A Harvard economist known globally for his work on climate change policy sat in the Sacramento office of the oil industry’s lobbying firm recently, making the case that California is fighting global warming the wrong way.

The state has a good cap-and-trade system, Robert Stavins said, but some of its other environmental policies are weakening it. He pointed to a rule known as the low carbon fuel standard, which is supposed to increase production of clean fuels.

Environmental advocates consider it a complement to the cap-and-trade program that makes industry pay for emitting carbon. Stavins had other words.

“It’s contradictory. It’s counterproductive. It’s perverse,” he said. “I would recommend eliminating it.”  From: www.ocregister.com