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Global Warming and the Economy

WE OFTEN HEAR CLIMATE SCIENTISTS TALKING ABOUT THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH GLOBAL WARMING, BUT WE’LL LEARN WHAT AN ECONOMIST HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

GARY YOHE, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, SAYS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY NOT ONLY DRIVES THE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES – IT ALSO AFFECTS HOW QUICKLY WE CAN ADAPT TO THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE.

HE SAYS THAT IF WE WAIT FOR GLOBAL WARMING TO WORSEN AND THEN SUDDENLY INSTITUTE DRASTIC CLIMATE POLICIES, OUR ECONOMY COULD CRASH.

YOHE: THE COST OF DELAY IS THE INCREASED COST OF HAVING TO RAMP UP THE POLICY AND IMPOSE POLICY MUCH MORE QUICKLY AND MUCH MORE STRIDENTLY THAN OTHERWISE WOULD BE REQUIRED, AND THAT’S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.

YOHE SAYS SHORT-TERM ACTION CAN THEREFORE BE VIEWED AS INSURANCE.

YOHE: UNCERTAINTY BECOMES A REASON TO DO SOMETHING, RATHER THAN A REASON NOT TO DO SOMETHING.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM.      

Click here to learn more about carbon emissions and how to calculate your emissions and become carbon neutral.

To learn more about global warming and what you can do in your community, visit the interactive website: http://www.planetgreengame.com

To learn more about how carbon taxes can help fight global warming, visit: http://www.carbontax.org/

How ‘green’ is your city? Check out the 2006 ratings at http://www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings/

How can you use and promote renewable energy? Visit http://www.green-e.org/ to take action now!

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org