3 ms·

> solar funding debacle Sometimes you have to crack a few eggs. What % of startups do you expect to succeed, 100%?

• shkkmo 7y ago
  The issue (as I understand it) was not that any one company failed, but that people lied about or ignored warning signs that failure was imminent for specific companies (edit: and that this may have been done due to conflict of interests). The actual policy issues and implication are hidden behind the partisan wrangling and spin that surrounded this topic. There are legitimate concerns about conflicts on interest for people who have large investments in green companies while also lobbying strongly for particular "green" public policies. The risk is that if we uncritically accept these people at their word, we may end up with policies that do less to protect the environment and climate and more to line the pockets of the advocates. Of course, these issues are endemic to our current political/economic systems and don't just apply to investment in climate friendly companies. I would be much more inclined to trust the motivations of environment advocates with large investments in environmental companies if those investments were purchased and administered through some sort of blind trust to alleviate conflict on interest concerns.
  • pjc50 7y ago
    What about all the coal-funded coal lobbyists?
    • shkkmo 7y ago
      Hence why I called it "endemic".