As we approach the time of Obama’s wishy washy jobs whine, we can surely assume that it will include lots of bloviating for more green jobs. And yet another study shows that the government push for these kills real jobs
The UK’s headlong rush into renewable energy –one ignored by the rest of the world –will hit British jobs and then general incomes, an economic study finds.
The report, The Myth of Green Jobs by economist Professor Gordon Hughes of Edinburgh University, examines the long-term impacts of subsidising expensive “green” renewable energy projects. It says that if the UK continues to do so, it will lose 2 to 3 per cent GDP a year for around 20 years. If reducing CO emissions is your goal, says Hughes, your economy really can’t afford renewable energy.
How does he get to this figure?
He explains that one reason is that labour inputs are a cost, not a benefit. This is common sense: the goal for a productive economy is to have the highest value creation at the lowest cost. If your workforce is mostly employed doing the basics, such as cultivating manglewurzels, it is going to have fewer doctors, teachers or rocket scientists. North Korea is a good example. Or, for the same cost, you can have a cleaner environment.
Thing is, there is nothing wrong with green and clean jobs. But, the demand in the private market should dictate their creation, not the whim of the government.
Now the question is with all this sacrifice, what is the benefit? Exactly how would reducing our CO2 effect the total CO2 produced by the planet as a whole? I have seen estimates that say with our best efforts the overall effect would be a low single digit percentage and that it would have a negligible effect of global temperature. That is assuming that CO2 has any relevance at all.
actually, the benefit would be several tenths of a percent over a century.
And of course, the margin of error in their models and measurements is several percentage points and at least 5 degrees C.
Teach,
“Thing is, there is nothing wrong with green and clean jobs. But, the demand in the private market should dictate their creation, not the whim of the government.”
But Teach, isn’t the government the whim of the people? Isn’t the US and UN government there for the benefit of all the people of the world? Isn’t the US constitution created to protect the earth’s atmosphere and other country’s jobs?!?!?
If the riches country on earth can’t afford to pay more for Croatia, Spain, or Mogadishu to have a solar panel installer…. then isn’t it worth to have someone else pay the taxes for it??!?!
GO LABOR. GO LABOR!!!!
Well, see, David, the thing is, with liberalism, it is about intentions, not results. Their intention is to appease Gaia. So what if all the plans wouldn’t amount to squat. But, it would make the liberals feel good about making Someone Else pay.
I think you’re thinking of the 57th Amendment, Captain. And they have one more to pass.
[…] Pirates’ Cove pointed me to the Register – which had an article on a UK study about how green jobs destroy economies. […]