Conflation

I keep hearing about how we need really high carbon prices (or a revenue allocation scheme that does not blunt the consumer’s pain) or else we’ll never move from coal to renewables.  But if we cap carbon emissions, how does it matter where they’re coming from?  I realize there are some path dependency issues with coal and scale and (largely unproven) LBD advantages to using renewables now, but in general where do we get this idea that the goal of carbon policy is to end all coal use?  Instead of cap-and-trade, maybe the government should just get the military involved and take out all coal plants.

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