CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News
1. ENVIRONMENT
Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg garners high-profile media attention for his new book, “Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming.”
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis on Lomborg’s policy recommendations:
“Policy makers concerned about global warming should do three things. First, as Danish statistician Bjørn Lomborg recommends, encourage worldwide R&D investment in non-carbon-emitting energy technologies. This — not tougher CO2 controls — should be the focus of post-Kyoto diplomacy. Second, eliminate tax and other political barriers to innovation and capital stock turnover. […] Third, as economist Indur Goklany recommends, for a fraction of Kyoto’s cost, target international assistance on those threats to human health and welfare where we know how to do a lot of good for each dollar invested. This would not only save millions of lives today, it would also help developing countries become wealthier and less vulnerable to climate-related risk.”
2. HEALTH
Gov. Schwarzenegger expands the fight against West Nile virus in California.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk & Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini on the fight between public health officials and environmental activists over West Nile prevention:
Ever since the mosquito-transmitted West Nile Virus appeared in New York City during 1999, environmental activists have been fighting efforts to keep the disease under control. Not only have they battled against any spraying for adult mosquitoes, they have also fought methods to manage mosquito larvae. These groups maintain that the control methods are more dangerous than the diseases they seek to control.
3. TECHNOLOGY
States ask for an extension of a five-year old antitrust judgment against Microsoft.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews on Microsoft’s role in the market place:
“Microsoft, and the superstars to follow, may grow large under capitalism, but never as large as the capital markets and the opposing business interests that desire to crush them. Indeed, like Microsoft, most technology firms ‘bundle,’ give products away free, favor some partners over others, place limits on software use and intellectual property—and seek to ‘crush’ competitors in order to grow. Consumers benefit all the while.”
Blog feature: For more news and analysis, updated throughout the day, visit CEI’s blog, Open Market.
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