There are 3 things Krugman wants you to know about man-made climate change:
Krugman wrote:
First, the consequences will be terrible if we don’t take quick action to limit carbon emissions. Second, in pure economic terms the required action shouldn’t be hard to take: emission controls, done right, would probably slow economic growth, but not by much. Third, the politics of action are nonetheless very difficult.
He further adds:
Krugman wrote:
funding from fossil-fuel interests has played a crucial role in sustaining the illusion that climate science is less settled than it is. But the monetary stakes aren’t nearly as big as you might think. What makes rational action on climate so hard is something else — a toxic mix of ideology and anti-intellectualism.
And in conclusion....
Krugman wrote:
The fact that climate concerns rest on scientific consensus makes things even worse, because it plays into the anti-intellectualism that has always been a powerful force in American life, mainly on the right. It’s not really surprising that so many right-wing politicians and pundits quickly turned to conspiracy theories, to accusations that thousands of researchers around the world were colluding in a gigantic hoax whose real purpose was to justify a big-government power grab. After all, right-wingers never liked or trusted scientists in the first place.
This doesn't come as a surprise to me. I long ago understood that environmentalism is just another business. Regulating our resources for present and future use has turned into a mighty industry - with lots of growth potential. Anyone trying to sell the idea that reducing CO2 emissions is as an economy killer is suffering from the blindness of self-interest.
Also Krugman is never one to miss a chance to slam right-wing idealism, but still an interesting read.
