This is the GWH’s gig: Economic downturn and even depression to “save the planet.” A new study claims that an economic contraction equivalent to the Great Depression is needed to keep us real cool. From the Science Daily story:
The study, conducted by José Tapia Granados and Edward Ionides of U-M and Óscar Carpintero of the University of Valladolid in Spain, was published online in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Policy. It is the first analysis to use measurable levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide to assess fluctuations in the gas, rather than estimates of CO2 emissions, which are less accurate. “If ‘business as usual’ conditions continue, economic contractions the size of the Great Recession or even bigger will be needed to reduce atmospheric levels of CO2,” said Tapia Granados, who is a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research.
Well then, we simply shouldn’t try to reduce carbon levels.
Besides, quite the opposite prescription is the right remedy, if one is needed. Indeed, I think Lomborg’s argument is very persuasive. He says, no need to be hysterical. And, he opines that we need more wealth, not less caused by drastically trying to restrict carbon dioxide emissions, which will enable us to develop innovative greener technologies in the coming decades.
The policy prescription of carbon taxing us all into the dirt, but then returning the money back to us—less the bureaucratic costs, for more alarmism study grants and the high salaries of technocrats, of course—is beyond ludicrous. Is it any wonder the field is sinking into its own polling depression? Brother can you spare a dime?
