[T]here are many potential policies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions for which
the total benefits outweigh the total costs. For the United States in
particular, sound economic analysis shows that there are policy options that
would slow climate change without harming American living standards, and these
measures may in fact improve U.S. productivity in the longer run. (1997)
—Economists' Statement on Climate Change, drafted
by Kenneth Arrow, Stanford University; Dale Jorgenson, Harvard University;
Paul Krugman, MIT; William Nordhaus, Yale University; and Robert Solow, MIT. Signed by over 2,500 economists including eight Nobel Laureates.
[T]he overall impacts of the climate change emission reduction strategies on
California’s economy are expected to be positive. Specifically, when the
emission reduction strategies are considered in total, the resulting impacts
on the economy are expected to translate into job and income gains for
Californians. For example, in 2020, the implementation of the strategies is
expected to result in a net increase of 83,000 jobs and $4 billion, in income,
above and beyond the substantial growth that will occur between today and
2020.
The favorable impacts on the economy are possible because of the
reduced costs associated with many of the strategies. The additional job
growth is expected to come from the net savings to consumers associated
with the implementation of the strategies. The savings will, in turn, promote
further business expansion and job creation.
—Climate Action Team Report to Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature
