Quite frankly, this article did not do a good job appealing to the common reader who knew little about RGGI. I had to do some background research. Here is what I found:
- It was founded in 2005 but begins in 2009
- States can join and un-join willingly. I don't understand this exactly. Some are legally bound in while others are not.
- The goal is to stabilize CO2 emissions by 2015 and reduce emissions by 10% by 2020.
- It caps how many allowances can be purchased at auction.
So what do we make of this auction? Well, it does sound bad that we are pretty much telling polluters that its OK if they pay off the government first. However, it does provide funding for new lower-pollution technology, which is critical to maintaining the environment while sustaining our energy-loving culture.
Find the article here.
2 comments:
Evan, you rightfully point out that the reporter left out some important information. This is a common problem with beat reporters: They forget that the average person is not following their "area of expertise" religiously. It's our charge to bring context to every piece. We must always identity the seemingly trivial. We must assume the average reader is very unfamiliar with the topic at hand.
hey evan, i definitely agree with your insight. i admit i read your blog before actually reading the article, but the background information you give not only makes the information given in the article a lot easier to understand, but it also adds a completely new dimension to the story.
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