Cap and Charade?

Michael Shellenberger, Breakthrough Institute
Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate, Natural Resources Defense Council
Larry Goulder, Chair, Department of Economics, Stanford

Would capping and trading carbon pollution create a prosperous clean energy economy? Or would it be a boondoggle for Wall Street and scammers in developing countries? While touted as a market-based way to put a price on carbon, cap and trade has been parodied by Jon Stewart as the superhero Cap N’ Trade and is increasingly questioned by environmentalists and regulators. Yet the state of California and many companies have a lot invested in a cap-and-trade system. Will it die a slow death? Should it? What would be a better way to create a global price for greenhouse gases?

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 22, 2010.

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