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So people should stop with individual action while lobbying politicans? On what do you base that? I agree that political solutions are important but can’t see t
by plufz 7y ago
So people should stop with individual action while lobbying politicans? On what do you base that? I agree that political solutions are important but can’t see that individual contributions won’t be a part of the solution. I also think that politicans usually want to do what is popular, e.g if people start eating less meat politicians dare to suggest meat taxes. Politics is usually slow, I firmly believe we need to work on all levels to mitigate co2. I’ve heard some criticism against co2 tax, since different areas of society works very differently. For example taxes on gas have not been very successful for decreasing the amount we drive even though taxes on gas in many countries are much higher than suggested tax levels for co2. Another big emitter of co2 is heating and cooling of real estate, but the cost of that is spread over a long time and is usually not payed by the entrepreneurs that build and sell the property and does not to a high degree affect the pricing. So in both of these cases we need other tools than taxes like subsidies for buying electric cars and building standards/regulations.
- elbasti 7y ago> So people should stop with individual action while lobbying politicians? If it helps them lobby their politicians more, then sure. I mean, it doesn't, but if it did I'd take that trade any day. > On what do you base that? Purely on a sense of urgency. Individual action will--at best--lower greenhouse emissions by lowering demand for carbon intensive products & practices. How many business cycles does it take for these actions to take effect? We simply don't have decades. As well, a consequence of lowering demand of carbon-intensive products results in...a lowering of the price of carbon/oil. Increasing demand, until the slack is picked up elsewhere. The invisible hand is powerful. A Co2 tax does the same thing as individual action--it lowers the demand for carbon, except it prevents the price from adjusting down. It is our only hope. > For example taxes on gas have not been very successful for decreasing the amount we drive even though taxes on gas in many countries are much higher than suggested tax levels for co2. By definition, then the tax is too low. Demand for gasoline is very inelastic, but it's not perfectly inelastic. I don't think you understand the urgency. Runaway heating has started. We don't have 20 years. A draconianly high CO2 tax is our only hope.
- plufz 7y ago> I don't think you understand the urgency. Runaway heating has started. We don't have 20 years. A draconianly high CO2 tax is our only hope. If you believe that I don’t understand the urgency I was being unclear. What I’m saying is that when I’m been reading more on the subject I have started to believe less in a co2 tax. I much rather have for example draconian building standards because I believe that will give more bang for the buck than co2 taxes.