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Statehouse Versus Greenhouse

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  • William Drummond

Abstract

Problem: In the absence of U.S. federal action to address the problem of climate change, a diverse array of nonfederal policy entrepreneurs and climate action planners has produced an impressive body of plans and policies to fight climate change at the regional, state, and local levels. Their actions are highly laudable, but have they actually reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Purpose: This article evaluates the work of a group of innovative state-level policy entre-preneurs whose actions were chronicled by Barry Rabe, and a set of 29 state climate action plans systematically analyzed by Stephen Wheeler. It compares states with and without climate policy entrepreneurs and states with and without climate action plans, asks if either plans or entrepreneurs have been successful in reducing CO2 emissions, and identifies the elements within plans that are associated with the greatest reductions. Methods: The analysis uses multiple regression models to explain changes in per capita CO2 emissions attributable to residen-tial, commercial, transportation, and total nonindustrial end users from 1990 to 2007. A package of control variables accounts for political, social, climatic, economic, and urban form factors, while policy variables isolate the effects of climate policy entrepre-neurs, climate action planners, and specific policy recommendations within climate action plans. Results and conclusions: State-level climate actions reduce GHG emissions by a measurable but modest amount: about one half metric ton per person per year. This represents 2–3% of the average American's 24-ton annual total GHG emissions. The reduction is small in comparison to the magnitude of the problem, but a substantial tax increase or population shift away from sprawling areas would be necessary to achieve the same reduction. specific policies I find to be associated with lower emissions include: building efficiency in both residential and commercial sectors, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) policies in the commercial sector, and California's vehicle efficiency standards in the transportation sector. Takeaway for practice: It is encouraging that we can already identify emission reduc-tions related to state climate action. However, the observed reductions remain small com-pared to the scope of the problem. These findings should persuade states without plans to begin the planning process while encourag-ing states with plans to encourage more entrepreneurship aimed at developing a second generation of policy options for stabilizing our planet's climate with or without federal action. Research support: None.

Suggested Citation

  • William Drummond, 2010. "Statehouse Versus Greenhouse," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 76(4), pages 413-433.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:rjpaxx:v:76:y:2010:i:4:p:413-433
    DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2010.499537
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Arik Levinson, 2017. "Energy Intensity: Prices, Policy, or Composition in US States," Development Working Papers 414, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    2. Nelson, Hal T. & Rose, Adam & Wei, Dan & Peterson, Thomas & Wennberg, Jeffrey, 2015. "Intergovernmental climate change mitigation policies: theory and outcomes," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 35(1), pages 97-136, April.
    3. Wakiyama, Takako & Zusman, Eric, 2021. "The impact of electricity market reform and subnational climate policy on carbon dioxide emissions across the United States: A path analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    4. Derek Glasgow & Shuang Zhao & Saatvika Rai, 2021. "Rethinking Climate Change Leadership: An Analysis of the Ambitiousness of State GHG Targets," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(4), pages 398-426, July.
    5. Gwen Arnold & Meghan Klasic & Changtong Wu & Madeline Schomburg & Abigail York, 2023. "Finding, distinguishing, and understanding overlooked policy entrepreneurs," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 56(4), pages 657-687, December.
    6. Clark, Thomas A., 2013. "Metropolitan density, energy efficiency and carbon emissions: Multi-attribute tradeoffs and their policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 413-428.
    7. Yi, Hongtao, 2015. "Clean-energy policies and electricity sector carbon emissions in the U.S. states," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 19-29.
    8. Yi, Hongtao & Feiock, Richard C. & Berry, Frances S., 2017. "Overcoming collective action barriers to energy sustainability: A longitudinal study of climate protection accord adoption by local governments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 339-346.
    9. Wiener, Joshua G. & Koontz, Tomas M., 2012. "Extent and types of small-scale wind policies in the U.S. states: Adoption and effectiveness," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 15-24.
    10. Hinrika Droege & Julian Kirchherr & Andrea Raggi & Tomás B. Ramos, 2023. "Towards a circular disruption: On the pivotal role of circular economy policy entrepreneurs," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 1142-1158, March.

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