Climate Archives - Page 17 of 2334 - Competitive Enterprise Institute

Climate change is not a hoax, but as a political matter, it is a persistent pretext for expanding government control over the economy, redistributing wealth, and empowering unaccountable elites at the expense of voters and their elected representatives.

There is also the constant conflating of climate policy with climate science in order to make subjective and ideological policy choices seem as if the science dictates those choices. But science informs policy, it does not provide objective answers to policy questions. However, those who disagree with the climate policy choices favored by extremists are labeled with offensive terms like deniers.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute rejects climate policies that assume Americans and humans all over the world must sacrifice their quality of living, be guilted into radical life changes, and give up on improving their standard of living in the name of fighting climate change. Even if the United States no longer existed, there would be little to no meaningful impact on global temperatures. Therefore, the myriad of extreme policies are all costs and no gain.

Using the force of government to impose policies that severely hurt humans today, especially the poor, without any meaningful benefits is not just foolish but indefensible. And when such policies are advanced, the proponents of those policies should always be expected to explain how their policy choices would meaningfully affect global temperatures. When they are unable to provide answers, which will be the case, their policy choices should be quickly dismissed.

The best way to deal with any genuine climate concerns is to remove government obstacles that hinder innovation, reduce wealth, and undermine prosperity and opportunity. Economic liberty benefits Americans generally, and at the same time, it is also the world’s best climate policy. After all, the wealthiest and most prosperous nations are far more likely to develop solutions to such problems than other nations.

Blog

No more taxpayer dollars for environmental treaties until UN ends China’s developing country status

By: Ben Lieberman
11/11/2024

Most environmental treaties are a bad deal for the American people, and some are made worse by the fact that the United Nations (UN) classifies…

Energy and Environment

RealClear Energy

Microsoft Deal to Restart Three Mile Island Could Be a Game-Changer

By: Paige Lambermont
10/07/2024

Microsoft and Constellation Energy, the utility that owns Three Mile Island, announced a new deal on September 20th that will lead to the restart of…

Energy and Environment

RealClear Energy

The SEC’s Climate Disclosure Rule Is a Dark Cloud Over Energy Abundance

By: Stone Washington
07/23/2024

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) climate disclosure rule posts real problems for public companies. The SEC’s mission is to do facilitate capital formation and…

Energy and Environment

Newsletter

A Fundamentally Weak Economy, Alternative Energy Mandates and Where Soros is Putting His Money

By: Richard Morrison
03/09/2009

The White House budget director describes the U.S. economy as “fundamentally…weak.” Maryland’s governor proposes legislation to require greater use of alternative energy sources.

Business and Government

Op-Eds

Greening America – At What Cost?

By: Iain Murray
03/09/2009

Iain Murray explores the disasterously high costs of de-carbonizing America.

Banking and Finance

American Spectator

O’Malley’s Hot Air

By: Jeremy Lott, William Yeatman
03/09/2009

This January, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley proposed legislation that he promised would fight climate change and "grow" the economy. This week, the state Senate passed…

Featured Posts

Search Posts

Search Filters

Staff & Scholars

Sam Kazman

Marlo Lewis, Jr.

Ben Lieberman

Fred L. Smith, Jr.

Kevin D. Williamson