– by Horatio Algeranon
Climitigation is game theoretical
The outcome purely hypothetical.
Why cut oil, if China does not?
Why eschew the honeypot?
There are those who would have us believe that unless China and other large countries follow suit, there is no compelling reason why the US (and others) should cut emissions -- only reasons why we should not.
This is false. Even if climate change were not a consideration, weaning ourselves off of fossil fuel would still be a good idea -- from an economic (peak oil), environmental (air pollution) and social (wars for oil) standpoint.
Despite what some (politicians and others) would have us believe, our current situation is actually not like some "game" where we have an incentive to act only if others do the same.
Continued dependence on fossil fuel is a "honeypot" -- a trap that we have effectively set for ourselves -- that will get us in the long run (one way or another) unless we consciously choose to avoid it.
