Nat Keohane on the social cost of carbon Supreme Court ruling

Statement of Nathaniel Keohane
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

May 26, 2022

On the Supreme Court ruling preserving federal agency use of the social cost of carbon:

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling, preserving the social cost of carbon as a tool for assessing the environmental harm of greenhouse gas emissions, is a victory for common sense and good government. Every ton of greenhouse gas emissions carries quantifiable costs in terms of its impact on environment, public health, and economic productivity. Understanding those costs gives us a fuller picture of the true consequences of unchecked climate change—and conversely, the benefits of taking steps to reduce emissions.

“Federal agencies need tools like the social cost of carbon to provide the public with a full accounting of the benefits of policies that cut climate pollution. This ruling affirms that principle and gives a welcome boost for smart climate policy. It also paves the way for the Biden administration to revise the federal government’s estimate of the social cost of carbon to take into account the latest science. We look forward to that update.”

To reach a C2ES expert, contact Alec Gerlach at press@c2es.org.

About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to forge practical solutions to climate change. Our mission is to advance strong policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. Learn more at www.c2es.org.

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