<
https://theconversation.com/why-the-drug-dealers-defence-doesnt-work-for-exporting-coal-its-actually-economics-101-214588>
"In defending a Federal Court case brought by opponents of her decisions to
approve two export coal mines, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is relying
in part on what critics call the “drug dealer’s defence”.
It’s reasoning that argues: if we don’t sell this product, someone else will.
Prime Minister Albanese has argued the same thing, telling
The Australian
policies that would just result in a replacement of Australian resources
with resources that are less clean from other countries would lead to an
increase in global emissions, not a decrease.
Albanese’s reasoning is that saying no to new Australian coal mines wouldn’t
cut global emissions, it would just produce “less economic activity in
Australia”.
If it sounds like a familiar argument, it is – past prime ministers and the
coal industry have made similar claims for decades.
It’s possible to test this argument using economics, putting to one side the
question of whether it is morally justifiable."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
