Decarbonization: At What Cost?
Decarbonization has become one of the defining economic projects of the 21st century, shaping energy markets, industrial policy, and global trade. Supporters argue that investing now reduces future damages, unlocks innovation, and improves public health and energy security. Critics counter that decarbonization imposes high near-term costs, distorts markets, and risks slowing growth—especially if alternatives like adaptation, nuclear expansion, or targeted resilience offer better returns. This debate puts the strongest economic case for and against decarbonization in direct confrontation: What are the real costs, who pays them, and what do we get back?
The Resolution: Decarbonization is an economically worthwhile endeavor.
Debaters:
Proposition: Ethan Brown
Opposition: David McGarry
Date & Time:
Thursday, February 26, 2026
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM (EST)
Join us here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/NdPcTW3f5L4
Meet the Debaters
Ethan Brown – Proposition
Ethan Brown is the Training Program Coordinator at the University of Rhode Island's Metcalf Institute, where he develops and oversees programs to support journalists and scientists in accurate and accessible climate communication. Prior to joining Metcalf, Ethan was the Founder and Host of The Sweaty Penguin, a comedy climate podcast presented by PBS’s climate initiative Peril and Promise aiming to tackle climate anxiety and polarization. Ethan also has bylines in Newsweek, The Hill, and Hartford Courant among other outlets. At Young Voices, Ethan also completed the Middle East History & Peace Fellowship, where he drew on his Jewish identity and experience volunteering in Israel and meeting Israeli cleantech startups to write for Times of Israel about Jewish climate solutions and antisemitism in climate discourse. He earned a dual degree in Environmental Analysis & Policy and Film & Television from Boston University in 2021, and won Covering Climate Now’s Emerging Journalist of the Year Award in 2024.
Gary McGarry – Opposition
David B. McGarry is the research director at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, where he writes about economics and legal issues. Formerly a Young Voices contributor and fellow, his work has appeared in publications including The Hill, Reason, Law & Liberty, and National Review. He is a FreeCon signatory.
About Young Voices Debates
Young Voices hosts monthly Oxford-style debates that bring top thought leaders together with our rising talent. Held in person in New York City and streamed online, these debates provide a rigorous exchange of ideas on the most pressing issues of our time. This debate will be streamed live on YouTube.
The Oxford-style debate will be moderated by Hekmat Matthew Aboukhater, Director of Young Voices Debates.