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
Blog
Europe’s heat wave tragically demonstrates the need for air conditioning
Western European nations take a very different approach from the United States on many issues — immigration, defense, welfare, energy, health care, and more.
Blog
RCP8.5: Climate establishment officially retires extreme scenario (Part II)
Part I can be found here. Victim of its own success? Perhaps to save face or even boast of being right…
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RCP8.5: Climate establishment officially retires extreme scenario (Part I)
Thanks to the scholarship, courage, and perseverance of a handful of independent researchers, notably Roger Pielke, Jr., Justin Ritchie, and Hadi…
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Op-Eds
No free lunch on emissions
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is on a snake oil sales tour. To much fanfare, the Governator is traveling the country promoting his “California model”…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
News Highlight Green Politics: All Sizzle and No Steak Robert Samuelson, Washington Post, 25 July 2007 …
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Lawmakers prepare to vote on a major new farm bill. CEI Expert Available to…
Op-Eds
Kyoto Anniversary: What it Means Today
Ten years ago today the U.S. Senate did something that at the time seemed significant and now seems remarkably foresightful. By a vote of…
News Release
Global Warming Resolution Marks 10th Anniversary
Washington, D.C., July 25, 2007—Today marks the 10th anniversary of an important and prescient vote in the U.S. Senate. As global warming treaty negotiations in…
News Release
U.S. Lawmakers Eye European Carbon ‘Cap-and-Trade’ Fiasco
Washington, D.C., July 24, 2007—U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman and John Warner are poised to introduce legislation to impose on Americans a costly, harmful European-style…
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Cooler Heads Digest
News Highlights Schwarzenegger’s Climate Team Further ImplodesEditorial, The Bakersfield Californian, 19 July 2007 Ethanol Mandates Pose Grave…
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Cooler Heads Digest
News EU to Outlaw Sports Cars to Fight Global Warming?Doron Levin, Bloomberg, 10 July 2007 Are IPCC Climate…
Op-Eds
Ignorance Is Strength, Dissent Is Treason
At last weekend’s Live Earth concert in New Jersey, Robert Kennedy, Jr., a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), charged ExxonMobil and Southern…
Op-Eds
Al Gore’s Whine: What Really Happened on the Mall
Now it's official. Global warming alarmism has indeed “jumped the shark“, as revealed by the dismal failure of the Live Earth concerts to galvanize…
Op-Eds
The Biofuel Fad
William Saletan argued in favor of biofuels on humanitarian and environmental grounds ["A Corny Cold War," Outlook, July 8]. He was wrong on both…
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. FINANCE Private insurance companies refuse to issue coverage to hurricane-prone areas in Florida. CEI…
Op-Eds
Farmers are Shuckers, Too
It is not surprising that National Corn Growers Association President Ken McCauley uses the term “free market” pejoratively (“Reusable fuels: Good goal, good policy,”…
Op-Eds
Economic Climate Changes
Congress is considering global warming legislation to require substantial cuts in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the inescapable byproduct of the fossil fuels —…
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Cooler Heads Digest
Global Warming in the News: Inside the BeltwayMyron Ebell, CEI As the House leadership tries to figure out what pieces of anti-energy legislation…
News Release
Bureaucrash and the “Demand Debate” Campaign Crash Live Earth New York
Washington, D.C., July 9, 2007—This weekend pro-freedom activists from the Bureaucrash Activist Network teamed up with DemandDebate to infiltrate the New York…
News Release
A Skeptical Response to “Live Earth”
Washington, D.C., July 7, 2007—As millions of people prepare to enjoy the musical talents of their favorite bands at the seven-city “Live Earth” concert…
Op-Eds
Junk Science: Live Earth’s Gross Groupies
Why is NBC airing Al Gore’s Live Earth concert this weekend? Why are Democrats, who claim to support the Fairness Doctrine, not objecting to…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. The Week in Global Warming News 2. CEI’s Insider Information 3. Issue of the Week: Marlo Lewis’s Senate Testimony4.
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. Safety The Department of Homeland Security hosts a forum on the latest trends in…
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. Environment The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee holds a hearing on global warming.
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. The Week in Global Warming News 2. CEI’s Insider Information 3. Issue of the Week: A Federal Renewable…
News Release
Marlo Lewis to Testify in Senate on Global Warming
Washington, D.C., June 27, 2007—Tomorrow Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis will testify before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works where he…
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. Legal Judge Roy Pearson loses the lawsuit in which he claimed $54 million in damages from…
Op-Eds
Junk Science: Climate Activists’ Credibility Gap
Organic yogurt king and Stonyfield Farm CEO Gary Hirshberg may have thought that he avoided the buzzsaw this week by ducking a TV appearance…
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Cooler Heads Digest
1. The Week in Global Warming News 2. CEI's Insider Information 3. Issue of the Week: Appliance Efficiency Standards4.
Op-Eds
Hold the Line on Global Warming
What should conservatives do about global warming? Jim Manzi suggests in his June 25 National Review cover story (“Game Plan”) that conservatives embrace junk…
Op-Eds
Food Before Fuel
Feel like you’re getting squeezed by prices at the gas pump? Get ready to experience that same feeling at the grocery store. As ABC News…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. Global Warming in the News 2. CEI’s Insider Info 3. Issue of the Week: Price Gouging 4. Action Item: Join the…
Op-Eds
Al Gore: The Edge of Reason
Review: THE ASSAULT ON REASON by Al Gore, Penguin Press, $25.95, 320 pages Al Gore may be the most frustrated man in…
Op-Eds
Letter to the Editor: EU talk no match for US action on emissions
Sir, Your editorial “A big step forward on climate change” (June 9) uncharacteristically falls into the typical chattering class mistake…
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. Environment Rolling Stone magazine switches to “carbon neutral” paper, but still receives attacks from…
Op-Eds
The Details Of Kyoto
The June 5 World News article “China Outlines Modest Environmental Goals” asserted that the “Bush administration has refused to ratify” the Kyoto Protocol.
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CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. Environment The Washington Post reports on the positive impact of global warming on residents…
News Release
Global Warming in the Spotlight at G-8 Summit
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, D.C., June 6, 2007—This week, leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations meet in Germany to…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. The Week in Global Warming News 2. CEI's Insider Information 3. Issue of the Week4. Action Item5.
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Monday, June 4, 2007 Issues in the News 1. SAFETY New laws governing the safety of…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. A note from Fred Smith, CEI founder and president2. The Week in Global Warming News3. CEI’s Insider Information4. Issue…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. INTERNATIONAL Al Gore emerges as the leading contender to win the next Nobel…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENERGY Oil giant BP shuts down a quarter of its Alaskan production due to…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. SCIENCE A growing number of scientists express skepticism of global…
News Release
President Bush Calls for Higher Fuel Economy Standards & Use of Alternative Fuels
Washington, DC, May 14, 2007—President Bush’s announcement today that his administration will push for higher fuel economy standards and increased use of alternative…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Issues in the News 1. ENVIRONMENT…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> 1. CULTURE…
News Release
House Ignores the Obvious on Gas Prices
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, D.C., May 9, 2007—Today’s House hearing on high gas prices manages to present a vitally…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS The House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming holds a hearing on high gas prices.
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> 1. SAFETY…
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The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Issues in the News 1. MEDIA…
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Senate Considers Disastrous Energy Policy
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, D.C., May 1, 2007—Tomorrow senators will begin marking up energy legislation that will lead to…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
1. ENERGY Environmentally-correct “compact fluorescent” light bulbs face an unfriendly reception from consumers. CEI Expert Available…
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
Jacob Tomasulo
Policy Analyst
- Climate
- Energy
- Energy and Environment
Kevin D. Williamson
Writer in Residence
- Climate
- Energy and Environment