The Best Idea Yet on Climate Change

At one of the last preliminary meetings leading up to the international climate change conference, a U.N. official called on the diplomats to craft "simple, clear options for politicians" at Copenhagen.

An excellent idea, but they've left it until pretty late in the day. And when they've created these clear options, they might want to let the public in on them, too.

If Public Agenda's work in public engagement has taught us anything, it's that people need options. That's how most people make decisions, by weighing alternatives and considering tradeoffs. And that's what has been missing from much of the debate so far. Most people have been confused more than engaged, and that doesn't help when it comes to making the choices needed: not just whether we switch away from fossil fuels, but to what alternatives, and how quickly?

Those choices might also be useful in Washington, where a Senate committee is supposed to vote on a major climate change bill. But the Democrats are divided and the Republicans may not even show up, so the fate of the bill remains uncertain. This comes back to tradeoffs, too.

Filling in the knowledge gaps and explaining the options for change may be the most important element in solving our energy problems. Because if world leaders still need to have the options laid out before making a decision, imagine how the public feels.