Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T12:19:36.930Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Intergovernmental climate change mitigation policies: theory and outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2014

Hal T. Nelson
Affiliation:
Division of Politics and Economics, Claremont Graduate University, USA E-mail: [email protected]
Adam Rose
Affiliation:
Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, USA E-mail: [email protected]
Dan Wei
Affiliation:
Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, USA E-mail: [email protected]
Thomas Peterson
Affiliation:
Center for Climate Strategies, USA E-mail: [email protected]
Jeffrey Wennberg
Affiliation:
Center for Climate Strategies, USA E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper develops a framework for analysing intergovernmental relationships around greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policies along a cooperation-conflict spectrum that affects the probability of their enactment. Cooperative policies, such as federal fiscal transfers to sub-national governments, facilitate enactment. Coordination policies, including enabling and funding mechanisms, promote interdependence between jurisdictions. Competitive policies, such as federal performance standards and price mechanisms, increase political conflict over authority. We categorise 23 policies developed by over 1,500 state stakeholders into the cooperation/coordination/conflict taxonomy. If scaled to the national level, these policies could reduce GHG emissions by over 3 billion tonnes by 2020 and generate nearly 2.2 million jobs (1.19 per cent above baseline projections). Nearly two-thirds of the job gains are from coordinated and cooperative policy options that are unlikely to occur under the status quo policy process. We recommend a national climate action planning process to reduce GHG emissions while increasing aggregate economic efficiency.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press, 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adelman, D. E. and Engel, K. H. (2007) Adaptive Federalism: The Case Against Reallocating Environmental Regulatory Authority. Minnesota Law Review 92: 17961850.Google Scholar
Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (1992) Federal Statutory Preemption of State and Local Authority: History, Inventory and Issues, A-121, http://www.library.unt.edu/gpo/acir/Reports/policy/a-121.pdf (accessed 26 October 2012)Google Scholar
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (2009) Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, 516 (Feb. 19, 2009).Google Scholar
Banks, J. S. and Duggan, J. (2000) A Bargaining Model of Collective Choice. American Political Science Review 94(1): 7388.Google Scholar
Bardach, E. (1996) Barriers to Interagency Collaboration. In Kettl D. F. and Milward H. B. (eds.), The State of Public Management. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 168192.Google Scholar
Baron, D. P. and Ferejohn, J. A. (1989) Bargaining in Legislatures. American Political Science Review 83(4): 11811206.Google Scholar
Bary, A. (2010) The JP Morgan Chase Advantage. Barrons, 2 October, 1920.Google Scholar
Black, D. (1958) The Theory of Committees and Elections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bendor, J., Glazer, A. and Hammond, T. (2001) Theories of Delegation. Annual Review of Political Science 4: 235269.Google Scholar
Bennett, E. (1997) Multilateral Bargaining Problems. Games and Economic Behavior 19(2): 151179.Google Scholar
Betsill, M. M. and Bulkeley, H. (2004) Transnational Networks and Global Environmental Governance: The Cities for Climate Protection Program. International Studies Quarterly 48(2): 471493.Google Scholar
Biermann, F., Pattberg, P., van Asselt, H. and Zelli, F. (2009) The Fragmentation of Global Governance Architectures: A Framework for Analysis. Global Environmental Politics 4: 1440.Google Scholar
Blom-Hansen, J. (1999) Policy-Making in Central-Local Government Relations: Balancing Local Autonomy, Macroeconomic Control, and Sectoral Policy Goals. Journal of Public Policy 19(3): 237264.Google Scholar
Breton, A. (1998) Competitive Governments: An Economic Theory of Politics and Public Finance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Broder, J. M. (2010) “Cap and Trade” Loses its Standing as Energy Policy of Choice. New York Times, 25 March, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/science/earth/26climate.html?_r=0 (accessed 23 October 2012).Google Scholar
Butler, C. K., Bellman, M. J. and Kichiyev, O. A. (2007) Assessing Power in Spatial Bargaining: When is There Advantage to Being Status‐Quo Advantaged? International Studies Quarterly 51(3): 607623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Camia, C. (2012) Top Iowans, Romney at Odds on Subsidy for Wind Power. USA Today, 2 August, http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/mitt-romney-wind-energy-credit-terry-branstad-/1#.U1VjqPldV8E (accessed 14 May 2013).Google Scholar
Cammissa, A. M. (1995) Governments as Interest Groups: Intergovernmental Lobbying and the Federal System. Westport, CT: Praeger.Google Scholar
Carley, S. (2009) State Renewable Energy Electricity Policies: An Empirical Evaluation of Effectiveness. Energy Policy 37(8): 30713081.Google Scholar
Dinan, J. (2008) The State of American Federalism 2007–2008: Resurgent State Influence in the National Policy Process and Continued State Policy Innovation. Publius 38(3): 381415.Google Scholar
Downs, A. (1957) An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar
Drummond, W. J. (2010) Statehouse Versus Greenhouse have State-Level Climate Action Planners and Policy Entrepreneurs Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Journal of the American Planning Association 76(4): 413433.Google Scholar
Elazar, D. J. (1991) Cooperative Federalism. In Kenyon D. A. and Kincaid J. (eds.), Competition Among States and Local Governments: Efficiency and Equity in American Federalism. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 6586.Google Scholar
Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. (1991) Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In , 2nd ed. New York: Penguin Press.Google Scholar
Florida Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change (FGAT) (2008) Florida’s Energy and Climate Change Action Plan, http://www.flclimatechange.us/stakeholder.cfm (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Freeman, J. and Farber, D. A. (2005) Modular Environmental Regulation. Duke Law Journal 54(4): 795912.Google Scholar
Globe Advisors and Center for Climate Strategies (2012) The West Coast Clean Economy, Opportunities for Investment & Accelerated Job Creation, March, http://www.pacificcoastcollaborative.org/Documents/Reports%20and%20Action%20Items/Final%20WCCE%20Methodology.pdf (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Gormley, W. T. (2006) Money and Mandates: The Politics of Intergovernmental Conflict. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 36(4): 523540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hall, T. E. and O’Toole, L. J. (2000) Structures for Policy Implementation: An Analysis of National Legislation, 1965–1966 and 1993–1994. Administration and Society 31(6): 667686.Google Scholar
Heinzerling, L. (2008) Climate, Preemption, and the Executive Branches. Arizona Law Review 50: 925934.Google Scholar
Hill, M. and Hupe, P. (2002) Implementing Public Policy: Governance in Theory and in Practice. Beverley Hills, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Hotelling, H. (1929) Stability in Competition. Economic Journal 39: 4157.Google Scholar
International Energy Agency (2007) Mind the Gap – Quantifying Principal-Agent Problems in Energy Efficiency, http://www.iea.org/w/bookshop/add.aspx?id=324 (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Johnson, S. (2007) Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger on Emission Waiver, http://www.cleancarscampaign.org/webcontent/newsroom/docs/121907_EPALetter.pdf (accessed 26 October 2012).Google Scholar
Joskow, P. L. and Schmalensee, R. (1998) The Political Economy of Market-Based Environmental Policy: The U.S. Acid Rain Program. Journal of Law and Economics 41: 89135.Google Scholar
Krause, R. M. (2011) An Assessment of the Greenhouse Gas Reducing Activities Being Implemented in US Cities. Local Environment 16(2): 193211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Layzer, J. (2006) The Environmental Case: Translating Values Into Policy, 2nd ed., Washington, DC: CQ Press.Google Scholar
Lindblom, C. (1965) The Intelligence of Democracy. NewYork: The Free Press.Google Scholar
Lubell, M., Leach, W. D. and Sabatier, P. A. (2009) Collaborative Watershed Partnerships in the Epoch of Sustainability. In Mazmanian D. A. and Kraft M. E. (eds.), Towards Sustainable Communities: Transitions and Transformations in Environmental Policy. Cambridge: MIT Press, 255288.Google Scholar
Lutsey, N. and Sperling, D. (2008) America’s Bottom-Up Climate Change Mitigation Policy. Energy Policy 36(2): 673685.Google Scholar
Maggioni, E., Nelson, H. and Mazmanian, D. (2012) Stakeholder Participation and State Climate Change Policies. Policy Studies Journal 40(2): 234255.Google Scholar
Mazmanian, D., Jurewitz, J. and Nelson, H. (2008) When a Sub-National State Actor Confronts a Global Challenge: California Setting the Pace and Tone of U.S. Climate Change Policy. Journal of Environment and Development 17(4): 401423.Google Scholar
Mazmanian, D., Nelson, H. and Jurewitz, J. (2013) Chapter 17: Climate Change. In Rarik E. (ed.), Governing California: Politics, Government, And Public Policy in the Golden State, 3rd ed. Berkeley: UC Press, 405423.Google Scholar
Mazmanian, D. A. and Kraft, M. E. (2009) The Three Epochs of the Environmental Movement. In Mazmanian D. A. and Kraft M. E. (eds.), Towards Sustainable Communities: Transitions and Transformations in Environmental Policy. Cambridge: MIT Press, 332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meirowitz, A. (2007) Communication and Bargaining in the Spatial Model. International Journal of Game Theory 35(2): 251266.Google Scholar
Michigan Climate Action Council (MCAC) (2008) Michigan Climate Action Plan, http://www.miclimatechange.us/stakeholder.cfm (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Miller, S., Wei, D. and Rose, A. (2010) The Economic Impact of the Michigan Climate Change Action Plan on the State’s Economy. Report to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The Center for Climate Strategies, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Molina, M., Neubauer, M., Sciortino, M., Nowak, S., Vaidyanathan, S., Kaufman, N. and Chittum, A. (2010) The 2010 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, ACEEE Report E107, http://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/e107.pdf Google Scholar
Nash, J. (1950) The Bargaining Problem. Econometrica 18(2): 155162.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) (2011) America’s Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.Google Scholar
Nelson, H. (2012) Government Performance and U.S. Residential Building Energy Codes. In Kugler J. and Tammen R. (eds.), The Performance of Nations. Chapter 12. Boulder, CO: Rowman & Littlefield, 267292.Google Scholar
Nelson, H., et al. (2014) The Great Recession or Progressive Energy Policies: Explaining the Decline in Recent US GHG Emissions Forecasts, Working Paper.Google Scholar
Nichols, C. (2008) Reducing CO2 Emissions by Improving the Efficiency of the Existing Coal-fired Power Plant Fleet, DOE/NETL-2008/1329, http://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analyses/pubs/CFPP%20Efficiency-FINAL.pdf (accessed 26 October 2012).Google Scholar
Partridge, M. D. and Rickman, D. S. (2010) CGE Modelling for Regional Economic Development Analysis. Regional Studies 44(10): 13111328.Google Scholar
Peterson, T., Wennberg, J., Rose, A. and Wei, D. (2010a) Impacts of Comprehensive Climate and Energy Policies on the US Economy. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University.Google Scholar
Peterson, T. P., Wennberg, J., Rose, A. and Wei, D. (2010b) Estimation Methodology for GHG Reduction Potential and Cost-Effectiveness of Super Options. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University.Google Scholar
Posner, P. (2007) The Politics of Coercive Federalism in the Bush Era. Publius 37(3): 390412.Google Scholar
Rabe, B. (2011) Contested Federalism and American Climate Policy. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 41(3): 494521.Google Scholar
Rabe, B. G. (2004) Statehouse and Greenhouse: The Emerging Politics of American Climate Change Policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.Google Scholar
Rabe, B. G. (2008) Commentary. Arizona Law Review 50: 788792.Google Scholar
Raiffa, H. (2002) Negotiation Analysis: The Science and Art of Collaborative Decision Making. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) (2009) REMI PI+ Model Document, www.remi.com (accessed 19 January 2011).Google Scholar
Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) (2012) REMI Model Online Documents, http://www.remi.com/ (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Richards, K. and Richards, S. (2009) Comparative Analysis of Climate Change Bills in the U.S. Senate. Environmental Law Reporter 39: 1060110604.Google Scholar
Richardson, L. E. and Houston, D. J. (2009) Federalism and Safety on America’s Highways. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 39(1): 117137.Google Scholar
Riker, W. H. (1980) Implications from the Disequilibrium of Majority Rule for the Study of Institutions. The American Political Science Review 4: 432446.Google Scholar
Rose, A. and Miernyk, W. (1989) Input-Output Analysis: The First Fifty Years. Economic Systems Research 1(2): 229271.Google Scholar
Rose, A. and Wei, D. (2009) Macroeconomic Assessment of Action Plan, Chapter 11, Pennsylvania Climate Change Action Plan Final Report, http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/View/Collection-10677 Google Scholar
Rose, A. and Wei, D. (2012) Macroeconomic Impacts of the Florida Energy and Climate Change Action Plan. Climate Policy 12(1): 5069.Google Scholar
Rose, A., Wei, D. and Dormady, N. (2011) Regional Macroeconomic Assessment of the Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan. Regional Science Policy and Practice 3(4): 357379.Google Scholar
Rose, A., Wei, D. and Prager, D. (2012) Distributional Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading: Alternative Allocation and Recycling Strategies in California. Contemporary Economic Policy 30(4): 603617.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rubin, E. L. and Feeley, M. (1993) Federalism: Some Notes on a National Neurosis. UCLA Law Review 41: 903952.Google Scholar
Sabatier, P. A. and Jenkins-Smith, H. C. (1999) The Advocacy Coalition Framework: An Assessment. In Sabatier P. A. (ed.), Theories of the Policy Process. Boulder: Westview Press, 117168.Google Scholar
Schreurs, M. A. (2008) From the Bottom Up Local and Subnational Climate Change Politics. The Journal of Environment & Development 17(4): 343355.Google Scholar
Shepsle, K. A. and Weingast, B. R. (1987) The Institutional Foundations of Committee Power. American Political Science Review 81(1): 85104.Google Scholar
Snyder, J. (2007) Southern Co. Takes Aim at Renewable Energy Bill, Renewable Energy World, 14 May http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2007/05/southern-co-takes-aim-at-renewable-energy-bill-48469 (accessed 25 October 2012).Google Scholar
Sovacol, B. K. (2008) The Best of Both Worlds: Environmental Federalism and the Need for Federal Actions on Renewable Energy and Climate Change. Stanford Law Journal 27: 397477.Google Scholar
Stoker, R. (1992) Reluctant Partners: Implementing Federal Policy. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Treyz, G. (1993) Regional Economic Modeling: A Systematic Approach to Economic Forecasting and Policy Analysis. Boston: Kluwer.Google Scholar
Urpelainen, J. (2012) A Model of Dynamic Climate Governance: Dream Big, Win Small. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics 13(2): 119.Google Scholar
US Department of Energy (2012) AEO 2012 Reference Cas e Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Sector and Source, http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/aeo/tablebrowser/#release=AEO2012&subject=0-AEO2012&table=17-AEO2012&region=1-0&cases=ref2012-d020112c (accessed 15 May 2013).Google Scholar
Victor, D. G., House, J. C. and Joy, S. (2005) A Madisonian Approach to Climate Policy. Science 5742: 1820.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Volden, C. (2005) Intergovernmental Political Competition in American Federalism. American Journal of Political Science 49(2): 327342.Google Scholar
Weaver, J. K. (1986) The Politics of Blame Avoidance. Journal of Public Policy 6(4): 371398.Google Scholar
Wei, D. and Rose, A. (2011) The Macroeconomic Impact of the New York Climate Action Plan: A Screening Analysis, Report to New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, New York: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.Google Scholar
Weible, C. M. (2005) Beliefs and Perceived Influence in a Natural Resource Conflict: An Advocacy Coalition Approach to Policy Networks. Political Research Quarterly 58(3): 461475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wellborn, D. M. (1988) Conjoint Federalism and Environmental Regulation in the United States. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 18(1): 2743.Google Scholar
Wheeler, S. M. (2008) State and Municipal Climate Change Plans: The First Generation. Journal of the American Planning Association 74(4): 481496.Google Scholar
Wilson, W. ([1908] 1961) Constitutional Government in the United States. New York: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Winder, D. W. and LaPlant, J. T. (2000) State Lawsuits Against “Big Tobacco”: A Test of Diffusion Theory. State and Local Government Review 32(2): 132141.Google Scholar
Wood, B. D. (1992) Modeling Federal Implementation as a System: The Clean Air Case. American Journal of Political Science 36(1): 4067.Google Scholar
Woods, N. D. (2006) Primacy Implementation of Environmental Policy in the U.S. States. Publius 36(2): 259276.Google Scholar
Wright, D. S. (2001) Models of National, State and Local Relationships. In O’Toole L. J. Jr. (ed.), American Intergovernmental Relations. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 7488.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Nelson Supplementary Material

Appendix

Download Nelson Supplementary Material(File)
File 178.8 KB