Controlling Green House Emissions -

I think it’s more than fair to say that the recent Copenhagen Conference on Green House Emissions accomplished very little. And I for one, am very grateful for that, because I believe it was headed in the wrong direction.

I totally reject the international carbon credits concepts. The idea that high emission nations should pay developing nations sounds just as ridiculous as foreign aid that frequently ends up in Swiss bank and does little to benefit those for whom it was intended. Is there a PERFECT solution? No. Because :

a) Individuals are often corrupt
b) Politicians are interested only in getting and maintaining power; and
c) China cannot be trusted

Is there a BETTER solution? I think so. Corporations pollute because it’s cheaper than being clean it’s all about the bottom line. So any nation that wishes to reduce greenhouse emissions (and not all do) should impose a significant emissions tax. That tax should then go straight to the nation’s general coffers.

Additionally, if we are serious and want to get tough, countries can impose hefty duties on goods imported from polluting countries. We clearly can’t force some countries like China to join other nations in signing on to any agreement to reduce pollutants. But we can use the power of economics as we have advocated here many times to ESSENTIALLY force them to clean up their acts.

The only way we can eliminate polluting, is by eliminating the profitability of polluting. Money talks, and we CAN make it work.