The futility of government climate mandates
October 10, 2008
Controversial Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg, aka “The Skeptical Environmentalist,” recently penned for the Times of London a review of the immense cost and tiny benefits of existing govenment programs on global warming:
“Many of the proffered global warming policies are designed to help politicians bathe in the warm glow of good intentions, with little or no regard to the mounting costs and infinitesimal benefits.”
Lomborg concludes:
“When it comes to climate, we have to come to our senses. Yes, global warming is real and caused by human beings, but it doesn’t mean we should panic in our policy decisions. We need to do the right thing – and invest in discovering and developing new low-carbon technology.”
To this I would add a program of manageable geo-engineering projects that are (a) cost efficient, (b) focused on particular problems with measurable outcomes and (c) reversible or, at least, terminable.
