Carbon dioxide Quote by Bjorn Lomborg
““Emissions of carbon dioxide are largely by-products of productivity-- of industry, governments, and individuals producing things that we want more of (including heating, cooling, food, transport, hospital care, and so much more)..When countries promise to reduce their emissions, they are effectively promising to make all these things a touch more expensive. That acts as a slight brake on the economy, leading to a small reduction in growth… “This cost is the relevant social cost of climate policies-- the reduction in welfare that comes from each nation insisting on using energy that is slightly more costly and less reliable than fossil fuels.” -p. 112””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Skeptical Environmentalist, Bjorn Lomborg, 2001
Carbon‑intensive goods drive emissions; reducing them raises prices, slowing growth and welfare.
In simple terms: Cutting emissions costs money and slows the economy.
Key Takeaway
Balance climate action with economic impact.
Themes
environment
economics
policy
trade‑offs
Mood
concerned
analytical
Type
policy
economic
environmental
When to use this quote
- government regulation
- individual consumption
- industrial planning
- energy pricing
Key Concepts
social cost
externalities
welfare economics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we protect vulnerable populations while cutting emissions?
- What policies can lower the social cost of climate action?
A Different Perspective
Higher costs may disproportionately hurt low‑income groups.
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