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13 + 1: A Comparison of Global Climate Change Policy Architectures

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  • Aldy, Joseph E.
  • Barrett, Scott
  • Stavins, Robert N.

Abstract

We critically review the Kyoto Protocol and thirteen alternative policy architectures for addressing the threat of global climate change. We employ six criteria to evaluate the policy proposals: environmental outcome, dynamic efficiency, cost effectiveness, equity, flexibility in the presence of new information, and incentives for participation and compliance. The Kyoto Protocol does not fare well on a number of criteria, but none of the alternative proposals fare well along all six dimensions. We identify several major themes among the alternative proposals: Kyoto is "too little, too fast"; developing countries should play a more substantial role and receive incentives to participate; implementation should focus on market-based approaches, especially those with price mechanisms; and participation and compliance incentives are inadequately addressed by most proposals. Our investigation reveals tensions among several of the evaluative criteria, such as between environmental outcome and efficiency, and between cost-effectiveness and incentives for participation and compliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Aldy, Joseph E. & Barrett, Scott & Stavins, Robert N., 2003. "13 + 1: A Comparison of Global Climate Change Policy Architectures," Discussion Papers 10541, Resources for the Future.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:rffdps:10541
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.10541
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    Cited by:

    1. Aviel Verbruggen, 2011. "Preparing the design of robust climate policy architectures," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 275-295, November.
    2. Gersbach, Hans & Winkler, Ralph, 2012. "Global refunding and climate change," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 1775-1795.
    3. KOBAYASHI Keiichiro & NAKAJIMA Tomoyuki, 2008. "Monetization of Public Goods Provision: A possible solution for the free-rider problem," Discussion papers 08019, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    4. Hans Gersbach & Noemi Hummel, 2009. "Climate Policy and Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 2807, CESifo.
    5. DAUBANES Julien, 2009. "Changement climatique, instruments économiques et propositions pour un accord post-Kyoto : une synthèse," LERNA Working Papers 09.19.295, LERNA, University of Toulouse.
    6. Gersbach, Hans & Winkler, Ralph, 2007. "On the Design of Global Refunding and Climate Change," CEPR Discussion Papers 6379, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Verbruggen, Aviel, 2009. "Beyond Kyoto, plan B: A climate policy master plan based on transparent metrics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2930-2937, October.
    8. Gersbach, Hans & Winkler, Ralph, 2011. "International emission permit markets with refunding," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(6), pages 759-773, August.
    9. Hans Gersbach, 2007. "The Global Refunding System and Climate Change," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 07/62, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    10. Kågeson, Per, 2011. "Applying the Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility to the Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases from International Shipping," Working papers in Transport Economics 2011:5, CTS - Centre for Transport Studies Stockholm (KTH and VTI).

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