A Moment for Dispair

Krugman seems to be overtaking Friedmann as the man to go to for consistent, weekly commentary geared towards focusing on what should be the main topic for the country though not given the coverage it deserves. Last week, the economic possibilities of a climate bill. He is spot on again this week in his discussion of the massive, massive, massive need for climate change legislation.

They’re what come out of the most widely respected climate models, devised by the leading researchers. The prognosis for the planet has gotten much, much worse in just the last few years.

What’s driving this new pessimism? Partly it’s the fact that some predicted changes, like a decline in Arctic Sea ice, are happening much faster than expected. Partly it’s growing evidence that feedback loops amplifying the effects of man-made greenhouse gas emissions are stronger than previously realized. For example, it has long been understood that global warming will cause the tundra to thaw, releasing carbon dioxide, which will cause even more warming, but new research shows far more carbon locked in the permafrost than previously thought, which means a much bigger feedback effect.

As Billy Madison would say, goo.

What would cause us to ignore all this pressing data? Money. And the people who have enough money are using it to keep them on top.

Responding to climate change with the vigor that the threat deserves would not, contrary to legend, be devastating for the economy as a whole. But it would shuffle the economic deck, hurting some powerful vested interests even as it created new economic opportunities. And the industries of the past have armies of lobbyists in place right now; the industries of the future don’t.

If you don't think we live in a world that's molded behind closed doors and the idea derived there rammed down our throats than you must be a space alien.

UPDATE****: Climate Progress shares my love but just says it better. And with more links.