Unit 7: Chapter 13: Global Climate Change: Policy Responses

Question 1

What are the 2 Types of Policy Responses to Climate Emergency

Answer 1

-Preventative Measures
-Adaptive Measures

Question 2

What are some types of Preventative Policy approaches

Answer 2

-meet energy demands with alternatives
-increase energy efficiency
-enhance natural carbon sinks
-artificial carbon capture

Question 3

What is a Carbon Sink

Answer 3

Parts of ecosystem with ability to absorb C02

Question 4

What are some Adaptive measures

Answer 4

-Dikes and Seawalls
-Changing agricultural cultivation
-Creating intuitions to respond to climate disasters

Question 5

Why is Cost Effectiveness a better evaluator of policies vs. Cost Benefit Analysis

Answer 5

Avoids complications of CBA
Accepts goal as given by society

Question 6

Cost-Benefit Analysis vs. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Answer 6

CBA: tool for policy analysis that monetizes all costs & benefits to find net benefit
CEA: determines least cost approach for achieving given goal

Question 7

Mitigation Policies

Question 8

What is Carbon Leakage

Answer 8

Shift in production/ Consumption in response to a carbon tax or other reduction that evades or reduces effectiveness of original measure

Question 9

How is Elasticity of Demand related to a Carbon Tax

Answer 9

Effect of tax will depend on how elastic the demand is

Question 10

What is a Regressive Tax

Answer 10

rate of taxation based on % of income

Question 11

What is Progressive Tax

Answer 11

Affects higher income households more

Question 12

What is Distributionally Neutral

Answer 12

Affects the same on different income households

Question 13

What are the similarities between Carbon Tax and Cap-and-Trade

Answer 13

-Achieve given level of pollution reduction at least overall cost
-same level of price increases to consumers
-strong incentive for tech innovation
-create same amt of gvt revenue

Question 14

What are the advantages of Carbon Tax

Answer 14

Simpler
Transparent
May encourage tech change
Implemented quickly
Greater price predictability/ stability
Revenues returned to consumers

Question 15

What are advantages to Cap and Trade

Answer 15

Less political opposition
May be more desirable for business
Directly reduces carbon emissions
Revenues used for green investments

Question 16

What policy has more price certainty

Answer 16

Tax

Question 17

What policy has more emissions certainty

Answer 17

Cap-and-Trade

Question 18

What other policies are used to bring down emissions

Answer 18

-Subsidies
-Infrastructure Investment
-Efficiency standards
-Fuel economy standards
-R&D in alternative tech
-tech transfer to developing countries

Question 19

What are behavioral change policies

Answer 19

-Carbon tax
-Cap and Trade
-Subsidies

Question 20

6 Areas of high potential for Emissions Reduction

Answer 20

1) End Use Efficiency
2) Clean Electricity
3) Use of Biomass
4) Carbon Capture
5) Reducing C02 emissions
6) Increased land sinks

Question 21

Which abatement strategies actually save money

Answer 21

-Building insulation
-Electrical efficiency
-Cropland mgmt
-Waste Recycling

Question 22

What are the policy recommendations to achieve abatement reductions

Answer 22

-Strict tech standards for efficiency of buildings and vehicles
-incentives for efficient tech
-gvt support for tech and efficiency
-efficient mgmt of forests/ agriculture

Question 23

What is the Carbon Intensity Commitment for Action

Answer 23

measure of carbon emissions per unit of GDP

Question 24

What is the Peaking Emissions commitment for action

Answer 24

Committing to a number that the country cannot go past

Question 25

What is the Global Carbon Budget

Answer 25

Quantify cumulative emissions of carbon added to atmosphere-must be limited to fixed amount

Question 26

What is REDD

Answer 26

Reduction of
Emissions from
Deforestation and
Degradation

Question 27

Why are Adverse events most striking in Developing countries

Answer 27

-Geographical location
-Climatic condition
-Dependance on natural resources
-limited capacity to adapt

Question 28

What is the Greenhouse Development Rights

Answer 28

Propose that those living above economic threshold of dev’p should be obliged to address climate change.
Those living below focus on economic growth

Question 29

What are the 2 Factors determining a country’s obligation in Greenhouse Dev’p Rights

Answer 29

-Capacity: to provide funding (r/t GDP)
-Responsibility: cumulative emissions since 1990

Question 30

What is Climate Justice

Answer 30

Equitable sharing both of burdens of climate change and costs of policy responses