This book provides a thorough grounding in the science and economics of climate policy issues and draws key lessons from the longer experiences of central banks in grappling with related challenges. Findings and controversies of climate history and the effects of human activities on climate are reviewed. The author describes similarities in risk management approaches for climate and monetary policy. Overall goals and frameworks for addressing climate change risks are assessed. Command-and-control and market-based options are compared (including performance standards, taxes and cap-and-trade). Market-based approaches sometimes require a choice between prices and quantities as policy instruments. However, the author discusses how techniques of central bank interest rate management can be adapted in a hybrid climate policy approach to achieve environmental goals while making carbon prices predictable and also ensuring well-functioning carbon markets. Key lessons are offered for improving existing and future national and international climate policy architectures.
Les mer
Introduction; Part I. Earth's Climate History and Outlook: 1. Salient events of climate history; 2. Human and climate interactions; 3. Greenhouse gases; 4. Emitting economic sectors; 5. Forecasts of GHG emissions and global temperatures; 6. Potential impacts of climate change; Part II. Climate Policy Choices: 7. Climate policy goals; 8. Policy mandates and market-based approaches; 9. The design of cap-and-trade programs; 10. Prices, quantities and lessons from monetary policy; 11. The outlook for climate policies; Appendix: discount rates in climate analysis.
Les mer
Reviews of the hardback: 'In Climate Policy Foundations, William Whitesell has done an excellent job not only in providing systematic introductions to both the science and the policy of climate change but in integrating the two as well.' J. Samuel Barkin, Review of Policy
Les mer
Whitesell discusses the efforts of scientists to understand earth's climate history and possible risk management policies.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781107002289
Publisert
2011-01-17
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Vekt
540 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Dybde
17 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
254

Biographical note

William C. Whitesell is Director of Policy Research in Washington, DC. From 1987 to 2006 he served on the staff of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, where he held management responsibilities for staff work on the formulation and implementation of monetary policy, including market analysis and the monetary regulation of banks. He conducted independent climate economics research from 2006 to 2007. Dr Whitesell has also held positions as a financial analyst at the World Bank and as a development finance specialist at the Banque Arabe et Internationale d'Investissement, in addition to proprietary consulting. Earlier he taught economics at New York University and Virginia Tech. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in economics from New York University.