1700 words with references
What is a low-carbon economy?
Sub-questions to consider:
Is a low-carbon economy merely a market that includes the external social costs of greenhouse gas pollution, or does it also extend to other economic measures? How might a low-carbon economy differ from a ‘traditional’ economy with respect to measures of growth, prosperity, costs and benefits? Would a low-carbon economy require an ethical and political framework that differs from current ones? What would the balance between private and public investment be in a low-carbon economy? Should a low-carbon economy concentrate the emission and abatement of greenhouse gases into a few large scale industries, or spread them across the economy?
What role would science and technology have in setting up the low-carbon economy? Can it be done using current technologies or will it require the research and development of new technologies?
The low-carbon economy is likely to have social and cultural costs: what might these be? What are the consequences of a low-carbon economy on the divide between developed and developing economies? Would such an economy require different notions of sovereignty; perhaps with leadership and regulation from an international body? Would this be a zero growth economy?
0 comments