Subscribe to The Spectator

Friday 10 February 2012

Latest issue

Buy the current issue

Jobs at Telegraph

Monday, 26th November 2007

What Is The World Coming To?

2:13pm

So the CBI releases a report on climate change and what needs to be done about it and I'm raring to go. The newspaper reports say that they favour a cap and trade system to limit emissions, rather than a carbon tax.

Excellent thinks I! Cap and trade where permits are allocated instead of auctioned is functionally equivalent to a carbon tax, just with dollops of added extra corporate welfare. The current and likely future cap and trade system allocates instead of auctions, so I've got a piece there. Trot out old Adam Smith, businessmen seldom gather together except to engage in a conspiracy against the public and I'm away, don't you think? See, they're recommending the system that benefits them. Editors had even been approached!

Then I did something sadly unjournalistic. I went and read the report (instead of just the executive summary or the press release). The report in which they recommend that permits should be auctioned, not allocated.

Look, what is the world coming to when people issue a report that's reasonable, informed, and doesn't solely push their own view, one in which they actually recommend actions that are against their own short term interests?

How's anyone supposed to make a living as a journalist in a world like that?

Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Alex Massie | Melanie Phillips | Faith Based | Cappuccino Culture

Actions: Email to a friend  |   Permalink   |   Comment | Subscribe

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments Post comment

Be the first to comment on this article!

Back to top

Cartoons

Tag Cloud

Coffee House archive

sponsored links

Spectator recommends

Spectator classifieds

THE PRESENT FINDER

1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk

OLIVE BRANCH FLORISTS

Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844

RUFFS Bespoke Signet rings

62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk