Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
This watershed article, by 350.org president Bill McKibben, was one of the most widely read pieces in the history of Rolling Stone magazine. McKibben boils the climate crisis down to three numbers: 2° Celsius (the agreed upon amount of global warming we can realistically tolerate), 565 Gigatons (the amount of carbon dioxide emissions it will take to get us there), and 2,795 Gigatons (the amount of carbon dioxide that will be released if current fossil fuels reserves are used).
- Published by: Rolling Stone magazine
- Length: Short Read (≤ 15 minutes)
Climate Hot Map: Cost Impact of Warming Effects
This interactive map, produced by the Union of Concerned Scientists, purviews current and future climate impacts across the world and highlights the associated economic cost of these changes without serious policy action.
- Published by: Union of Concerned Scientists
- Length: Medium Read (15-60 minutes)
The Economics of 350: The Benefits and Costs of Climate Stabilization
This paper makes an argument against go slow approaches to solving the climate crisis, saying "the most economical choice is to change, as quickly, cost-effectively, and comprehensively as possible."
- Published by: Economics for Equity and the Environment Network
- Length: Medium Read (15-60 minutes)
Climate Change is a threat - and an opportunity - for the private sector
This op-ed authored by the Vice-President of Global Client Services at the International Finance Cooperation, highlights the many business opportunities a warming world provides and the economic incentive for climate-smart investments.
- Published by: The World Bank
- Length: Short Read (≤ 15 minutes)
Putting a Price on Carbon
Because of global warming, carbon emissions from fossil fuels are on track to become the greatest market failure of all time. Therefore, Y.E.C.A. is calling on our political leaders to put a price on carbon pollution. One mechanism for doing so is through a "carbon tax." Y.E.C.A. believes that the implementation of a well-designed carbon tax (for example, one that does not unjustly burden the poor) would be an important public policy step to addressing the systemic causes of climate change. For further reading:
- Understanding the economics of carbon taxes [videos], American Enterprise Institute
- A least-worst tax, Financial Times editorial
- Carbon Tax FAQs, Resources for the Future
- Carbon Taxes: an Opportunity for Conservatives [pdf], Hudson Institute
- The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax, Niskanen Center
- American Support for a Carbon Tax, Sightline Institute
- RepublicEN, Energy Optimists & Climate Realists, homepage
- Effects of a Carbon Tax on the Economy and the Environment, Congressional Budget Office
- An alternative, market-based albeit more heavily-regulated, approach to the carbon tax is cap-and-trade. The Pew Research Center on Global Climate Change compares the two policy options on their webpage.