigation Policy
Carbon taxes, cap and trade, why they are fundamentally equivalent, and the political history that makes one of them unsayable.
Externalities
The Hidden Costs of Energy
The U.S. National Research Council’s thorough assessment of the externalities of energy (2010). It’s a bit old, but I still refer to it quite a bit.
nap.edu ↗
Energy’s deathprint
This Forbes article lists "deaths per kW-hour" of various types of fuel. Unsurprisingly, coal is the most dangerous. This article also has a good bibliography of sources for this kind of information.
forbes.com ↗
Carbon tax vs. cap and trade
I argued in this chapter that a carbon tax and cap-and-trade system were fundamentally equivalent. Yet some people who strongly support action to reduce emissions truly hate cap and trade.
One argument against cap and trade
While a few good points are made, I think they are being a bit too harsh on that policy.
youtube.com ↗
The Case for a Carbon Tax
On the other hand, most economists view a carbon tax as the best approach.
amazon.com ↗
CBO analysis of a carbon tax
The U.S. Congressional Budget Office has released a detailed analysis of the impact of a carbon tax on emissions and the economy.
cbo.gov ↗
Blue Sky Thinking: The Political History of Cap and Trade
One of the great ironies of the present debate is the vociferous opposition of U.S. Republicans to cap and trade. This article explains how the concept first emerged from the Reagan White House as a way for the free market to solve environmental problems. Times have indeed changed! Richard Conniff, Smithsonian Magazine, August 2009.
smithsonianmag.com ↗