Will Cap and Trade Work?

Before we all rush headstrong into cap and trade, it's time to pause and examine some of the basic premises. One of them is whether preserving forests far away from the emissions is actually impacting global climate change.

In a new report released today, Greenpeace is challenging the assumption that a power company (using coal for energy) in Indiana can purchase "rights" to a forest in Bolivia and all is then well with the coal plant's emissions. Countering the report are some conservation groups who have "adjusted their models," and believe preservation thousands of miles away will reduce carbon emissions.

Models are only as good as the inputted data and the analyst. And remember, models are what got us into the real estate/financial meltdown mess. Models are what always implodes the stock market. Models brought us clear cutting. We seem enamored with models, numbers, they appear oh-so scientific, so "sure." But, but, they really are only theories in numbers rather than narrative.

As we go onto the Next Big Issue after health care, global climate change, remember, be suspicious of models on all sides. Preservation of forests is a good thing, but will it help or is it a way for large scale emitters of carbon to absolve their responsibilities?