Gore's ilk on Kyoto

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 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 efforts…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.

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