One surprising advocate of incentives to encourage cleaner industry is California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. I finally got around to reading this succinct interview in the latest Fortune magazine.
The intro makes the case that Schwarzenegger is one of several Republicans who are working on programs to develop environmentally sound business. It puts it charitably: "The Republican party has not recently been associated with asertive environmental policy."
A few choice passages from the interview:
I know the American mentality when it comes to finances is to look at the quarterly returns. But there are decisions you will make today, right now, that will take you in a different direction if you think ahead. I have to think, How is California, with its population growth, going to get its energy supply in 50 years?Does the GOP get this?
No. There are people in both parties who don't get it, but I would say I have a tougher time selling those things to the Republicans.
There's a billboard in Michigan accusing me of costing the car industry $85 billion. [Sponsored by Republican Congressman Joe Knollenberg, the sign says, ARNOLD TO MICHIGAN: DROP DEAD! The message refers to the damage that detractors say the new emissions standards will cause the U.S. auto industry.]
Those people look at this in a narrow way rather than really studying the subject and recognizing that this actually gives us an opportunity to create a whole new industry of clean cars and clean engines and components to build those engines. In California, what we call clean-tech industries are exploding left and right.
Won't there be losers with stricter pollution standards?
Only as much as the auto industry or any industry has to make changes to adapt to the behavior of customers. You have to react quickly. Even if we don't do anything about it, the Japanese will, the Chinese will, the Germans will. Detroit is struggling with it, yes, because they are behind.