A growing body of evidence shows that economic growth is not in conflict with efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Experience at the state and national levels demonstrates that well-designed policies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States while providing overall net public benefits, for example, through improved public health, as well as direct financial benefits to businesses and consumers.
Oct 2014
A growing body of evidence shows that economic growth is not in conflict with efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Experience at the state and national levels demonstrates that well-designed policies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States while providing overall net public benefits, for example, through improved public health, as well as direct financial benefits to businesses and consumers. However, policies are often necessary to unlock these opportunities, because market barriers hamper investment in what are otherwise beneficial activities. Our analysis illustrates that many more opportunities could be realized with the right policy interventions, including the strengthening of existing policies and programs. In addition, we find that continued technological advancements could allow for even deeper reductions in the years ahead, as long as policies are put in place to help bring them to maturity.
The report identifies five measures that can drive significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions. If done right, they can also lead to net economic benefits, even before the benefits of avoiding climate change are considered. The sectors considered here accounted for 55 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 and provide significant opportunity for emissions reductions.
Working Papers
