We've had two tragedies in rapid succession involving standard carbon based energy industries, the coal mining disaster and the Off shore oil well explosion followed by the spill. Might this create an opportunity for proponents of wind/solar and other non-carbon energy sources to generate support for their efforts to develop them? David Brooks argues that governments have always played a role in jump-starting new technologies and should do the same for clean energy.
In 2302 we discuss agenda setting, and the role events can play determining what governments do. Here's a current example.
5/3/10: Paul Krugman agrees with me.
