Final answer:
The true statement when placing a high value on a cleaner environment for future generations is that the future is discounted at a relatively low rate, which increases the present value of future environmental benefits. The correct answer is option C.
Step-by-step explanation:
When people place a high value on ensuring a cleaner environment for future generations, the statement that is true is that the future is discounted at a relatively low rate. The concept at play here is the present discounted value, an analytical tool used to compare present costs of an action with its long-term future benefits.
In the context of environmental policies, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate global warming, a lower discount rate implies greater importance assigned to future benefits, thereby increasing their present value.
Moreover, the benefits of a cleaner environment, such as improved public health, boosted industries like farming and tourism, increased property values, and the intrinsic value of enjoying a clean environment, all contribute to a higher present discounted value when future benefits are highly valued.