The Oil Drum

Most of this whole discussion below misses the point of the linked article... it's not about Gore.

It's about carbon credits and emissions trading, and the deep problem with the idea that, at this late stage in the climate change game, it's OK for ANYONE to go on emitting carbon into the atmosphere based on (1) the idea that they will pay someone else to build additional capacity somewhere else that will emit at a lower rate, or (2) the idea that you should be able to buy a credit to keep on emitting at a high rate to force someone else to emit at a lower rate.

The fraud lies at the level of the proposed fix. Gore's only culpability exists to the extent that he or any of his allies promote the idea that carbon credits and emissions trading and similar fraud schemes are doing any good.

He's not alone in that delusion.

But what should the one man who has done more to change US awareness of climate change than any other have done? Had he not emitted untold tons of carbon traveling around spreading the word, he might not have succeeded in getting the message out. The problem is that EVERYONE thinks he or she has a good reason for that next airplane flight. Most of us probably don't have as good a reason as Al Gore did.

And he doesn't have any more justification for his energy hog house than the next person.... or President.

The problem with Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth flick is how it ends... in a call to take small personal half measures... buy a hybrid, whatever. It was ridiculous. A classic delusional American message, to the effect of "The planet is almost dead! Shop wisely!" It almost reminds me of what King George said when after the terrorist attacks.... "Don't do anything differently... go shopping!"

No Al, and no George, we've got to move a lot faster than that. Shopping won't save us this time.

We need a large and increasing carbon tax that begins to move every incentive in every corner of the global economy away from carbon emissions. It's going to hurt, but atmospheric CO2 emissions are going to hurt a lot worse pretty soon.