Random observation from the NBER environment and energy workshop

For now, just two:

1) Environmental economists are still arguing about prices verses quantities.  That is, should we cap-and-trade or tax pollution.  The academic debate differs a lot from the public one.  The current focus is on how these policies might interact with incentives to innovate.  I'm not expert here at all, but to me this looks like really small stuff--to a first and even second approximation I still don't see a difference.

2) Airplane taxi time looks like an important contributor to pollution for those living close to airports.  Who knew? Another reason not to live close to LAX, besides the noise, traffic congestion, and whatever else you may not like about the concrete jungle.

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