How Urgent Is Climate Change?

Would it be cheaper to deal with climate change when it comes, rather than take preventative measures now? The Atlantic Wire considers the ideas of Al Gore, Paul Krugman and Ezra Klein. “Back in June, Al Gore argued in The New Republic for a calm and numerical risk-assessment approach to dealing with environmental issues. Now conservative Jim Manzi has taken up the challenge in the same publication, arguing that the numbers show that addressing global warming now would cost more than dealing with it when it happens. Manzi also draws in economist Paul Krugman’s piece on ‘building a green economy’ from The New York Times Magazine, where Krugman argues that the risk of catastrophe should have a greater effect on cost calculations. Have a look at how it all plays out.”