US Energy and Climate Change Policy: The Big Deal
By: David Robinson
David Robinson is completing a book on US energy and climate policy, and has written two published articles on the subject. In October 2009, David published on the OIES website an extended paper on the subjects covered in the book: US Energy and Climate Legislation: The Big Deal. He has also written an article concerning the lessons of past efforts to pass climate legislation in the US. This will be published in the Climate and Carbon Law Review in June 2010.
There are three central themes in the book and covered by the articles. One is the need to reduce emissions from existing coal based generation, over 50% of which is in the US and China. Coal is not going away – its use is growing globally – and the world has to find a way to address emissions from coal. The book examines the tradeoffs between capping CO2 emissions from coal, while at the same time protecting that sector for political, economic and security reasons. A second theme is on the role of regulation and of market mechanisms in trying to mitigate CO2 emissions from coal based generation. Although the US has the reputation of being a market-friendly country, the evidence suggests a growing reliance on regulation and central planning in the choice of electricity generation technology. The book argues in favour of using effective market mechanisms. The third theme is about induced innovation. The book argues that in analysing the costs and benefits of passing US climate and energy legislation, more attention should be given to the benefits of induced innovation.
Categories / Country and Regional Studies, Energy and the Environment, Energy Policy