Tufts global warming study eyes (enormous) cost of doing nothing

[jpak]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5799388.html

WASHINGTON — Doing nothing about global warming would cost America dearly in the rest of this century because of stronger hurricanes, higher energy and water costs, and rising seas that would swamp coastal communities, according to a new study by economists at Tufts University.

The study concluded that it would be cheaper to take aggressive action to cut greenhouse gas emissions than it would be to suffer the consequences of a dangerously changing world.

"The longer we wait, the more painful and expensive the consequences will be," the report said.

The Senate in early June will consider legislation to set a declining limit on emissions and establish a market for pollution permits that would reward companies that reduce pollution. The system is designed to reduce total U.S. emissions by an estimated 66 percent from 1990 levels by 2050.

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[Vogon_Glory]

1. Rising Seas, The Radical Right, Alternate Energy, Opportunity Costs

The Radical Right's vehement hostility to efforts to mitigate global warming all center around the (admittedly) high costs of moving to energy-generating and transportation systems that DON'T rely on fossil fuels. While the touts, shills, and talk-show loudmouths are willing to talk about the expense for electric cars, the recent bio-fuels fiasco, and granola-chomping windmill-happy "greenies," they are extremely silent about the cost to the economy for sunken oceanfront real-estate, drought-stricken farmland, dessicated water supplies for western cities like Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Albuquerque, and the hideous costs for relocating tens of millions of people away from their homes and relocating them inland or in rainier climes.

The Radical Right claims to oppose mitigating global warming because of the costs. But the Radical Right has never, ever been willing to seriously examine the potential costs for doing nothing at all.

:argh: