Too Many Lobbyist Hands in the Cap and Trade Cookie Jar
Nicolas Loris /
Warning from Dr. Enno Harders, a lead official from German Emissions Trading Authority, who experienced troubled initiating a German cap and trade system:
Early cap and trade [proposals] receive enormous lobby.”
Businesses rightfully have an interest in ensuring that they protect their bottom lines. Many of them have calculated that some sort of carbon capping is inevitable and that their interests will therefore be best served by trying to influence how such a cap is implemented. And the best way to do that will be to position themselves as supporters of the legislation and then to provide some helpful suggestions on how to “improve it.” Representatives from oil, coal, gas, wind, solar, energy-intensive producers and just about every company imaginable all have stake in the game one way or another.