This policy brief explains the various steps in calculating the social cost of carbon, the weaknesses and strengths of those calculations, and how they are used to inform climate policy. The aim is to help policymakers, regulators, civil society, and others judge for themselves the reliability of using the resulting numbers in making policy decisions.
As climate negotiations wrapped up in Bonn, Germany, following is a statement from Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy, the World Resources Institute:
WRI works to inform Congress about the opportunities and impacts of legislative proposals that affect U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and to help shape federal policies that will lead the U.S. on a path of low-carbon growth.
This paper explores current use valuation programs as one tool for
conserving and fostering sustainable management of southern U.S.
forests under private ownership. The brief identifies key constraints
on existing programs and suggests measures that could be
implemented to enhance program effectiveness.