tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556307309509108391.post5955539987032484641..comments2023-02-14T08:32:05.734-04:00Comments on The Economics Anti-Textbook: How is Climate Change Treated in the Economics Textbooks?AntiTexterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17975559825072265469noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2556307309509108391.post-49391195950354889122011-02-22T08:48:33.477-04:002011-02-22T08:48:33.477-04:00A good textbook should explain issues as they are ...A good textbook should explain issues as they are debated currently, not seek to push one side over another and stimulate further the debate. I always find that ideological stances tend to try and simplify things to a single viewpoint and so issues such as climate change, which are so complex and dynamic, are handled totally inappropriately. I think that any modern economics textbook should introduce the considerations of post-growth or de-growth perspectives when it comes to climate change and sustainable development (see Prof. Tim Jackson, Prof. Molly Scot-Cato, Dr. John Barry) so that the simple logic that free market price mechanism will deliver a technological solution to climate change is allowed to be challenged by students. They should also provide details of non-economics perspectives, as the attempt to quantify the costs (and benefits! Yes, some economists welcome it) climate change in monetary terms, while a useful guide, is fundamentally too narrow.<br /><br />On another note, one of the big problems with climate change and economics in recent times has been the funding of top economists by oil companies and such interest groups to deliver slanted reports. This capture of the academic field by big business you have mentioned before on here and needs to be addressed.ronanpeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375024006869462385noreply@blogger.com