Moral Crisis
by Tony Underwood, assistant professor of economics
Over the past few decades several things have become clear: 1) climate change is real; 2) it is largely man-made; and 3) carbon pricing is the most effective mitigation strategy. The consensus among economists and political scientists is that a revenue-neutral carbon tax would pass Congress in a “normal” political environment. Its foundations in market-based mechanisms and revenue-neutrality are consistent with Republican principles of free markets and limited government, and its incentives for emission reductions are celebrated by the center-left environmental coalition. Despite this semblance of political efficacy and years of public acceptance of climate change—and support for action to address it—legislation seems further off now than ever before.
Why? The movement to address climate change has lacked intensity and depth. For years, or even decades, climate change has been treated only as a scientific, economic and political issue. It is all of those things, but to focus on these technocratic challenges out of a—some would say, valiant—attempt to cling to rationalism and remain within the bounds of “normal” politics yields a movement left stifled in the face of power, passion and entrenched interests. In a technocratic and rational political environment—one I fear no longer exists—we agree on the problem and debate the effectiveness and cost of proposed solutions. In a moral crisis, there are those seeking to prevent suffering and those working to perpetuate it.
The framing of action to address climate change as a moral imperative is not entirely new, of course. It has always existed alongside the technocratic impulse, brought to life by the protesters and activists at the People’s Climate March earlier this year and impassioned advocates for fossil-fuel divestment. Yet Pope Francis has an advantage: He has unquestioned moral authority for millions of people worldwide. He is forcing people and institutions into a moral choice on climate change: Demand action to address it, or stand by as the world suffers. Once this happens, change comes quickly.