The Intellectual Approach to Conservative Climate Change Policy

Ben Adler surveys the policy platforms of conservative intellectuals (Adler sets aside right-wing pundits like Rush Limbaugh and the talking heads on Fox News as well as the current Republican presidential field from the discussion) for evidence of a rational conservative approach to climate change.

According to Adler (who surveyed op-eds, opinion magazines, and policy journals), conservative intellectuals fall into three categories: "those who argue for adaptation instead of trying to stop climate change (the Adapters), the anguished advocates of a carbon tax (the Handwringers), and those who simply deny climate science (the Deans of Denialism)."

Adler proceeds to examine each of these categories, focusing especially on the leading figures in each category. Adler also makes counter arguments to their claims. So, after Adler describes Reihan Salam (in the "Adapter" category), executive editor at National Review and columnist for Slate, as a pro-urban conservative who supports incentives for clean technology, rather than disincentives for dirty energy production, Adler also responds that we don't have decades to wait for a technological breakthrough.