When I played my role in the policy exercise, I felt like our groups’ decisions, while they were generous, did not have a large enough effect on reducing carbon emissions because of other countries’ (America) lack of monetary assistance to developing countries that would allow them to partake in green activities.
We became more generous after negotiating with other countries because we learned that other countries were goal-oriented in reducing carbon emissions. Furthermore, we shifted to being more obliged to donate to developing countries when we were assured our donations would not go to waste.
My group changed its ideas when we got developing countries to agree to increase their committed percentage of an anual reduction of carbon emissions.
That change was prompted when we gave them money that would be used to protect their rainforests from deforestation and to transform their industries into green industries.
I think that emissions can be cut after a lot of effort and awareness, so yes, it is possible to cut emissions.
Some major costs would be the effects of lowering our GDP and other costs to implement regulations such as subsidizing.
We can catalyze change in the US by inspiring change through our example and by showing factual results from our successful efforts.
