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This article explores the intractable justice questions and governance challenges related to climate change, including the disparate impact of climate harms and higher energy costs. It proposes the concept of equity offsets as a complement to private and public measures to address the climate crisis and enhance justice. The article also highlights the role of scholarship and activism in developing institutions that promote justice and mitigate climate change.
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Social and Environmental Justice Perspectives from and for Global FeminismsGlobal Feminisms Collaborative Developing and Testing the Equity Offset Concept April 24, 2008 Brooke A. Ackerly Associate Professor of Political Science Michael P. VandenberghProfessor of Law and Co-Director, Regulatory Program Vanderbilt University Law School
The Climate-Justice Problem • The justice questions are seemingly intractable. - Disparate impact of climate harms • Disparate impact of higher energy costs • The governance challenges are seemingly intractable. - Difficult to assign responsibility • Difficult to reduce emissions • Difficult to overcome political opposition
Recent Articles • Climate Change Justice: The Challenge for Global Governance, 17 Geo. Intl Envtl. L.J. (2008)(Brooke Ackerly & Michael Vandenbergh) • Climate Change: The Equity Problem, 26 Va. Envtl. L. J. (2007)(Michael Vandenbergh & Brooke Ackerly) • The Carbon-Neutral Individual, 82 NYU L. Rev. (2007)(Michael Vandenbergh & Anne Steinemann)
Thesis • Even without moral agreement • Even without political agreement • We can develop institutions that are justice-enhancing and address the climate crisis • Scholarship and activism can be mutually supportive in this effort
Climate Change Assumptions • Goal: Reduce Risk of Catastrophic Climate Change • Short-term Target: Level Off • Long-term Target: 60%-80% • Business-as-Usual: Doubling • All Major Sources and Countries
Individual Emissions: Average and Aggregate Impacts(Vandenbergh & Steinemann, 2007) • U.S. Individual Behavior - 14,779 pounds/year = 32% of US total - 4.1 trillion (individual) > 3.9 trillion (industry) - US generated 24.4% of world total in 2000 - US individual share is ~ 8% of world total • Larger than Central Am., South Am., and Africa combined - 2/3 the total for China
Individual Emissions: Specific Behavior Types Estimated Percentage of Total Household Energy Consumed (1990) (Gardner & Stern, 1996, tbl.10-5) End Use Percentage Transportation 40 In Home Use Space Heat 23 Motors and Appliances 14 Water Heat 11 Lighting 6 Cooling 6
The Justice or Equity Problem • Income Disparity - 12.6% Living in Poverty in US - Many Others with Limited Resources • Global Disparities • Substantial Energy Price Increases from Cap-and-Trade • Implications - Political Viability • Efficacy • Distributive Justice
A Proposal, Part I • Equity Offsets: Complementary Tool • Private Measures • Identify Efficiencies • Calculate Emissions Reductions (tpy) • Verify • Bundle and Sell • Role of Intermediaries
A Proposal, Part II • Public Measures • The Subsidy Problem • Integrate into Domestic Cap-and-Trade? • Integrate into Global Cap-and-Trade? • Other Domestic or Global Options?
A Proposal, Part III • Challenges: Transaction Costs • Identifying Opportunities • Verifying Additionality of Offsets • Managing Funds • Marketing Offsets • Challenges: Efficacy • Size of Reductions • Size of Market for Offsets
Conclusion • Pilot Project: Scholarship & Activism - Evaluate Equity Offset Concept - Explore Public and Private Applications - Explore Global and National Applications
