According to Webber, there would be no identifiable change in temperature or climate in California even if every automobile in the state were eliminated. He estimates that globally, the regulation would reduce greenhouse gases by only 1/10 of 1%. “The regulation only addresses carbon dioxide, not smog. Unlike smog, carbon dioxide poses no health hazard. Indeed, plant life needs carbon dioxide to live.”

Webber says automakers are investing billions of dollars to develop fuel-efficient automobiles with technologies like cylinder deactivation, hybrid-electric power trains, clean diesel, continuously variable transmissions, hydrogen internal combustion engines, and fuel cells. “Consumer tax incentives can help spur sales of these vehicles,” he suggests. “It is imperative that these incentives are technology neutral. The government should not pick winners and losers, but rather let consumers and the marketplace choose which technologies make sense for them.”