By Joe Munoz
What does it mean to be an agent of
change? The topic of climate change has been a dynamic and rapidly
enhancing aspect of many fields of research, but what implications do
these findings have on us as citizens? It is common to think that
simply avoiding contributing to fossil fuels will reduce climate
change, but many economists may have a more robust claim: deliberate
spending must be undertaken. Curtailing individual efforts alone will
not be sufficient in reducing harmful climate effects.
Many people tend to be scared by the
field of economics due to its rigorous mathematical nature. Some see
it merely as a political or persuasive construct. At very least for
the topic of climate change, the latter is true. Economics should
persuade you that to combat the effects of climate change,
governments are required to take active steps in investment. This
investment is important to reduce climate change through the means
of:
- Government subsidies for mindful business practices.
- Increased government research through grants and consulting.
- Public education on climate change.
- Increasing alternative energy capacities.
The below video is a presentation by
Tim Jackson, on the popular venue TED Talks. In possibly the most
succinct explanation of the economics of climate change, he explains
why government action is necessary. We, as a public, must
deliberately contribute to sustainability as it will not occur by
natural private investment.
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