This responds to an opinion piece in today’s Wall Street Journal, “How to Change the Global Energy Conversation–Forcing countries to agree to emissions caps will never work, argue Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger. Instead, they say, the focus should be on technology innovations.”
The authors recommend that governments use taxpayer money to “invest” in clean energy, impose a tax on existing fuels, create mandates through international governmental organizations, and spend aid money on housing and infrastructure in developing countries. This program of command and control is in pursuit of addressing a mythical problem, “climate change.” The concept has been perpetuated through scientific fraud, and provides government an excuse to extend its control over the economy while favoring ideological and commercial special interests.
Here are better ideas. First, get government out of the energy world by freeing markets and ending all subsidies. Central planning always fails, while free markets always innovate. Second, encourage liberty in developing countries. Free economies prosper, mooting the need for aid and leading to environmental improvements. Free speech and political freedom allow people to address environmental problems as well as wasteful government programs such as “green energy” boondoggles.
