Michael McDaniel’s Dawning Awareness

Pretty much everybody knows that carbon dioxide from sources like coal-fired power plants and cars is heating things up. But how many of us are making different choices because of it? Not many.

Economists tell us that if you want something to happen, you just need to align the rules so the right things are rewarded. This idea underlies all those pay-to-pollute and pollution credit proposals out there. So maybe we just need to make it more expensive to do cause global warming. A big new gas tax? Think that’s likely to happen when politicians have to get re-elected?

In his essay for the BBC, Matt Prescot argues that consumer choice is not enough to combat climate change. The world needs strong political leadership, too:

This is especially true when it comes to changing the rules under which individuals and businesses compete, and making the hard choices for the long-term good of society.

So we need some gutsy leadership. I wonder where that is going to come from. If we wanted gutsy leaders, wouldn’t we be electing them? I think electing politicians with the long view, we’d need an electorate with the long view. Then we’re right back to consumer choice.