Buying greenhouse insurance

Book · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5242364

Manne, A S ^[1]; Richels, R G ^[2]

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1. Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
2. Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

A growing concern that the increasing accumulation of greenhouse gases will lead to undesirable changes in global climate has resulted in proposals, both in the United States and internationally, to set physical targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But what will these proposals cost This book outlines a way to think about greenhouse-effect decisions under uncertainty. It describes an insightful model for determining the economic costs of limiting CO{sub 2} emissions produced by burning fossil fuels and provides a solid analytical base for rethinking public policy on the far-reaching issue of global warming. It presents region-by-region estimates of the costs that would underlie an international agreement. Using a computer model known as Global 2100, they analyze the economic impacts of limiting CO{sub 2} emissions under alternative supply and conservation scenarios. The results clearly indicate that a reduction in emissions is not the sole policy response to potential climate change. Following a summary of the greenhouse effect, its likely causes, and possible consequences, this book takes up issues that concern the public at large. They provide an overview of Global 2100, look at how the U.S. energy sector is likely to evolve under business-as-usual conditions and under carbon constraints, and describe the concept of greenhouse insurance. They consider possible global agreements, including an estimate of benefits that might result from trading in an international market in emission rights. They conclude with a technical description directed toward modeling specialists.

• OSTI ID: 5242364
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AGREEMENTS
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COST
DECISION MAKING
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
SIMULATION