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.
Featured Posts
The Daily Caller
Biden’s Parting Shot At Energy Companies Won’t Tie Trump’s Hands
The Daily Caller cited CEI’s expert on climate cases Devin Watkins, an attorney for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said he doubts that the recent filings…
Blog
Kerry’s statements reflect the moral failings of climate extremism
Last week, John Kerry told a Harvard audience how he thinks we need to address climate change: “We need to get people to…
Blog
No more taxpayer dollars for environmental treaties until UN ends China’s developing country status
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…
Search Posts
Op-Eds
Cirque De Solar Power
Oh dear. It’s only Day 3 of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and already I’m pleading with Amazon to deliver “Out of…
Op-Eds
Bush’s Kyoto Secret
The “World Summit on Sustainable Development” got underway today amid several key questions. How would anti-globalization – and, possibly, worse — forces attempt to disrupt…
Op-Eds
Wealth Of Delusion
Half of the expected 50,000-plus delegates are already gathered here at the United Nations’ World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), scheduled to last a fortnight. …
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 17
Politics Greens Want Funds to Offset Summit Greenhouse Emissions Several observers have noted the hypocrisy of tens of thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, and environmental activists…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 16
Politics Global warming was put on the international map during the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, but is scarcely to be seen in the…
Op-Eds
Dream The Impossible Scheme
The Bush administration came out of the box on the energy issue with a reasonably positive mix of supply-side strategies – they are even willing…
Op-Eds
Texans Won’t Be Driven To California’s CO2 Craziness
While many people call Austin the “San Francisco of the South,” thankfully it's just about the only thing that the Lone Star State has…
Study
Modern Developments In The Treaty Process
Full Document Available in PDF Treaties are agreements between nations, or states.
Op-Eds
Why Enron Loved Kyoto, And the EU Shouldn’t
What do the proposed European Commission directive for trading CO2 emissions credits and the current malaise affecting American corporate life have in common?<?xml:namespace…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No.15
Politics State AGs Bash Bush with Climate Action Report Attorneys General from eleven States sent a letter to President George W.
Op-Eds
Why The “Sense Of Congress On Climate Change” Provision Should Be Stripped From H.R. 4
The findings presented in the Sense of the Congress provisions do not rest on a sound scientific footing and if carried out would…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 14
Politics California CO2 Bill Passes The California legislature passed a bill on July…
Op-Eds
Climate-Science Shuffle
President Bush amazed supporters and detractors alike with his recent submission to the United Nations, “Climate Action Report 2002” (CAR), debuting a U.S. position that…
Op-Eds
The Anti-Power Act: A Jeffords Special
Thursday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on whether to approve S. 556, “the Clean Power Act,” proposed by James Jeffords,…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 13
Economics “Clean Power Act” Up for Senate Committee Vote The U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to mark up and…
Op-Eds
Another Hot Shoe May Drop
Certainly, the Bush administration recently contradicting the president’s position, adopting to a great extent global warming alarmism in report to the United Nations,…
Op-Eds
Multi-Pollutant Madness
Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold its fourth hearing on the “Clean Power Act” (S.556) proposed by Sen. James…
Study
“Multi-Pollutant” Regulation Of Carbon Dioxide: Shrewd Politics, Bad Policy
Full Document Available in PDF Although President Bush…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 12
Politics Bush Administration Stumbles into Quicksand With the release of a report on global warming, the Bush Administration has…
Op-Eds
Bush Must Withdraw Global Warming Report
The left’s latest attack on President Bush’s opposition to the Kyoto global warming treaty was launched with not even a whisper of warning on June…
Comment
Joint Letter To President Bush On The EPA’s Climate Action Report
Dear President Bush, We write to share our concerns with Climate Action Report 2002, which your administration recently transmitted to the United Nations Framework…
Op-Eds
CEI’s Marlo Lewis submits comments to DOE on the proposed Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program
Letter available in pdf format This letter responds to the Deparment of Energy's request for comment on the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse…
Op-Eds
Is Bush Playing Treaty Chicken?
As one of the first manifestations of President George W. Bush's supposed campaign of foreign policy “unilateralism,” last year he rejected, withdrew from or otherwise…
Op-Eds
The Hot Air from the Bush Administration
Well, Bush didn’t sign the Kyoto Global Warming protocol. It’s too bad he couldn’t leave well enough alone. While continuing to insist that…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 11
Politics Japan, Denmark Parliaments OK Kyoto Protocol Japan’s House of Representatives approved legislation on May 21…
Op-Eds
Campaign ExxonMobil Caters To The Greens
Before its cataclysmic fall, Enron had become the darling of the environmental movement. The company tirelessly pandered to environmentalists to bolster its green image…
Op-Eds
Foreign Entanglements: Dumping The Rome Treaty Raises Further Questions
The Bush administration has formally informed the United Nations of U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty of Rome. That agreement, signed by a departing President…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 10
Politics U.S. Out of Kyoto For A Decade – At Least There is no chance that the United States…
Op-Eds
Greenhouse Road To Ruin: Bad Regulations In Cali
A bill careening down the legislative turnpike in California threatens Americans' freedom of mobility everywhere. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />…
Newsletter
Whatever Happened to Global Warming?
The Frontiers of Freedom Institute U.S. Senator Malcolm Wallop (ret.) Chairman The Science…
Op-Eds
Heed Hillary’s Herald
Will Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) intercede with Sacramento politicians to protect the California marketplace for pickup trucks, minivans, and SUVs? Senator Feinstein is not widely…
Op-Eds
Ice Shelf Collapse Triggers Debate
In February and March, an ice shelf known as the Larsen B ice shelf in the Antarctic Peninsula collapsed, leading many to raise once…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 9
Politics Senate Passes “Energy” Bill Loaded with Global Warming Policies On April 25, the Senate overwhelmingly passed comprehensive energy legislation by…
Op-Eds
Cali’s Kyoto: Working Off A Bad Model – Corrected
View The Correction To This Article Undaunted by the mess they made of California's electricity marketplace, Sacramento politicians…
News Release
Energy Bill Joins Senate Hall Of Shame
Washington, D.C., April 25, 2002 — The energy bill passed by the Senate today will do nothing to increase energy supplies but will…
Op-Eds
California Scheming
The Washington Post first reported internal memos revealing that the vocal “global warming” movement and its 1997 Kyoto Protocol were fruit of a stealthy and…
News Release
Senators May Support Small Business Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements In Energy Bill
Washington, DC, April 24, 2002-Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) may support provisions being debated and voted on the Senate floor on Thursday that would…
News Release
Senators Snowe, Collins to Ask Poland Spring Water be Registered as “Climate Change Pollutant”
Washington, D.C., April 24, 2002 — Senate staffers cite Maine Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins as supporting legislation calling…
Op-Eds
Controlling Hypocritical Authority: Gore’s Expertise
Former Vice President Al Gore published an opinion piece in this Sunday's New York Times, “The Selling of an Energy…
Op-Eds
IPCC’s ex-“Political” Scientist
Environmental activists are attacking the Bush administration for orchestrating the ouster of an American scientist, Robert Watson, as chairman of the…
News Release
Rejecting ANWR Not in Best Interest Of Country
Washington, D.C., April 18, 2002—“The Senate has rejected opening ANWR to oil and gas exploration on the basis of utterly dishonest arguments from Senators Kerry,…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 8
Politics Cool Winds Blowing In Canada Canadian ratification of the Kyoto Protocol continues to recede into the future, as provincial opposition…
News Release
Senate Should Drop Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Registry
Statement of Myron Ebell<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Director of Global Warming Policy, Competitive Enterprise Institute …
News Release
Senate Should Open Arctic For Exploration Now
Washington, D.C., April 8, 2001—The issue of whether to allow oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is expected to be…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 7
Politics Alberta to Propose Kyoto Alternative The province of Alberta, Canada will propose a greenhouse gas reduction plan as an alternative…
News Release
Marlo Lewis Joins CEI As Senior Fellow
Washington, D.C., April 1, 2001—The Competitive Enterprise Institute is pleased to announce that Marlo Lewis has rejoined its team of policy analysts as…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 6
Politics Japan Decides to Ratify, but Compliance is Doubtful Japanese government ministers agreed at a March 19 meeting on a ten-year…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 5
Politics European Union Agrees to Ratify Kyoto The European Union’s environment ministers agreed on March 4 to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. …
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 4
Politics Bush Offers Lukewarm Plan President George W. Bush outlined his Global Climate Change and Clear Skies Initiatives in…
Op-Eds
Fools Rush In
The Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) just issued its annual “Economic Report of the President,” including a chapter on environmental policy. The report's language sent…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 3
Politics<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Bush Administration Tip-Toeing Toward New Policies The New…
Op-Eds
Outside View: Caught En Flagrente Kyoto
It was the Washington Post that was first to expose internal Enron Corp. documents revealing the failed energy giant's disturbing relationship with one of the…
Op-Eds
Rush Hour
In a June 11 Rose Garden speech, President George W. Bush detailed his plan to address the perceived threat of man-made global warming. Wisely, the…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 2
Politics Enron Fallout Hits Global Warming Enron Corporation’s spectacular downfall has begun to affect the ongoing debate over U.S. global warming…
Newsletter
Vol. VI, No. 1
Politics Japan Gets Cold Feet Japan, the host of the 1997 negotiations that culminated in the Kyoto Protocol, may now…
Op-Eds
Kyoto Through The Backdoor
Desperately seeking their Sally Field moment (“You like me! You really like me!”), with the likes of the New York Times and environmental pressure…
Op-Eds
Assisted Economic Suicide
A White House proposal under final consideration, for possible imminent release, would create a national inventory of certain naturally occurring gases — such as carbon…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 26
Politics Bush Administration Searches for Alternatives to Kyoto The Bush Administration is actively seeking an alternative strategy to the…
Op-Eds
Outside View: The choice: Kyoto or WTO?
Mid-November brought us reports from two international negotiations, whose sole common thread appeared to be each took place amid tight security in Muslim countries. These…
Op-Eds
Model Behavior: EPA Promotes False Climate Scares
Horner Op-Ed in Tech Central Station: The Environmental Protection Agency is telling the Northeastern United States to be very afraid. “Climate change” will…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 25
Politics<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Administration Considering Climate Policies After a delay caused…
Op-Eds
Insecurity Blanket: Greens Preparing Kinder, Gentler Guilt Campaign
Horner Op-Ed in Tech Central Station September 11 brought to the fore numerous realities that in our comfort we had sublimated, including the…
Study
Free Market Environmentalism: Protecting the Environment Via Private Property
Full Document Available in PDF There is an alternative…
Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 24
Politics<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Canadian Government Split on Kyoto Dissension over whether to…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 23
Politics<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> The WTO and Kyoto While Kyoto watchers have…
Op-Eds
Punxsutawney Protocol: “World Reaches Warming Pact” Again, Only Not Really
Establishment-press reporting of Kyoto “global warming” treaty negotiations would embarrass even Bill Murray's character in the movie Groundhog Day. They laughably trumpet the same nonachievement,…
Op-Eds
Energy-Policy Jujitsu: Using 9-11 To Block Bush’s Proposal To Increase Our Energy Security
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is using the September 11 terrorist attacks to block President Bush's proposal to increase our energy security. (If this sounds…
Op-Eds
U.S. Shouldn’t Seek Energy Independence
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have raised fears about U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil. It seems that nearly everyone believes that if the United…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 22
Politics<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Will Anything Happen in Marrakesh? New episodes of…
Op-Eds
A “Hole” Lot of Alarmism Should Be a Lesson in Marrakech
Scary autumn tales about the Antarctic ozone “hole” have become an annual media ritual that treats the phenomenon of ozone thinning as an ominous threat…
Op-Eds
Environmental Terrorists Deserve No Special Treatment
There is no shame in believing that those among the Left who most profess their “caring”, for animals, the environment, and other non-human “causes” are…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 21
Politics Politics Japan Gearing Up To Ratify Kyoto Japanese government officials announced…
Newsletter
What’s Wrong With Regulating Carbon Dioxide Emissions?
Full text available in PDF Format What’s Wrong With Regulating Carbon Dioxide Emissions? …
Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 20
Politics Politics EU Bows to Industry Pressure The European Union has been devising an emissions trading scheme to…
News Release
The Skeptical Environmentalist to Discuss Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol at Capitol Hill Briefing
Washington, D.C., October 2, 2001—Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, the Danish professor of statistics whose new book, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of…
Op-Eds
Regulating CO2 As A Pollutant: Costly In More Ways Than One
Mallinger Op-Ed in Heartland Environment and Climate News Mallinger Op-Ed in Heartland Environment and Climate News President George W. Bush has taken…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 19
Politics Politics State Department Criticizes TAR The U.S. State Department has submitted formal comments criticizing the draft Synthesis…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 18
Politics Politics Senators, Utilities, and Environmentalists To Hold Closed-Door Meetings Electric utility executives and environmentalists are set to…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 17
Politics Politics Bush Team Developing Kyoto Alternatives The Bush Administration is in the process of developing…
Op-Eds
Don’t Cap Access To Affordable Energy
President Bush has persisted in his admirable determination to keep the U Ebell Op-Ed in Human Events President Bush…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 16
Finally someone has brought the climate change debate back down to earth Politics House Passes Energy Bill …
Op-Eds
Scientific Uncertainty As Weapon: Kemp Column Distributed by Copley News Service
Kemp Column Distributed by Copley News Service Kemp Column Distributed by Copley News Service July 23, 2001,…
Op-Eds
A Corporate Folly: Business Donates To The Ideologues Who Hate Markets
Philanthropy is a demonstration of good will toward one's fellow man, but the ability to give depends on the wealth, success a…
News Release
Congress Moves Toward An Affordable Energy Future
Washington, DC, August 2, 2001 — The Competitive Enterprise Institute commends the positive developments on energy policy this week in both the House…
Op-Eds
When Property Rights Lead to Socialism
Economists have long been ecstatic about the growing enthusiasm of the greenies for the market. At last, economists chortle, our expertise will play a…
Op-Eds
CO2 Controls Are a Bad Idea: Voluntary or Not
Smith and Crandall Op-Ed in The Wall Street Journal The Bush administration courageously rejected the Kyoto Protocol but is now considering “voluntary” carbon-dioxide suppression…
Op-Eds
A Heated Letter From Bonn
BONN – Word has it an historic agreement emerged from the negotiations in Bonn, Germany, over how to implement the Kyoto "glob…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 15
Finally someone has brought the climate change debate back down to earth Politics Triumph in Bonn? Or Not! …
Op-Eds
Meet the New Kyoto, Same as the Old Kyoto
Bonn Voyage Horner Dispatch from the Bonn Climate Negotiations Now, Let’s Get Serious Bonn —…
News Release
Kyoto Compromise Still Not Good for U.S., World
Washington, DC, July 23, 2001—An 11th-hour compromise on how to address climate change reached among 178 countries in Bonn, Germany is a major…
Op-Eds
All Quiet on the Western Front
Horner Dispatch from the Bonn Climate Negotiations Horner Dispatch from the Bonn Climate Negotiations Bonn — Muzak’s “Rainy Day…
Op-Eds
Posturing Over Kyoto
Horner Op-Ed in The Washington Times Horner Op-Ed in The Washington Times Bonn — Last November's knock-down, drag-out debates extended beyond the…
Op-Eds
A Different Kind of Protester: Conservative College Students Hit Bonn
Horner Op-Ed in National Review Online Horner Op-Ed in National Review Online “College Students Protest Climate Negotiations,'' is the headline equivalent of…
Op-Eds
Climate Treaty Valiantly Holding on In Its Struggle to Remain Dead
7/19/01 Horner Dispatch from the Bonn Climate Negotiations Cracks Beginning to Show in European Presentation Bonn — At…
Op-Eds
Student Protesters Raise Eyebrows, Instead of Piercing Them
Horner Dispatch on the Bonn Climate Negotiations Horner Dispatch on the Bonn Climate Negotiations Americans Come to Support…
Op-Eds
Pride and Prejudice: Power Struggle with U.S. Driving EU Climate Treaty Strategy
What lies beneath a desire to see 36% of the now-covered emissions go excluded in lieu of a more inclusive treaty that would a…
Op-Eds
Climate Talks Open Amid Uncertainty
Monday 7/16 Horner Dispatch on the Bonn Climate Negotiations U.S. Sends Team to Negotiate “Dead” Treaty …
Op-Eds
Warming to Bush: The Political Complexities of Suppressing Global Energy Use
Those concerned that the Bush administration might have miscued on Kyoto will be reassured by a careful reading of the new boo Smith…
News Release
U.S. Prepares For World Climate Controversy – Bonn, Germany – July 16-24
Washington, DC, July 13, 2001 — The upcoming UN global warming negotiations in Bonn, Germany will be a vital test of United States…
Newsletter
Vol. V, No. 14
Politics Uncertainty Abounds Before Bonn As negotiations resume in Bonn next week, it is not clear what will become of…
Staff & Scholars
Sam Kazman
Counsel Emeritus
- Antitrust
- Automobiles and Roads
- Banking and Finance
Marlo Lewis, Jr.
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Energy
- Energy and Environment
Ben Lieberman
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Consumer Freedom
- Energy
Fred L. Smith, Jr.
Founder; Chairman Emeritus
- Automobiles and Roads
- Aviation
- Business and Government
Kevin D. Williamson
Writer in Residence
- Climate
- Energy and Environment