[Dean's World] Aziz P: Gore's ilk on Kyoto

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Posted by Aziz P:
Gore's ilk on Kyoto
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1149284590.shtml


   One argument by warming skeptics is that the Kyoto Protocol would 1.
   do nothing to stop warming and 2. would utterly obliterate the US
   economy.

   To answer point 1, Kyoto alone would not do enough, but it would be a
   good start. But doing nothing is worse.

   With regards to point 2, I believe that is a gross underestimation of
   the strength of American innovation and ingenuity. I mean, how can we
   be talking about the Singularity one moment and then cowering in fear
   at a few mere engineering challenges the next? If anything the
   development of new technologies to implement Kyoto will be as much a
   stimulus to the economy and entrepeneurship as was the introduction of
   CAFE standards for automobiles - which stimulated the development of
   hybrids, continously-variable transmissions, and even "clean diesel"
   engines.

   But all that aside, in fact we actually bear a gross ecconomic burden
   already by NOT having ratified Kyoto. Rather than make a clumsy
   attempt at explaining economics despite my lack of training in that
   field, I will leave it to [1]the following expert to make the case:

     The Kyoto Protocol is a key first step to help slow the onslaught
     of global warming and benefit conservation effortsâ¦Until the
     United States passes its own limits on global warming emissions,
     innovative companies based here will lose out on opportunities to
     sell reduced emission credits to companies complying with the Kyoto
     Protocol overseas. Additionally, without enacting our own emission
     limits, U.S. companies will lose ground to their competitors in
     Europe, Canada, Japan, and other countries participating in the
     Protocol who are developing clean technologies.

   That's the new treasury secretary nominee by President Bush, Goldman
   Sachs Chairman Henry M. Paulson Jr. Count him amongst my ilk.

References

   1. http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/30/treasury-secretary-kyoto/