Thread by @MLiebreich

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas Oskar, that's a great question, and not easy to answer, because a conservative solution would not be built on an easy-to-communicate (but non-fuctional) top-down approach. Let me see what I can do... 1/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas First off, a conservative approach to climate change would have to be compatible with continuing current trends in human progress (as documented here: ourworldindata.org). That means all the crap about degrowth is out, and massively distributed innovation is in. 2/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas Given the level of innovation required to address climate change, and the amount of capital, that means working with private investors and the business community. Or at least not offending them gratuitously, as the SDGs do (liebreich.com/news/un-sustai…). 3/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas That doesn't mean libertarianism, or a deregulatory free-for-all. What is needed is a set of policy interventions that are internally consistent and drive rapid climate action, but it certainly doesn't mean endless subsidied for clean energy. 4/ ft.com/content/42b634…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas What it does mean is removing subsidies from fossil fuels, which are an absolute obscenity in both their inefficiency (they mainly go to the middle class and the rich) and their climate impact. Here's one I wrote in 2012 on the topic. 5/ liebreich.com/news/sunset-cr…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas In fact, if policy-makers hadn't meddled in every aspect of energy markets - subsidising them, over-regulating them, price-setting, planning, tolerating externalities, etc - clean energy would have been fully competitive ages ago. This is from 2014. 6/
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@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas That last point is vitally important: true conservatives believe "polluter pays". Never confuse corporatists, who lobby or bribe for the right to pollute, with conservatives. Similarly, beware of the difference between enterprise (innovation) and business (the incumbent). 7/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas The future clean energy and transport industries must be equitable and inclusive industries. This too is a conservative vision, a meritocracy based on valuing all humans as individuals. Please don't accuse all conservatives of being white supremacists. 8/
about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas A conservative approach to energy access and climate change would focus on helping developing countries realise their own potential - trade not aid. Nevertheless there is still a huge need for aid, particularly for the world's most vulnerable people. 9/
projectbo.org

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas Conservatives do not believe that the state should be a primary capital provider for business innovation. This is where @MazzucatoM and I disagree. The state has a vital role in research, creating markets, etc. But ownership of businesses, no. 10/
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@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM As for international relations, conservatives are fine with treaties between sovereign nations on a mutually respectful basis, but not with ceding powers to unaccountable bodies. That's why I was scornful of Copenhagen but highly supportive of Paris. 11/
about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM That's also why so many conservatives, including me, supported Brexit. I have every confidence the UK's performance on climate and environment will be enhanced by Brexit, not damaged. Developments since 2016 look like proving me right. 12/
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@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM I also hope to be proven right on electric vehicles: there is every reason why conservatives should rally around the transition, and the UK government at least seems to be listening. 13/
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/2…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM If you interpret this thread as me saying rabid free markets will fix climate change, please read it again, and the linked material. States have to intervene in many ways: research, tax, trade, infrastructure, education, building codes, energy and transport regulation, etc. 14/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM Is it working? Is this messy, mixed, regulated market approach to climate action working? Let's just say that there is great reason to be optimistic, and great reason to be pessimistic. Enough progress to know it can work, but much more to be done. 15/
about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM Some will no doubt claim this is indistinguishable from the "stewardship" which I derided in the hothouse earth paper. Conservatives are very comfortable with stewardship of the environment, but there is a million miles from that to "stewardship of societies". 16/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM As per tweet 11 in this thread, a conservative approach to climate change has to be founded on the nation state - which is the largest unit in which democratic accountability really works. Because democracy really matters. 17/

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM All the experience of history shows if you choose the environment over democracy, you are liable to end up with neither. To tell if an institution is democratic, apply Tony Benn's five questions. This stuff MATTERS, even in the face of clinate change. 18/
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@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM So there you go: that's all I've got right now on what a conservative approach to climate change might look like. No doubt the usual leftie tone-police trolls will now hate on me some more, but I hope they stop short of accusing me of genocide again. 19/

https://twitter.com/PermResInitDet/status/1027859523560595458

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM Almost forgot, @okohonen asked about how a conservative approach would deal with climate free-riders. First, since 80% of climate action makes economic sense, free-riders mainly hurt themselves. Second, try being Nice, Retaliatory, Forgiving and Clear. 20/
liebreich.com/news/how-to-sa…

@okohonen @EthonRaptor @theresphysics @MogensenPeter @SturmLLiouville @gbrooksenglish @laurimyllyvirta @MichaelEMann @aaronhuertas @MazzucatoM Addendum: I like the Climate Leadership Council. Carbon fee-and-dividend is a politically and economically smart way of pricing in climate externalities. And yes, Carbon Border Adjustments are probably needed. Ted Halstead's TED talk is excellent. 21/
clcouncil.org