The EPA has identified carbon as a pollutant and a "carbon credit" market has been designed to fund efforts to reduce carbon pollution. California, known for chronic budget shortfalls, was the first state to jump into the carbon market. Lawmakers and environmentalists envisioned billions of income to plug chronic budget gaps and fund special programs fighting climate change.
As noted in the article from the Sacramento Bee, initial projections of income are falling short.
Like the "derivatives market", the "carbon credit market" is fiction. The implosion of derivatives resulted in economic chaos. With auction income falling short of projections, is this another economic calamity in the making?
--Sacramento Bee article--
State environmental leaders this week hailed California's first auction of carbon emissions credits a huge success.