The “Inflation Reduction Act” is a political win on climate change for the Democrats, says James E. Hanley, but “on the actual policy level, the gains appear to be much more marginal than revolutionary.” Writing for the American Institute for Economic Research, the policy analyst says: “[M]any of these policies are continuations of old policies, rather…
Tag: carbon dioxide
I’m Fed Up with “Clean” Energy
From a news release: “On June 9, 2021, Governor [Cooper] issued Executive Order No. 218 highlighting North Carolina’s commitment to offshore wind power as the state transitions to a clean energy economy.” “. . . a clean energy economy”? This is a misnomer. Does anybody remember what dirty energy was? Sooty, full of particulates and sulfur dioxide—it…
What Earth Day Has Become
Kent Lassman, president of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, thinks it is time to retire Earth Day. Writing in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Tribune-Democrat, he says: “Despite the positive effects Earth Day may have had in the past to raise awareness and rally the grassroots, today we have a global class of professional activists committed to campaigning…
‘Temporary Chaos’ as Judge Rejects Biden’s Social Cost of Carbon
Update: On March 16, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (in New Orleans) reversed the district court’s ruling. That means the chaos was just temporary. It’s back to $51 as the “social cost of carbon” (explained below). In February a Louisiana court rejected the Biden administration’s $51-per-ton estimate of the “social cost of carbon” (really,…
In Praise of Styrofoam, Plastic Grocery Bags, and Carbon Dioxide
Roy Cordato’s “politically incorrect” Thanksgiving list includes many items people love to hate. Writing on MasterResource, the economist says: “I love Styrofoam containers, especially in the winter. I like my coffee to be piping hot and I want it to stay that way to the very last drop. Paper cups just don’t do it, plus…
The New Trade in Non-Production (of Carbon)
The pressure to “do something” about global warming has created exotic new programs that emphasize reducing output. You might think of them as markets in non-production. I will explain them. Carbon offsets. Companies that produce or use fossil fuels are trying to reduce their “carbon footprint” but still continue their business. They are purchasing “offsets”—that…