Poll: Can Markets Solve the Climate Crisis?

By Mary Catherine O'Connor | March 19th, 2010 6 Comments

All month long, we’re putting carbon trading under the microscope, looking at who’s doing what, and examining the promises and pitfalls for what lies ahead. Will carbon trading be the answer to our growing climate pains? Or will it be another example of the world shifting the focus from where it really needs to be? As we peer into the rather smoggy carbon trading crystal ball, we’d like to know what you think.

Will Carbon Trading Make a Real Difference in Mitigating Climate Change?

  • Heck, yes (40%, 19 Votes)
  • Not even close (29%, 14 Votes)
  • Future's too murky to tell (27%, 13 Votes)
  • It's more complicated than that, see my comment below... (4%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 48

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6 Comments

Categorized: Climate Change, Policy & Government|

  • http://twitter.com/JunkkMale JunkkMale

    As it stands, so far, possibly also an interesting commentary on the value of polls, too.

    • http://www.mcoconnor.com Mary Catherine O’Connor

      @junkkmale ha! funny. but the poll went up in the middle of the night. give us a few working hours to get some more responses in… if none come in, well, then I’ll give you a free subscription to our (free) newsletter :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nina-Gosaimas/100000887796755 Nina Gosaimas

    I think bloom energy will save the world! Is this the future? http://bit.ly/bloom-energy-will-change-the-world

  • Vv

    There are some actually new proposed legislations that has evolved Cap and Trade to
    Cap and Dividend.. as the efficacy of a market based carbon trading did not actually reduce emissions, but simply set up a new 'stock exchange' … the conversation is changing to collecting fees from polluters and giving dividends back to individuals, or to programs that support renewables ( seems more effective. )
    Check out congresswoman Cantwell from Washington State; Senator Kerry also has one…

    You might want to include a piece on this if you to be current on this topic,,Cap and Trade is on it's way out.

    business based reporting is always following a market, and is thus behind. If you want to be current, you need to also check out non profits who are policy oriented and science that is not beholding to any business to be forefront, there is where you will see the smartest emerging businesses who are not afraid to have information that is not propogandized, and offer actual solutions, and the profits will be forthcoming.
    V

    • http://www.pointcarbon.com/ Lisa

      Actually the dividend concept and cap-and-trade are not mutually exclusive – the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill will likely incorporate both. Cantwell's bill is essentially a carbon tax put into a “cap” format, and would not really create a market that incentivizes emissions reduction. The “dividend” piece is simply the idea of giving back the proceeds from the sale of allowances (emission permits) to US citizens rather than having the government keep that revenue and using it for other purposes. That can be done with a stringent cap-and-trade program – it would essentially entail a recycling of money because consumers would end up paying more for energy (what it costs the energy producers to buy emissions permits) but get it back in the form of this dividend check from the government. However, what the government might do with the allowance revenue might be very good, too: the House cap-and-trade proposal would have seen allowance revenue go toward large-scale investment in renewable energy R&D. So there is a debate as to whether returning the proceeds to taxpayers is the most “climate friendly” approach.

  • http://www.pointcarbon.com/ Lisa

    Actually the dividend concept and cap-and-trade are not mutually exclusive – the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill will likely incorporate both. Cantwell's bill is essentially a carbon tax put into a “cap” format, and would not really create a market that incentivizes emissions reduction. The “dividend” piece is simply the idea of giving back the proceeds from the sale of allowances (emission permits) to US citizens rather than having the government keep that revenue and using it for other purposes. That can be done with a stringent cap-and-trade program – it would essentially entail a recycling of money because consumers would end up paying more for energy (what it costs the energy producers to buy emissions permits) but get it back in the form of this dividend check from the government. However, what the government might do with the allowance revenue might be very good, too: the House cap-and-trade proposal would have seen allowance revenue go toward large-scale investment in renewable energy R&D. So there is a debate as to whether returning the proceeds to taxpayers is the most “climate friendly” approach.