Time for some public policy

Business alone can’t fix climate; government must act, too
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Quote:

The lifetime environmentalist wants business to lead the way on climate change. The career oilman scoffs at the notion, believing that only government can move the needle. Maybe they’re both right. Climate change is such an important, divisive issue that we need an all-of-the-above strategy. While politicians in Texas and the U.S. endlessly debate climate science and humans’ role in it, some of the world’s top companies are aggressively reducing their carbon footprint. Next up: Get politicians on board. More companies are declaring they’ll cut emissions, buy renewable energy and pressure suppliers to adopt sustainable practices. Just last week, 13 top American companies — including Apple, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Google and Wal-Mart — went to the White House to sign a climate pledge. Together, they promised to make at least $140 billion in new low-carbon investments and 1,600 megawatts of renewable energy. They also offered support for an international climate change agreement to be worked out in Paris in December. ...While Ceres encourages such investor activism, it’s having a marginal effect on climate change, Lubber said. The threat is simply so great that deeper, faster changes are required. That demands public policies that force all companies, not just the volunteers, to do their share. Last week, a bipartisan group released a climate change study that predicts Texas will be hit hard. If trends continue, extreme heat could add 4,500 deaths annually by the middle of the century, it said, as the number of 95-degree days doubles from 43 a year to over 100. The Risky Business Project is led by former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The report predicts that most crop yields would fall in Texas and coastal storm damage would increase by over $500 million a year. The good news is that much of the damage could be prevented if we act. And the single most effective way for industry to reduce the risks, according to the report: Have business leaders push for strong, consistent public sector action.

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Unfortunately, as you can see, the Report doesn't clarify exactly what they are talking about with respect to "strong, consistent public sector action."

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1HhmePP