One point that remains little-understood about climate change is that it isn’t a traditional environmental issue, where we preserve some bit of nature for the sake of its beauty (with possible tourism side benefits). Even from the most soulless possible economist position, the case for action is ironclad. Climate change is the mother of all unpriced externalities, which Hurricane Sandy (unquestionably strengthened by climate change) made especially clear. Burning all this carbon is raising the sea level, making storms more powerful, creating persistent drought (which still afflictsnearly 60 percent of the lower 48), and much else, all of which is terrifically expensive.
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