OPINION/COMMENTARY

Dirty Little Secret

Why are we going through the Kyoto process? The question may seem trivial, but it isn't. The European Union and other developed countries are implementing policies that will have a significant impact on their economies. Of course the common answer to the question is: anthropogenic emissions are warming the planet to unprecedented temperatures, so we must do something to counter such a potentially harmful trend. Now, assuming that man-made emissions are the real cause of climate change and as a consequence climate will change for the worse (two assumptions that may be questionable), another question arises. Does Kyoto work? Indeed, if a kind of "cap & trade" strategy could lead to less emissions, thus less warming, the EU may be on the right track. A third question, one that will not taken into account, is whether Kyoto is the most efficient, or the least costly, method of curbing global warming; and, if not, which strategy should be followed?....

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