cap-and-trade

Status
Not open for further replies.

JustAlilBit

Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
Hi there, here is an article from a newspaper "Four years ago, in sharp contrast to the torpor and denial of the George W. Bush years, President Obama described climate change as one of humanity’s most pressing challenges and pledged an all-out effort to pass a cap-and-trade bill limiting greenhouse gas emissions." What does "cap-and-trade mean" ? =) I just found out I don't need your help anymore in this thread. :)
 
Last edited:

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Thanks for your edit, JustAlilBit, but now that you've piqued our interest, why don't you tell us what you have discovered about this phrase?

Rover
 

JustAlilBit

Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Lithuanian
Home Country
Lithuania
Current Location
Lithuania
Sorry If I have piqued your interest. So I found out that, cap-and-trade means "Emission trading" I didn't want to pique anyone and I'm sorry =)
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
"Cap and trade" is the system whereby productive sectors of society are forced to purchase indulgences for the sin of emitting "poisons" like carbon dioxide.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I must be missing something. I could only find info saying that this scheme (in the USA) is to lower the amount of CO2 emissions permitted to be put out by companies, and that that allowance will go down year by year. A company which goes over its allowance has to pay a fine.
I couldn't find anything about productive sectors of society (by which I assume you mean teachers, nurses, small local businesses etc rather than massive multinational corporations) having to purchase "indulgences" (diamond necklaces? large houses?)
Confused of UK.
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
cap = 'set a limit on'
trade = 'participate in a market of licenses to exceed that limit'.

The rest is noise. :)
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Have you bought any petrol or electricity made by a nurse or a local small business lately?

The "indulgences" are an analogy to the religious practice.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Have you bought any petrol or electricity made by a nurse or a local small business lately?

The "indulgences" are an analogy to the religious practice.

Ah well, if there's a religious analogy there, I won't have recognised it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top