Question Earthority!

“Some folks worry that restricting greenhouse-gas emissions could hurt the economy. Turns out that’s a bit like worrying that a tracheotomy will hurt a patient in anaphylactic shock — yeah, it’ll sting, but without it the patient will croak. (Yes, we watch way too much ER.) Ignoring climate change could dampen the global economy by 5 to 20 percent each year within a decade, costing the world up to $7 trillion, according to a new report from chief British government economist Nicholas Stern. Think Great Depression, but with much worse weather. In contrast, tackling climate change now would cost about 1 percent of global GDP each year — roughly what the world spends annually on advertising. We better get cracking, though: the report warns that the chance to avoid the worst effects of climate change ‘is already almost out of reach.’ Eek.” (10/30/06)