NTL Record

Title Emissions Targets in Cap-and-Trade: Choosing Reduction Goals Compatible with Global Climate Stabilization
Record ID 31948
Personal Name
Creator
Mignone, Bryan K.
Source Policy Brief 09-02; 30p. in various pagings
Publisher Brookings Institution
Publication Date 20090900
Abstract Among the major environmental threats facing the world today, climate change stands out as both the largest in scope and the most unique in character, in the sense that the atmosphere truly does not recognize national boundaries when it comes to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Simply put, a ton of CO2 emitted in the US yields exactly the same global environmental damage as a ton of CO2 emitted in China, and each country stands to lose from (the damages associated with) what is emitted by the other just as it does from what is emitted within its own borders. Conversely, any nation derives benefits from abatement pursued elsewhere, meaning that individual (national) incentives to abate are greatly undermined by the desire to “free ride” on the actions of others (Hardin, 1968). The upshot is that, without greater explicit coordination among nations, the amount of global abatement realized will almost certainly be undersupplied relative to the true magnitude of the climate change threat.
Rosap ID dot:17282
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/17282
TRT Terms Climate change; Policy making; Carbon dioxide; Globalization; Greenhouse gases; Emissions trading; Air quality management
Classification NTL - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - Air Quality;
NTL - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT;
NTL - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - Environment Impacts
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Resource type Research Paper
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/31000/31900/31948/09_cap_and_trade_emissions_targets_mignone.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository