A recent op-ed published on Environment 360 (the website for Yale University’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies) brings to light a timely and interesting climate change debate highlighting the Waxman-Markey Clean Energy legislation: carbon tax or cap-and-trade? Many politicians, economists, scientists and educators believe one method, or the other, will bring the greatest benefit, but Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger  believe that neither are truly effective. They argue instead for increased technological breakthroughs, which are typically funded through public investment, to lower the price of clean energy. Raising the price to pollute on existing polluters doesn’t necessarily decrease the amount of pollution, but spreads it around. It also does not promote innovation, something we desperately need in an already over-priced clean tech market. Not until additional technologies are supported, jobs created and an entire economy updated will the United States truly be on a path to climate change mitigation. According to Nordhaus and Shellenberger, the current Waxman-Markey Clean Energy legislation leaves much to be desired.