economy and energy

The fourth IPCC report came out on May 4. One of its most pertinent--and, to me, surprising--points was the statement that there is "substantial economic potential" for the mitigation of carbon emissions. In other words, we can eat our cake and have it too.

It's a nice idea, and one that's gaining a lot of ground in recent years. Last week I attended a presentation by the Clean Air Campaign in which the presenter claimed that the mindset of big business is slowing shifting from one of "pollute in order to get rich" to one of "go green in order to get rich." Like I said, it's a nice idea.

But is there any reality behind it? As far as the mindset of big business goes, I don't think so. Sure, Walmart and Home Depot are outdoing each other to sell CFCs. Toyota is the highest-selling automaker right now, mainly because of its hybrids. And the state of Deleware is contemplating building a wind farm. These are good things, but compared to the big picture, I'm not sure what they really show. Walmart is still shipping its goods all over the world, and most new hybrids don't get as good mileage as my '83 diesel (even running on 100% biodiesel). As for the wind farm, I don't have anything negative to say about wind--except to point out the fact that it's neck-and-neck under consideration with a coal plant and a natural gas plant, so it might not ever get built. But overall, I don't think the mindset of business is changing, except in response to an increasingly green consumer base. Which is good as far as it goes, but the consumer base is fickle, and the mindset of business leans whichever way the wind is blowing. Whether it's harvesting that wind or not.

None of that, however, has anything to do with the more important question, the one really being addressed in the IPCC report, of whether it's possible to mitigate our carbon emissions without suffering a dramatic economic downturn. Not being in any sense an economist, I'm not in any way qualified to answer that question. But being--at least in some sense--a Christian, I have to question the mentality that measures quality of life by economic growth. As a Christian, I am required to care about the poor. But I am equally required to care as little as possible about my own riches or poverty. As far as it applies to me, economic concerns can't be the first priority in the question of whether to mitigate my own carbon usage. I don't need any more cake.