State Auditor’s Office Says California Will Lose Jobs as a Result of CARB’s Scoping Plan

Legislative Analysts’s Office. State of California http://cssrc.us/web/14/pubs/100308_AB32JobsImpact.pdf [H/T: E&E News, subscription required] If California proceeds on greenhouse gas curbs without regional involvement, the state’s economy is likely to suffer short-term harm as electricity prices rise and business flees to neighboring states, California’s legislative auditor said in a new analysis.

Polls on the Environment and Global Warming

American Enterprise Institute / by By Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg http://www.aei.org/paper/14888 [Summary]  This study includes up-to-date trends and opinions on the party best able to handle environmental issues, the environment as a voting issue, recent presidential administrations and environmental policy, and views on the importance, causes, and potential that can be taken regarding global … Continue reading »

Hedging against Peak Oil Shocks

American Enterprise Institute / by Marc D. Weidenmier http://www.aei.org/paper/100096 [Abstract] Many policymakers and pundits have made the case that the United States should become “energy independent.” One economic interpretation of energy independence is that increased domestic energy production leads to greater risk sharing in the presence of imperfect capital markets. The wealth effects of energy … Continue reading »

CBO Cost Estimate : H.R. 5114 Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010

Congressional Budget Office http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/115xx/doc11503/hr5114.pdf H.R. 5114 would authorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enter into and renew flood insurance policies through fiscal year 2015. Under current law, that authority will expire at the end of May 2010. In addition, the legislation would make several changes to … Continue reading »

Options for the Institutional Venue for International Climate Negotiations

Belfer Center, Kennedy School, Harvard University / by Robert N. Stavins (Policy Brief 2010-03) http://tinyurl.com/24gmy6l [Overview] It is exceptionally challenging to conclude a comprehensive and effective multilateral agreement to address global climate change among nations with divergent interests. This is true for many international issues. However, largely because any domestic policy or set of policies … Continue reading »