Are the Grandkids Worth It? Climate Change Policy Depends on How We Value Human Population

If the human population continues to grow, more pressure will be put on carbon dioxide emissions -- leaving future generations vulnerable to the effects of climate change.  To head this off, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced, but that could cost billions of dollars or more over the next few decades, a dilemma plaguing today's policymakers.

Yet, how much to invest in policies -- like setting an appropriate carbon tax -- to protect future generations from environmental destruction depends on how society chooses to value human population, according to a new study published Oct. 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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