Core arguments by Lawrence Summers
- cost of pollution = harm by death or injury
- therefore lowest cost in low development countries
- costs rise disproportionately as pollution increases
- from dirty (developed) to clean (less developed) countries reduces costs (a form of spreading the load of pollution)
- clean environment more important with higher income
- costs fall if pollution is with lesser income countries
The conflict
It all seems so wrong, but how can you argue against it?
Assumptions of Lawrence
- the value life can be measured in life expectancy
- the life of an american is worth more than of an african peasant
Poverty and Pollution
- The greatest cause of misery in the world is Poverty
- Clean growth = slow growth
- leading to poverty that could have been mitigated
- More countries will choose more pollution for more growth
- There is a trade-off between Pollution and Growth
- “dirty” industries are chance to escape Poverty
- factors not included:
- global vs local pollution
- promote growth and clean development together
- links between Trade Policy and environment