Fixing climate change might not cost any extra

Justin Gillis writes that Fixing climate change may add no costs, report says.

A global commission will announce its finding overnight that an ambitious series of measures to limit emissions would cost $US4 trillion or so over the next 15 years, an increase of roughly 5 per cent over the amount that would likely be spent anyway on new power plants, transit systems and other infrastructure.

When the secondary benefits of greener policies - such as lower fuel costs, fewer premature deaths from air pollution and reduced medical bills - are taken into account, the changes might wind up saving money, according to the findings of the group, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.