Daily Archives: 24 October 2018

Carbon Dioxide and Bias at the EPA

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Cass Sunstein thinks there’s bias in the Trump EPA in the way the agency handles CO2.  He’s right, but not in the way he thinks.

The only way to solve the climate-change problem, and to prevent massive harm in the US, is for all the world’s big emitters [of CO2] to agree to take account of the global damage.

There’s the heart of the political concern and a demonstration of Sunstein’s bias.

Carbon’s role in the environment is its contribution to acid rain through its role as a constituent of CO2. That problem has been solved, years ago.

CO2’s role in climate is demonstrated by ice cores that show atmospheric CO2 rises after planetary warming has begun and by longer records that show, over geologic time, a lack of correlation between atmospheric CO2 and planetary temperature. That problem does not exist.

Finally, there is some overlap between environment and climate, but they are not interchangeable terms, even though Sunstein uses them so.

Italy and the EU

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Recall Italy’s proposed budget, which defied Brussels by having a larger deficit relative to its GDP than EU budget rules allow.  I decried that budget then, and I stand by that disdain.

Now, however,

Italian Economy Minister Giovanni Tria has told the European Commission that Italy will raise its deficit to 2.4% of gross domestic product (GDP), defying eurozone budget rules. In a letter sent to Brussels in response to a formal warning from the EU.

Brussels continues to not like the budget.

[T]he EU’s European Economic Affairs Commissioner, Pierre Moscovici, reminded Italy that its structural deficit was “way too high.” He told the France Inter radio station that he did not want a “crisis with Italy” over its planned deficit-raising budget and still hoped for “constructive dialogue.”

The Italian people, though, favor the budget by a nearly 3:2 margin; this is quite a strong consensus as such things go in Italy.  From that, I say that the Italian government should stay the course, my concerns about the budget itself notwithstanding.  This is a question of national sovereignty vs the requirements of an international body.

The budget violates EU rules?  Yep.  Maybe Italy should start giving consideration to leaving the European Union.