“The climate change bottom line”
Article I had published in the Weekender, 24 October:
THERE’s a widespread and significant misconception about the likely effects of strong action to cut or “mitigate” greenhouse gas emissions: that it will hurt economies.
The chair at a recent climate debate in Cape Town summed up popular perception and prejudice when he said that those calling for a switch to a low-carbon economy are asking for a “huge sacrifice”.
It’s a twofold misconception. First , the damage to gross domestic product (GDP) is usually exaggerated, particularly in the US by conservative opponents of the proposed, and rather modest, Waxman-Markey climate bill.
