Climate Policy
Should Blue States Punish Tesla?
The political economy implications of how EV tax credits are distributed
In the wake of Elon Musk’s role in the new administration and its efforts to fire large numbers of federal employees, some Democratic state elected officials have called for rethinking EV subsidies to cut out Tesla. There is also evidence that Democratic state legislators have become much more hostile to Tesla lobbying. Matthew Yglesias, a …
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CONTINUE READINGWhat can we learn from EU’s battery regulation?
New CLEE report with model policies to ensure a responsible EV battery supply chain
From cars and trucks to buses and trains, electric vehicles are playing an increasingly vital role in decarbonizing mobility and reducing oil dependence However, this transition brings with it a significant challenge: the immense pressure on battery supply chains. As demand for EVs increases, consumer countries will need to develop and implement policies that address the …
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CONTINUE READINGPresidential Blitzkrieg: Good Tactics, Questionable Strategy
Flooding the zone has short-term benefits but possible long-term costs.
Trump has issued a flood of executive orders. Many of those actions relate to energy and environment, with the general intent of handicapping clean energy and promoting fossil fuels. Flooding the zone has undoubtedly helped him dominate the news and may have stunned opponents. But shirt-ternm success doesn’t always translate into long-term gains.
CONTINUE READINGTalking Climate Policy with an Energy Economist
An interview with leading energy expert Catherine Wolfram
Catherine Wolfram, a leading energy economist who has researched the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, shares her views of the impact of the IRA, its likely fate, and the energy policies of the incoming Trump Administration. Wolfram served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate and Energy Economics at the US Treasury in 2021-2022
CONTINUE READINGWhat policies lead to greenhouse gas emissions declines?
A recent study emphasizes the role of policy mixes in driving short-term emissions reductions
In a series of posts (beginning here, and ending here) last month, I outlined an approach to climate policy that emphasizes the role of subsidies in building political support and technological progress for climate policy. In doing so, I drew heavily on existing political science research and case studies from North America and Europe. But …
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CONTINUE READINGTrading more LNG exports for more electricity transmission?
Recent Department of Energy report indicates that the trade may be worth it
In a series of recent posts (first post, second post, third post), I examined the permitting reform bill advanced by Senators Manchin and Barrasso in the last Congress. That permitting reform bill is now dead. But the reasons for doing a deal still remain. Decarbonizing the US economy requires a massive increase in renewable energy, …
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CONTINUE READINGLooking Ahead to the Second Trump Administration
Does the IRA have staying power?
This is the seventh in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. The fifth post is here. The sixth post is here. The incoming Trump Administration has, of course, called for ending efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, …
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CONTINUE READINGBroadening the Scope of Climate Policy
How to expand climate policy to new places and new sectors
This is the sixth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. The fifth post is here. The political dynamics of decarbonization that I’ve sketched out are very specific to time, space, and economic sector. The policy approaches …
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CONTINUE READINGHow to Commit to Decarbonization
Feedback effects can lock in decarbonization policies, for better and for worse
This is the fifth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. Decarbonization is a long-term challenge, and it requires commitments to drive the investments required for innovation and deployment of non-fossil-fuel energy sources. But long-term commitments, which …
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CONTINUE READINGOn Carbon Pricing and Mass Climate Movements
Neither carbon pricing nor a mass climate movement can drive effective climate policy on their own
This is the fourth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. What lessons can we draw from this analysis for key climate policy debates? Here, I will focus on two key lessons, first for carbon pricing, and second for the use of …
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