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City carbon budgets: A proposal to align incentives for climate-friendly communities

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Listed:
  • Salon, Deborah
  • Sperling, Daniel
  • Meier, Alan
  • Murphy, Sinnott
  • Gorham, Roger
  • Barrett, James

Abstract

Local governments can have a large effect on carbon emissions through land use zoning, building codes, transport infrastructure investments, and support for transportation alternatives. This paper proposes a climate policy instrument - city carbon budgets - that provides a durable framework for local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Local governments would be assigned an emissions "budget", and would be required to keep annual local transport and buildings emissions within this budget. This policy framework could be implemented and managed by a higher-level government, or might be used in awarding funds to developing country cities from international climate funds. The state of California has enacted a version of this policy. In this paper, we identify and evaluate options for creating an effective and acceptable institutional structure, allocating emission targets to localities, measuring emissions, providing flexibility and incentives to local governments, and assuring compliance. We also discuss the likely costs of such a policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Salon, Deborah & Sperling, Daniel & Meier, Alan & Murphy, Sinnott & Gorham, Roger & Barrett, James, 2010. "City carbon budgets: A proposal to align incentives for climate-friendly communities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 2032-2041, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:38:y:2010:i:4:p:2032-2041
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    5. Chao Liu & Sen Huang & Peng Xu & Zhong-ren Peng, 2018. "Exploring an integrated urban carbon dioxide (CO2) emission model and mitigation plan for new cities," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 45(5), pages 821-841, September.
    6. Allinson, David & Irvine, Katherine N. & Edmondson, Jill L. & Tiwary, Abhishek & Hill, Graeme & Morris, Jonathan & Bell, Margaret & Davies, Zoe G. & Firth, Steven K. & Fisher, Jill & Gaston, Kevin J. , 2016. "Measurement and analysis of household carbon: The case of a UK city," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 871-881.
    7. Pasimeni, Maria Rita & Petrosillo, Irene & Aretano, Roberta & Semeraro, Teodoro & De Marco, Antonella & Zaccarelli, Nicola & Zurlini, Giovanni, 2014. "Scales, strategies and actions for effective energy planning: A review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 165-174.
    8. Rowangould, Dana & Eldridge, Melody & Niemeier, Deb, 2013. "Incorporating regional growth into forecasts of greenhouse gas emissions from project-level residential and commercial development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1288-1300.
    9. Garren, S.J. & Pinjari, A.R. & Brinkmann, R., 2011. "Carbon dioxide emission trends in cars and light trucks: A comparative analysis of emissions and methodologies for Florida's counties (2000 and 2008)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 5287-5295, September.
    10. Greg Marsden & Jillian Anable, 2021. "Behind the Targets? The Case for Coherence in a Multi-Scalar Approach to Carbon Action Plans in the Transport Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, June.
    11. David G Proffitt & Keith Bartholomew & Reid Ewing & Harvey J Miller, 2019. "Accessibility planning in American metropolitan areas: Are we there yet?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(1), pages 167-192, January.

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