The Cost of Abating Sulfur, Nitrogen, and Ozone Air Pollutants

Economists have a unique ability to get adversaries to stop attacking each other and turn their attention to the real problem: the economist. This is only appropriate since what economists enjoy most is attacking other economists. As shown by a recent conference on the economics of acid rain (Mandelbaum), economists continue to have this unique ability to unite lion and lamb against economists (Stauffer, Dunbar, Parker). The economic estimates of benefits drew fire from all sides. Even the estimated costs of abatement made almost everyone unhappy because the economists claimed that important elements had been omitted, while environmentalists and consumers deplored the focus on efficiency because equity got short shrift.