by Michael A. Livermore
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Capturing the massive social benefits of fuel efficiency requires regulation 6
Posted 4 days, 23 hours ago This Friday is the deadline for public comments on the stricter vehicle efficiency standards from EPA and the Department of Transportation. The docket is likely to be overrun with statements for and against the regulation that would make cars and light trucks 30 percent more efficient in 5 years. Read More -
Make the kids pay: The economic effects of climate change on future generations 0
Posted 1 week, 3 days ago The debate over the economics of climate change boils down to that very calculation: how much are we willing to pay today to avoid climate risks in the future? The simple fact is that as we continue to use fuels that contribute to global warming today, we place major economic burdens on our kids and grandkids tomorrow. Read More -
When will we stop paying the hidden fossil fuel tax? 1
Posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago Last week, the nation suffered from major sticker shock when we learned that our use of fossil fuels comes with a hidden price tag of $120 billion per year. Read More -
Methane leakage runs up a $50 billion bill 6
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago Methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, so when it's leaking by the ton, it's a $50 billion problem. Read More -
Garbage in, garbage out
Economics of climate legislation deserve honest accounting 0
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago The debate over the Kerry-Boxer bill has picked up where Waxman-Markey left off: the economics of climate legislation. Read More -
The other half of cost-benefit
Counting the benefits of climate legislation 4
Posted 2 months, 2 weeks ago While reducing greenhouse gases will have costs, so will the results of climate change. That may seem obvious, but up until now the debate over climate legislation has only focused on the costs, without looking at the benefits. Read More -
Flattening the U
The senator from Montana and the middle class 0
Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago This morning, the Senate took its final step on climate change before its summer vacation—a hearing pulled together by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus from Montana on how carbon allowances are allocated under the Waxman-Markey bill. The main takeaway: Under the House bill, the middle class does the heavy lifting to pay for the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The focus of the hearing was how the Senate can improve the allocation of the carbon allowances, which are likely to be worth more than $100 billion per year. Dallas Burtraw, a senior economist at Resources for the… Read More
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Small changes at EPA could have big environmental impacts 1
Posted 4 months ago While climate change legislation works its way toward 60 votes in the Senate, President Obama's EPA has been quietly working on some serious revisions to the guidelines it uses to conduct cost-benefit analysis. Tweaks they might make to the powerful but low-profile Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analyses could have major impacts on the environment and could spur greenhouse gas reductions if the Senate fails to take action. Read More -
the sun'll come out tomorrow
The three things Cass Sunstein should do on his first day 1
Posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago After some minor drama, it looks like Cass Sunstein is finally on the road to confirmation for director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) after being nominated by President Obama in January. Read More -
State budget crisis could be key to climate change 0
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago If the Governors of a few key states pick up their phones in a hurry they could shrink their gaping budget shortfalls and help climate change legislation pass the Senate with one call. Read More
