Re:A critical step to reduce climate change
by mikeash on Wednesday May 15, 2019 @12:37PM
(#19921130)
There’s also fake externalities-subsidized cheaper. Coal is incredibly expensive when you account for the environmental and health costs. But those costs aren’t borne by the people burning coal, so it doesn’t cause markets to switch away.
Re:A critical step to reduce climate change
by ekianjo on Wednesday May 15, 2019 @07:50PM
(#19924906)
Yeah, you could factor in the healthcare cost linked to burning coal and ask coal industries to pay for some or all of it. Would change incentives a lot.
Re:A critical step to reduce climate change
by bsmith on Wednesday May 15, 2019 @12:12PM
(#19920849)
Spot on. In other industries, the entrenched, established incumbents' products are only viable because they are "fake government-subsidized cheaper" (ah ehm...looking at you, corn). I'd not be surprised to see this happening with fossil fuels here in the U.S. one day – maybe it already is?
Not necessarily... it depends on if it's actually cheaper, or just fake government-subsidized cheaper. Sure, you'll get companies milking government subsidies for all they are worth while they last, but if solar isn't actually cheaper than coal, "the market" isn't going to switch.