On May 12, 2010, Senator Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Lieberman (I-CT) released their draft legislation, the American Power Act (APA). This bill contains a comprehensive, sector-based approach to enhancing energy security, spurring the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, …
This article originally appeared in Point Carbon News. At the heart of any successful cap-and-trade program is a well-functioning market for the trading of emissions allowances. At the same time, the recent high-profile market scandals and crises have led …
On December 11, 2009, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal (CLEAR) Act (S..2877 of the 111th Congress). This bill would puts limits on carbon emissions. It auctions all of the allowances …
At the heart of any successful cap-and-trade program is a well-functioning market for the trading of emissions allowances. The sulfur dioxide allowance market created under 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to control acid rain is an example of such a …
Economic models are an important tool for evaluating the potential impact of proposed legislation on our economy. This brief compares modeling analyses of the House-passed clean energy and climate bill (H.R. 2454) conducted by seven different groups including government agencies, …
The Offset Quality Initiative (OQI) responds to the intensifying debate over international offsets by releasing a policy paper assessing offset quality in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In the paper, titled “Assessing Offset Quality in the Clean Development Mechanism,” OQI …
Coal is an inexpensive and abundant domestic energy resource; the United States has larger coal reserves than any other country—likely enough to sustain current production levels for more than two centuries. Coal prices are generally less volatile than those of …
Agriculture, likely one of America’s most vulnerable sectors to a changing climate, has much to gain from a comprehensive climate policy. Agriculture’s vulnerability to climate change was highlighted in a recent study by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (including …
On June 26, 2009, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES Act) was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 219 to 212. The bill contains five distinct titles: I) clean energy, II) energy efficiency, …
This brief explains how and why renewable energy certificates (RECs) differ from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission offsets (offsets). While the Offset Quality Initiative (OQI) is a strong supporter of renewable energy and believes it has a critical role to play …