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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

There are some tantalizing signs that energy executives are beginning to cotton on to their dilemma [treehugger.com]. Take the recent memo from European coal lobbyist Brian Ricketts which, according to reports over at The Guardian [theguardian.com], lamented the stigmatizing impact of the recent climate agreement in Paris. While some execs may breathe a sigh of relief at the lack of legally binding targets, Ricketts believes that this should be little consolation. Specifically, he says, coal will be “hated and vilified in the same way that slave-traders were once hated and vilified.”

Of course vilification, by itself, is of little consequence to traders in commodities. But when entire countries [treehugger.com] and gigantic corporations start phasing out the use of your product [treehugger.com], and when banks appear less willing to lend to you [treehugger.com], the loss of moral legitimacy becomes an impediment to doing business.

They cry all the way to the bank.

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