Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Guess Which Country Leads the World in Carbon Emission Reduction?

Could it really be us?  Oh yes.  America has actually led all nations in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.  Coal consumption is at an all-time low and sinking fast.  We don't need no stinking carbon tax, right?  Or maybe our lack of emissions is due to a sluggish economy.  No matter the case, environmental groups are put in a bit of a rut.  Obama and the Democrats have glossed over it.  The above link is a good primer on the logistics of the situation.  The criticisms are right to an extent.  If fossil fuels are priced out of competitiveness without a carbon tax, then there is no real need for one.  However, while natural gas is much, much better than coal, it still pollutes and will still cause devastating global warming.  Further controversy today arises from the prevalence of fracking, which has still-unclear effects on nearby water supply.  And the other unfortunate truth is that a lagging economy (at least in the traditional GDP sense) is a great recipe for less pollution.  But that's another topic..

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