The Conservative 02

January 2017 | Vol.
2 | Issue 2
www.theconservative.online
THE CONSERVATIVE
A Q U A RT E R LY J O U R N A L B Y T H E A L L I A N C E O F C O N S E RVAT I V E S A N D R E F O R M I S T S I N E U R O P E
HOW Roger Scruton

Roger Kimball
CONSERVATIVES Matt Ridley
MAKE THE BEST Jay Nordlinger

Orri Vigfússon
CONSERVATIONISTS James Delingpole
IMPRESSUM TABLE OF CONTENTS
6 ENVIRONMENTALISM STARTS
WITH LOVING OUR OWN
by Roger Scruton
THE CONSERVATIVE EDITORIAL BOARD
The Conservative is a quarterly journal EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

in print volume and in an online edition, Daniel Hannan MEP
sponsored by the Alliance of Conservatives
and Reformists in Europe. MANAGING EDITOR
9 IF YOU REALLY WANT TO 37 INDIA’S POLITICIANS
Themistoklis Asthenidis PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, CAN’T STOP THE MASSES
PRIVATISE IT LEARNING ENGLISH
by Philip Booth by Madhav Das Nalapat
Read The Conservative online at
SUB-EDITOR
www.theconservative.online
Andrew McKie
HOW TO CONTACT US
ADDRESS:
Alliance of Conservatives and
Reformists in Europe (ACRE) 46 CLEAN ENERGY
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REGULATION
by Michael Liebreich
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+32 2 280 60 39
WEB:
www.theconservative.online 5 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR 26 CONSERVATIVE ICONS:
EMAIL: by Dan Hannan JAMES FITZJAMES STEPHEN
by Roger Kimball
info@theconservative.online
6 ENVIRONMENTALISM STARTS
WITH LOVING OUR OWN 31 STATE REGULATION IS
by Roger Scruton PREVENTING A MARKET
SOLUTION TO CARBON EMISSIONS
INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS 9 IF YOU REALLY WANT TO by Ian Duncan
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT,
PRIVATISE IT 34 THE EU DELIVERED IN PARIS AND
Please address submissions and
by Philip Booth MARRAKECH, AND CAN STEER THE
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: All content and materials letters to the editor to: WORLD TOWARDS A LOW-CARBON
of The Conservative are copyrighted, unless otherwise
stated. For permission to republish articles appearing in 16 FELLOW POLITICIANS! AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT ECONOMY
The Conservative, please contact the Managing Editor at ADDRESS: TRY DOING LESS! by Jos Delbeke
editor@theconservative.online. by Sigríður Andersen
Editor–in-Chief, The Conservative
DISCLAIMER: ACRE is a Belgian ASBL/VZW No: 37 INDIA’S POLITICIANS CAN’T STOP THE
Alliance of Conservatives and
0820.208.739, recognised and partially funded by the 19 MARKET WATCH: IT’S NOT ALL MASSES LEARNING ENGLISH
European Parliament. Its views are not reflected by Reformists in Europe (ACRE) STATIST GLOOM AND DOOM by Madhav Das Nalapat
European Parliament.
Rue du Trône 4, B-1000 by Kristian Niemietz
The views and opinions expressed in the publication are
solely those of individual authors and should not be regard- Brussels, Belgium 42 WE BLUES ARE THE REAL GREENS
ed as reflecting any official opinion or position of the Alliance 22 THE REAL DANGER TO by James Delingpole
EMAIL:
of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe, its leadership,
members or staff, or of the European Parliament. editor@theconservative.online THE PLANET IS SOCIALISM
by Matt Ridley 46 CLEAN ENERGY NEEDS LESS
REGULATION, NOT MORE
by Michael Liebreich
2 www.theconservative.online THE CONSERVATIVE | January 2017 | Vol.2 | Issue 2 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
by Daniel Hannan
T hat which no one owns,

wrote Aristotle, no one
will care for. Not that con-
courtesy – take a long time to
build up, but can be quick-
ly destroyed. They take un-
servatives needed Aristotle to ashamed pleasure in the high
tell them, any more than they culture fashioned by their
needed the empirical evidence forebears.
59 PUTTING A PRICE ON NATURAL CAPITAL IS THE 26 CONSERVATIVE ICONS:
BEST WAY TO AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DEBTS JAMES FITZJAMES STEPHEN of the USSR’s repeated ecolog- In this spirit, I am delight-
by Sam Barker by Roger Kimball
ical cataclysms. Conservatives ed to introduce some colum-
have always known in their nists who understand that the
bones that property rights are defence of civilisation is the
the basis of stewardship. noblest conservative calling.
This issue of The Conser- Conservatism is Jay Nordlinger and Dami-
vative is dedicated to an envi- an instinct rather an Thompson will write arts
than an ideology. It is
ronmentalism that goes with columns for us, Iain Martin
ironic, quizzical, cool-
the grain of human nature. tempered, distrustful will be our wine critic, Roger
As Sir Roger Scruton argues, of grand theories. As Kimball will tell us in each
“environmentalism is the Michael Oakeshott put issue about a past conserva-
88 LOW CARBON MAY BE
quintessential conservative it, conservatives prefer tive hero about whom we
A GLOBAL GOAL; BUT THE 72 WHY A TRUE EUROPEAN ENERGY
SOLUTION IS LOCAL MARKET IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD present laughter to
by Daiva Matonienė by Anneleen Van Bossuyt cause, the most vivid instance utopian bliss. should know more, Kristian
in the world as we know it of Niemietz will cheer us up
that partnership between the with stories of how freedom
dead, the living and the un- Daniel Hannan MEP is advancing in distant lands.
53 LET’S OFFER THE 72 WHY A TRUE EUROPEAN born that Burke defended as is Secretary-General of the In short, The Conservative
LUVVIES SOME LOVE ENERGY MARKET IS THE ONLY the conservative archetype”. Alliance of Conservatives will offer more than politics.
by Damian Thompson WAY FORWARD and Reformists in Europe and
by Anneleen Van Bossuyt
Our ecology is too im- Here is a quarterly review for
Editor of The Conservative.
55 PROTECTING THE GLOBAL portant to be left to the Left. @DanielJHannan everyone who values civilisa-
ENVIRONMENT STARTS WITH 75 ON WINE As James Delingpole puts it: tion. All stripes of conserva-
ASSERTING NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY by Iain Martin
“The clue’s in the name: con- tive – orthodox or contrari-
by Jeremy Rabkin
77 MARKET INSTITUTIONS NEVER servatives are – and always Conservatism is an in- an, nationalist or libertarian,
59 PUTTING A PRICE ON NATURAL EVOLVED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT; have been – the world’s best stinct rather than an ideol- monarchist or minarchist
CAPITAL IS THE BEST WAY TO AND THAT’S WHY IT CAN’T BE conservationists.” ogy. It is ironic, quizzical, – should feel at home here.
AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DEBTS PROPERLY PROTECTED
In this magazine, you cool-tempered, distrustful of Burke would perhaps argue
by Sam Barker by Fred Smith and Iain Murray
will find the best arguments, grand theories. As Michael that the truest conservative
63 ON MUSIC 85 IF A HOMELESS MAN CAN propounded by the liveliest Oakeshott put it, conserva- rejects all labels, instead tak-
by Jay Nordlinger STAND ON HIS OWN FEET, thinkers and writers. You will tives prefer present laughter ing pleasure in the inherited
SO CAN A WHOLE COUNTRY
66 WE NEED THE PRIVATE SECTOR by “Kenny from Scotland”
find independent-minded pol- to utopian bliss. They un- artefacts of an ancient cul-
TO SAVE SALMON, THE WORLD’S iticians who are turning those derstand that the things they ture. Whichever category
MOST PRECIOUS FISH 88 LOW CARBON MAY BE arguments into action. You cherish – property rights, you are in, I hope you’ll find
by Orri Vigfússon A GLOBAL GOAL; BUT THE will find the finest and most parliamentary government, civility, as well as civilisation,
SOLUTION IS LOCAL
by Daiva Matonienė original writing on the Right. personal freedom, norms of in the pages that follow. •

ENVIRONMENTALISM STARTS
WITH LOVING OUR OWN
by Roger Scruton Environmentalists
may seem opposed
to capitalism, but –
E nvironmentalism has all
the hallmarks of a Left-
wing cause: a class of victims
acter of the 20th-century
revolutions.
However, the cause of the
if they understood
matters correctly
– they would be
(future generations), an en- environment is not, in itself, far more opposed
to socialism, with
lightened vanguard which a Left-wing cause at all. It its gargantuan,
fights for them (the eco-war- is not about “liberating” or uncorrectable and
riors), powerful philistines empowering the victim, but state-controlled
who exploit them (the cap- about safeguarding resources. projects, than to
the ethos of free
italists), and endless oppor- It is not about “progress” or
enterprise.
tunities to express resent- “equality” but about conser-
ment against the successful, vation and equilibrium. Its instance in the world as we
the wealthy and the West. following may be young and know it of that partnership
The style too is Leftist: the dishevelled; but that is largely between the dead, the living
environmentalist is young, because people in suits have and the unborn that Burke
dishevelled, socially disrep- failed to realize where their defended as the conservative
utable, his mind focused on real interests, and their real archetype. Its fundamental
higher things; the opponent values, lie. Environmentalists aim is not to bring about
is dull, middle aged, smartly may seem opposed to capi- some radical reordering of
dressed and usually Ameri- talism, but – if they under- society, or the abolition of in-
can. The cause is designed to stood matters correctly – they herited rights and privileges.
recruit the intellectuals, with would be far more opposed to It is not, in itself, interested in
facts and theories carelessly socialism, with its gargantuan, equality, except between gen-
bandied about, and activism uncorrectable and state-con- erations, and its attitude to
encouraged. Environmental- trolled projects, than to the private property is, or ought
ism is something you join, ethos of free enterprise. to be, positive – for it is only
Cartoonist: Michael Daley
and for many young people Indeed, environmental- private ownership that con-
it has the quasi-redemptive ism is the quintessential con- fers responsibility for the en-
and identity-bestowing char- servative cause, the most vivid vironment as opposed to the

Environmentalism starts with loving our own
therefore remained silent on the similar campaign in the

True civic the topic, even though mass United States to protect the
responsibility arises
from our sense of immigration has radically de- unspoiled wilderness. If we
belonging. Hence graded the infrastructure of are to have a cogent environ-
there are no coherent our country, caused a crisis mental policy it must appeal
environmental in housing, and put enor- to the oikophilia of the elec-
policies coming from
the Left, despite mous pressure on planning, torate, and that means that it
their appropriation countryside protection, waste must respect their sentiments
of the cause. For management and urban of national identity. It must
the Left-wing vision amenities. stand firm in the face of glo-
despises the sense of
The sense of belonging balism, including the global-
belonging.
relates us not only to people ist rhetoric that would accuse
unqualified right to exploit but also to the places where all patriotic people of “racism
it, a right whose effect we we reside and the customs and xenophobia” just because
saw in the ruined landscapes that bind us. It involves an they are not prepared to let
and poisoned waterways of intrinsic vector towards set- their home be swallowed in
the former Soviet empire. Its tlement. It is the source of the global entropy. •
cause is local attachment not the attitude that I call “oiko-
global control, and it stands philia”, the love of the shared
against globalisation in all its home and the desire to pro-
forms, not least that advocat- tect it. This love calls me to
ed by environmentalists on
the Left, whose aim is to fit
account, not only to my pres-
ent companions, but also to
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PROTECT
us to a world-wide agenda of
prohibitions.
past and future people too –
to all for whom this place is
THE ENVIRONMENT, PRIVATISE IT
by Philip Booth
True civic responsibility not just yours and mine but
arises from our sense of be- ours.
longing. Hence there are no
coherent environmental pol-
icies coming from the Left,
This is why the true en-
vironmentalist is also a con-
servative. For the desire to
Sir Roger Scruton
is a writer and philosopher
who has published more than
E nvironmental prob-
lems often lead to calls
for government interven-
the Left. This is despite the
fact that some of the worst en-
vironmental outcomes in the
We can identify
at least three
different categories
despite their appropriation of protect the environment forty books in philosophy,
of problem. The
tion. However, misguided history of our planet have been first is where
the cause. For the Left-wing arises spontaneously in peo- aesthetics and politics. He government action is often associated with Communist property rights in
is widely translated. He is a
vision despises the sense of ple, just as soon as they rec- the cause of environmental governments. Indeed, it is no- environmental
fellow of the British Academy
belonging. Nobody on the ognise their accountability problems. In fact, what is table that Green parties near- resources exist, but
and a Fellow of the Royal are not enforced.
Left would dream of taking to others for what they are Society of Literature. He needed for better husband- ly always partner with other
a stand against mass migra- and do, and just as soon as teaches in both England ry of ecological resources is Left-wing parties in coalition Right-of-centre political
tion, since that would be to they identify some place as and America and is a Senior more widespread and deep- governments. The underlying parties and mainstream econo-
commit the biggest sin that “ours”. Oikophilia is deep in Fellow at the Ethics and Public er establishment of proper- assumption of the prevailing mists often view environmen-
Policy Center, Washington
globalists recognize, name- all of us, and it is illustrated ty rights together with their worldview is that government tal problems as exceptional
D.C. He is currently teaching
ly “racism and xenophobia”. by the two-century-old cam- an MA in Philosophy for the enforcement. control of the people is nec- cases that demand govern-
Britain’s Green Party, along paign in my country to pre- University of Buckingham. @ The cause of environmen- essary to restrain them from ment intervention, even if
with the German Greens, has serve the countryside, and by roger_scruton talism is often associated with spoiling the environment. such people believe in gen-

If you really want to protect the environment, privatise it
eral that markets ought to be breeding potential of the was written in 1833. In that is difficult to achieve in some the affected parties to reach a would not be built.
free. The economist Nicholas fish would be reduced. The pamphlet, a situation was countries, but there is no solution. On the other hand, if the
Stern, for example, in pre- owner values the lake’s future described whereby common other obvious solution. To illustrate how more train company has an estab-
senting his report on climate capacity to produce fish that land was open to grazing by The second problem is widespread property interests lished right to make a noise
change to the Blair govern- will grow to breeding size in all. The land would then be where there is effectively no could help resolve environ- and the owners of the houses
ment, described the problem years to come. Indeed, the over-grazed because a per- ownership of environmental mental problems, take the wish to prevent or reduce the
as the “greatest market failure lake could be sold on the son would get the benefit of resources or of land that con- situation where a company noise, the owners of the hous-
that the world has ever seen”. open market for a price that putting additional cattle on tains environmental resourc- decides to build a noisy rail- es must pay for noise abate-
So, wherever you look, you reflects the potential value of the land without the cost es. This can arise for various way line next to a housing ment or compensate the train
seem to find that the cause of all the fish that can be taken that arises from over-grazing reasons. It can arise because estate (HS2, for example). company for not making a
environmentalism is associ- from the lake in the indefinite which would be shared by all government does not provide The noise can be thought of noise. One way or another,
ated with the need for inter- future. If it is over-fished, the users. a legal framework that allows as damaging the local envi- the environmental costs of
ventionist solutions. value of the lake reduces and, So, in this framework of property rights to be defined ronment. In principle, this the railway line would be fac-
This is strange, because a thinking, in which we give and enforced. Or it may be tored into decision-making.
great deal of serious work has The second problem priority to private ownership, that governments have de- The third problem As long as property rights
been produced by those who is where there why do environmental prob- cided that particular resourc- is where there is – and this includes rights not
believe in market or commu- is effectively no lems arise? We can identify at es should not be owned by private ownership just to land, but also to envi-
ownership of in general, but there
nity-based solutions to envi- environmental least three different categories anybody (the sea being one are environmental ronmental features that come
ronmental problems, and a resources or of of problem. The first is where example). The solution here consequences with ownership – are well
relatively small role for gov- land that contains property rights in environ- is to provide the legal frame- of actions that defined, in principle, these
ernment. For example, Ron- environmental mental resources exist, but work in which private own- affect a wide problems can be solved.
resources. range of parties
ald Coase and Elinor Ostrom are not enforced. For exam- ership is possible. This is not When it comes to climate
that do not have
are two Nobel Prize winners ple, it has been estimated that an uncommon problem in ownership interests, change, greater practical dif-
in economics who have made in effect, the owner shoots almost half of total tropical developed countries. and the costs of ficulties arise. The emission
profound contributions to himself in the foot. deforestation between 2000 The third problem is compensation or of carbon dioxide and meth-
our understanding of how On the other hand, if the and 2012 was due to illegal where there is private owner- negotiating a more ane in one part of the world
appropriate use
markets and communities lake is not owned by any- conversion for commercial ship in general, but there are of environmental could have widely spread
can promote environmental body, or if it is owned by the agriculture. In principle, this environmental consequences resources is costs in other parts of the
conservation. Indeed, the government and fishing is is a relatively easy problem of actions that affect a wide prohibitive. world. In theory, those who
intellectual and moral high unregulated, the lake will be to solve. Countries with no range of parties that do not are affected could demand
ground when it comes to en- fished to extinction because effective rule of law and pro- have ownership interests, and is easy to deal with. If the compensation from the pol-
vironmentalism ought to be nobody has any benefit from tection of property rights will the costs of compensation or owners of the houses have luter for the harm they cause.
taken by those who believe holding back. Local business- tend to be blighted socially negotiating a more appro- a property right to a quiet However, the practicalities
in private property, strong es may well also pollute the in many respects. Environ- priate use of environmental neighbourhood, then the of this would be enormously
community institutions and lake if there are no well-de- mental problems will form resources is prohibitive. It train company must come to difficult.
a free economy. fined ownership rights. The one aspect of this problem. is this last category of prob- an agreement with the own- Billions of people would
If things are owned, they much-cited work here is The solution is clearly not to lem that provides the greatest ers of the houses if they are somehow have to negotiate
will tend to be looked after. Hardin’s Tragedy of the Com- give greater powers to gov- challenge to property rights to infringe their quiet envi- an appropriate level of com-
The owner of a lake will not mons (1968), though, in fact, ernments, but, rather, for solutions to environmen- ronment. There would have pensation with hundreds of
fish it to near extinction (or Hardin was simply referring governments to undertake tal problems. In the econ- to be some form of mutual- millions of carbon emitters.
even over-fish the lake to a back to a pamphlet by Wil- their proper functions com- omists’ jargon the “transac- ly agreed compensation or Stern argued that the mar-
small degree) because the liam Forster Lloyd which petently. It may be that this tions costs” are too high for abatement or the railway line ket has failed. He is wrong

(though he is using the rather Nevertheless, this is the tisations of the 1980s and formation within markets, when resources are scarce. farms should be nationalised
perverse jargon from the eco- best way to reduce carbon 1990s. The UK government the government has chosen However, most fisheries are or collectivised or returned
nomics textbooks correctly). emissions at least cost. Such is trying to pick winners by central planning and detailed now either fully fished or to an unregulated commons
It is not that the market has systems of carbon taxes or promoting particular types intervention, the result of over-fished. where anybody can graze
failed; it is that transactions carbon trading allow people of energy generation, regu- which will be that a given re- The EU’s response has their animals without restric-
costs prevent the market to choose how to reduce their lating how homes should be duction in carbon emissions been the Common Fisheries tion. It would be understood
from developing. There is no own emissions at least cost. built, and so on. For exam- will come at a much greater Policy (CFP). While it is now that this would lead to chaos,
market to fail. Some people might choose to ple, the UK government has welfare loss. the case that fish stocks have inefficiency and environmen-
Here, economists – in- heat their houses less; others an absurd contract with the In many ways, carbon stabilised and are even rising tal catastrophe.
cluding Stern – would rec- might choose to use the car Chinese government for the emissions are the difficult within the EU, the CFP has One reason why it is dif-
ommend that people be en- less; still others might choose delivery of nuclear power as case. Nearly any other envi- been a very inefficient way ficult for people to envisage
couraged to reduce carbon to use renewable energy; and part of a general policy that ronmental problem imag- to achieve that objective. It property rights solutions to
outputs to the level that so on. People can make their involves the government de- inable can be resolved using is poor at resolving conflicts unsustainability in the fish-
might arise if a market could own decisions about how ciding how much should be market mechanisms and and has not created a sustain- ing industry is because of the
exist, either by using carbon to reduce carbon emissions, produced by renewables and extending the institution of obvious practical problems.
taxes or by using cap and faced with the costs and ben- to what degree each source private property. By way of If we want Apple orchards and grain
trade systems so that the cost efits of their actions through will be subsidised. a final case study, consider sustainable fields remain stationary and
environmental
of emitting carbon reflects the quasi-market mecha- Anthropogenic climate the case of deep-sea fisheries. outcomes, the cattle can be fenced in, but
the problems that it caus- nisms of taxes and carbon change is probably the most This is now an urgent policy answer almost fish are more difficult to pin
es to people in other parts trading. difficult problem to solve issue, given Britain’s impend- never lies with down. So the development of
of the world. These systems Unfortunately, both the using market mechanisms as ing exit from the EU. government property rights is not quite as
have proven difficult to im- EU and the UK government it involves billions of people The problem with sea control, but with
simple as on land. It is not a
the establishment
plement in an effective way have introduced a plethora (both affected by the phe- fisheries is that there are and enforcement case of selling off 60 square
because of the problems that of interventions in energy nomenon and as producers often no well-defined prop- of property rights miles of the North Sea to one
arise in obtaining worldwide markets that have effective- of carbon). Nevertheless, de- erty rights in the sea. Al- over environmental trawler owner and 50 square
agreement between govern- ly renationalised the sup- spite the fact that there are though governments seem resources. This miles to another.
provides the
ments and then enforcing the ply of energy, following the mechanisms available that to be comfortable with the incentive to nurture One system that tends to
agreements. extremely successful priva- could use the dispersed in- idea of privately owned land, and conserve. work quite well is that which
they wish to keep regulation has been used in Iceland. In
and ownership of the sea to able, long-term approach to such systems, a given per-
themselves – with disastrous managing fisheries. There are centage of the total allowable
ecological consequences. Of much better ways to manage catch in a particular fishing
course, for much of human fish stocks sustainably. ground is allocated to the
history, the management of Now that fishing poli- different trawler owners as a
sea fishing grounds did not cy has been repatriated, the quota when the system is first
generally matter. The de- UK should establish proper- developed. This right needs
mand for fish was small rela- ty rights in sea fisheries. Few to be a right in perpetuity,
tive to the resources available would seriously question pri- though in Iceland the legal
and limitations in technology vate property when it comes position is slightly vague (and
made overfishing difficult, at to the land. For example, it regrettably so). An important
least in open waters. Private is rare these days to find peo- aspect of the system is that
ownership is only necessary ple who would suggest that the quota can then be traded.

Each year, a total allowable land, there tends to be broad clear – long-term sustainabil-
catch is then set. In practice, harmony between all parties ity is best achieved through
the total allowable catch is thus producing cooperation a system of property rights
set by the government in Ice- as well as a sustainable fishery. granted over fishing grounds.
land. However, it need not be Hannes Hólmsteinn Gissur- If we want sustainable
set by the government and, arson, on the Icelandic system environmental outcomes,
indeed, it would be better if of fishing quotas, writes: “In the answer almost never lies
it were not. Iceland, owners of fishing ves- with government control,
Because each trawler sels now fully support a cau- but with the establishment
owner’s right stretches into tious setting of TACs [total and enforcement of proper-
perpetuity, trawler owners allowable catch] in different ty rights over environmental
have an incentive to agree to species. They have become ar- resources. This provides the
set the catch in a given year dent conservationists…[T]he incentive to nurture and con-
in such a way that sustain- private interests of individual serve. Where the government
ability is maximised. Fewer fishermen coincide with the does intervene it should try
fish caught this year (up to public interest.” to mimic markets. When it
a point), means more fish When it comes to the comes to the environment,
available to breed and more UK, there are practical ques- misguided government in-
fish in the future and so the tions to be considered such as tervention can lead to con-
value of the quota increases. how fishing grounds are de- flict and poor environmental
If the quotas were tradeable, fined; how to allocate the ini- outcomes. The best thing the
the increase in the value of tial rights; how the quotas for government can do is put
the quota would be observ- different types of fish interact its own house in order and
able. Because each of the with each other; whether the ensure that property rights
trawler owners has a right to behaviour of particular types are enforced through proper
a percentage of the total al- of fish mean that a different policing and courts systems.
lowable catch stretching out approach should be taken That is certainly the expe-
forever, they would wish to in some circumstances; how rience of forested areas in
ensure a sustainable fishery, catches should be monitored; South America. •
thus maximising (as econo- how to deal with fishing
mists put it) the net present grounds where the move-
value of the fish that they can ment of fish runs across the
catch over an indefinite peri- territorial waters of different
od. It is the net present value countries (or the UK and
of all future catches that will the EU); and how to manage
largely determine the value of inshore fisheries (which in
the tradable quota. principle are easier than the
In the EU, there is a con- management of deep sea fish- Philip Booth
is Professor of Finance, Public
tinual battle between the eries, but should probably be
Policy and Ethics at St Mary’s
Commission, scientists and separate). Whatever the prac- University, Twickenham, and a
trawler owners, all of whom tical difficulties, however, the Senior Academic Fellow at the
have different interests. In Ice- policy framework should be Institute of Economic Affairs.
Rue du Trône 4, 1000 Brussels +32 (0) 228 06 039 info@acreurope.eu
www.acreurope.eu @ACREurope ACREurope
If only the regulator had just let
consumers be in the first place. Who
knows what kind of development
the petrol car would have undergone
by now, given the fact that, in spite
of a hostile regulatory environment,
the average petrol car is improving
dramatically and becoming less and less
polluting each year? The reason for that
is not taxation but general consumer
FELLOW POLITICIANS! demand for more efficiency.
TRY DOING LESS!

by Sigríður Andersen
tively low as they are in CO2, in spite of a hostile regulato- port heavily under fire.
are high in NOX, which is said ry environment, the average That is a bit odd consider-
W hen it comes to tak-

ing environmental
action, it is imperative to
Cars will continue to
be part of our lives
– deal with it
started two decades ago has
led to extremely high taxes on
petrol in Europe. But trying
to be the cause of premature
deaths in densely populated
areas. Now politicians are re-
petrol car is improving dra-
matically and becoming less
and less polluting each year?
ing that transport from pas-
senger cars contributes only
12 per cent of all EU green-
look at a broader picture. For Along with housing, the car is to tax away the negative side flecting on the option to take The reason for that is not tax- house gas emissions. Some
the past decade or so politi- one of the biggest investments of the private car is not like- another “something must be ation but general consumer politicians are even eager to
cians have been under pres- of the modern-day family. ly to reduce cars on the street done” approach and start tax- demand for more efficiency. make a rapid shift to electric
sure to deal with all kinds Cars offer freedom, and huge- (because people think of them ing diesel fuel and cars heavily. transportation, in spite of
Before solving a
of environmental issues ly improve the quality of life. as necessities, not luxuries), After having diverted con- problem, define electricity production being
because, as they say, “some- They are relatively expensive, it has led to different kinds sumers to diesel cars and lured the problem one of the chief contributors
thing needs to be done”. Pol- but almost everyone wants of environmental problems, manufacturers into investing Everyone is eager to support to the remaining 78 per cent
itician often act under this one at some point. Still, many some more threatening to more in the development of the Paris Climate Change of greenhouse gas emissions
pressure and make decisions politicians go out of their way human health. the diesel engine, the regula- commitment by reducing CO2 (though not in Iceland or
that have dramatic effects on to hinder car ownership by Taxing CO2 emission fa- tor now threatens to punish emissions. But how? Each Norway). Here, a politician
the environment, and not heavy taxes in the name of the vours diesel fuel over petrol. all association with diesel. If country is now in the progress needs to look at the bigger
necessarily those intended. environment. In Iceland excise duties on ve- only the regulator had just of putting together its agenda picture. In Iceland, the broad
The following cases offer the True, cars do have an im- hicles are also linked to CO2 let consumers be in the first and there will surely be dif- picture might be different
lesson of what a politician’s pact on the environment. emission, making diesel cars place. Who knows what kind ferent approaches in different from that in other countries.
rule on environmental issues There is the carbon dioxide more economical than petrol of development the petrol countries. But it is fair to state Still, it serves as an example.
should be – don’t “just do (CO2) emission, soot and cars. The downside to that is car would have undergone that the general political de- Iceland’s wetlands are the
something”. noise. The CO2 debate that that diesel car emissions, rela- by now, given the fact that, bate in Europe has had trans- biggest store of carbon on land.

Fellow politicians! Try doing less!
COLUMN
As a result of government same time politicians in Ice- Restoring wetlands can now
subsidies in the last century
a vast amount of the wet-
land are fixated on reducing
CO2 emissions from cars. In
rightly be counted as an
offset to meet national tar-
MARKET WATCH: IT’S NOT ALL
lands was drained in order to
make cropland. Only 15 per
addition to the heavy taxa-
tion mentioned earlier, the
gets even if emissions from
drained wetlands are still
STATIST GLOOM AND DOOM
cent of the drained wetlands, EU now mandates a mini- not included in emission by Kristian Niemietz
however, have been turned mum level of renewable ener- numbers.
S
into useful cropland. gy at every sales point of fuel. The lesson to learn from upporters of the free text messages and small bill-
By draining wet soil con- In Iceland, this has led this is that when deciding market economics have boards, which advertise small
taining high organic carbon to a subsidized imports and on a policy, especially when seen better days. Their ideas businesses like restaurants or
content, access is given to blending of ethanol and it entails relocation of re- seem everywhere in retreat, repair shops, are becoming
atmospheric oxygen. The other biofuels to gasoline and sources by taxation, it is im- while heavy-handed inter- increasingly common.
carbons accumulated in the diesel fuel, with dubious en- perative to take into account ventionism is back in fash- Technically, advertising
soil for centuries are there- vironmental results. Even if all the relevant facts and not ion. And yet, when we talk was never banned in Cuba.
fore oxidized. This oxidation we believed that 5 per cent let the end justify the means. about economies “moving Why would it be? The coun-
leads to formation of vast blending of expensive biofu- Those who are really serious away from free markets” (or try had no (legal) private sec-
amounts of CO2 and other els reduced CO2 emissions by about reducing greenhouse towards them), we are look- tor to speak of for most of its
greenhouse gases. Draining 5 per cent, overall reductions gas emission should be looking at macro trends that hide The economic post-revolution history, and
and degradation of wetlands for Iceland would be only 0.2 ing into the predominant a lot of variation between sec- evidence shows even if there had been, where
turns them into a net source per cent. Meanwhile, 85 per causes of emissions and tack- tors and policy areas. Econo- quite conclusively would they have gone, in
of greenhouse gas emissions. cent of the drained wetlands ling the problem at its roots. that in the long term,
mies are almost never “free” housing costs are the absence of private news-
And this goes on for decades are just waiting to be re- War on car owners and the or “unfree” across the board. mainly driven by papers, magazines or TV
and centuries. stored, which, it is estimated, free market in general has They are free in some re- land use planning channels?
In the case of Iceland, would cut the total annual highly distorted the task at spects, and unfree in others. restrictions. A few years ago, however,
annual emissions from wet- CO2 emissions by more than hand. • Economic commentators are Raul Castro’s government ex-
lands alone are 72 per cent half. enamoured with terms like panded the scope for small-
of annual anthropogenic The Kyoto protocol has, Dr Kristian Niemietz
“Anglo-Saxon capitalism” or is Head of Health and Welfare scale private entrepreneur-
greenhouse gas emissions, up until 2013, been some- “French corporatism”. And ship, which led to thousands
at the Institute of Economic
compared with the country’s what indifferent on the yet it is France that has, for Affairs (IEA), London. He of mini-start-ups springing
automobiles (less than 4 per emission figures for drained example, a large, competitive studied Economics at the up. These new entrepreneurs
cent) and the big fishing fleet wetlands. According to the private healthcare sector, an Humboldt Universität zu soon realised that custom-
with only 3 per cent. At the protocol, emissions from arrangement which would be Berlin and the Universidad
ers would not automatically
wetlands drained before de Salamanca, and Political
unthinkable in the UK. Economy at King’s College come looking for them just
1990 are not included in na- This column will high- because they are there. Cus-
When deciding London, where he also taught
tional emission figures. This Sigríður Andersen (Sigga) light a few – admittedly Economics. @K_Niemietz tomers need to be wooed, or
on a policy,
especially when it flaw became apparent after is Iceland’s Minister of
cherry-picked – examples of at least, they need to have a
the Intergovernmental Panel Justice. She believes in
entails relocation pro-market developments in places in the world where chance of finding out about
of resources by small government and the
on Climate Change agreed different parts of the world. you could still escape adver- the existence of a product.
taxation, it is free market, and has long
in 2013, upon Iceland’s ini- campaigned for lower, simpler Starting in an unlikely tising (unless, of course, you This makes advertising an in-
imperative to take
into account all tiative, to take into account taxes and for transparency in place: I once heard some- count party propaganda). tegral part of a market econ-
the relevant facts restoration of wetlands when environmental policy. She is a body claim that North Korea For Cuba, this is no longer omy, the logical correlate of
and not let the end estimating reduction in sub- Council member of ACRE.
and Cuba were the only true. Flyers, bumper stickers, free consumer choice.
justify the means. mission of greenhouse gases. @siggaandersen

Kristian Niemietz
COLUMN
tive opt-outs from collective market, but no, supply has being a famous example.
bargaining agreements, part- kept up with demand. The Brazil’s new government
ly shifting negotiation pow- average house price stands at has announced a sweeping
ers from the industry level to three and a half times the av- privatisation programme,
the company level. Dismiss- erage annual income, a ratio mainly covering energy and
als were also made easier and that would-be homebuyers in infrastructure. It is not as if
less costly. the UK can only dream of. the country had suddenly
These reforms were not The economic evidence fallen in love with Thatch-
particularly radical, but they shows quite conclusively erism: Margaret Thatcher
seem to bear some fruit. Over that in the long term, hous- saw privatisation as a means
the past three years, Spain’s ing costs are mainly driven to increase the economy’s
unemployment rate has fall- by land use planning restric- then abysmal productivity
en by six percentage points. tions. Houston is one of the performance, with priva-
Hopefully, this will embolden few places in the US which is tisation revenue being an
the reformers to go further. not covered by the country’s added bonus. In Brazil, it
Unemployment can become is the other way around.
a self-perpetuating trap. The Unemployment But if the pitfalls of crony
longer people have been out can become a self- capitalism are avoided, the
of a job, the more their skills perpetuating trap. results could ultimately be
The longer people
deteriorate, decreasing their have been out of a the same.
chances of labour market job, the more their Chile’s famous priva-
re-entry. Spain will need rad- skills deteriorate, tised pension system has
icalism in this area. decreasing their been under attack from
While Spain experienced chances of labour the country’s political class
market re-entry.
an unsustainable construc- Spain will need for years. And yet quietly,
tion boom, some other parts radicalism in this the Bachelet government is
of the developed world expe- area. seeking to improve it by lib-
rienced the opposite, name- eralising investment oppor-
ly a failure to build enough system of zoning laws. Mind tunities. Chilean pension
houses (the UK being the you, this does not mean funds will soon be allowed
most extreme example). One that housing development is to invest directly in real es-
of the most clear-cut count- “unplanned”. Houston has tate and infrastructure proj-
Albeit within tight con- overhaul its sclerotic labour but the flipside was chronic er-examples is Houston, plenty of private planning ects, without the obligation
fines, Cubans are learning the market, which remained mass unemployment. Even Texas. Between 2010 and mechanisms: homeowner to use costly intermedi-
ropes of capitalism. The en- stuck in Franco-era corpo- during the best of times, 2015, about three-quarters of associations influence devel- aries. This should lead to
trepreneurial genie is out of ratism even as the rest of unemployment refused to a million people have moved opment around them via the higher returns and greater
the bottle. Will it unleash a economy modernised. Spain go measurably below 10 per to the city and its exurbs, use of restrictive covenants. diversification.
dynamic of its own, creating has long been the epitome cent, and when the credit-fu- making it the fastest-grow- If this seems like a radical It’s not all statist doom
pressure for further rounds of of an insider-outsider labour elled boom ended, it shot up ing metropolitan area in the idea, bear in mind that his- and gloom, then. If you
liberalisation? market. Insiders enjoyed ex- to over 25 per cent. USA. You would think that torically, plenty of places in know how to look for them,
Meanwhile, in Europe, ceptionally high levels of job In 2012, the Rajoy gov- this influx would lead to the UK have developed in pro-market reform stories
Spain has finally begun to security and wage stability, ernment began to allow selec- pressure on the local housing such a way, the city of Bath can still be found. •

But, as the Nobel
prize-winning
economist Elinor
Ostrom showed,
government control
is often not the best
way to solve such
tragedies of the
commons.
THE REAL DANGER TO THE

PLANET IS SOCIALISM The impact of human
beings on the planet’s
by Matt Ridley natural resources drastically reduced its de- Nations said of Eastern Eu- sive private lawsuits, even
does not correlate mand for land to support a rope that “pollution in that while limiting their rights to
with wealth; in many
ways the reverse. given human life, through region is among the worst on pollute. Likewise the aston-
M ost prominent envi-

ronmentalists lean to
the Left, which means that
by the state. In this they are
sometimes justified, but very
often mistaken. The state is
Wildlife populations
are doing better
in rich than poor
improvements in farm yields.
Soviet rivers were treated
the Earth’s surface”. North
Korea is an ecological disaster
ishing decline – by over 90
per cent since 1970 – in the
as sewers, with frequent fish zone to this day. amount of oil spilled in the
they like government and in many cases the problem countries. It was poor kills; the Volga had so much In the West, it was private oceans by tankers has been
dislike individual initiative and private enterprise the hunter-gatherers
who wiped out most oil in it that ferry passengers pressure from neighbours, driven by private enterprise
or private enterprise (the op- solution to environmental large mammals in were warned not to throw expressed through the courts seeking technological relief
posite of what the Left be- challenges. North and South cigarettes overboard; the Aral or through parliament, that from the cost and reputa-
lieved two centuries ago, in- Consider, for example, America and Sea was turned into a desert; forced polluters to stop tional risk attached to spills:
cidentally). In trying to save pollution in the Soviet em- Australia over 10,000
years ago. the beaches of the Black Sea dumping sewage and efflu- double-hulled ships, better
species, habitats, clean water pire versus pollution in the were mined for gravel, caus- ent in rivers. The clean-water navigation aids and so forth.
and air, or the climate, they West. By the time the Berlin cleaned up its rivers and its ing even hospitals to fall into acts in Britain were actually Next, consider the state
therefore see the task as one wall came down in 1989, the air, expanded its protections the sea; Lake Baikal was hor- designed to protect pollut- of the world’s fisheries. Like
of regulation and prohibition capitalist West had largely of species and habitats and ribly polluted. The United ers from increasingly expen- all free-access, common-pool

The real danger to the planet is socialism
The idea that all Private conservation ini- their costs. New York state is
Overfishing in South China; Photo credit: Adam Dean, National Geographic

environmental tiatives abound, all around reduced to subsidising a nu-
problems stem from the world, from the hunting clear plant to keep it open.
“market failure” is
still popular among preserves of Zimbabwe, with In Britain and Germany, the
environmental their resurgent populations unreliable subsidy system
lobbyists, but has of buffalo, lion and giraffe, to has actually prevented the
long been exploded the grouse moors of northern replacement of coal by gas.
among economists.
England with their booming The idea that all environ-
Many of them stem
from government populations of rare species mental problems stem from
failure instead. such as curlew and golden “market failure” is still pop-
Governments can plover. ular among environmental
help to solve green As for climate change, lobbyists, but has long been
problems, for sure,
but their best way the country that has done exploded among economists.
of doing so is not most to cut its carbon diox- Many of them stem from
by command and ide emissions in recent years government failure instead.
control, but by has been the United States. Governments can help to
nudging private
resources, fisheries all too Commerce also encour- the option of farming rhinos sector actors to come It has achieved this by resolve green problems, for
easily collapse from overex- ages innovation, and new for their horns (which can up with technological placing coal-fired power with sure, but their best way of
ploitation. But, as the Nobel technologies have proved be painlessly removed) and solutions, through gas-fired power stations on doing so is not by command
the use of incentives. a massive scale. This switch and control, but by nudging
prize-winning economist vital to the saving of habitats flooding the market to sup-
Elinor Ostrom showed, gov- and species. Nineteenth-cen- press the demand for wild was driven by commercial private sector actors to come
ernment control is often not tury whaling collapsed be- horn might work better than rich countries – as a result imperatives, not government up with technological solu-
the best way to solve such fore it had wiped out whales today’s ever less effective of the application of syn- policy. The great abundance tions, through the use of in-
tragedies of the commons. because of the invention of prohibitions. It worked for thetic fertiliser and other of gas, and its low price, as centives. •
The worst-managed fish- kerosene, derived from pe- salmon, after all: farmed fish manufactured products has a result of the revolution in
eries are those under strict troleum. Twentieth-century undercut wild fish. made it possible to cut the hydraulic fracturing and hor-
command-and-control by whaling fleets likewise disap- This illustrates a much amount of land needed to izontal drilling, has incentiv-
governments, such as the peared just in time because of more general point. The im- produce a given quantity of ized power plants to switch
European Union’s common the falling costs of oil-derived pact of human beings on the food by 68 per cent since to gas.
fisheries policy; the best-man- products and things made planet’s natural resources does 1960: which has saved land The government, mean-
aged fisheries, such as those of (with oil) from crops, such as not correlate with wealth; in from the plough on a grand while, has been incentivis-
Iceland, the Falklands, South margarine. many ways the reverse. Wild- scale. Reforestation is occur- ing renewable energy such
Georgia and New Zealand, In general, the replace- life populations are doing ring all across the wealthy, as wind power, which has
technologically advanced, Matt Ridley
are managed by “transferable ment of natural with syn- better in rich than poor coun- actually hampered decar-
is the author of books on
quotas”: market mechanisms thetic materials has drasti- tries. It was poor hunter-gath- private-enterprise-dominated bonisation, by ruining the science and economics that
in which each fishing vessel cally reduced the demand erers who wiped out most countries, Deforestation still economics of nuclear power have sold more than a million
acquires a share of a quota, for animal products, result- large mammals in North and rules in the poorest countries – since the unreliable and copies in 30 languages,
which it can sell, and so has ing in a resurgence in the South America and Australia and those with the most in- intermittent dumping of including most recently The
trusive governments. Wolves cheap electricity on the grid Evolution of Everything. He is
“skin in the game”, incen- populations of fur seals and over 10,000 years ago.
are increasing (they live in also a columnist for The Times
tivized to enhance the value other polar species. Ivory Likewise, the trebling of makes it impossible for nu-
newspaper and a member of
of his stake by increasing the and rhino horn are lamenta- global average farm yields rich countries) while lions are clear plants, which must the House of Lords.
stock of fish. ble exceptions, but even here since the 1960s – more in decreasing. run continuously, to recover @mattwridley

COLUMN
CONSERVATIVE ICONS
JAMES FITZJAMES STEPHEN
by Roger Kimball
T ogether with Rousseau,

John Stuart Mill supplied
nearly all of the arguments and
meat” of Mill. But it didn’t
matter. For nearly one hun-
dred years Liberty, Equality,
most of the emotional fuel – Fraternity disappeared almost
the octane of sentiment – that without a trace. After 1874,
have gone into defining the it was not, as far as I know,
progressive vision of the world. republished until Cambridge
His peculiar brand of utilitari- University Press brought out
anism – a cake of Benthamite a new edition in 1967. Writ-
hedonism glazed with Word- ten directly after Stephen
sworthian sentimentality – has The refusal to completed a stint as Chief
proved to be irresistible for the criticise results in Justice of Calcutta, the book
multitudes susceptible to that a moral paralysis. That is full of the justified confi-
paralysis is the secret
sort of confection. It is also a poison at the heart of dence of flourishing empire.
recipe that has proved to be Mill’s liberalism. Stephen saw the great good
irresistible to those infatuated that the English had brought
with the spectacle of their own to India in health and edu-
virtue. Roger Kimball cation, in maintaining civic
By far the most concen- is editor and publisher of order, in putting down bar-
The New Criterion and
trated and damaging attack baric customs like suttee. He
President and Publisher of
on Mill’s philosophical dis- Encounter Books. He is a recognised clearly that fol-
pensation is Liberty, Equal- frequent contributor to many lowing Mill’s liberal princi-
ity, Fraternity by the lawyer, publications in the US, Europe, ples would make carrying out
judge, and journalist Sir and Australia and writes that civilising mandate diffi-
James Fitzjames Stephen, the Roger’s Rules column cult if not impossible. And he
for PJ Media. He is author
Leslie Stephen’s older brother decided forthrightly that the
of several books, including,
and hence – such is the irony most recently, The Fortunes fault lay with Mill’s liberal-
of history – Virginia Woolf ’s of Permanence: Culture ism, not with civilisation.
uncle. Published in 1873, the and Anarchy in an Age of As Stephen explains in
last year of Mill’s life, Liberty, Amnesia. @rogerkimball his opening pages, the book
Equality, Fraternity aroused, is an effort to examine “the

as Leslie Stephen observed at liked to see hard hitting on doctrines which are rather
the time, “the anger of some, any side of a great question”. hinted at than expressed by
the sympathy of others, and A later commentator noted the phrase ‘Liberty, Equality,
the admiration of all who that Stephen made “mince- Fraternity’.” Stephen notes

Roger Kimball
COLUMN
that although the phrase had slogan without arousing the radical sensibility. Take Mill’s Signs announcing Stephen writes with barely passes his life in providing
its origin in the French Rev- suspicion that one must be doctrine of liberty, which a “commitment concealed incredulity, “that the means of happiness for
olution, it had come to ex- a partisan of oppression, ser- boils down to the exhorta- to diversity” that if men are all freed from re- himself and those who are
one sees at college
press “the creed of a religion” vitude, and dissension. “Lib- tion: Let everyone please campuses and straints and put, as far as closely connected with him,
– one “less definite than most erty,” Stephen notes, “is a himself in any way he likes businesses are so possible, on an equal footing, leaving others all but entirely
forms of Christianity, but eulogistic word.” Therein lies so long as he does not hurt nauseating precisely they will naturally treat each out of account.”
not on that account the less its magic. Substitute a neutral his neighbour. According to because they are other as brothers, and work And this, Stephen argues,
powerful”. Indeed, the motto synonym – “permission”, for little more than
Mill – at least according to together harmoniously for is as it should be, not merely
badges declaring
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” example, or “leave” (as in “I the Mill of On Liberty – any the owner’s virtue. their common good.” At the for prudential but for moral
epitomized “one of the most give you leave to go”) – and moral system that aimed at The odour of same time, Mill’s estimation reasons.
penetrating influences of the the spell is broken: the troops more – that aimed, for exam- political correctness of actually existing men and
day,” namely the “Religion of will not rally. It is the same ple, at improving the moral surrounding them
women is very unfavorable.
is the odour of
Humanity” – the secular, so- with equality and fraternity. character of society at large or unearned self- “Ninety-nine in a hundred,” The man who works from
cialistic alternative to Christi- The eulogistic aspect of lib- the individuals in it – would satisfaction. he tells us, act in ignorance himself outwards, whose
anity put forward in different eralism means that its critics be wrong in principle. of their real motives. He conduct is governed by
ways by thinkers like Auguste are practically required to But this view, Stephen As Stephen dryly observes, is always going on about ordinary motives, and who
Comte, Jeremy Bentham, and begin with an apology. So it notes, would “condemn every pace Mill, “the custom of “wretched social arrange- acts with a view to his
John Stuart Mill. “It is one of is hardly surprising that Ste- existing system of morals.” looking upon certain courses ments,” the bad state of soci- own advantage and the
the commonest beliefs of the phen stresses at the beginning of conduct with aversion is ety, and the general pettiness advantage of those who are
day,” Stephen wrote, “that the of his book that he is “not the the essence of morality.” of his contemporaries. connected with himself in
human race collectively has advocate of Slavery, Caste, Strenuously preach and rig- As Stephen points out, Mill vacillates between definite, assignable ways,
before it splendid destinies and Hatred” and that there is orously practise the doctrine Mill’s doctrine of liberty be- these two caricatures. The produces in the ordinary
of various kinds, and that the a sense in which he, too, can that our neighbour’s private trays a curious stereoscop- friction between the two course of things much
road to them is to be found in endorse the phrase “liberty, character is nothing to us, ic quality. One moment it produces an illusion of be- more happiness to others…
the removal of all restraints on equality, fraternity.” and the number of unfa- seems to license unrestrained nevolence; that illusion is than a moral Don Quix-
human conduct, in the recog- Stephen begins by point- vorable judgments formed, liberty; the next moment, it at the heart of Mill’s appeal. ote who is always liable to
nition of a substantial equality ing out that Mill and other and therefore the number seems to sanction the most Yet what Mill describes is an sacrifice himself and his
between all human creatures, advocates of the Religion of of inconveniences inflicted sweeping coercion. When ideal that, in proportion as it neighbours… On the other
and in fraternity in general.” Humanity have exaggerated by them can be reduced as Stephen says that “the great is realised, tends to grow into hand, a man who has a
Stephen shows in tonic the advantages and mini- much as we please, and the defect” of Mill’s doctrine its opposite. In his book Util- disinterested love of the
detail why these beliefs are mized the disadvantages that province of liberty can be of liberty is that it implies itarianism, Mill writes that human race – that is to say,
mistaken and why, should these qualities involve. For enlarged in corresponding “too favorable an estimate “as between his own happi- who has got a fixed idea
they be put into practice, one thing, taken without ratio. Does any reasonable of human nature,” we know ness and that of others, jus- about some way of provid-
they are bound to result in further specification “liber- man wish for this? Could exactly what he means. Mill tice requires [everyone] to be ing for the management of
moral chaos and widespread ty, equality, fraternity” are anyone desire gross licen- writes as if people, finally as strictly impartial as a disin- the concerns of mankind
personal unhappiness. far too abstract to form the tiousness, monstrous extrav- awakened to their rational terested and benevolent spec- – is an unaccountable
The phrase “Liberty, basis of anything like a reli- agance, ridiculous vanity, interests, would put aside all tator.” Stephen comments: person… who is capable
Equality, Fraternity” sug- gion. They are also inherently or the like, to be unnoticed, petty concerns and devote “If this be so, I can only say of making his love for men
gests the immense rhetorical disestablishing with regard to or, being known, to inflict themselves to “lofty minded” that nearly the whole of near- in general the ground of
advantage that Mill’s brand existing social arrangements; no inconveniences which relationships and the hap- ly every human creature is all sorts of violence against
of liberalism begins with. that indeed is one reason they can possibly be avoided? piness of mankind in gener- one continued course of in- men in particular.
One can hardly criticise the exert so great an appeal for the al. “He appears to believe,” justice, for nearly everyone

Roger Kimball
COLUMN
ity is “like plucking a bird’s the maximally-intolerant so-

feathers in order to put it on ciety.” The activities of the
a level with beasts, and then European Union, for exam-
telling it to fly.” ple, daily bear witness to the
Furthermore, by con- hopeless muddle of this an-
founding, as Stephen puts it, chorless liberalism. Maximum
the proposition that “variety tolerance, it turns out, leads
is good with the proposition to maximum impotence. The
that goodness is various,” refusal to criticise results in
Mill’s teaching tends to en- a moral paralysis. That pa-
courage a shallow worship ralysis is the secret poison at
of mere variety, diversity for the heart of Mill’s liberalism.
its own sake with no regard Among other things, it saps
for value of the specific “di- the springs of civic education
versities” being celebrated. by weakening our allegiance
“The real truth is that This is obviously a lesson we to tradition and customary
the human race is so big, so still have not learned. Not-
various, so little known, that withstanding the slogans of Mill writes as if
no one can really love it.” It our cultural commissars, “di- people, finally
would be nice if someone versity” itself is neither good awakened to their
rational interests,
would inform Jean-Claude
Junker of this homely fact.
nor bad. Signs announcing
a “commitment to diversity”
would put aside all
petty concerns and
STATE REGULATION IS
Mill champions eccen-
tricity, diversity, and original-
that one sees at college cam-
puses and businesses are so
devote themselves
to “lofty minded”
PREVENTING A MARKET
ity as solvents of “the tyranny nauseating precisely because
relationships and
the happiness of
SOLUTION TO CARBON
of opinion.” But as we can
see from looking around at
they are little more than
badges declaring the owner’s
mankind in general.
EMISSIONS
our own society, the spread virtue. The odour of politi- modes of feeling and be- by Ian Duncan
of Mill’s brand of equalizing cal correctness surrounding haviour, the rich network of
liberty tends to homogenize them is the odour of un- inherited moral judgment.
society and hence to reduce
the expression of genuine
originality and individuality.
earned self-satisfaction.
Today, we are living with
the institutionalisation of
Stephen noted that Mill’s
“very simple principle” – the
principle that coercive public
O n a cold winter’s morn
in December 2015 the
global community came to-
could well be the difference
between a liveable planet and
a far more chaotic world.
decisions, directives, treaties,
and agreements both bilateral
and multilateral?
Mill’s philosophy declares Mill’s paradoxes – above all, opinion ought to be exer- gether in Paris and agreed to The Paris Accord was in The Paris Agreement em-
originality desirable even as perhaps, the institutionali- cised only for self-protective play it cool. The 197 nations effect a roadmap, setting out powers, rather than instructs,
it works to make it impossi- sation of the paradox that in purposes – was “a paradox assembled committed to ar- the commitments of each its signatories. Each country
ble. Uniformity becomes the aiming to achieve a society so startling that it is almost resting the earth’s tempera- state, both to reduce carbon determines its own method
order of the day. In a mem- that is maximally tolerant we impossible to argue against.” ture rise to 2C, with a nod emission and to fund mea- to meet its contribution, and
orable analogy, Stephen says at the same time give (in the Mill might indeed have had toward 1.5C. That may not sures to address the conse- each contribution takes into
that Mill’s notion of liberty philosopher David Stove’s the last laugh. But it turned sound like much – the differ- quences of climate change. account the ability – both
as a politically “progressive” words) “maximum scope to out, as James Fitzjames Ste- ence between a tepid shower So what makes this treaty physically and financially – of
imperative in combination the activities of those who phen knew, that the joke was and a slightly less tepid show- different from the plethora countries to cut their carbon.
with his demand for original- have set themselves to achieve on us. • er – but at a global level it of climate rules, regulations, Encompassing, as it does,

State regulation is preventing a market solution to carbon emissions
nearly every country on the The Paris billed as the EU’s “flagship price so low that there is no Allowing market decarbonisation while main-
planet, the Paris Agreement Agreement climate change tool”. When incentive to innovate. At not forces to determine taining jobs and economic
gives states the assurance empowers, rather it was instituted back in 2005 much more than the price the cost of carbon growth. Ideally, the EU’s car-
than instructs, polluting is the best
needed to reduce emissions its signatories. the ETS, which seeks to mon- of a cup of coffee, businesses way to incentivise bon reduction policy would
in the knowledge that others Each country etise carbon emissions thereby would rather pay the token decarbonisation consist solely of a carbon
will reciprocate. determines its own driving emission-reducing in- costs than invest in decar- while maintaining market with all major pollut-
The approach of the EU method to meet its novations, was cutting-edge. bonisation. While certain of jobs and economic ers under its ambit, from cars
contribution, and growth. Ideally,
is a case in point. The EU Every emitter had to possess the problems are structural – the EU’s carbon to ships, coal power stations
each contribution
currently has a binder full of takes into account enough permits to continue and my reforms are trying to reduction policy to steel manufacturers. Not
rules covering every aspect of the ability – both to emit. The less they emitted address these – the chief issue would consist solely only would the carbon price
energy and climate change physically and the fewer permits they need- was the financial collapse of of a carbon market reflect the actual cost of pol-
from regulations that govern financially – of ed. The permits were traded 2008, which drove down with all major luting, but economists argue
countries to cut polluters under its
the emissions from major their carbon. and revenues, which could output from energy intensive ambit, from cars to that this bigger market would
power plants to directives be used to invest in further industries and energy pro- ships, coal power generate greater actual emis-
that set the efficiency of your aside the bureaucracy, com- decarbonising measures, were ducers, and with it demand stations to steel sions reductions.
fridge. There are more than pliance costs and uncertainty raised. It was cutting edge. for carbon permits. (The manufacturers. The chances of this hap-
Not only would
60 such EU regulations, di- for business that stem from Now it isn’t. When it began financial crisis in fact was the carbon price pening, however, are slim.
rectives and decisions which their regular revision, there the carbon price was 30 perhaps the most significant reflect the actual The EU has an incurable
have a bearing upon climate is one serious issue: the rules euros. Today it is six. Then it contribution to decarbonisa- cost of polluting, thirst for new regulation and
change. While each of the often undermine each other, was a driver, now it is a surly tion since the millennium.) but economists the directorate general for cli-
argue that this
rules shares a common am- creating redundancy, ineffi- passenger. The oversupply in the mar- mate change is no exception.
bigger market would
bition – to reduce carbon ciency and confusion. Despite the ETS celebrat- ket – 2.5 billion unwanted generate greater The recently published “clean
emissions – there is an unin- I am currently leading the ing ten years of operation, allowances – is still with us, actual emissions energy package” consists of
tended perversity that results reform of the EU’s Emissions a lack of demand for allow- holding the carbon price hos- reductions. no fewer than 1,000 pages of
from so many laws. Setting Trading Scheme (ETS), often ances has kept the carbon tage at a Starbucks level. new regulation. The effect on
However, there are serious fossil fuels. While these pol- the ailing carbon market has
challenges for the function- icies have driven growth in yet to be calculated. •
ing of the ETS that have little renewables, they have further
to do with the ETS. Indeed dampened an already dismal
they are a consequence of the demand for carbon allowanc-
success of the other climate es. Nobody is quite certain by
change policies of the EU. how much the overlapping
For example, EU rules state EU polices and regulations
that every member state must have depressed the carbon
produce 30 per cent of its en- market, but estimates range
ergy from renewable sources from 700 million to a billion
by 2030. To meet this target, redundant allowances.
Ian Duncan
states have unilaterally begun The distortions in the mar-
is MEP for Scotland and
to phase out coal from the ket undermine it. Allowing European Parliament’s
energy mix, or in the case of market forces to determine lead lawmaker reforming
the UK have set a minimum the cost of carbon polluting the EU’s Carbon Market. @
price on energy derived from is the best way to incentivise IanDuncanMEP

THE EU DELIVERED IN PARIS
AND MARRAKECH, AND CAN
STEER THE WORLD TOWARDS
A LOW-CARBON AND CLIMATE-
RESILIENT ECONOMY
by Jos Delbeke
the Paris Agreement, includ- climate finance. In 2015, including contributions to
ing transparency of action the EU and its member states the G7’s InsuResilence ini-
T he EU and our part-

ners around the world
grasped the historic oppor-
by 194 Parties and ratified
by 125. The EU has been at
the centre throughout, with
rakech climate conference in
November and I am pleased
to say we delivered.
and the process for reviewing
our collective ambition over
time. We also agreed that we
provided €17.6 billion for
climate action in developing
countries. We are, and always
tiative for increased access
to climate-risk insurance for
the most vulnerable. The EU
tunity to secure an ambitious the Commission, the mem- We delivered on contin- should act swiftly to ensure will be, a reliable partner also reaffirmed its leading
global climate deal in Paris ber states and the parliament ued political commitment the Paris rulebook is ready by in the fight against climate role in supporting the Af-
in December 2015, setting acting decisively to approve at the highest level, with the 2018. change. rican continent in the fight
the course for sustainable, ratification of the agreement Marrakech Action Proclama- We delivered on the com- And finally, we delivered against climate change and in
low-carbon economies in the and trigger entry into force tion reaffirming leaders’ in- mitments we have made to on the real-world action we the promotion of renewable
years to come. less than a year after it was tentions to build on the mo- our most vulnerable partners, must take now, with the EU energies.
Since then, we have wit- agreed. mentum of the past year and with progress on capacity once again at the forefront We live in uncertain po-
nessed unprecedented com- After the political break- turn our pledges into action. building, loss and damage, of the Global Climate Ac- litical times – both in Europe
mitment to global climate through achieved in Paris, We delivered on a range funding for adaptation to tion Agenda. The EU and its and globally. Yet while it is
action: to date, the Paris the world expected to see of technical work that will deal with the impacts of cli- member states made a num- too premature to comment
Agreement has been signed tangible action at the Mar- guide the implementation of mate change and long-term ber of new commitments, on the new US administra-

The EU delivered in Paris and Marrakech, and can steer the world towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy
COLUMN
tion’s climate policy, as the We can be proud played in tackling this crit-
Commissioner for Climate
Action and Energy, Miguel
of the role the
European Union has
ical global issue but there
is no room for complacen-
INDIA’S POLITICIANS CAN’T STOP
Arias Cañete, said, the mes-
sage from Marrakech was
played in tackling
this critical global cy. We have a lot of work
ahead of us this year, such
THE MASSES LEARNING ENGLISH
issue but there
clear: “We will stand by Paris, is no room for as following up on our 2030 by Madhav Das Nalapat
we will defend Paris, and we complacency. We legislative proposals as they
have a lot of work
will implement Paris.” move through parliament
H
ahead of us this year, illary Clinton, Anne or to families, much in the
I have been greatly en- such as following and council. The Commis-
Applebaum and others manner of a grocery store. It
couraged to hear leaders from up on our 2030 sion will also follow up on
legislative proposals of the East Coast establish- is a “free” country where the
so many countries − includ- the low-emission mobility
as they move ment of the United States government has several hun-
ing China, which is increas- strategy presented last year,
through parliament are wannabe Europeans, un- dred paths which can lead to
ing its cooperation with the and council. with initiatives to tackle
selfconsciously adopting stra- taking away the property and
EU on climate and energy emissions from road trans-
tegic stances which seek to freedom of a citizen. Indeed,
− reaffirm their intention reform the EU Emissions port, and in particular cars,
dovetail the US with the re- such colonial-style laws and
to forge ahead with climate Trading System, and bind- vans and trucks.
quirements not of the world’s regulations have proliferat-
action. They recognise, as ing greenhouse gas emission One thing is sure: the EU
most powerful Anglospheric India is a ed during each of the years
we do, that the transition to targets for member states will continue to be the am-
nation but with a continent democracy, all when India has been inde-
low-carbon economies is irre- from 2021-2030 for the bitious climate leader it was
increasingly out of step with of whose political pendent, barring 1991-92,
versible. We are already see- transport, buildings, agri- in Paris. We will continue to parties belong either
the future. For them, it is still when then Prime Minister
ing global investment flows culture, waste and land-use work closely with our inter- to individuals or to
Moscow that is the prima- families, much in the Narasimha Rao took an axe
shifting to the sustainable, and forestry sectors. These national partners to drive the
ry rival to Washington, not manner of a grocery to some of them. From then
low-carbon sectors that will policies are backed by the Paris spirit forward and im-
Beijing. store. It is a “free” on, he faced and ultimate-
deliver the jobs and growth European Fund for Strategic plement this historic agree- country where the
Their counterparts in ly lost a continuous battle
of the future. Investments, as well as the ment on the ground. • government has several
India are the wannabe British hundred paths which against those whose powers
The EU experience has 20 per cent of the EU bud-
who lowered the Union flag can lead to taking (chiefly to collect bribes)
shown that strong action on get allocated to climate ac-
from the Viceregal Palace in away the property and were reduced by such a lim-
climate change goes hand in tion, to ensure the necessary freedom of a citizen.
the final seconds of August 14 itation of government.
hand with economic growth. financing is in place.
1947. India’s civil service and Those who quaff the
We will continue to show cli- The Clean Energy for All
its presumed political over- elixir of colonial absolutism
mate leadership and support Europeans package, launched Madhav Das Nalapat
lords have seamlessly moved through entry into positions
our partners in their efforts last November, cements the is a Professor and the
into the colonial practices of governmental responsibil-
to reduce emissions, adapt European Union’s leadership Director of the Department
and mindset vacated by the of Geopolitics & International ity very soon consider – in-
to climate change, and trans- role in the clean energy tran-
British. They have retained Relations at Manipal deed, know – that they are
form their economies. sition. It will boost energy
the administrative powers of University, UNESCO Peace as different from the natives
We have been very busy efficiency and renewables, Jos Delbeke
Chair and the Editorial
is the Director-General of the Raj as well as perpetuat- they administer as their Brit-
on the domestic policy modernise energy markets, Director of The Sunday
the European Commission’s ed (sometimes literally) the ish predecessors were. Among
front. The Commission has keep Europe competitive Guardian-India and NewsX
Directorate-General for walls separating them from channel. @MD_Nalapat the ways such distance be-
proposed a package of mea- and provide a good deal for Climate Action and is the multitudes they rule over. tween rulers and ruled was
sures to accelerate the shift consumers. responsible for developing India is a democracy, all maintained was to ensure
to low-carbon emissions. We can be proud of the the EU’s international climate
of whose political parties that their own progeny were
This includes a proposal to role the European Union has change strategy.
belong either to individuals given the benefits of being

Madhav Das Nalapat
COLUMN
educated entirely or very through India in the 1990s. vise Nehru during the period
largely in the English lan- As for Prime Minister (1947-64) he was in office.
guage, while at the same time Nehru, a statue of him, more While they themselves
blocking as many other citi- than the Mahatma, ought to sent their children off to
zens as possible from learning be erected in London, for he study in the UK or, later, in
the language. made the procuring of a pass- the US or Australia and Can-
This was achieved through port by the ordinary citizen ada, India’s wannabe British
the simple expedient of ban- (and every other procedure overlords incessantly warned
ning its use in state-run ed- associated with government) the people about the toxic ef-
ucational institutions, and by so cumbersome that few suc- fects of the English language.
making life difficult for those ceeded in getting that docu- Fluency, they said, would re-
private entities that sought ment, a situation that got al- sult in the fading away of In-
to impart education in the tered only during the 1990s. dian culture and in the taking
international language. An hold of an alien import that
example was Bengal, which Hopefully, a time would enervate the citizen.
will come when the
had been the hub of intellec- bureaucratic brakes It took the spread of cable
tual expression before 1947. on the development television in the 1980s to
Its longest-serving (1977- of the language get reveal to the overwhelming
2001) chief minister, Jyoti removed, so that majority of India’s citizens
the country itself
Basu, was a Communist who that those warning against
may be enabled
spent his annual vacations in to move faster. the language were themselves
London and who, under his In the meantime, more than conversant with
impeccable local garb, was an providing a tailwind it. Sitcoms gave a view into
Anglophile. to the expansion the homes of the governing
of English within
It was as obvious to Basu the population is class, and to the ubiquity of
as it had been to the Old the reality that English in their lives. Simul-
Harrovian Jawaharlal Nehru India and the US taneously, private television
that it would simply not do in particular share channels (and later radio
almost identical
to give the natives access to security interests. stations), free of the govern-
the English language. Why, ment-mandated need to de-
they might even get a trifle The consequence was that, monize the language of In-
uppity and expect politicians relative to population, far dia’s former colonial masters,
to deliver benefits other than fewer citizens of India than began to be permitted.
sermons. He therefore fol- Pakistan migrated to Britain This created a desire to
lowed the example of Nehru during the years when the learn the language that was
in practically outlawing the door was kept open for citi- strong enough to ensure
teaching of English in Ben- zens of the Commonwealth. the proliferation of insti-
gal, in the process reducing Prime Minister May, with her tutes teaching it, as well as
the state to an intellectual aversion to immigration from its spread in schools. Finally,
backwater and a laggard in outside the EU, would have governments gave way and
the Information Technol- approved of such a policy, permitted its teaching in
ogy revolution that swept had she been around to ad- state schools.

Madhav Das Nalapat
COLUMN
candidate’s knowledge of En- other country, including the brakes on the development of
glish is sub-basic. United States. the language get removed, so
Interestingly, it has been Even the wannabe British that the country itself may be
leaders from Gujarat state involved in the governance enabled to move faster. In the
that have been most insistent of the country (which in its meantime, providing a tail-
on making Hindi the dom- essentials and outlook is not wind to the expansion of En-
inant language of adminis- very different from what it glish within the population is
tration, beginning with Ma- was during the British Raj) the reality that India and the
hatma Gandhi. The anointed are beginning to acknowledge US in particular share almost
“Father of the Nation” knew that the desire to learn English identical security interests.
the language of global inter- is too widespread for them to Now that a President of
action well and indeed got halt, especially now that argu- the United States has been
much of his education in the ments inversely linking knowl- elected who is not in thrall
UK, always retaining a co- to the Eurosphere, but has
hort of close friends from that Hopefully, the day given indications of his af-
By the mid-1990s, the million and 240 million, dictory in being a good citizen country. However, he was in- will dawn when those finity to the Anglosphere,
wave of interest in the En- with about the same number of the Republic of India and sistent on doing away with who have replaced Washington and Delhi are
the British in the
glish language had become having at least a rudimentary knowing the English language, English and replacing it with likely to act in concert, both
dovecotes of high
unstoppable. So much so knowledge of the language. and remove the many barriers Hindi, as was the first Guja- office will accept to extinguish the fires lit by
that even after a government Prime Minister Narendra to access so far as the hundreds rati Prime Minister of India, that there is nothing Wahabism and to ensure that
which had an allergy to En- Modi has sought to banish of millions of less fortunate In- Morarji Desai (1977-79). contradictory in China does not regard its rise
glish imprinted within its English from the portals of dians are concerned. The present Prime Min- being a good citizen
as licence to overawe smaller
of the Republic of
DNA took office in 2014, his administration, preferring In 1965, Prime Min- ister, Modi, presides over a India and knowing powers and take control of
very little could be done to to conduct work in Gujarati ister Lal Bahadur Shastri Cabinet that contains almost the English language, vast additional stretches of
slow down the pace at which and Hindi through officials backtracked from his earlier no member not conversant in and remove the many the earth’s surface.
the language was spreading fluent in either or both lan- move sharply to reduce the Hindi, and in which the over- barriers to access so I hope Prime Minister
far as the hundreds
in the general population – guages. However, outside the incidence of English in ad- whelming majority comes of millions of less May will lessen her silent
although exact figures are stone edifices of what were ministration, even though from the Hindi-speaking fortunate Indians are pining after Europe and ac-
impossible to come by, given once the haunts of British he himself came from a Hin- states, as does the core of his concerned. cept that Britain is as much
the biases and complexities of civil servants, the language of di-speaking state. Indeed, official family. However, this a separate and autonomous
the Census of India. global commerce and which India is fortunate that the has not stopped Prime Min- edge of the language to Indian national and cultural en-
The present writer, for dominates the internet is still Hindi-speaking population ister Modi from accepting tradition and culture or to the tity as is Russia, and that
example, is not classified in spreading, so much so that of the country never sought that India’s strategic interests country’s interests more gener- these two powers form the
its records as someone who even Modi some days lapses to force their exquisite lan- mandate a close relationship ally have been shown false. It bookends defining the lim-
knows English, which, given into English during one of guage down the gullets of with the other countries is proving difficult even to a its of the Eurosphere. Given
his atrocious grammar, may his frequent public appear- those unwilling to learn it. where substantial popula- political class adept in contor- common sense and a mod-
be correct. However, some ances, even within India. Of course, governments were tions speak the English lan- tions to claim that a language icum of luck, the odds are
surveys, through use of sam- I hope that the day will different, and even now the guage. In other words, the that forms the basis of modern high that within a decade
pling, have put the number dawn when those who have re- learning of Hindi is compul- Anglosphere, especially in commerce, especially in the over a billion people across
of those speaking English placed the British in the dove- sory, and in examinations for a context where there will knowledge industries, is toxic. the globe will form part of
within the population of cotes of high office will accept the Civil Service, it is possi- be more English-language I hope that a time will the English-speaking world.
India as being between 220 that there is nothing contra- ble to get selected even if the speakers in India than in any come when the bureaucratic May the tribe multiply! •

WE BLUES ARE THE REAL GREENS
by James Delingpole
but untainted by metropol- hedges – instead of cheaper have repeatedly shown, you
itan sentimentality. If you’re wire – for jumping over on find greater biodiversity on
O nce I took part in a

panel discussion on
climate change at an Ox-
made up their minds. Because
I’m a conservative, it natu-
rally followed that I must be
wrong that you see them em-
bracing all manner of half-
baked eco-nonsense, as we
rearing livestock, it’s clear-
ly in your interests to breed
healthy, contented animals;
horseback; spinneys and cops-
es to provide covert for game;
lakes for wildfowl; oak-stud-
privately owned estates pa-
trolled by gamekeepers than
you do on land run by po-
ford literary festival. I began selfish, greedy, wedded to my saw in Britain not so long if you’re running a shooting ded parkland for deer. litically correct organisations
by explaining to the audi- unsustainable lifestyle, a de- ago when David Cameron estate or maintaining a fish- This is a key point so often like Europe’s largest wildlife
ence how very much I loved nier of science, and hell-bent campaigned under the slo- ing river, again it matters missed by urban liberals and charity, the Royal Society for
nature – probably at least gan “Vote Blue, Go Green”. that your quarry and its en- Greens. Except, perhaps, in the Protection of Birds.
as much as they did; how The clue’s in the But it really isn’t necessary. vironment are sustainably the most remote wilderness- Green environmental pol-
I liked nothing better than name: Conservatives The clue’s in the name: Con- managed. You love and re- es, there’s little natural about icy is crippled by a dogma
wild swimming in the River are – and always servatives are – and always spect your animals but you’re nature – and hasn’t been for originating in 1950s junk-sci-
have been – the
Wye, or striding across Scot- world’s best have been – the world’s best not squeamish about killing millennia. Forests need thin- ence ecology that nature exists
tish glens, with their patch- conservationists. conservationists. them for sport, population ning and replanting; those in a “steady state” and always
work-quilt browns, greens Partly, it’s a function of management or food. wondrously patterned Scot- finds its natural balance. You
and purples, or riding across on economic growth at the our rural roots. Not all con- Consider the matchlessly tish grouse moors are cre- only have to leave your gar-
the matchlessly beautiful En- expense of our planet’s future. servatives hunt, shoot, fish, beautiful English landscape. ated by burning sections of den untended for a month to
glish countryside... This caricature is a big or farm, of course, but the The reason it looks that way heather to create new shoots appreciate the fallacy of this.
But really, I might just problem for conservatives. principles are in our DNA: is because it was made that for the young grouse; preda- Weeds and pests proliferate.
as well not have bothered, Some of them get so des- a deep sympathy with and way by generations of natural tors such as foxes need cull- There’s a second, equally
for the audience had already perate to prove their critics understanding of nature, conservatives: stone walls and ing. That’s why, as surveys important – and related –

We Blues are the real Greens
reason why we conservatives spent on “decarbonizing” the

make the best conservation- world economy in order to
ists. That is the fact that tem- stave off “man-made global
peramentally and ideologi- warming” is around $1.5 tril-
cally we are disposed towards lion per annum. That’s about
empiricism. We are suspi- the same amount that we
cious of policies adopted just spend every year on the glob-
because they look good or al online shopping industry:
EUROPE’S LEADING REFORMIST POLITICAL FOUNDATION make us feel all warm and an awful lot, in other words.
Promoting Conservatism, Small Government, Private Property, Free Enterprise,
Lower Taxes, Family Values, Individual Freedom and Strong Defence.
fluffy inside. What we pre- But is that climate money
fer instead is hard-headed well spent? Not according to
– often tradition-sanctioned Bjorn Lomborg, the Danish
– evidence-based policies statistician and author of The
which actually work. Skeptical Environmentalist. like water depletion, unsus-
Last year, in the aftermath of tainable fishing practices,
Even those the COP21 climate summit in and deforestation. To repeat,
conservatives who
believe that man- Paris, he calculated what dif- it’s not that we conservatives
made climate change ference it would make if all the don’t care about the environ-
is a serious threat can signatories to the Paris agreement – just that we’re suffi-
surely agree with me ment stuck to their Intended ciently hard-headed to un-
that $1.5 trillion a
year to reduce global Nationally Determined Con- derstand that scarce resources
warming by less than tributions (INDCs) – that is, need to be deployed carefully,
one fifth of a degree their voluntary carbon dioxide not squandered willy-nilly. •
does not represent reduction targets.
good value for On his most optimistic
money.
scenario, Lomborg calculated
Perhaps nowhere is this that the resultant effect would
more important than in the be a reduction in global warm-
current debate on climate ing, by the end of the century,
change. Conservatives have of, wait for it... 0.17 C.
long been more sceptical on Even those conservatives
this issue than the Green lib- who believe that man-made
eral-Left because we have an climate change is a serious
James Delingpole
instinctive aversion to fixing threat can surely agree with
is a conservative columnist
things that may not be broken. me that $1.5 trillion a year and novelist who has written
And an even greater reluctance to reduce global warming by for publications including the
to spend huge sums of tax- less than one fifth of a degree Daily Mail, Daily Express, The
payers’ money on “solutions” does not represent good value Times, The Daily Telegraph,
which won’t make the blindest for money. and The Spectator. He is
also the executive editor of
bit of difference anyway. Worse still, it distracts
Breitbart London. His latest
According to some esti- from more urgent and seri- book is Watermelons.
JOIN US mates, the amount currently ous environmental problems @jamesdelingpole
www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform
44 www.theconservative.online
New Direction – The Foundation for European Reform, a non-for-profit organisation (ASBL/VZW) registered in Belgium and partly funded by the European Parliament. Registered Office: Rue Du Trône 4, Brussels, 1000, Belgium.
THE CONSERVATIVE | January 2017 | Vol.2 | Issue 2 45
Director General: Naweed Khan. The European Parliament and New Direction assume no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this publication. Sole liability lies with the author.
CLEAN ENERGY NEEDS LESS
REGULATION, NOT MORE*
by Michael Liebreich shale gas has not proved to retreated into corporatism, the UK through Brexit all
be the global silver bullet hunkering down with its but unchallenged politically,
some promised. And elec- funders and resisting change, and the Republicans under
When ACRE’s publication water, hydro-power, sug- I wrote: “The electricity tric vehicles are just starting instead of taking up the President-elect Trump taking
The Conservative asked if they ar-cane based ethanol, com- system of the future will be to fly out of the showrooms cudgels on behalf of the in- control of both US Hous-
could republish the following bined heat and power, all based on a mix of super-ef- – in Norway 40 per cent of dividual, the consumer, and es of Congress as well as the
piece, which first appeared sorts of energy efficiency – ficient appliances, renew- new cars are now plug-ins of reaping the electoral bene- presidency.
on Conservative Home three which can be fully compet- able energy, natural gas and some sort, and there can be fits. […] Only by releasing a Three years ago, I wrote:
years ago, I thought I should itive with fossil fuels in the nuclear power. Our cars no doubt that internal com- maelstrom of entrepreneurial “Time and again we were
first update it. But on re-read- right circumstances. What is will either have to be vastly bustion vehicles – diesel in and competitive activity will told that telecoms, airlines,
ing it, I had second thoughts. even more important is that more fuel-efficient, or else particular – have no place on the world be able to build a steel, cars, mainframe com-
The fact that three years have the cost reductions that have they will be electric.” And urban streets. high-performing clean en- puters, yoghurt or whatever
passed and events are unfold- led to this point are set to yes, in country after coun- Three years later, my vi- ergy system without driving were natural monopolies and
ing exactly as I predicted is continue inexorably, far out try, planners, policy-makers, sion for the future of the en- costs to unacceptable levels. strategic industries. Luckily
important. into the future.” Sure enough, businesses and investors are ergy and transportation sys- And only by leading the pro- Thatcher, Reagan and their
Three years ago, I wrote: since then prices of wind and coming to grips with the tems is three years closer to cess will the Right find its successors rejected that nar-
“The fact is that wind and solar have dropped by an- idea that cheap “base cost” reality – which should bring natural voice on energy and rative and the results are his-
solar have joined a long list other 20-40 per cent. They renewable energy will lie at the political implications the environment.” tory. The time has come to
of clean energy technolo- are now, in most parts of the the heart of the energy sys- into even clearer focus. As I It is a conclusion that is apply this sort of rigour to
gies – geothermal power, world, the cheapest source of tem of the future; natural wrote then: “When it comes highly topical today, with the the energy sector.”
waste-to-energy, solar hot new generating capacity. gas prices have fallen, but to energy, the Right […] has Conservative Party leading I hope you enjoy the read.

Clean energy needs less regulation, not more
* Original article first appeared on Conservative Home on February 27, 2014 carbon footprint than coal, The bottom line is that most likely in the form of
and domestic production there are no silver bullets on batteries for electric vehicles.
offers significant econom- the horizon. The electrici- But the killer app is a dig-
ic and geopolitical benefits ty system of the future will itally-controlled smart grid,
I n most sunny parts of the rate at which their costs clear is that further hundreds over imported resources. be based on a mix of super- which will provide the abili-
the world it is cheaper to drop for each doubling of of billions of dollars in ener- But there are economic ca- efficient appliances, renew- ty to shift demand to match
generate power from pho- cumulative installations. We gy costs are borne not by the veats, aside from any envi- able energy, natural gas and supply in ways either imper-
tovoltaic modules on your have had privileged access to fossil fuel industry or direct- ronmental concerns. The US nuclear power. Our cars will ceptible to the consumer or
roof than to buy it from your data from clients, many of ly by energy consumers but natural gas price has already either have to be vastly more else remunerated by the ener-
utility. The best newly-built whom are manufacturers and by the general public. These more than doubled from its fuel-efficient or else they will gy provider.
wind farms are selling power project developers. What this so-called externality costs historic lows in 2012 to over This energy system of the
$4.00/MMBtu; operators This energy system future is not a pipe dream.
at the equivalent of 3p/KWh data tells us is that all clean include medical costs of air of the future is
before subsidies, which nei- energy technologies, with- pollution, negative economic will need a long-term price not a pipe dream. Worldwide, over a quarter
ther gas, nor coal, nor nu- out exception, benefit from impacts resulting from com- of around $5.00/MMBtu to Worldwide, over a of a trillion dollars a year is
clear power can match. LED strong experience curves. modity price spikes and the justify continuing to drill, quarter of a trillion being invested annually in
light bulbs can be bought Where Moore’s law has given cost of defending our energy frack and build pipelines. dollars a year is being renewable energy, energy
And that is in a country invested annually in efficiency and supporting
for a few pounds, providing supply chains. They pop up renewable energy,
home-owners with a quick Shale gas has in our medical bills, our un- where conditions are ideal. energy efficiency technologies. Germany de-
certainly been an Elsewhere in the world, it is and supporting rives over 25 per cent of its
and cheap way of cutting employment figures, and our
astonishing success technologies.
their utility bills. defence budgets. And that is hard to see shale gas coming electricity from renewable
story in the US and Germany derives
The fact is that wind and looks promising before bringing the environ- to market much below $8/ energy. Texas, synonymous
over 25 per cent of
solar have joined a long list in the UK, Poland, ment or climate change into MMBtu, around the same as its electricity from with the oil and gas industry,
of clean energy technolo- Mexico and China. the equation; or the height- the wholesale prices which renewable energy. generated nearly ten per cent
Gas has a lower have been driving up Euro- Texas, synonymous of its electricity from wind
gies – geothermal power, carbon footprint than ened geopolitical risk caused
pean utility bills so sharply with the oil and gas last year. China is the world’s
waste-to-energy, solar hot coal, and domestic by dependence on some of industry, generated
water, hydro-power, sug- production offers the world’s most volatile over the past few years. nearly ten per cent largest player, with around
ar-cane based ethanol, com- significant economic countries; or the corrosive Before the Fukushima of its electricity from half of its new power capacity
and geopolitical accident in 2011 there was wind last year. over the next 20 years expect-
bined heat and power, and benefits over effect on our political life
all sorts of energy efficiency imported resources. caused by fossil fuel stake- much talk of a nuclear renais- ed to be renewable, rather
– which can be fully compet- holders fighting to preserve sance, and some countries re- be electric. We will, of course, than coal, gas or nuclear.
itive with fossil fuels in the us dirt-cheap electronics and the status quo. main committed to building have to learn how to man- The problem for the polit-
right circumstances. What is phones, Liebreich’s law is So we have ever-cheaper new plants. However, the age the intermittency of re- ical Right is that this epoch-
even more important is that going to give us abundant, renewable energy versus in- UK experience is instructive: newable energy. That means al shift to clean energy has
the cost reductions that have cheap clean energy. creasingly obvious costs and the government had to offer improving resource forecast- completely wrong-footed it.
led to this point are set to Meanwhile, over the past downsides to fossil fuels. a power price of £92.50/ ing and interconnecting the For too long it has allowed
continue inexorably, far out decade, the world has been Are there any game-chang- MWh, adjusted for inflation power grid over larger areas the Left to claim ownership
into the future. waking up to the true cost ers on the horizon? Shale over 35 years, to get new to smooth out the variability of the environment, despite
For the past ten years, my of fossil fuels. It’s not just the gas has certainly been an nuclear power stations built. of individual renewable en- its own achievements in the
team at Bloomberg New En- half-a-trillion dollars a year astonishing success story in Nuclear power works and it ergy assets. It means power area (as described elsewhere
ergy Finance has been docu- or more of direct subsidies to the US and looks promising is low-carbon – but it’s not storage, currently mainly in by Geoff Lean). For the Left,
menting “experience curves” fossil fuel consumers. What in the UK, Poland, Mexico cheap and most likely never the form of pumped hydro- being pro-environment and
for clean energy technologies: is becoming increasingly and China. Gas has a lower again will be. electric power but in future anti-business are one and

Clean energy needs less regulation, not more
tion of resources, and the in- renewable energy targets on Safaricom? Where are the
evitable picking of losers. member countries rather new services, the new provid-
The big mistake of the than focusing on creating a ers? The answer is they don’t
Right has been to leave un- single market for energy and exist because policy is being
challenged the assumption related services. written with the state and in-
that Leftist tools are the only When it comes to ener- dustry incumbents in mind,
ones available to manage the gy, the Right has to regain using mainly the tools of the
transition to clean energy, in- its reforming mojo. It has Left. Only by releasing a
stead of coming up with good retreated into corporatism maelstrom of entrepreneurial
– hunkering down with its and competitive activity will
The mistake of corporate funders and resist- the world be able to build a
the Right has been ing change instead of taking high-performing clean en-
implicitly to accept up the cudgels on behalf of ergy system without driving
that protecting
our environment the individual, the consumer, costs to unacceptable levels.
is in opposition and then reaping the elector- And only by leading the pro-
to achieving a al benefits. cess will the Right find its
prosperous and free Where is the self-confi- natural voice on energy and
society.
dence with which it trans- the environment. •
formed the world’s other
conservative solutions – ones major industries? Time and
which have improved ser- again we were told that tele-
vices, lower costs, competi- coms, airlines, steel, cars,
tion, wealth creation, pricing mainframe computers, yo-
in of externalities, personal ghurt – or whatever – were
responsibility and freedom at natural monopolies and stra-
their heart. tegic industries which had
Wind power in Brazil to be protected from com-
the same: its approach to indistinguishable from Sovi- is among the lowest-cost petition; and that only cen- Michael Liebreich
of these approaches. Germa-
is Chairman of the Advisory
environmental protection is et five-year plans. Over-regu- ny may have reached over sources of electricity in the tral planning could provide
Board of Bloomberg
based mainly on controlling lation and complex planning 25 per cent renewable elec- world. Why? First, a reverse stable outcomes. In short, New Energy Finance, the
or blocking enterprise. The requirements add costs, slow tricity, but at what excessive auction system forces pro- that Leftist, statist solutions world’s leading provider of
mistake of the Right has been down projects, reduce trans- cost to its household energy viders to compete on cost. were the only ones available. research for senior decision-
implicitly to accept that pro- parency and increase risk. users? Spain reached 42 per Second, Brazil has a grid Luckily Thatcher, Reagan makers in clean energy and
tecting our environment is which, if superimposed on and their successors rejected transportation. He is also a
Green Investment Banks cent, but its retro-active poli-
Board Member of Transport for
in opposition to achieving a are the very embodiment of cy U-turns have left its entire Europe, would allow a Por- that narrative and the results
London, the capital’s transport
prosperous and free society. state capital allocation. Ca- economy all but uninvest- tuguese wind farm to sell its are history. authority, a member of the
In particular, the Right has pacity payments and carbon able. Around the world the electricity to a client in Mos- The time has come to high-level advisory board of
allowed the Left to make all price floors are evidence of energy industry – fossil fuels cow. In Europe, a Portuguese apply this sort of rigour to the UN’s Sustainable Energy
the running on clean energy. failure in the design of mar- as well as clean energy – is power producer can’t even the energy sector. Where is for All initiative and holds a
sell its electricity in France. the Easyjet of clean ener- variety of other directory and
Feed-in tariffs are nothing kets. Don’t get me started on in the grip of a pandemic of
advisory positions in business
less than state price controls. price caps. rent-seeking, subsidy-farm- Meanwhile the EU is trying gy, or the Virgin Atlantic?
and the non-profit sector. @
Renewable energy targets are We have seen the results ing, inefficiency, misalloca- to impose more top-down Where is the Vodafone, the MLiebreich

COLUMN
LET’S OFFER THE LUVVIES

SOME LOVE
by Damian Thompson
FREE PEOPLES • FREE NATIONS • FREE MARKETS

W e take it for grant-
ed that people who
make their living in the per-
ular imagination, “Dickie”
(Lord) Attenborough always
called his colleagues “lovey”;
forming arts are hostile – or that’s when he wasn’t tearful-
at least unsympathetic – to ly grabbing a gong for his un-
conservatism. In modern watchable film Gandhi. Then
British folklore, luvvies are Private Eye started using
Lefties. “luvvie” as a collective noun
In America, however, the for gushing thespians, many
word “luvvie” isn’t familiar of whom – Dickie includ-
The culture wars
– and even in Britain it is es- have not divided ed – had taken to fulminat-
sentially a neologism. Until Britain in the way they ing against the Conservative
the end of the 20th century, have divided America. government.
“lovey” was a camp theatrical The Eye was mocking
term of endearment. As Mar- their emotional inconti-
Damian Thompson
tin Harrison writes in The nence, not their politics. But
is an Associate Editor at The
Language of Theatre, it was Spectator and Editorial director
Right-wing tabloid newspa-
the preserve of “actorly actors, at the Catholic Herald. pers saw an opportunity and
regardless of sex”. In the pop- @holysmoke slapped the label “luvvie” on
52
conservativesinternational.org www.theconservative.online THE CONSERVATIVE | January 2017 | Vol.2 | Issue 2 53
Damian Thompson
COLUMN
anyone in the arts who com- Middle-class luvvies, many stiff-upper-lip Eurofanatics
bined a quietly civilised life- of them now pensioners, of an earlier generation. Can
style with noisily progressive look back in dismay, if not you imagine Ian Gilmour
opinions. This did not go in anger, at the glad con- hugging Ted Heath to con-
down well. fident morning of May 2 gratulate him for an “awe-
Actors, artists and mu- 1997, when Tony Blair won some put-down” on Ques-
sicians who longed to be his landslide majority. They tion Time?
denounced as dangerous have no sentimental attach- Conservative journalists,
subversives by McCarthy- ment to New Labour, and meanwhile, become as thin-
ite Tories were mortified their enthusiasm for the Eu- skinned as “resting” actors
by the suggestion that they ropean Union is an act. They once the commissions dry
were dim “celebs” (another don’t like Leavers but they are up. Here I must plead guilty
unwelcome neologism) who growing tired of applying the though, unlike some of my
matched their fashionable greasepaint of outrage every colleagues, at least I’ve resist-
indignation to their ward- ed the temptation to mimic
robe – or, worse, merely the grotesque antics of the
One result of this is
an exotic variety of pub- that there are now US alt-right.
lic-sector whinger. Offence more luvvies on the The culture wars have
was taken. Theatrical of- Tory benches than on not divided Britain in the
fence, indeed, which made the Labour ones. way they have divided
the goading even more America. We have import-
entertaining. time Brexit is mentioned. ed some liberal fads via
But was it fair? Recent- When their children at uni- social media, but – being
ly I’ve been having qualms versity demand “safe spaces” paradoxically both a more
about luvvie-baiting, for two and denounce “transphobia” homogeneous and a more
reasons. First, lots of people they try not to roll their eyes. complex society – have
in the arts world – includ- The luvvies are tired, spread them around. One PROTECTING THE GLOBAL
ing creative writers and BBC
executives whom the Daily
bless them, and in any case
there is another reason why
result of this is that there
are now more luvvies on ENVIRONMENT STARTS
Mail regards as honorary cit-
izens of luvviedom – don’t fit
Right-wingers should exam-
ine their consciences before
the Tory benches than on
the Labour ones. They don’t
WITH ASSERTING NATIONAL
the stereotype. Perhaps they
once did, but now they are
trashing them. During the
Cameron years, ambitious
include Theresa May, whose
determination not to shrug
SOVEREIGNTY
disorientated by the sectari- Conservative politicians never off her suburban manners
by Jeremy Rabkin
an hijacking of their beloved felt more comfortable than runs deeper than any of her
I
Labour Party. Brexit, too. when they were a ir-kissing at political convictions. Cop- n the modern understand- something that is not clearly It’s true, of course, that
It’s most obvious in private: the Ivy Club. ing with the tantrums and ing, a national constitu- unbounded, something that constitutional states have
sitting around the dinner In the Tory battles over virtue-signalling o f her own tion sets a boundary around might encompass the whole always enacted laws that we
table, they’ll attempt a few the referendum, Leavers backbenchers may, in the government. The environ- planet. Constitutional gov- might now call “environ-
Left-wing pieties and then as well as Remainers in- long run, cause her just as ment – the notion incor- ernment and environmental mental protection” mea-
dry up, as if they’ve forgotten dulged in histrionics that much grief as her negotia- porated in terms like “envi- protection are potentially at sures – for example, to guard
their lines. would have appalled the tions with Europe. • ronmental protection” – is odds. water sources from contam-

Protecting the Global Environment starts with asserting national sovereignty
ination or to guard wildlife ternational regulation. What graphic patterns” (Principle for domestic regulation (as, will have to charge more for tain them and might give
from excessive hunting. But if many countries don’t want 8): put more plainly, reduce in Obama’s plan, to force the its products. Environmental an advantage to producers
we are much more con- to go along with - or don’t standards of living and re- closing of coal-fired power advocates have urged that in countries which don’t. If
cerned about “environmen- embrace - such protective duce population growth. plants) when there is no countries with higher stan- we allow compensating tariff
tal” issues in the past few measures through their own If that’s what “environ- clear authorisation from the dards should be allowed to protection for environmen-
decades. The term itself, as constitutional processes? mental protection” means, a US Congress. impose compensating tariffs tal measures, why not for
an open-ended reference to Some environmental ad- lot of us will resist it. How Meanwhile, Britain will on exports from countries others? Very quickly, we will
overall natural or physical vocates have had quite am- will we decide how far to be negotiating its with- that allow producers to op- have forfeited the main ben-
surroundings, did not come bitious visions. The UN’s go? Environmental advo- drawal from the European erate with less environmen- efit of free trade – allowing
into general use until the 1972 Stockholm Conference cates look for ways to estab- Union. The United King- tal controls. consumers to find cheaper
mid-20th Century. lish global strategies, which dom is now subject to a vast products from places which
Citizens in democratic Citizens in compel individual nations mass of environmental regu- If that’s what can produce more cheap-
countries disagree on the democratic to go along with the kinds of lation required of EU mem- “environmental ly. We will certainly place a
countries disagree protection” means,
relative priorities they would on the relative controls others think appro- ber states by regulations or a lot of us will resist heavy burden on developing
give to protecting air and priorities they priate. That approach will directives of the European it. How will we countries, which can’t afford
water from pollutants or would give to come under a lot of chal- Commission. Can the UK decide how far to all the same range of social
wildlife from various threats, protecting air lenge in the next few years. Parliament repeal or modify go? Environmental regulation as more affluent
and water from advocates look for
comparing limiting with Here are three central exam- this body of environmental countries.
pollutants or ways to establish
costs that burden economic wildlife from various ples of emerging challenges regulation – even after the global strategies, The World Trade Organi-
growth or personal freedom. threats, comparing to global approaches to envi- UK resumes its status as an which compel zation has spent two decades
Different countries have dif- with limiting ronmental consensus. entirely sovereign nation? individual nations resisting such measures, try-
ferent priorities, with less costs that burden President Barack Obama What if the EU demands to go along with ing to defend the principle
economic growth or the kinds of
affluent countries usually personal freedom. favoured global agreements that Britain continue to ad- controls others that trading states can limit
putting more priority on Different countries on reducing carbon emis- here to European environ- think appropriate. imports when they object to
economic growth. have different sions in ways that, advocates mental standards, as con- That approach will characteristics of the project
We might say different priorities, with less hope, may forestall climate dition of full or generous come under a lot of (as unsafe for consumption)
affluent countries challenge in the next
countries should then be left usually putting trends. He did not present access to European markets? few years. but not from objections to
to choose for themselves how more priority on the US commitments in The results of that dis- the way it is produced. If
demanding or ambitious economic growth. a formal treaty, since that cussion are not likely to be Developing countries this principle fails, the way
their environmental regu- would require ratification by limited to Britain. Since the have protested against such seems open for a great mass
lation. But pollutants can on the Human Environment a two-thirds majority in the World Trade Organisation proposals. Just behind en- of protectionist legislation.
drift over borders. And some (the first international con- Senate. Instead, President was established in 1995, vironmental advocates are Here is a proposal for
environmental hazards may ference to focus on the glob- Obama endorsed the De- many environmentalists a line of others demanding moderating the coming con-
affect everyone – as with, it al “environment” – all of it) cember 2015 Paris Accords have protested that its trade protection for what they frontations: let’s return to
is said, the buildup of green- generated a Declaration of on his own authority as pres- rules give unfair advantage say as worthy forms of so- constitutional process. Two
house gases (especially car- Principles to guide future ident. President Trump may to countries that have more cial regulation – minimum related principles could go
bon-dioxide) in the earth’s policy. Among other things, withdraw that endorsement. relaxed environmental stan- wage laws, compulsory far in easing the strains of
atmosphere; gases that trap it urged that states “should Either way, we are likely to dards than other countries. health insurance or safe- the present era. First, insist
heat and encourage a long- reduce and eliminate unsus- see litigation in US courts Industry that has to operate ty regulation, all sorts of that every nation makes its
term warming trend. To deal tainable patterns of produc- over the extent to which this in countries with more de- regulatory measures which own law (or at least, every
with such problems, envi- tion and consumption and sort of international venture manding standards will face increase the cost of produc- nation outside the EU). That
ronmental advocates urge in- promote appropriate demo- can be cited as the ground higher production costs, so tion in countries that main- is the general US practice.

Protecting the Global Environment starts with asserting national sovereignty
Decisions of international own territory should be its to implement international

conferences, even decisions own choice – unless there is “agreements” not endorsed
of international courts, do some widely subscribed inter- by Congress. Less developed
not change US law until national treaty laying down countries should be encour-
Congress or state legisla- relevant standards. That is aged to improve their envi-
tures enact such changes. the current doctrine of the ronmental standards but not
Some courts and commen- WTO’s Appellate Body and bullied by threats of unilat-
tators have concluded that it makes sense. eral trade sanctions from
any other approach would Rich countries might try rich states.
violate the US Constitution, to persuade less developed To pursue environmental
by transferring legislative au- countries to adopt more goals at any price is fanati-
ambitious or effective en- cism. One of the main aims
It would be a very vironmental controls by of- of liberal constitutions is to
bad idea to let states fering technical and finan- encourage compromise and
impose financial cial assistance (as a number consensus. We should not let
penalties on less
of major environmental environmental enthusiasm
developed countries
to coerce them into treaties promise). But it undermine those aims by
higher environmental would be a very bad idea to side-stepping constitutional
standards. Among let states impose financial processes. •
other objections, the penalties on less developed
result may not be
more environmental countries to coerce them
protection but into higher environmental
merely reductions standards. Among other ob-
in trade, resulting jections, the result may not
in slower economic
growth in poor be more environmental pro-
countries tection but merely reduc-
tions in trade, resulting in
thority outside the control slower economic growth in
of the constitutionally desig-
nated organs.
poor countries – and poor
countries tend to be less
PUTTING A PRICE ON NATURAL
A related principle should attentive to environmental Jeremy Rabkin
is Professor of Law at George
CAPITAL IS THE BEST WAY TO
be respected by states in their protection.
trade policy. States should Britain should try to re-
Mason University and was,
for over two decades, a
AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DEBTS
not use trade restrictions to sist an exit agreement with professor in the Department
control the way other states
by Sam Barker
the EU that commits it to of Government at Cornell
produce export goods. States maintain EU environmen- University. Professor Rabkin
T
can, of course, demand that tal regulations which its serves on the Board of
he UK is heading to- brunt of it. It is well under- have only just begun to count.
Directors of the U.S. Institute of
imports satisfy the safety own parliament may wish wards an eye-watering stood, reasonably well quanti- In the UK, it is debt which
Peace, the Board of Academic
standards they think appro- to change – and which don’t Advisers of the American fiscal debt of £1.95 trillion. fied, and has a firm position conservatives have committed
priate to protect their own correspond to any generally Enterprise Institute, and the This is rightly exercising con- in public policy discussions. to calculating and reducing. It
consumers. But how anoth- accepted treaty. The United Board of Directors of the servative politicians and the But there is another debt is the debt we owe to our nat-
er state produces good in its States should not be bound Center for Individual Rights. millennials who will bear the being racked up. This debt we ural environment.

Putting a price on natural capital is the best way to avoid environmental debts
This debt was well un- since 1970, a decline in bio- reckonings. The committee of those assets across land- secure supply chains. The that will continue as we take
derstood by Edmund Burke. diversity matched around the has said: “In principle, we scapes, countries, and even Netherlands has also exper- control of agricultural policy.
We are “temporary posses- world. would like to measure nat- the globe. imented with some natural Some conservatives will
sors and life-renters” of the We should not pretend ural capital stocks and link The UK government is capital approaches. It is also take issue with natural cap-
earth who must not “leave this debt is uncomplicat- them to current and future funding the development of being tested by businesses ital. There will be those who
to those who come after... ed. Where environmental values, as well as features that Natural Capital Account- such as the Coca-Cola Com- feel its pricing is not robust
a ruin instead of a habita- benefits are not traded in indicate their own sustain- ing in Botswana, Colombia, pany, the Dow Chemical enough. There will be those
tion”. Lady Thatcher picked markets, it is hard to value ability [but] there are several Costa Rica, Guatemala, In- Company, Nestlé and Shell. who find the utilitarianism,
this up in her superlative them. However, as with fis- practical difficulties.” donesia, Madagascar, Rwan- Already the thinking has or privileging of humani-
environmental speech to cal accounting, consistent To overcome these dif- da and the Philippines. This prompted the creation of ty, hard to stomach: for ex-
the UN: “The last thing we measurement over time and ficulties, the committee will likely create investment new markets in the UK, for ample, it may value nature
want is to leave environmen- cautious, multilateral consol- will measure across three opportunities for environ- example allowing the water and wildlife accessible to
tal debts for our children to idation can bring increasing- groups, namely: “natural mental philanthropists and utilities to purchase better humans (within reach of a
clear up… No generation ly sound data. capital stocks” (such as spe- for businesses seeking to quality intake water – a trend city) more highly than less
has a freehold on this earth. cies, soils, minerals); “major
All we have is a life tenancy, Where land-use categories” (such
with a full repairing lease.” environmental as woodlands, or enclosed
In the contemporary benefits are not farmland) and “goods/bene-
world, we often forget our traded in markets, it fits” (such as food, clean air,
is hard to value them.
dependence on this natural However, as with amenity). The first two will
environment. Many of us fiscal accounting, likely be reckoned metrical-
are divorced from the soil consistent ly. The committee notes that
and water that provides our measurement over “changes in [the latter] yield
time and cautious,
food, the pollinators, pests multilateral changes in human well-be-
and predators that feed and consolidation can ing that, in turn, can be val-
fertilise. We breathe (reason- bring increasingly ued in monetary terms in
ably) clean air without much sound data. most cases”.
thought to the plants which The idea moves the de-
oxygenate it, and the parks Therefore the UK has bate on from broad sustain-
which filter it. We pay scant pursued Natural Capital Ac- ability in three important
attention to the less tangi- counting. Progress has been ways. First, it brings more
ble benefits of the natural steady. Work began after precise quantification of and
environment: buoying our conservatives entered gov- value to the factors of pro-
spirits, boosting our physical ernment in 2010. A Natural duction (Dieter Helm would
health, bringing us into con- Capital Committee that re- go so far as to say “it forces
tact with others. ports to the Treasury was set us to see the environment as
Yet at the moment, we are up in 2012. The goal is to in- a (or indeed the) key input
spending down this natural corporate UK Natural Capi- into the economy”). Sec- As things stand, we are leaving
environmental debts to our children.
environment. For example, tal into the UK Environmen- ondly, it drives a clear dis- We should be as hawkish about these
the UK’s Priority Species tal Accounts by 2020. tinction between renewable as we are on fiscal debt.
Indicator (covering 213 spe- The accounts will be a mix and non-renewable assets.
cies) has declined 64 per cent of financial and non-financial Thirdly, it allows trade-offs

Putting a price on natural capital is the best way to avoid environmental debts
COLUMN
accessible nature. Still oth- wildlife is under enormous

ers might feel that pricing pressure (in the UK, driven
(for example, the beauty of by crass CAP regulation). In ON MUSIC
a landscape) can never cap- places our soil is degrading,
ture the full value, and will we are overusing aquifers, by Jay Nordlinger
lead to distorted decisions. and we are pushing carbon
It is true that there are other into the atmosphere. On the
solutions, such as better
forms of private ownership
and intergenerational moral
other hand, we have seen how
quickly natural resources, like
fish, can spring back under Sam Barker
I n September, the Ureuk
Symphony Orchestra gave
a concert in New York billed
whole nation follows as one
– step, step, step.”
There was no singing in
is the Director of Conservative
responsibility. However, in the right circumstances, or Environment Network and as a “Peace Korea Concert.” this concert, however. There
the context of the contem- how problems can be solved has a decade of experience The orchestra is the project were North Korean propa-
porary polity, Natural Cap- by technical innovation. Nat- in politics and public policy, of Christopher Joonmoo Lee, ganda songs, but they were
ital carries that high conser- ural capital is a tool which with roles in Parliament, who appears to be involved performed in purely or-
vative value: pragmatism. will accelerate replenishment think tanks and charities, and in both conducting and fi- chestral versions. One song
through local campaigning.
As things stand, we are and innovation, and create nance. He lives in New Jersey praised the entire Kim dy-
Most recently he has been
leaving environmental debts new markets. We will choose working on environmental but is “a frequent visitor to Music without nasty; another called for the
to our children. We should whether it will condemn us opportunities in developing Pyongyang”. words cannot unification of the Korean
be as hawkish about these for our debts, or praise us for countries. He lives in I have quoted a report really mean anything, Peninsula under Pyongyang.
as we are on fiscal debt. Our our responsibility. • Cambridge with his family. in the Wall Street Journal by no matter how hard How much did the play-
composers try.
Jonathan Cheng and Timo- ers themselves know? Some
thy W Martin. They further portion of them were just lo-
report that Maestro Lee is Jay Nordlinger cals, working. The Wall Street
a supporter of North Ko- is a senior editor of National Journal reporters questioned a
rea’s nuclear programme. He Review and the music critic of cellist. He said, “I wasn’t sure
makes this clear on his Face- The New Criterion. He is the what all the music meant. It
book page and in blog posts. author of a history of Peace, just seemed kind of milita-
They Say: A History of the Nobel
The “peace” concert was ristic.” A violinist confessed
Peace Prize (Encounter Books).
timed to coincide with the His latest book is a study of the that she knew, but pleaded
opening of the United Na- sons and daughters of dictators: that she was just doing a job
tions’ General Assembly. Children of Monsters (also and that “the art on its own
North Korea’s foreign min- Encounter). He lives in New does not hurt anyone.”
ister, Ri Yong Ho, attended York. @JayNordlinger Oh? That is a very inter-
the concert, with an en- esting subject. As the report-
tourage. The next day, he ers noted, “musical perfor-
gave a spectacularly bellig- tra Music”. This music in- mances in Manhattan, enemy
erent speech in the General cluded Footsteps, which turns territory, are particularly
Assembly. out to be a paean to the cur- prized pieces of propaganda
At the concert, the au- rent North Korean dictator, back home.” Yes, indeed. The
dience heard Brahms and Kim Jong Un. The lyrics hail Ureuk orchestra performs
Rachmaninoff – and then a “the footsteps of our Gen- regularly in New York, and
sampling of “Korean Orches- eral Kim” and declare: “The its concerts are celebrated by

Jay Nordlinger
COLUMN
Jingduan, remarked on the good”. What’s more, “we are

effect of My Motherland in all brothers – black, white,
the White House. He told yellow, blue”.
the Epoch Times, “In the eyes Music without words can-
of all Chinese, this will not not really mean anything, no
be seen as anything other matter how hard composers
than a big insult to the US. try. They can cheat, by quot-
It’s like insulting you to your ing Happy Birthday, for ex-
face and you don’t know it. ample, or a national anthem.
It’s humiliating.” (Think of Tchaikovsky in the
We do not always know 1812 Overture.) But notes
what we’re hearing, do we? I without words can strike lis-
think back to the mid-1980s, teners all sorts of ways, in-
when the United States had tended or unintended.
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies,
We do not always the late British composer,
know what we’re
hearing, do we? I wrote a string quartet about
think back to the the Iraq War. I should real-
mid-1980s, when the ly put “about” in quotation
United States had marks. Sir Peter meant to de-
hostages in Lebanon.
Muhammad Ali, the pict and denounce that war.
boxing hero, went But unless you are clued in
to try to negotiate – by reading a programme
their release. He was note, for example – you are
greeted at a mosque simply listening to a string
by a chanting mob.
He pumped his fist quartet. (And a good one.)
along with them. I myself would not sit
still for North Korean pro-
North Korean state media as tion. As such, he is pledged The song is My Moth- House. He told an interview- hostages in Lebanon. Mu- paganda, if I knew what I
great national victories. to uphold and instil “Marx- erland, from the Chinese er, “I thought to play My hammad Ali, the boxing was listening to. What the
In 2011, there was anism-Leninism, Mao Zedong movie The Battle of Triangle Motherland because I think hero, went to try to negotiate Kim dictators have done to
other concert, this one at Thought, Deng Xiaoping Hill. Chances are, you don’t playing the tune at the White their release. He was greeted people under their control is
the White House. Actual- Theory, and Jiang Zemin’s know this song, or the movie, House banquet can help us, as at a mosque by a chanting evil beyond utterance. But
ly, it was a state dinner, in ‘Three Represents’ ”. but Chinese people do. The Chinese people, feel extreme- mob. He pumped his fist I have listened to Footsteps
honor of Hu Jintao, who Lang Lang played a song movie is a propaganda flick ly proud of ourselves and ex- along with them. on YouTube, played by the
was then the boss of the without words (to borrow a about the Korean War. The press our feelings through the It transpired that they mighty Ureuk forces. Kind
Chinese Communist Party. phrase from Mendelssohn). song refers to Americans as song.” Hu Jintao was moved. were chanting “Death to of catchy, actually. It would
Entertainment was provided What I should say is, Lang “wolves” or “jackals,” and de- Normally a man of distinct re- America”, “Death to Rea- serve as the soundtrack for a
by Lang Lang, the Chinese Lang played a song that has clares that China will use its serve, he embraced Lang Lang gan”. Ali explained that, not cheap war movie, set some-
pianist. He is a Party offi- words, but he played a purely weapons to deal with them. that night, emotionally. being an Arabic speaker, where in the vague East. My
cial, too: a vice-chairman of pianistic version of it. There It was Lang Lang’s choice A Chinese psychiatrist he had no idea what they Motherland may have com-
the All China Youth Federa- was no singing along. to play this song at the White living in Philadelphia, Yang were saying. He simply “felt petition. •

There remains a
Swiss law that you
must not serve
salmon to your
servants more than
three times a week.
week. The same law used to

exist for workers in London
near the River Thames.
The problems underlying
wild salmon management
are manifold. There are nat-
ural fluctuations (due to
weather, temperature, rain-
fall etc); threats to the mari-
time life-cycle as well as the
freshwater, a huge range of
legitimate exploiter groups,
an over-abundance of some
natural predators, and gues-
timates as opposed to exact
data resulting in poor sci-
ence and excuses and, finally,
the issue of private vs public
WE NEED THE PRIVATE SECTOR ownership.
Despite efforts to bring
TO SAVE SALMON, THE WORLD’S about an international body
MOST PRECIOUS FISH Salmon River in Northern Spain; Photo credit: Miguel Aguilar Juan to protect the stock, in-
ter-governmental agencies
have failed to give the salmon
by Orri Vigfússon
consequences of in-shore netted out and spread on the the safeguards it must have
salmon farming. fields as a fertiliser. Until the to complete its full life-cycle.
I n 1789 Thomas Jefferson

wrote to James Madison
arguing that a federal bond
the land would effectively be-
long to the dead and not to
the living.
to the International Council
for the Exploration of the
Sea (ICES) salmon catches in
The Atlantic salmon was
once to be found in abun-
dance from the Iberian Pen-
French Revolution salmon
still ran French rivers in great
numbers. The Rhine, West-
This international discrimi-
natory body, the North At-
lantic Salmon Conservation
should be repaid within one The context of the salm- EU countries have declined insula to the Arctic and from ern Europe´s most import- Organisation (NASCO),
generation, because if a bor- on’s problems may be dif- by more than 90 per cent, North America to Northern ant waterway, used to be the set up in 1982, was biased
rower were allowed indefinite ferent but Jefferson’s logic partly for unknown reasons Russia. There are ancient re- most prolific salmon river in towards biological research
time to repay a loan he could, is compelling. No nation but mostly from very obvious cords in Devon, England, the world, and there remains instead of dealing with the
during his own lifetime, use should be allowed to squan- causes: overfishing, damming stating that salmon parr and a Swiss law that you must main problems. It sets quo-
up the products of the land der what remains of such a of rivers, pollution and habi- smolts in the River Axe were not serve salmon to your ser- tas for the Arctic nations
for future generations so that precious resource. According tat damage and the negative so numerous that they were vants more than three times a (Greenland and Faroes) but

We need the private sector to save salmon, the world’s most precious fish
no limits within the fisheries Various theories of sus- agers and throughout its life severe damage caused by an safe and sustainable salmon threats to the salmon’s long-
jurisdictions of EU countries, tainability were introduced it has to travel from warmer explosion in fish lice and farming industry. term prospects.
Norway or Canada. but the North Atlantic Salm- climates to the Arctic regions. threats of disease and pol- Humans play a vital role Immediate conserva-
A genuine international on Fund (NASF) led a cru- So for a species operating at lution. The most severe real in the future of the salmon. If tion strategies must now be
treaty should provide equal sade based on a philosophy the limit of its range the danger is the large-scale es- we insist on logging practices, prioritised in favour of the
rights and responsibilities for of restoring abundance. It em- salmon has to adapt to many capes of farmed fish and the more dams and the removal salmon rather than reliance
all its signatory nations. Salm- phasised the glaring errors of natural variants. Like other genetic pollution caused to of habitat in the interest of on further research. All the
on research needs to be fo- neglect that were threatening creatures, it is well adapted to wild salmon. Already this human ambitions, the future scientific observations made
cused on the wellbeing of the the marine phase of the salm- harsh and variable conditions has caused damage in Nor- for the salmon looks bleak. on salmon during the 20th
resource and all research must on’s life cycle and promoted even in the Arctic where there way for up to two thirds of Very considerable conserva- century have not prevented
be complemented by power- restoration programmes that is a marginal zone for a num- all their salmon rivers. The tion efforts are already need- the decline. Common sense
ful conservation measures and protected the fish, particular- ber of its inhabitants. In their current infrastructure of fish ed to repair the damage done and practical action are still
practical management in riv- ly while it was at sea. Atlantic home rivers, too, salmon can cages should be replaced by industrial development, the missing factors in salmon
ers, estuaries and at sea. salmon stocks worldwide are survive turbulent changes in with improved technology to agriculture and forestry. The management.
Nations could never agree dwindling dangerously. Time precipitation and tempera- help farmers, a combination reduction of genetic diversity Conservation efforts must
on measures that would pro- is running out. ture. They also survive sand of closed containment and and the introduction of for- also be cost-effective and in-
tect the salmon on their mi- siltation, volcanic eruptions land-based farms to ensure a eign species are other serious volve cooperative and collab-
gration routes. They allowed All the scientific and droughts.
mixed-stock fisheries to con- observations made But the one thing salm-
on salmon during the
tinue and to take huge num- 20th century have on cannot survive is a
bers of fish with no means of not prevented the mixed-stock fishery or any
telling from which river sys- decline. Common other type of uncontrolled
tems the fish came or whether sense and practical human exploitation. Salm-
action are still the
they were catching fish from missing factors in on also need an abundant
a healthy stock or killing the salmon management. food supply and if their food
last survivors from a river in continues to be removed by
desperate decline. The imperative now is to industrial fisheries, salmon
Then private sector in- stop the wholescale killing stocks will continue to re-
terests on both sides of the of fish where we can, and do main low, no matter how
Atlantic began to realise that this in an economic and fair much we spend on in-river
if the salmon was to be saved fashion that finds alternative projects and improving the
it was up to them to make employment and long-term young salmon’s environ-
the running. They promot- rewards for commercial fish- ment. The adverse effects
ed management plans that eries that can no longer har- of the pelagic fisheries need
covered the whole life cycle vest the stock sustainably. to be thoroughly investigat-
from egg-laying, through the Theoretical studies may be ed and, in the multi-species
in-river phase, to the months useful one day, but they will management context, their
and years during which the not stop the decline until it is role needs to be reappraised.
young fish grow to adult- too late. Practicalities are the In areas where salmon
hood on the high seas feeding only priority now. farming takes place there is
grounds and finally return The wild Atlantic salmon clear evidence of wild At-
back home to spawn. is one of the world’s great voy- lantic salmon suffering from Gave de Oloron salmon river in France

We need the private sector to save salmon, the world’s most precious fish
orative measures that bring pensated through voluntary rural communities through- through the United Nations a reality. Here is our plan for containment or land-
together various local, region- negotiations. out the North Atlantic range. Convention on the Law of sustainable, economic and based fish farms.
al and international interests The NASF believes that The international salmon the Sea. environmental success:
in protecting whole ecosys- there is no sound scientific fraternity contains many the- Many of the salmon stocks What European poli- • Build a growth strategy.
tems, both in concept and in way of “measuring” what is orists and churns out many that originate in the rivers ticians must do now is the • Establish a joint action
practice. This includes man- acceptable in terms of com- manifestos. However, NASF of Europe are inherently following: plan with the private
agement of natural predators mercial netting and that, bear- bases its efforts on making multi-national resources be- sector (politicians cannot
such as cormorants and the ev- cause they cross international • End mixed-stock salmon
ing in mind the significant market forces work for the do it alone).
er-growing population of seals. boundaries during their oce- fisheries as a priority,
economic importance of an- salmon’s environment in-
Maintaining genetic di- anic migrations. Over 95 per implementing the estab- • Consider a new for-
stead of against it. By care-
versity among and within cent of the biomass of Euro- lished scientific advice. ward-thinking interna-
fully calculating the costs and
Iceland is perhaps the
salmon populations is of the only country where putting a price tag on the re- pean salmon is produced in • Atlantic Salmon man- tional convention for
utmost importance, particu- salmon stocks remain medial efforts required, a re- mainly Arctic waters outside agement needs leader- Atlantic salmon.
larly as fisheries’ exploitation healthy. The rights covery will slowly take place. Europe. Many countries are ship. Support conser-
has contributed to the loss to salmon fishing One of the salmon’s great- thus both host countries and Mostly what is needed is
have been privately vation efforts outside
of some populations and the est problems is the lack of countries of origin. Article NASCO, ie; engage in coordinated action before it
owned since the
alteration of others. Some ex- land was first settled an integrated international 66(1) of the United Nations collaborative conserva- is too late. Now. •
amples of the effects of cur- during the Viking approach to its conserva- Convention on the Law of tion activities with local
rent fishing practices are the age. The private tion. The key salmon nations the Sea (UNCLOS) directs
sector has always interests that lead to
lowering of the sea-age and played a leading role around the Atlantic (Green- that “state(s) in whose rivers innovative management
the altering of the run-tim- in its protection and land, The Faroe Islands, Ice- anadromous stocks originate practices.
ing of spawning populations governance in order land, Russia and Norway) shall have the primary in-
such that there are fewer large to secure future agree that the European terest in and responsibility • Lobby for the UNCLOS
multi-sea-winter salmon and abundance. for such stocks”. This con- to be implemented be-
Union has no jurisdiction
proportionately fewer ear- over salmon that mainly fol- fers on individual member tween each EU country.
ly-returning or spring-run gling and its current decline, low migration routes that countries, such as Germany, Iceland is perhaps the
salmon. Spawning popula- all forms of netting of wild take them into coastal wa- France and Spain, substantial only country where salm-
tions have been reduced to migratory fish should be ter- ters. Furthermore, these na- rights in determining mea- on stocks remain healthy.
Orri Vigfússon
levels lower even than those minated or suspended for the tions, having had sad expe- sures – such as total allowable The rights to salmon fish-
is the founder of the North
required for conservation. foreseeable future. Angling is rience of the EU’s handling catches (TACs) – to protect ing have been privately Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF),
The UK Government re- not a problem. Anglers safely of fisheries issues in general, their stocks while they are owned since the land was a global coalition of voluntary
cently introduced an ambi- return the vast majority of the have no intention of ever migrating in the coastal wa- first settled during the conservation groups whose
Viking age. The private agreements cover 85 per cent
tious 5-point Environment salmon they catch. giving this power to the EU ters of Ireland, Norway and
sector has always played of Atlantic Salmon habitats.
Agency plan to restore salm- The NASF coalition Commission. the UK. For his efforts he has won
on in England. It sets out therefore demands a redirec- This means that the selec- Up to now, nation states a leading role in its pro-
the Goldman Environmental
very well-meaning actions tion of the salmon resource tion of management option have chosen for political rea- tection and governance Prize, Knight Orders from the
but it will fail unless mixed- that would take it away is a matter of choice for in- sons to ignore the provisions in order to secure future Queen of Denmark and the
stock netting is ended along from commercial fishing and dividual countries and the of the convention. However, abundance. Government of France, and
The Icelandic Falcon. Orri sees
the entire east coast of the allow the recreational fishery only way conservationists NASF argues that, for the
• Make financial induce- his belief in ‘green capitalism’
country. NASF has suggest- to re-establish itself, which can tackle the variety of in- future of the salmon, both
ments to encourage fish as the only way that abundant
ed that the cessation of net- would create a great many different or selfish attitudes the spirit and the letter of the and profitable fisheries can be
farmers to adopt closed
ting must be properly com- new and rewarding jobs in of some of these nations is convention should be made maintained in the future.

We need a new vision on energy,
mostly electric, no longer based on
purely national and protectionist
policy but based on an open,
market-based model. This should
give our energy system the
makeover it has needed for more
than a decade.
WHY A TRUE EUROPEAN

ENERGY MARKET IS THE
ONLY WAY FORWARD
by Anneleen Van Bossuyt
on an open, market-based sion in November of last year in the North Sea. Still, the
model. This should give our is a first step in this direction. chances are limited that we
E nergy systems in the Eu-

ropean Union are large-
ly based on central and stable
gets agreed by member states
at EU level in order to boost
energy security, reduce emis-
We need to move
away from over-
regulation in
energy system the makeover
it has needed for more than
a decade.
The goals for renewable ener-
gy are no longer fixed at a na-
tional level, but are binding
will reach our 2020 goal,
despite all the investments.
While there will still be a
energy markets We need to move away at EU level. This is the only need to construct and invest
energy production, using in- sions and to remain at the by governments
frastructure that was built de- forefront of the “green revo- and end the from over-regulation in en- way we can realise a true Eu- in renewable energy in every
cades ago. Across the EU its lution” across the economy. dominance of ergy markets by governments ropean single market for en- member state, I believe it
member states are struggling Ageing infrastructure, these markets and end the dominance of ergy. This will assure that the would be far more efficient
by former state- these markets by former most efficient investments to invest in places where
to adapt to the changing en- changing public opinion and
run operators.
ergy landscape. The elector- a push for renewable ener- To do this we will state-run operators. To do will be made. there is room and where it
ate in some member states gy should lead policymakers need to design this we will need to design Due to national goals for makes sense from an eco-
such as Germany and Bel- to make bold decisions. We the framework in the framework in which the renewable energy for 2020, nomic perspective. The EU
gium no longer widely sup- need a new vision on ener- which the market market will operate to avoid my region, Flanders, invest- can set the goals, but let the
will operate to failure and abuses. The ener-
port nuclear power. Another gy, mostly electric, no longer ed and gave grants for PV market take care of where
avoid failure and
game changer is the rush for based on purely national and abuses. gy winter package published panels. We also constructed the infrastructure should be
renewable energy, with tar- protectionist policy but based by the European Commis- very expensive wind parks built.

Why a true European energy market is the only way forward
COLUMN
A condition to make this cent of the population lives Too much regulation
EU energy market happen
is boosting connections be-
in an urbanised setting, it is
obvious that not everyone
about prosumers could po-
tentially harm the rights of
ON WINE
tween the member states – or will be a prosumer. People normal consumers. There- by Iain Martin
it will be as impossible as it living in apartment buildings fore, here as well, the poli-
would be for the single mar- or tenants are often not able cymakers have to set a light
ket in goods and services to
function without roads be-
to produce energy. framework and let all other
issues be settled by the mar- W inston Churchill’s
drinking habits have
been catalogued, debated and
by marching up and down the
ancestral hall of Chequers, the
PM’s weekend retreat, clutch-
tween member states. And If we want a future- ket, with national regulators
here we see that, as with ser- proof energy system having sufficient oversight to disputed down the decades, ing a rifle fixed with a bayo-
vices, some member states we will need big ensure the smooth function- all the while delighting those net. All for the amusement
investments, not of us who are conservatives of his guests after dinner. Al-
prefer to protect their own just in generation ing of these markets.
energy market. If we want a future-proof and of the opinion that to anbrooke recalled wondering
but in the grid and
France is a well-known ex- in households. We energy system we will need drink, most of the time sen- what Hitler – a poor advert
ample of a bottleneck. Spain should not let EU big investments, not just sibly, is to live. Or, as the phi- for teetotalism – would have
policymakers make losopher Roger Scruton put made of the scene.
has a surplus on sunny days all the choices. They in generation but in the
of renewable solar energy. grid and in households. We it: “I Drink Therefore I Am.” Did Churchill We do know Churchill
should create a level
Because of the limited inter- playing field where should not let EU policy- Did Churchill really really drink quite did not care for red wine. Red
private companies, drink quite as much as is re- as much as is reputed? Bordeaux – or claret as the
connection between France makers make all the choices. It seems unlikely, unless
and Spain, up to 20 per cent prosumers and puted? It seems unlikely, un- British call it, from a Scottish
They should create a level he went through the
consumers can less he went through the Sec- derivation – held no appeal,
of this energy goes to waste. create an efficient playing field where private Second World War
France has a vast and consis- companies, prosumers and ond World War permanently permanently pissed, in which seems like a rare taste
and incentive-driven
market. pissed, in the British sense of the British sense of that failure on Churchill’s part.
tent supply of nuclear energy consumers can create an ef- vulgar word.
which is harder to combine ficient and incentive-driven that vulgar word. Strong spir- Champagne was a differ-
with the fluctuations of re- In the European Parlia- market. • its may have been watered ent matter, and he did have a
newable energy. But if we ment some are convinced down on the quiet, progres- special link with one Cham-
Iain Martin
want Finnish hydropower that big energy companies sively weakening what was is a commentator on politics
pagne house. Pol Roger sent
to be combined with Spain’s are a thing of the past, and in the tumbler while making and finance. His latest book him a case each year, and
solar power, we will need a that every European will be it appear as though the great Crash Bang Wallop: the inside Churchill, who was always
super grid with intercon- a small EDF or Engie. Of man were guzzling gallons of story of London’s Big Bang amenable to free drink, talk-
the stuff. and a financial revolution that ed it up. And no wonder. Pol
nections. Just as with roads course this will not be the changed the world is published
between member states, an case. But we need to ensure a There were certainly mo- Roger is one of the delights of
by Sceptre. He is based in
intervention by (EU) policy- more market-based approach ments of inebriation. His London. @iainmartin1
Western civilisation.
makers could be advisable for in our households. Market wartime CIGS (Chief of the A couple of years ago I
the extra push. incentives and competition Imperial General Staff), Field had cause to revisit Épernay,
In European Parliament between providers will lead Marshall Lord Alanbrooke, home to Pol Roger, where
Anneleen Van Bossuyt
prosumers is the new “it consumers to making more is a Member of the European
recounted quite a few such Patrice Noyelle hosted a se-
word”, suggesting that ev- informed choices about the Parliament. Her work episodes in his diaries. In one ries of small lunch parties to
eryone should produce his or energy they use. Therefore, focuses on better regulation, of the most amusing inci- mark his retirement. A dif-
her own (renewable) energy the energy cost of consumers
entrepreneurship, the digital dents, with Churchill dressed ferent vintage was poured for
internal market, innovation in a light blue “romper suit”, every course.
and put it on the grid. In the will have to be based on re- and energy.
EU, where more than 75 per al-time energy pricing. the Prime Minister decided to As the boss, Patrice had
@anneleen_vb
demonstrate his “drill” skills steered the place through a

Iain Martin
sympathetic process of gentle

modernisation and marked
commercial improvement.
As Tancredi Falconeri says
in The Leopard, by Giuseppe
Tomasi di Lampedusa: “If
we want things to stay as
they are, things will have
to change.” At Pol Roger,
Patrice’s vital work is contin-
ued by his successors.
At the end of the retire-
ment lunch that day our host
produced a bottle of claret on
the condition that we blind-
taste it and try to guess the
year. “Is it pre-War?” asked
my friend the famous wine
critic. “Ah, yes it is,” said
Patrice. “The question is,
which war?”
It turned out to be Cha-
teau Malescot-St-Exupery, a
Margaux, from 1873. Wine
that old should have turned
MARKET INSTITUTIONS NEVER
to vinegar, but it was nothing
of the sort. To our astonish-
EVOLVED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT;
ment, after 140 years it was AND THAT’S WHY IT CAN’T BE
still beautifully balanced
and perfectly drinkable. The
PROPERLY PROTECTED
founder of Pol Roger had by Fred Smith and Iain Murray
bought a large quantity in
the 1870s and laid it down.
Looked after carefully, not
shaken about or disturbed
unnecessarily, it evolved and
A s Joseph Schumpet-
er noted, free markets
had a good first century (the
and the prerequisite institu-
tions for markets to exist
(specifically property rights)
ists in Europe championed
political control of markets
and, perhaps more strategi-
endured. It retained its es- 1750s to 1850s). A market came under attack. cally, blocked efforts to allow
sential characteristics, giving economy produced massive Markets were good at markets to expand into new
pleasure to later generations. improvements in the quali- producing wealth but, if areas of concern.
If only we nurtured political ty of life, and that gained it tweaked by political inter- Those policies are now
institutions and good gov- general legitimacy. But, as vention, would achieve even being reconsidered, but the
ernment according to the he also warned, as wealth in- more benefits. Progressives in one area where many, per-
same principle. • creased, increasingly markets the United States and social- haps most, still believe only

Market institutions never evolved for the environment; and that’s why it can’t be properly protected
government can operate is arrangements for resolving stressed by the different chal- the failure to recognise the ues moved into prominence? their property”. But such low
that of environmental pro- them have been denied. lenges arising from the In- efforts of radio pioneers to Why were markets blocked levels of pollution, especial-
tection. This essay argues Ludwig Von Mises sum- dustrial Revolution. homestake the electromag- from playing a creative role ly in small cultural enclaves,
that classical liberals should marised this position: As the Nobel Laureate netic spectrum. in nurturing and advancing could readily be handled:
challenge this view and seek Ronald Coase notes, as the Institutional evolution- economic values as they had community pressures could
to evolve a free market envi- Industrial Revolution de- ary history has received too long done in more traditional encourage charcoal oper-
ronmental programme based It is true that where a veloped and environmental little attention because for economic areas? Why are en- ations to relocate to more
on the expansion of proper- considerable part of the concerns (sparks from early much of history it had hap- vironmental resources rarely remote woodlands. Home-
ty rights and associated legal costs incurred are external rail locomotives, river dampened incrementally, slowly available as ownable private owners could be shamed into
protections. There are indeed costs from the point of view age from early industrial and largely out of view. Some property? building clay-lined privies.
environmental concerns, but of the acting individuals or processes, the need to locate newly discovered resource or Although the history of But with the dawn of
these reflect failures to allow firms, the economic calcu- and develop oil resources), some emerging value raised early environmental concerns the Industrial Revolution, the
markets and their prerequi- lation established by them institutions did develop. interest in providing or ob- has received little attention, quantity and nature of mate-
site institutions to evolve, is manifestly defective and Nuisance law was applied taining that resource, but Coase among others has ex- rials processed and the quan-
rather than “market failures”. their results deceptive. But to pollution and subsurface interested parties found the amined how environmental tity of residuals increased.
Economic liberals have this is not the outcome of property rights were estab- transaction costs of achiev- The power of communities
long understood that free alleged deficiencies inherent lished. But then that process ing such exchanges excessive. Why were markets to address external and large
markets evolve and are dy- in the system of private was stopped in its tracks. But, viewing the potential blocked from playing enterprises weakened; more-
namic, and the appropri- ownership of the means Legislatures eager to of reaching a mutually ben- a creative role over such enterprises brought
in nurturing and
ate price/demand terms for of production. It is on the promote economic growth eficial wealth-enhancing benefits as well as nuisances.
advancing economic
today will continually vary as contrary a consequence of granted railroads and many agreement, the potential values as they had Yet weak property rights
consumer tastes and produc- loopholes left in the system. industrial plants pollution buyers and sellers as well as long done in more and a liability system deal-
er technologies evolve. But It could be removed by a privileges. Subsurface prop- those brokering such trans- traditional economic ing with water and air did
classical liberals also under- reform of the laws concern- erty rights in oil pools and actions, would seek ways to areas? Why are exist, building blocks for a
environmental
stand (although they devote ing liability for damages reserves did evolve, but they lower these costs – via insti- resources rarely more robust market in these
less attention to) the fact that inflicted and by rescinding were not extended to aqui- tutional and/or technological available as ownable areas. And efforts were made
markets don’t operate in a the institutional barriers fers, groundwater, and other innovations. private property? to adapt them to these new
vacuum, but rather are em- preventing the full opera- liquid underground resourc- The more successful of challenges. Coase notes that
bedded within a necessary in- tion of private ownership. es. And most mainstream these innovations would be concerns were addressed at farmers filed suits against
stitutional framework. That environmental resources, integrated into the estab- the dawn of the Industrial railroads when the sparks
framework entails a system such as wildlife, springs and lished institutional frame- Revolution. Early forms of from these first-generation
of extensive private property, Policy makers have failed brooks, airsheds and bays, work. In effect, over time this pollution – primitive char- locomotives set fire to their
a rule of law outlining how to recognise the relevance of remained as unprotected would civilize these novel coal production that pro- crops. Fishing clubs moved
contracts and liability issues such institutions and that commons. Normal market frontier exchanges, extending duced noxious smoke, say, or to enjoin corporate dispos-
are to be resolved and, final- time may be required for processes were blocked from the market so that it could sewerage that dirtied water al practices that harmed the
ly, a culture that recognizes them to evolve. This neglect addressing these emerg- make “sweet” commerce – would likely irritate down- fishing in areas where they
that voluntary exchange can stems in part from the fact ing areas of social concern. available there also. The wind or downstream parties. held rights. And these early
increase wealth. Environ- that these requisite institu- Thus, overuse and pollution growth of the institutions of Communal norms would “free market environmental
mental issues arise in a situ- tions had evolved, in many – not addressed at the mar- liberty would permit the ex- discipline to some degree actions” had impact – firms
ation where one or more of areas, long before the In- gin – were neglected until pansion of the market. such “pollution activities” as did respond and, it appeared,
these requisite institutions dustrial Revolution. Those they grew to critical levels. A Why didn’t this process they threatened the commu- that the Industrial Revolu-
don’t exist, where voluntary established institutions were similar problem occurred in occur as environmental val- nities’ “proper enjoyment of tion would consider all val-

ues (addressing the challenge institution to disperse power, lowing them to become man- eral rights. Yet aquifers (the happen everywhere and per- resource (clarifying the right
posed by Mises). encourage a variety of experi- aged by the market, stopped most abundant source of po- sistently. Thus, some individ- of owners to prevent this new
But, while there were ments, allow diversity in use, totally in the late 19th Centu- table water) remain common uals will be affected initially form of trespass), legitimis-
some concerned about en- Progressives viewed resources ry. No resource that was not property resources, lacking and will seek redress while ing new contract instruments
vironmental values (initially as better protected by politics in private hands in 1890 is the institutional benefits of the impacts are still small. that would permit the par-
mostly those enjoying those – vast tracts of America have today. ownership. Coase finds that the com- ties to agree to a risk-shar-
resources or harmed by a been transferred to the feder- The shift was sometimes To reiterate: free market mon law was often receptive ing arrangement (the plant
firm’s negligence) many, es- al government over the last abrupt. The electromagnet- environmentalism argues that to such requests, leading agrees to hold its effluents
pecially socialists in Europe century. Moreover, the pro- ic spectrum which became current environmental policy firms to reduce the nuisance: below some harmful level
and progressives in America, a valuable resource at the took an unfortunate path. and agrees to compensate
championed “Progress” – a The process by turn of that century was Rather than realising that Classical liberals the property owner if those
policy of “Excuse our Dust which newly valued initially being homesteaded the more worrisome forms would expect a protections fail), cultural
but Grow We Must!” resources slowly with rules to separate one of external impacts happened period of confusion change (recognising that air
gained the status and adaptation as the
Politicians in England re- of private property, bandwidth user from anoth- incrementally, that we should parties encountering and water transgressions –
sponded by granting licens- allowing them to er. Then Congress created encourage a vast array of ex- such-extra market transferring one’s residuals
es to pollute to industries become managed by the precursor of the Federal periments about how best to costs and benefits on to the properties of others
and firms seen as especially the market, stopped Communication Commis- reconcile (indeed integrate) evolved means of without their permission – is
totally in the late 19th integrating those
important to such growth. Century. No resource sion to own and manage this environmental concerns with costs and benefits a trespass, a “pollution”).
Rather than integrating envi- that was not in valuable resource. Subsur- economic ones, the “market into the market Since environmental is-
ronmental resources into the private hands in 1890 face resources such as min- failure” model presumes that structure. sues will happen in many
market economy, they were is today. erals, oil and water all gained all environmental issues are areas over time, classical lib-
locked out. protection in America in the inherently political. relocation, changing time of erals would expect the dis-
And, perhaps more im- cess by which newly valued 19th Century by the innova- Such environmental operations, acquiring buffer covery process to provide a
portantly, the concept of resources slowly gained the tion and legitimisation of the events happen somewhere zones or even negotiating number of competing envi-
private property as a valuable status of private property, al- concept of subsurface min- and at some time before they with the harmed party to per- ronmental response strategies
mit future emissions. Firms and for those which proved
and impacted parties might most effective to gain dom-
well innovate – impacted inance in the courts and in
parties “fencing” themselves practice. Moreover, given the
off from the nuisance, firms dispersed nature of these ini-
adding settling and treatment tial events, we would expect
ponds, and so forth. the initial respondents to be
In brief, classical liberals those most adversely affect or
would expect a period of con- those most sensitive to nui-
fusion and adaptation as the sances, or those who value
parties encountering such-ex- aesthetic more (modern envi-
tra market costs and benefits ronmentalists). If the culture
evolved means of integrating viewed polluting activities as
those costs and benefits into “necessary”, such individuals
the market structure. These might well use their own re-
would include extending sources within the restricted
property rights to the new institutional framework to

protect those environmental move all traces of it, and keep erty and its habitat. More- Green experiments and inno- landowner to protect it when manifestation of differing
resources they valued. quiet about it. Can there be a over, the landowner could vation just as has long hap- the landowner is theoretically priorities between people that
Moreover, since those better way? realise that value by selling pened in conventional areas. banned from doing anything could be resolved by market
early events would affect rela- Classical liberal econom- his property right to some- Every party would benefit to harm it or its habitat? They transactions if the transaction
tively few people there would ics suggests that the answer is one else, thereby allowing the from such a market arrange- get far more “bang per buck” costs are low enough.
be less urgency to solve such yes. The reason why the land- landowner to “cash in” his ment. The landowner would from funding environmental Coase therefore did not
problems immediately, polit- owner disposes of the endan- ownership stake. get a continuing income groups that lobby for more support government inter-
ically. Over time, as the legal gered species is not simply The new owner might from land that would oth- bans, caps, and mandates. vention (at least, not initially
rules and property rights because the species imposes a then pay the landowner to erwise have been worthless, Regulation evolved this or permanently) but rath-
evolved, the nuisance would cost, but also because the spe- maintain the habitat, thereby the new owner would get a way because the economists er argued that the potential
integrate into the standard cies has no economic value to providing an income stream property right in something of the progressive era viewed wealth-creating opportunity
market framework. him. If we can find a way of associated with the species. he regards as valuable, and environmental degradation would engage entrepreneurs
There is much to say providing value to the land- Moreover, ownership in the endangered animal gets as a social cost. Landowners, to devise ways of reducing
about this process but an wildlife – like ownership in a chance to live in a main- such transaction costs, to re-
illustrative example can be The landowner commercial and pet species tained habitat. Such a market Why should alise that wealth. The possi-
drawn by concern over en- would get a – encourages the developing arrangement of winners is people who value bility of transactions creating
continuing income the spotted owl
dangered species (and more from land that would of a wide array of supporting clearly preferable to the cur- value for both parties would
send money to
broadly biodiversity). Efforts otherwise have been institutions: pet stores, vet- rent regulatory arrangement, a landowner to create the “inventive-incen-
to protect such species polit- worthless, the new erinary science, licences, and which produces losers. protect it when tive” necessary for creating a
ically – making such species owner would get pet adoption agencies. Even a market arrange- the landowner is framework for these transac-
a property right in theoretically banned
a ward of the state – have something he regards To initiate this process ment short of outright own- tions to happen.
from doing anything
not fared well. Too often the as valuable, and the one might leave in place the ership would be better. For to harm it or its In particular, proper insti-
reaction of property own- endangered animal current government own- instance, crowdfunding habitat? They get tutions can lower transaction
ers faced with laws banning gets a chance to ership of wildlife but create could be used to compensate far more “bang per costs. For example, the rule of
them from encroaching (on live in a maintained a process that would allow buck” from funding
the landowner for his fore- law makes transactions more
habitat. Such a environmental
their own land) on the habi- market arrangement individuals or groups (those gone income from his land. groups that lobby for likely, as parties to the trans-
tat of such species is: “Shoot, of winners is clearly having a special interest in People who value the endan- more bans, caps, and action can be certain that dis-
shovel, and shut up.” preferable to the that species) to petition to ac- gered species could pool their mandates. putes will be resolved fairly.
That’s a description of current regulatory quire ownership of a suitable resources to provide this ben- The institution of property
arrangement.
how many American land- population of that species. As efit. Again, this would be a factory owners, utilities, and rights provides a vehicle for
owners have reacted to the owner in having the species in the case of human adop- market transaction. so on were viewed as impos- a whole swathe of transac-
burdens of the Endangered on his land, then the incen- tion, the petitioners might The problem is that mar- ing costs on the rest of society tions. These institutions are
Species Act. Those burdens tives towards destructive be- have to demonstrate their ket solutions like these are and had to be prevented from essential and evolving pre-
are substantial – finding havior will be removed (or at ability to manage the species currently made very difficult doing so by legislation. requisites to markets. This is
that an endangered species is least lessened). and be monitored until that by the nature of environmen- This imposition of regula- a central insight of classical
using your land as its habitat One way to do this would was proven. Different pe- tal regulation. Environmental tory law derailed the process liberal economics.
will preclude any further de- be through ownership of the titioners might experiment regulation generally depends by which market institutions Unfortunately, main-
velopment or use of the land. animal(s). Having a property with different approaches on bans, caps, and mandates could have evolved to solve stream economists
of the
The result has been that land- right in the members of the and, over time, one would that restrict the possibility the problem. As Coase re- progressive era became enam-
owners have an incentive to species inhabiting his land expect a wide array of man- of market transactions. Why vealed in his essay The Prob- oured of making economics
kill any endangered species would give the landowner an agement practices. All this should people who value the lem of Social Cost, such “ex- a quantitative “science” and
they find on their land, re- incentive to protect his prop- would open the market to spotted owl send money to a ternalities” are actually the forgot the role of institutions.

COLUMN
Thus environmental issues The term “the A property rights ap-

were relegated to the catego-
ry of “market failure,” and the
environment” has
become a synonym
for “everything” – but
proach would allow those
closest to a polluter the right IF A HOMELESS MAN CAN STAND
role of economists to that of
commissars of rules and reg-
central management
of everything is
to enjoin that nuisance. The
polluter could bargain and
ON HIS OWN FEET, SO CAN A
ulations designed to correct foolish. compensate to gain operat- WHOLE COUNTRY
these failures. The institutions ing rights, with penalty fees
necessary to allow environ- in the United States, whose for accidental discharges. by “Kenny from Scotland”
mental market transactions to environmental policy is also That would create incentives
solve the problems were sim- largely a product of progres- for an array of ameliorative
ply not allowed to evolve. sive era thought. innovations: settling ponds,
In many ways, environ- In that framework, the treatment diversion to other
mental regulation is the last role of government should media (via incineration or
bastion of central planning. be to stand ready to facilitate land disposal).
It is remarkable that even proposals to expand and refine Moreover, as such policies
as Europe has realized the property rights and contracts, became widespread, firms
folly of central planning in to ensure that liability laws would locate in areas where
so many other economic encourage rational exchanges. non-industrial uses were rare
areas, it has actually doubled Perhaps the simplest ex- or where dilution potentials
down on it in environmental ample of this thinking would were high. In effect, exter-
regulation, and has indeed be to encourage experimen- nalities would be internalised
sought to export it to other tation with subsurface own- while they were minor, and
nations. In this, it has found ership of suitably isolated readily addressed, rather than
a willing ally in recent years aquifers. The history of min- waiting till there was a crisis. •
eral and oil and gas policy
suggests the value of linking
ownership and natural re-
sources. Does anyone really
think that water availability
would be a problem if such a I f you think all homeless
people are self-pitying,
think again. I have been sleep-
Modern politics
is full of these
“noble lies”. Consider,
echo-chamber of reaffirma-
tion. Maybe that helps me
see through the little de-
policy were in place? as just one example, the
ing rough for months, but I’m ceits that people often leave
The term “the environ- gender pay gap – that is,
ment” has become a synonym not a whining Leftie. I regard the theory that women unquestioned.
for “everything” – but central myself as a philosopher and earn less than men Plato argues in The Re-
a free-thinker. I can best de- because of systematic public that, in order to build
management of everything is prejudice and sexism.
foolish. Allowing private par- scribe my views as “organic, a proper Utopia, it will be
Fred L. Smith, Jr. Iain Murray This isn’t just a partisan
is the founder of the ties to pioneer extending the is the Competitive Enterprise
non-partisan, non-conform- opinion; it’s official necessary to depict the gods
Competitive Enterprise institutions of liberty to envi- Institute’s vice president ist”. Oddly enough, it’s main- doctrine. as virtuous, regardless of what
Institute. He served as ronmental areas would begin of strategy concentrating ly Lefties who seem to have a Homer and the other authors
president from 1984 to 2013
the exploration and discovery
on financial regulation, problem with that. may have actually written
and is currently the Director employment and immigration, I do my best to approach “Kenny from Scotland” about them. Hence censor-
of CEI’s Center for Advancing process that has been sup- regulation and free market
things objectively, without is a homeless former builder ship and deception are requi-
Capitalism. pressed for the last century. It environmentalism. in London.
@FredLSmithJr is overdue. @ismurray
dogma, and without the sites for instilling virtue: “The

“Kenny from Scotland”
COLUMN
lie in the words is in certain disagree with these views; it’s economics. They involve
cases useful and not hateful.” that they don’t want to allow more money and resources
This has become to be known them. Try voicing them and being wasted on authoritar-
as Plato’s “Noble Lie”. see how people react: not ian legislation, political cor-
Modern politics is full of by challenging your opin- rectness, increases in state
these “noble lies”. Consid- ions, but by challenging your power.
er, as just one example, the decency. Brussels claims to be act-
gender pay gap – that is, the Public policy is, in ef- ing for ordinary people, but
theory that women earn less fect, based on a falsehood. ordinary people know better.
than men because of sys- Whether it’s Nicola Sturgeon I used to be a construction
tematic prejudice and sex- insisting on 50-50 ministeri- worker in Edinburgh, but a
ism. This isn’t just a partisan al appointments in Scotland combination of factors, in-
opinion; it’s official doctrine. or the EU’s Equal Treatment cluding mass immigration
The White House website Directive, politicians act on from the EU, pushed me to
in the US states as fact that the basis of what they want move to London for work.
a woman earns 79 cents to This wasn’t because bour-
a man’s dollar because of But, as I say, being geois capitalists were keeping
discrimination. homeless doesn’t the workers down, as Marx-
In fact, there are many make me a self- ists teach. It was because the
other variables that explain the pitying socialist. wages and benefits offered
I am now working in
pay-gap. For example, the fact to EU migrants made it less
London and trying to
that men, on average, work improve my situation attractive to employ British
more overtime on the same by my own efforts. workers.
jobs as women. Women are I’m not looking to the But, as I say, being
three times more likely than state for handouts. homeless doesn’t make me
I’m saving to start a
men to be part-time workers. market stall. a self-pitying socialist. I am
One in seven men is a part- now working in London and
time worker, compared with human beings to be, not trying to improve my situa-
three in seven women. This is what we are. tion by my own efforts. I’m
important because part-time The EU is founded on not looking to the state for
work on average attracts lower “noble lies”, which is why handouts. I’m saving to start
hourly rates. so many of its policies run a market stall.
Women regularly tell against human nature. One While sleeping rough, I’ve
pollsters that they want to reason I backed the campaign met a lot of people who have
balance work and family life, for Britain to leave the EU – been demotivated and defeat-
and pick jobs accordingly. I spent seven hours one day ed by our welfare system, and
But it’s not politically correct chalking out passages from the same phenomenon can be
to admit that this might af- Why Vote Leave in Trafalgar seen within whole countries.
fect salaries. Even less politi- Square – is that I want my Look at the way Greece was
cally correct are the polls in country to realise her full ruined by years of handouts
which women say they prefer potential and embrace global from the EU. If a man should
working for male bosses. markets. So many EU laws aim to stand on his own feet,
It’s not just that Lefties are contrary to free-market so should a nation. •

EU already had an extensive dent of the European Com-
set of 63 binding and 68 mission to conduct a review
non-binding targets in the and evaluation of all EU
area of environment. binding targets.
While it may look nice The coordinated EU ac-
to have figures on paper, we tion must be proportionate
must remember that no re- to the challenge at hand. On
gion is the same. Some of climate change, we do need
our regions highly depend on to be ambitious, but we also
electricity imports, whereas need to avoid the temptation
others have achieved greater to call for unrealistic targets
independence through de- at supranational level which
cades of subsidising renew- will be detrimental to jobs
able technologies or invest-
ing in extraction of domestic
In our efforts to try
conventional sources in order to restore trust in the
LOW CARBON MAY BE A to achieve greater energy se-
curity. It is precisely because
EU and build a new
social contract with
GLOBAL GOAL; BUT THE of such differences that a
one-size-fits-all approach is
citizens, we must not
fall into the trap of
SOLUTION IS LOCAL not helpful.
taking more power
away from the latter.
As a result of one-size-
by Daiva Matonienė fits-all approaches we end and growth. At the same time
regional government to use
the variety of tools at their up with a very complicated we should not overlook the
A s a centre-Right politi- for Environment. As Depu- Localism is the opposite disposal that best suits that system with many deroga- fight against climate change
cian who has worked ty Minister, I was given the of a top-down imposition local context. tions and administrative in our local communities.
on environmental issues at task of heading the renova- of a political agenda. In our As Roger Scruton fa- burdens. We therefore have Through my own expe-
local, national and the Euro- tion project of buildings so efforts to try to restore trust mously observed in his book to ask ourselves if such a riences as a local, national
pean level, I know first-hand as to increase their energy in the EU and build a new on environmental conser- heavy system is incentivis- and EU politician, I have
the importance of a localist efficiency. social contract with citizens, vatism, “history tells us that ing or slowing down already seen first-hand that it is only
approach to environmental Let me begin by outlin- we must not fall into the trap large-scale projects in the ambitious local and regional through the different tiers
policies. I started my career ing what I mean by a localist of taking more power away hands of bureaucrats soon governments. of government working to-
in local politics in the Lith- approach. Localism is about from the latter. This is crucial cease to be accountable, We need a system that al- gether that we can achieve
uania’s fourth-largest city, Ši- civic empowerment. It is for areas like the environment and… regulations imposed lows local and regional gov- our intended results. In
auliai, where I was elected the about ensuring that decisions that do represent a cross-bor- by the state have side effects ernment to use the variety of my home country, Lithua-
vice-mayor. Subsequently, I are taken as close to our cit- der challenge and therefore that often worsen what they tools at their disposal so as nia, I was directly respon-
represented local government izens as possible. It means do require coordinated ac- aim to cure”. to be ambitious on environ- sible for the national pro-
in the EU’s Committee of the taking decisions at a suprana- tion. While we need to share- The European Union, mental issues. We must not gramme of modernisation of
Regions, advising the EU in- tional level only when need- best practices in trying to with its overwhelming num- hold them back through an multi-apartment buildings,
stitutions on environmental ed and empowering local be ambitious, in addressing ber of environmental bind- EU regulatory straightjacket. which aims to ensure that
policies, and I also become communities to have a say in climate change for example, ing targets, is a good example For that reason my group has these buildings are more en-
Lithuania’s Deputy Minister them. we need to allow local and of such risks. In 2013 the called upon the vice-presi- ergy efficient. This is import-

Low carbon may be a global goal; but the solution is local
ant because buildings are local government to achieve cities across the EU already ACRE invites you to the launch of
responsible for more than a multiplier effect. More have climate and sustainable
40 per cent of energy use in than 70 per cent of our ren- energy action plans, which
most EU member states. ovation projects have been incorporate low-carbon heat
To make the project in implemented through mu- and carbon production, de-
Lithuania a success, we de- nicipal programmes. We cre- ployment of renewable en-
cided to empower our local ated a new model, in which ergy sources and measures
communities. We did this by a key role in terms of finan- aimed at energy efficiency
granting more power to mu- cial management is played improvement.
nicipalities and ensuring that by programme administra- I encourage you to look
no financial and administra- tors appointed directly by at the opinion of the Euro-
tive burdens are imposed on municipalities. pean Committee of the Re-
individual households. We gions on heating and cooling
developed an innovative fi- We need a system prepared under my leader-
nancing scheme allowing for that allows local and ship, in which I put forward
long-term loans at preferen- regional government concrete recommendations
to use the variety of
tial rates. tools at their disposal from the local government
A NEW ONLINE PLATFORM FOR ORIGINAL
As many as 1,000 build- so as to be ambitious perspective on how to un-
ings have been renovated on environmental leash the potential of this CENTRE-RIGHT WRITING OF EVERY HUE,
under this scheme and a issues. We must sector in terms of energy FROM MONARCHIST TO MINARCHIST.
not hold them
further 2,000 are under- back through an savings, sustainability and
going renovation. A large EU regulatory energy diversification. •
number of jobs have been straightjacket.
All our contributors have one thing in common:
created due to the fact that
they are conservatives, moved by love for the
renovation projects are car- The same localist princi-
ried out by 300 small- and ples should apply to all EU things that make us what we are, our nations,
medium-sized construction action. For instance in the our laws, our families, our customs.
companies. Besides creating field of heating and cooling,
jobs, we also lowered con- I believe the European Com-
sumer bills. Our experience mission has a role to play in
showed that renovation of providing support, be it fi-
buildings led to energy sav- nancial or technical, but it is
ings of between 50 and 80 also important that the EU
Daiva Matonienė
per cent. recognises local and regional is a member of Šiauliai city
We have achieved such authorities are at the heart of council in Lithuania and
great results in these areas this process. former deputy minister for
because all levels of govern- Local authorities are not environment. She has been
ment – the European Invest- only involved in the devel- a member of the European
Committee of the Regions
ment Bank, the European opment and management JOIN US
since 2009, where she is the
Commission and the central of infrastructure but are ECR group spokesperson on @ Hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe, Place Jourdan 1, @ 6 pm, 31 January 2017
government – have worked also among the largest en- environment, climate change
Please RSVP by 27 January 2017 to s.kudella@acreurope.eu
in close cooperation with ergy users. Many towns and and energy.
90 www.theconservative.online THE
THEALLIANCE OF CONSERVATIVES
CONSERVATIVE AND2017
| January REFORMISTS
| Vol.2 |INIssue
EUROPE
2 - ACRE IS THE MAIN CENTRE-RIGHT BLOC IN EUROPE. 91
THE LIBERTY SUMMIT IN EUROPE
THE DAMAGING LEGACY OF COMMUNISM
TIRANA, ALBANIA, 7-9 APRIL, 2017
thelibertysummit.org
92 www.theconservative.online

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January 2017 | Vol.

HOW Roger Scruton

CONSERVATIVES Matt Ridley

MAKE THE BEST Jay Nordlinger

THE CONSERVATIVE EDITORIAL BOARD

The Conservative is a quarterly journal EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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T hat which no one owns,

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therefore remained silent on the similar campaign in the

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TRY DOING LESS!

W hen it comes to tak-

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THE REAL DANGER TO THE

M ost prominent envi-

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Overfishing in South China; Photo credit: Adam Dean, National Geographic

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T ogether with Rousseau,

Equality, Fraternity aroused, is an effort to examine “the

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ity is “like plucking a bird’s the maximally-intolerant so-

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T he EU and our part-

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O nce I took part in a

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reason why we conservatives spent on “decarbonizing” the

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LET’S OFFER THE LUVVIES

FREE PEOPLES • FREE NATIONS • FREE MARKETS

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Decisions of international own territory should be its to implement international

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accessible nature. Still oth- wildlife is under enormous

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Jingduan, remarked on the good”. What’s more, “we are

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week. The same law used to

I n 1789 Thomas Jefferson

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WHY A TRUE EUROPEAN

E nergy systems in the Eu-

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sympathetic process of gentle

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