The Climate Emergency and the Need for Global Climate Stabilization: The Role of Energy Efficiency in Climate Policy

<p>Global climate change is a worldwide challenge requiring a coordinated, international policy response. However, political pressures and disagreements between developed and developing countries have obstructed past climate negotiations and have stalled the adoption of binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Despite slowmoving international climate negotiations and comprehensive climate policies, many countries have turned to energy efficiency as a politically feasible tool to lower energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Economists debate the effectiveness of energy efficiency policies due differing perspectives regarding the relationship between energy use and economic growth. Because of this fundamental disagreement, economists often come to different conclusions as to whether energy efficiency routinely leads to either a reduction in energy use or leads to an economy-wide increase in energy use. Even when accounting for the rebound effect, many studies indicate that energy efficiency remains a highly cost-effective energy resource in the near future. Energy efficiency policies also offer an immediate and politically feasible policy tool to encourage the adoption of more comprehensive climate policies.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Laughlin, Amy G.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Chiara Piovani, Ph.D.
• Markus Schneider
• Yavuz Yasar
• Dale Rothman

• Global climate change
• Climate policies
• Energy efficiency policies
• Economics
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/355

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-1354