经贸专业英语报刊阅读教程第一课Goodpolicy,andbad

1、Goodpolicy,andbadSomemitigationpoliciesareeffective,someareefficient,andsomeareneitherDec3rd2009|fromtheprinteditionGREENHOUSE-GASemissionstargetscanbeimplementedthroughthreesortsofpolicyinstrumentsregulation,carbon-pricingandsubsidies.Governmentsgenerallylikeregulation(becauseitappearstobecost-free

2、),economistslikecarbonprices(becausetheyareefficient)andbusinesseslikesubsidies(becausetheygetthehandouts).Regulationcanbeusefulwherethemarketisnotworkingwell.Buildingsarerarelydesignedtosaveenergy,becausethosewhoputthemupdonotusuallypaythebillsandthosewhooccupythemchoosethemfortheirviewsortheirlook

3、s,nottheirenergy-efficiency.Thesamegoesforappliances,mostofwhichdonotuseenoughenergytoaffectconsumers'choices.Smallregulatorychanges(seebox,nextpage)cancutenergyconsumptionwithoutdistortingthemarketmuch.AccordingtoMcKinsey,aroundone-thirdoftherequiredgreenhouse-gasreductionswillactuallysavemoney

4、.InthisspecialreportGettingwarmerIsitworthit?Thegreenslump?Goodpolicy,andbadVampiresonadietCapandtiradeWhocares?AlonggameClosingthegapsWhatneedstochangeUnpackingtheproblemSources&acknowledgementsReprintsRelatedtopicsChinaSolarenergyEuropeanUnionAlternativeenergyEuropeTheEuropeanUnion'sEmissi

5、ons-TradingScheme,whichstartedupin2005,istheonlylarge-scaleattemptsofartosetacarbonprice.UndertheETS,EUcountriesgetnationalallocationswhichtheythenparcelouttoover11,500factoriesinfivedirtyindustries.Companiescanbuyandsellallocationsamongstthemselves,andcanalsobuy“certifiedemissionreductions”fromdeve

6、lopingcountriestotheircapsthroughKyoto's“cleandevelopmentmechanism”.Europe'sflagshipTheETSmakesupthevastbulkoftheglobalcarbonmarket,whichwillbewortharound$122billionthisyear.Itistheprincipalwayoffinancingtheshiftfromhigh-tolow-carbonpowerandindustrialprocessesinthedevelopingworld.Awindfarmin

7、India;amethane-captureschemeforpigfarmsinBrazil;aforestryprojectinlndonesia;equipmenttocaptureindustrialgasesinChintheETScanfinancethemall.Althoughitisstillyoung,theETShashadsomeimpactonemissions.Accordingtoa2008studyattheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,initsfirstthreeyearsitprobablyreducedthemby

8、120m-300mtonnes,or2-5%ayear,belowwhattheywouldotherwisehavebeen.2/42000.Thissortofenergyisexpensive.Thebestindicationofthatisthecarbonpricethatwouldberequiredtomakeinvestmentinrenewablesworthwhilewithoutsubsidy.AccordingtoNewEnergyFinance,onshorewindenergyneedsacarbonpriceof$38,offshoreof$136andsola

9、rcellsof$196.Europe'stargetforgenerating20%ofitsenergyfromrenewablesourcesthereforelookspricey.AccordingtoRichardGreen,directoroftheInstituteforEnergyResearchandPolicyatBirminghamUniversity,theimpliedmarginalcostofcarbonwouldbe?129atonnewhichsuggeststhatallocatingsuchlargeresourcestorenewable-en

10、ergysubsidiesis,asMrGreensays,“-opsteimrioaulsly”s.ubTheworstexampleofawastefulsubsidyisAmerica'ssupportprogrammeforhome-growncornethanol,whichiscoupledwithtariffsoncheapersugar-caneethanolfromBrazil.Theprogrammehasraisedglobalfoodprices(andthusincreasedmalnutritionamongtheworld'spoorest);li

11、nedthepocketsofAmerica'sfarmers;givenpoliciestocutcarbonabadname;andcutlittle,ifany,carbon.SolarflareTheresultingboombenefitedmanufacturersnotjustinSpainbutalsoinGermanyandChina,thebiggestproducersofsolarcells.LastyearSpainaccountedfor40%ofworlddemand.Thegovernmenthadplannedfor400MWofsolarcapacitytobebuiltby2008.“Therewereallsortsofabuses,”ses,asyoslaJreannnaylyCsthatNewEnergyFinance.“IfyouconnectedasinglemoduletothegridbeforeSeptember29th,yourwholeprojectgotfinanced.Somoduleswerechanginghandsforvastsumsofmoney.”Afterthedeadlinethemarketcollapsed.We'reexpectingastampedMrClover