The current climate conference in Copenhagen is occurring in hopes to reach some conclusions about actions to take regarding the climate changes. Many are in favor of this conference taking place while others find it pointless. One economist in particular, from University of Guelph in Ontario, is one of the many that sees this conference as not being beneficial. Ross McKitrick feels that people are often times not reliable and do not stand by their promises. He, like many, feel that the sole outcome of the conference will have the same result as the many previous conferences; promises that are never delivered.
McKitrick thinks the most appropriate approach would be developing a system that each country would “call each side’s bluff”. By implementing an idea like this each side would have to measure the earth’s atmosphere temperature. This way we can measure how much carbon emission is being released into the atmosphere. They would set up a maximum emission and it would be their responsibility to be accountable for how they can personally reduce their carbon footprint. If they exceed the maximum that proves to be increases the temperature, then there will be some sort of penalty enforced.
McKitrick stresses that this way we would be investing our trust in a more reliable source, our own earth, rather than a lot of politicians blaming others and arguing without coming to a definite resolution or compromise. Some may feel that this is not trustworthy however; certain temperature readings from satellites are accurate and are proven to be correct. These temperature readings could also be used in other ways for example, carbon-tax. He gives multiple reasons for why it would be easier by saying, “it is simpler, more transparent, easier to enforce and less vulnerable to accounting tricks and political favoritism.”
From the basis of McKitrick’s argument, I agree completely. I am hopeful that the Copenhagen will have a beneficial outcome but providing an alternative route makes a lot of sense. McKitrick has designed a plan that helps multiple parts of our existing climate issues. By simply reading temperatures of our atmosphere and calculating our carbon emissions it seems we can do a lot more than we are doing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/science/15tier.html?ref=science