"Aimee's for BEST PARAGRAPH"

The capitalist structure Merchant so despises can actually be the reason the world adopts eco-friendly behaviors by 2064. The competition that thrives in this system has not only led to remarkable technological innovations, but also policy shifts. We are already seeing countries investing heavily in alternative energy sources and diversifying their economy. Oil-rich places like Brunei and Dubai are no longer dependent on oil, as they have reinvested their money to generate new sources of income. Countries are concerned with the depletion of oil and are now turning to other more renewable sources. High energy prices have affected both producers and consumers. Manufacturers are investing more in research and development to come up with energy efficient technologies. Consumers are buying more energy efficient products to save money in the long-run. You might ask, like Nordhaus and Shellenberger, what will make the poor interested in preserving the environment? All three authors worry that the development of countries will come at the environment’s expense. However, I believe that emerging economies will not industrialize the same way the United Sates and Europe did. With new technology, they can leap forward. We are already seeing this effect in Africa. In a matter of years, counties like Kenya have developed an entire communication infrastructure with cheap cell phones, and without a single landline. Many of the cost effective technology out there is also friendly to the environment. Nordhaus and shellenberger would agree that the developed world now has the huge responsibility of helping third-world countries develop in eco-friendly ways, especially their infrastructures. This will be the challenge by 2064.