Unintended Consequencens of the Ethanol Mandate
A new working paper by Michael Roberts and Wolfram Schlenker finds that
the current US ethanol mandate requires that about 5 percent of world caloric production from corn, wheat, rice, and soybeans be used for ethanol generation. As a result, world food prices are predicted to increase by about 30 percent and global consumer surplus from food consumption is preducted to decrease by 155 billion dollars annually.
In other words, the mandate needs to generate at least $155 billion worth of annual benefits from reduced global warming to pass a cost-benefit test. Since ethanol use appears to increase GHG emissions, the mandate fails big time!
Before the U.S. adopts costly new policies to reduce global warming, it should eliminate existing policies that contribute to global warming and make no sense from any other perspective.
Categories: My Blog
Doc Merlin
I am convinced global warming, politically isn’t actually about global warming, so much as it is an excuse to make certain policies favoring one’s interests.
PJ
Many people really believe in it though, and they are the soldiers who fight for the policies that benefit clever marketers.
Buff
Posts like this brihegtn up my day. Thanks for taking the time.