[Terrapreta] why we must relate to cap and trade

[lou gold]

Sean,

I surely agree that taxes can reduce consumption faster than cap-and-trade
and it's important to remember that the consumers are also voters. That is
why I think as I do -- elections.

But my point was not to discuss policy alternatives but to point out that
right now the biochar movement does not have the power of supportive
metrics. I hope that this can be corrected.

hugs,

lou

On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 1:36 PM, Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com> wrote:

>  Hi Lou,
>
> I agree.  Cap-and-trade is more viable and politically possible during a
> recession, than would be a carbon tax.  It is hard to tell, though, whether
> which of "capping emissions and/or trading in emissions credits" or "paying
> a fossil carbon use tax" will more adversely effect economies.  I think
> "paying a fossil carbon use tax" will reduce consumtion sooner and be of
> greater benfit to the environment.
>
> Regards,
>
> SKB
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* lou gold <lou.gold at gmail.com>
> *To:* still.thinking at computare.org
> *Cc:* Terrapreta <Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 14, 2008 10:01 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [Terrapreta] why we must relate to cap and trade
>
> Duane,
>
> I know what you are talking about.
> But the 10 years of talk-but-no-action
> occurred in the context of denying that
> there is a climate problem. Now that is
> changing and the talk will move toward
> cap-and-trade versus a carbon tax. I
> believe (as a practical assessment of
> the current state of climate politics)
> that cap-and-trade -- though difficult --
> may have more political currency during
> a recession than a new carbon tax.
>
> Do you think otherwise?
>
> hugs,
>
> lou
>
> On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM, Duane Pendergast <
> still.thinking at computare.org> wrote:
>
>>              Morning Lou,
>>
>>
>>
>> Canada has been talking the talk, in depth, on cap and trade for ten
>> years now. It's been going on so long now governments are just deleting
>> their analytic reports and discussion from public websites. I recall
>> Europe has been talking even longer.  Many folks are already advertising
>> offset schemes and attempting to collect bucks. All this is having
>> essentially no effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Talk is talk and not
>> worth much, especially in an election year. Implementation of a real
>> effective scheme is not so easy.
>>
>>
>>
>> Duane
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org [mailto:
>> terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] *On Behalf Of *lou gold
>> *Sent:* May 14, 2008 8:00 AM
>> *To:* Terrapreta
>> *Subject:* [Terrapreta] why we must relate to cap and trade
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> There is a very interesting editorial in today's NY Times
>>
>> May 14, 2008
>>
>> Editorial: The Post-Bush Climate
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/opinion/14wed1.html?hp=&pagewanted=print
>>
>> It notes that all three US presidential candidates have indicated that
>> they favor some sort of cap-and-trade system. My guess is that cap-and-trade
>> is coming. This means than there will soon be a huge pool of monies to
>> support activities that are viewed as sequestering carbon.
>>
>> This is becoming no longer a philosophical or ideological or moral matter.
>> It is happening and many folks (the good, the bad, the etc) are positioning
>> themselves to bargain for the offset bucks.
>>
>> I believe that this is why we are suddenly seeing foolish proposals like
>> growing and burying trees. Why? Because growing and burying trees has some
>> concrete metrics associated with it. There is measurable carbon retrieval.
>> There is measurable organic carbon to be buried (or perhaps sunk into oceans
>> where big logs don't deteriorate). The point is that the discussion is
>> shifting to metrics and the biochar movement better have some way to measure
>> its benefits if it hopes to compete.
>>
>
>
>
> --
> http://lougold.blogspot.com
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>


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