One of the most important tools the federal government has for cracking down on greenhouse gas emissions is a single number: the social cost of carbon. It represents all the damage from carbon emissions — everything from the cost of lost crops to the cost of climate-related deaths. Currently, the cost is $51 per ton of carbon, but the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed raising it to $190. Today on The Indicator, we bring you an
episode of Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast. NPR climate correspondent
Rebecca Hersher and Short Wave co-host
Aaron Scott discuss how this new number is simultaneously more accurate and an ethics nightmare.Learn more about sponsor message choices:
podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy