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You know what actually fixes this the simplest way; a carbon tax set at a high level!

• tonyedgecombe 7y ago
  In theory this should be compatible with free market ideology, let the markets innovate. The trouble is corruption gets in the way, by that I mean carbon based industries lobbying against such taxes.
• jkepler 7y ago
  Actually, isn't it a tragedy of the commons? I don't think a carbon tax would adequately address the problem, and it would require a large regulatory apparatus to enforce it. The oceans and atmosphere get polluted because societies don't have robust enough property rights. Markets are really good at efficiently allocating scarce resources, so we need to figure out how to define strong property rights to allow damaged parties to hold shipping companies liable. As I see it, citizens, companies, and smaller governments (cities, counties, small countries) are powerless to hold large polluters accountable, either because there's not an adequate property-rights based legal framework, or the litigation costs too much.
  • int_19h 7y ago
    Strong property rights require a large regulatory apparatus for their enforcement, regardless of how those rights are allocated. It's not about the legal framework.