Category Environment
Carbon taxes and the Marginalists’ difficult idea
This Economists' Statements on Carbon Taxes has been signed by a host of prominent economists: Global climate change is a serious problem calling for immediate national action. Guided by sound economic principles, we are united in the following policy recommendations. I. A carbon tax offers the most cost-effective lever to reduce carbon emissions at the […]
How to make mine operators pay for the mess they make
When an Ontario cemetery operator sells a burial plot, they must side aside 40 percent of the money they receive into a "care and maintenance account". This is a way of solving a grave moral hazard problem: operators might sell plots, and then walk away from their maintenance obligations. The same kind of moral hazard […]
The carbon costs of immigration
Canada is, as far as countries go, relatively cold and sparsely populated. Our houses are large by global standards, and we drive a fair amount. We are rich enough to consume a lot of stuff. These factors, together with the oil sands, mean that we have one of the world's highest levels of CO2 emissions on […]
What is investment today worth tomorrow?
Once upon a time, canals were the latest thing in infrastructure investment. During the early years of the Industrial Revolution, they made it possible to move heavy goods, like coal, from mines to factories, using a fraction of the energy required by road transport. Delicate goods, like pottery, could be shipped with little breakage. Enterprising engineers and industrialists built […]
Disaster Compensation
In the wake of the recent ice storm that hit southern Ontario and Toronto particularly hard, the Ontario government decided to provide compensation to those who saw their food spoiled because of the prolonged power outage. Provincial money along with donations from the private sector was used to provide grocery gift cards in Toronto at […]
Why do people put stuff that isn’t recyclable into the recycling bin?
In Ottawa, plastic and glass recyclables go into a "blue bin", and are picked up once every two weeks as part of the regular household garbage collection. Styrofoam is not recyclable. It has never been recyclable. The instructions on the City of Ottawa website are clear: place these items in your regular garbage. It's not like […]
Population Apocalypse and Apocalyptic Populations
As part of my summer entertainment, I read Dan Brown’s most recent novel – Inferno – which features a bio-terrorism plot involving the release of a virus designed to cause sterility in one-third of the human race in order to control overpopulation. The novel highlights a neo-Malthusian “Population Apocalypse Equation” which argues that the “sustainable […]
Selling carbon taxes in the exurbs
At a family party in the Toronto exurbs, right on the outer edge of the 905 zone, one of my favourite cousins cornered me. "You're an economist," he said, "tell me why you think carbon taxes are a good idea." My first thought was to sidestep the issue. "They're only a good idea," I said, […]
Can evolution save the elephant?
For centuries, elephants with large tusks have been targetted by hunters and poachers. The "unnatural selection" in favour of smaller-tusked elephants has resulted in a dramatic decrease in average tusk sizes right across Africa. Smaller tusks increase an individual elephant's probability of survival, by making him or her a less attractive target for poachers. But […]
Do Japanese emission controls contribute to global warming?
Japan has one of, if not the, strictest emission control regimes in the world. Upon purchase, when a car is three years old, and every two years after that, each car must undergo a rigorous and sometimes costly Sha-ken inspection. These ensure that it meets tough emission standards and is in sound mechanical condition. Sha-ken makes […]
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative 
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