View source for Public Lecture: "Will It Cost the Earth to Save the Planet?"

{{Summer School on Global Sustainability}}

===Will It Cost the Earth to Save the Planet?===
'''Speakers: Partha Dasgupta and Amory Lovins; Moderator: John Schellnhuber'''
====7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16 ====

<b>James A. Little Theater, New Mexico School for the Deaf </b>

Human caused emissions of greenhouse gases are very likely to result in climate change if current trends continue.  This will have serious consequences in the coming decades.  What should be done? Some economists argue that the cost of taking steps now to mitigate this problem is likely to drive up energy costs and result in reduced economic growth.  They suggest that in the interests of the global economy any action to limit greenhouse gas emissions should be weighted toward letting growth happen as quickly as possible and relying on future increased technological capacities to solve the problem.  Others suggest that intergenerational equity requires immediate and decisive action on this issue.  Furthermore they argue that rapid technological innovation will allow for continued economic growth.

As Partha Dasgupta observes,

"Economists are divided on the urgency with which the world economy
should act so as to mitigate and adapt to global climate change. Some
(e.g. the Stern Review, 2006) urge strong global action now and
recommend an investment figure of some 1.5% of world income.
Others (e.g. Nordhaus, 2007) argue that despite the threats climate
change poses to the global economy, it would be more equitable and
efficient to push for economic growth so as to build up the productive
base of economies (especially poor countries) and to put into effect
controls on carbon in an increasing, but gradual manner, starting
several decades from now.

The conflicting viewpoints may give the impression that the
disagreements are to be traced to differences in the global circulation
models that are being invoked by the various protagonists. In my
presentation I shall argue instead that the underlying differences
between the scholars lie in the way they interpret intergenerational
ethics and derive the appropriate rates with which to discount future
costs and one benefits. One group (the Stern Review) invokes what
can be called Government House Ethics, while the other (Nordhaus)
engages in a form of Democratic stock-taking, in which Citizens'
ethical values are inferred from their consumption expenditures and
then put to use."

Please join us at the James A. Little theater in Santa Fe for an engaging look at the future of environmental change and its relation to policy, economics and human survival.

<b>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amory_Lovins Amory Lovins]</b> is a technologist with a vision of how to address climate change

'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partha_Dasgupta Partha Dasgupta]''' is an economist who has thought deeply about issues of economic development and the environment.  

Together they will explore this debate.