Climate change, global warming; cap and trade vs. carbon tax

 Environmental Studies/Environmental Science Assignment 2 Compare Articles The issue of global warming remains the most important problem facing the biosphere eclipsing all others and requiring a broad range of responses by humans that challenge the very way we define economics and progress. Environmental scientists generally agree on the scale, pace and intensity of the problem but not on the solutions. Policy makers must devise an international system that will reduce the most prevalent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide in a short period of time. The suggestions made so far do not follow a “command and control” model but offer instead market-friendly solutions. Two of these are a) the “cap and trade” system whereby carbon emissions can be traded in a free market and gradually reduce the production of the gas, and b) a carbon tax that would use the market to accelerate carbon gas reductions in an environment where the costs of emissions would be graduated upward to affect the largest producers. In the articles provided here the two perspectives are given an examination that advocate for one or the other or even both. Three of the articles are general global waming pieces and can be used to ask the question, What is Global Warming? The next four articles are on the impacts of global warming asking What are the consequences of global warming? Eleven articles in the last group ask the question, What are we going to do about it? This last group is mostly on the two approaches. Take a look at all the articles in each group to decide which one you want to use. In the third part make up your own mind which system you think is better and cite the articles that best support your choice. Write a short paper (less than six pages) on your arguments based on the papers provided. (Yes, you can research this further if you would like and add to the list of papers.) Write in your own words a paper that a) shows you understand the arguments given regarding global warming or human caused climate change and b) some diuscussion of likely impacts and c) the policy options represented in the two arguments. (It might be a good idea to watch the clip where Al Gore talks to Cenk Uygur on carbon tax and cap and trade. 3 mins.) The paper must be original. You will get no points for plagiarism. DO NOT PASTE TEXT FROM INTERNET SOURCES. Make sure you reference your new sources as well as the ones provided. Use college standards for citing of work. In the body of the text, authors should appear in parenthesis with the year of the publication. DO NOT USE FILENAMES or URLs AS CITATIONS! It should be author, title, publication and date. Consult the library for proper “APA” citation style. These can be footnotes or endnotes.