The Economist: "Carbon Markets Are Going Global"
Senior Fellow Dallas Burtraw is quoted in a piece about carbon pricing, carbon markets, and the effects that they could have on international relations.
Many schemes, however, fall short on both counts. The reason is obvious: a well-functioning emissions-trading system demands political courage... How ambitious carbon markets are is “an expression of political will”, says Dallas Burtraw, who chairs the independent committee overseeing California’s trading scheme...
Some American lawmakers are also starting to look again at carbon pricing, if only because their country tends to be greener than many of its trade partners, and carbon border taxes could be a handy excuse for protectionist measures. The key to
building support for decarbonisation, says Mr Burtraw, is to “create winners”. In a country where China-bashing tends to be more popular than environmentalism, it will do no harm to the cause if points can be scored at the expense of an arch-rival."
