• Here’s an update on DXV desalination technologies (see this water chat), with nice pictures. DXV has a small demo in place, and they are closer to funding a pilot “within a year.”
• Charles Kolstad says [pdf] “cap and trade is not a tax,” and he points out that a carbon tax needn’t be a tax, either. I agree with tax and rebate.
• From The Economist: “Poor countries’ economic development will contribute to climate change. But they are already its greatest victims”
• The Economist also discusses macro measurements that improve on the GDP fetish — read this post.
• “This study analyzes the role that local media played in covering and communicating important issues related to local water rights policies in Colorado… and finds that the principles associated with democratic ideals of a watchful press were not apparent… experts were the most influential actors in initiating and advocating for these policy decisions… These two factors interact to diminish democratic governance within these communities, which means that citizens do not have the information or influence that is desirable in democratic policymaking. “
• This paper examines the impact of incentives on bureaucratic performance. “First, some bureaucratic factors, and especially meritocratic recruitment, reduce corruption… Second, the analysis shows that other allegedly relevant features in the bureaucratic institutionalist literature, such as public employees’ competitive salaries, career stability or internal promotion, do not have a significant impact.”

hattip to DW