locally grown

[kandrathe]

You're right, that's one of the absolutely key issues here. How do you get global emissions down in a way that is just, rather than punishing to the extremely poor who have historically polluted almost zero? Somehow, third world countries (and their inhabitants) are going to have to pay less, or even less than zero, for their carbon, until their total emissions are more in line with rich countries'. Most systems that have some kind of mechanism for alleviating this problem, but it is one of the potential stumbling blocks.

Doesn't that have the effect of encouraging the emissions to go to the the third world where it is free, rather than reduce the emissions in the first world?

I don't think the first world working class "disposable income" is as high as you might believe. I'm a bit opposed to using the word "rich" to describe the majority of first worlders who have to work 40 to 60 hours a week until they are 65 or 70 years old, only to end up dying with about enough money left over to bury them (if they are lucky). I know none of my relatives end up dying filthy rich, and in fact due to the ever expanding life span (thank you medical science) they end up living far past the savings they had planned and begrudgingly die as wards of the state. Its a different path through life with some better choices by far, but its hardly a system ( at least corporate U$A Inc. ) for which one should willingly sell out their life and freedom. Were I to do it all over again, I would have made much different choices and led a simpler life. But then again, I'm older and seeking a simpler life. At 18, I was seeking an enriching life, which I did find.

I ponder if carbon credits are a mechanism designed by corporations that will end up further crushing the working class, whether they be first world or third world. This type of social engineering has been done before where people were taxed according to the amount of sunlight that entered their dwelling. It resulted in buildings with no windows, and eventually the black death. I'm ardently fearful of giving any government the right to place a tax on exhaling.