Swipe-card plan to ration consumers' carbon use

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Russ Nelson <nelson () crynwr com>
Date: July 19, 2006 4:33:07 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: Brian Randell <Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk>
Subject: Re: [IP] Swipe-card plan to ration consumers' carbon use

Brian Randell <Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk> forwards:
> > A radical plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions by rationing the
> > carbon use of individuals is being drawn up by government
> > officials.

Never say "ration" to an economist.  It's like waving a red bull in
front of a flag.

First, consider that rationing is a completely irrational response to
a shortage.  Rationing is predicted on the assumption that it's fair
for everyone to have the same allocation of a resource.  In the same
sense that nations typically behave towards each other like toddlers,
within a nation, the politicians seem to treat citizens like children,
where every child gets an equal sized piece of cake.

I'm not a child.  Neither are you.  None of us are (except our
children, of course).  Giving each of us identicaly sized pieces of
cake ignores all SORTS of issues.  For example, we are carbon-based
lifeforms.  Some of us are bigger than others, are comprised of more
carbon, and need more carbon to live.  Or for example, some of us use
our carbon to reduce our carbon emissions.  I own 225 acres of land.
It has a growing forest which is pulling carbon out of the air.  I'm a
hero -- shouldn't I get a higher carbon allowance?  What if I can
consume (emit) carbon dioxide (in the form of fossil fuels) to
optimize my carbon consumption (in the form of woody growth)?  How
does the carbon ration account for this?  Particularly in the UK where
land ownership is far more class-based than in the US.

An equal share is not obviously fair; not at all.

> > Mr Miliband will announce more details in a speech tonight to the
> > Audit Commission. He will say: "It is easy to dismiss the idea as
> > too complex administratively or too much of a burden for
> > citizens.

Typical British understatement.

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