Implementing California’s Climate Policies
California is a national leader in adopting policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Its cap-and-trade program creates a binding cap on the majority of the state's emissions. California's climate policies promise to also improve air quality in the state, but it remains unclear which areas of the state stand to see the greatest local environmental and health benefits. We're working to better understand how the implementation of California's climate policies will create benefits for local communities across the state.
Research Poster
Co-Benefits of Cap-and-Trade: How are Local Air Pollution and Health Benefits Distributed in California?
Presented by Andrew Fang at the 2018 APPAM Fall Research Conference, this research poster presents the work in progress of the Lab’s project on the distribution of health impacts under California’s cap-and-trade program. California’s cap-and-trade program is hailed as one of the most important sub-national steps to limit the effects of climate change, creating globally shared benefits. Yet the program is also seen as a critical mechanism to reduce local air pollution in California by environmental justice groups, who argue that market-based mechanisms do not guarantee reduced emissions in air pollution “hotspots” and may disproportionately affect low income and minority communities. By assessing the variation of air pollution costs and benefits under cap-and-trade, this work will contribute to the literature on the distributional effects of climate change policies across state and local communities.