U.S. Climate Change Policy and the Energy Transition

FYSEMR 42H Subject & Catalog Number

Description

U.S. climate change policy has seen increasingly large pendulum swings, including the adoption and subsequent abandonment of a large number of policy instruments. Different presidential administrations have variously stressed energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting green jobs, environmental justice, and increasing domestic production of oil and gas. In the background, the Supreme Court has altered, substantially, what climate regulations are feasible under existing statutes. At the same time, new low-carbon energy technologies, most importantly wind, solar, batteries, and electric vehicles, have become cost competitive with conventional technologies – yet they face substantial nonmarket impediments to adoption. Moreover, international events induce domestic energy price volatility. And on top of this, U.S. and global emissions are rising, and with them, global temperatures.

This seminar examines U.S. climate and energy policy from both economic and technological perspectives. The seminar starts with a review of the U.S. energy sector, energy security and U.S. energy history, climate science, the economics of climate change, and climate/energy policy tools. The seminar then dives into current policy issues, including the power sector, electric vehicles, aviation fuels, international considerations and carbon border fees, and the role of personal action. A theme throughout the second half of the seminar is looking ahead to the next generation of climate/energy policies, a matter of active debate. The target audience is students who are committed to making a difference in how the U.S. and the world tackles the challenge of rapidly shifting energy demand and climate change: through policy, through effecting social and political change, or through inventing or bringing to market the technological breakthroughs that will facilitate the transition to a net zero emissions economy.