On the Environment
By Josh Galperin, Associate Director
Excellent
piece on how the Copenhagen climate conference can lay the foundation for final agreement on a binding international climate treaty in 2010.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
By Josh Galperin, Associate Director
We like to be
right (and now we should quit while we're ahead). Not only will Obama attend Copenhagen, but he's coming with a provisional U.S. commitment to greenhouse gas emission reductions "in the range of" 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050. These are the reductions in the Waxman-Markey bill that narrowly passed the House in June. In the absence of a new U.S. climate law, this is probably the best bargaining position Obama could bring to the Copenhagen table. It makes progress possible, but an ultimate deal on a binding treaty is still probably one more meeting away.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
By Josh Galperin, Associate Director
Established energy players - like utilities - have a lot to gain from cap-and-trade if they're willing to be innovative and forward-thinking. More industry advice like
this needs to be heard.
Monday, November 23, 2009
By Josh Galperin, Associate Director
The latest: a decision
"in the coming days." The guess here is that he attends.
By Josh Galperin, Associate Director
Intriguing new policy brief argues that the "green innovation machine" will be less than optimal (read: will not curb climate change) if it relies only on a carbon price-setting mechanism like cap-and-trade. The authors recommend supplementing with an aggressive program of "directed technological change" through significantly ramped up clean energy R & D subsidies implemented immediately. And they believe they have the economic proof to back up their claims.