CLIMATE PROPOSALS
Overview of the Six Frameworks
The Harvard Project on International Climate Agreements stems from a workshop in 2006 hosted by the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, which brought together 27 leading thinkers from around the world from economics, law, political science, business, international relations, and the natural sciences. Together, they developed and refined six policy frameworks — each an idea that could form the backbone of a new international agreement. These range from a stronger version of the Kyoto Protocol to entirely new recommendations. The six plans are the subject of the book, Architectures for Agreement: Addressing Global Climate Change in the Post-Kyoto World, published by Cambridge University Press.
September 5, 2007
"Frankel Proposal: Formulas for Quantitative Emission Targets"
By Jeffrey Frankel, James W. Harpel Professor of Capital Formation and Growth
Jeffrey Frankel has proposed a climate policy architecture that builds on the quantitative targets and timetables infrastructure of the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. He calls for a sequence of negotiations (one per decade) to determine the global greenhouse gas emissions cap and a formula for allocating this global cap among all participating countries.
September 5, 2007
"Michaelowa Proposal: Graduation and Deepening"
Axel Michaelowa proposed to build on the Kyoto framework by deepening and expanding quantitative emission targets. He advocates a global long-term atmospheric stabilization goal of 550 parts per million to be achieved through quantitative, legally-binding, country-specific targets.
September 5, 2007
"Victor Proposal: Fragmented Carbon Markets and Reluctant Nations: Implications for the Design of Effective Architectures"
David Victor proposed a climate policy architecture with a varying geometry of participation, limited initially to the few most pivotal countries in climate change. He recommends the development of an agreement in a smaller negotiating venue, such as former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s proposal for an L20 – a forum of the leaders of twenty key industrialized and developing countries. Countries participating in this effort would pledge a package of domestic climate policies and measures.
September 5, 2007
"McKibbin and Wilcoxen Proposal: A Credible Foundation for Long-Term International Cooperation on Climate Change"
By Warwick McKibbin and Peter Wilcoxen
Warwick McKibbin and Peter Wilcoxen propose a system of parallel national-level cap-and-trade programs. Each country would determine its own emissions path and give away long-term permits to regulated firms.
September 5, 2007
"Barrett Proposal: A Multitrack Climate Treaty System"
Scott Barrett offers a multi-pronged policy approach to address global climate change. He calls for pledges of "appropriate measures" such as emission mitigation actions with subsequent multilateral reviews. Such a pledge and review system would not carry binding consequences for non-compliance, but instead rely on moral suasion and naming and shaming in the international arena.
September 5, 2007
"Pizer Proposal: Practical Global Climate Policy"
William Pizer has proposed an approach to climate policy architecture that reflects the institutional limitations and current domestic preferences regarding an international climate agreement. He calls for the largest emitters and economies to pledge specific actions and policy commitments, which can take any form (cap-and-trade, taxes, suite of technology standards, etc.), in an initial agreement. These commitments would be non-binding and there would be no “minimum” commitment necessary to participate.
