We Can Stop Global Warming without Hurting the Poor
October 18, 2007 | Posted by Elizabeth Thompson in Climate Change Legislation, Economics
This post is by Elizabeth Thompson, Legislative Director at Environmental Defense.
The nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) just issued an analysis that says we don't have to choose between solving the global warming crisis and protecting the lowest-income Americans. We can do both through a well-designed cap-and-trade system.
According to CBPP, just 14 percent of the revenue from auctioning emissions allowances would be sufficient to shield vulnerable households and address the needs of the poor. We can have a strong climate policy and still afford to protect the most vulnerable among us. This insight is an important contribution to the global warming debate.
Still, we shouldn't lose sight of something this analysis doesn't consider - namely, the enormous impact climate change could have on the poor if we fail to act.
One Response
Comment from meenakshi
October 24th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I would like to suggest that envoirnment conscious American citizens to consider using bicycle to commute for short distances or taking a refreshing walk which would solve health problems and uplift the physice and improve our constitutions in the long run.
Deforestation can be minimised and an increase in greenary can supplement the loss of ozone due to increased carbon emmission.Chlorine gas must be prevented from reaching the upper layer of earths atmosphere.Why should we not work towards setting up more of ozone plants and release ozone into the strastosphere to suplement the ozone breakdown.
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