The Climate Change 101 series provides a reliable and understandable introduction to global climate change, giving policy makers the basic information they need as they face decisions about climate policy. The new 2011 edition incorporates the most recent information on climate change and major developments in the climate field since the last update in 2009.

This installment of the Climate Change 101 series explains how a cap-and-trade program sets a clear limit on greenhouse gas emissions and minimizes the costs of achieving this target. By creating a market, and a price, for emission reductions, cap and trade offers an environmentally effective and economically efficient response to climate change.