Greenhouse Governance: Addressing Climate Change in America

392 Pages·2010·4.43 MB·English

by  Barry G. Rabe

Greenhouse
Praise for
Governance Rabe Barry G. Rabe, editor
“Greenhouse Governance addresses a profound national challenge: the linkage
between U.S. climate governance, our national and international policies
Greenhouse
regarding energy, and our ever-present obligations involving our national security.
Every citizen has a duty to learn about these present and future contingencies;
this book is a valuable resource.”—Senator John Warner (R-Va., retired)
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“With international climate negotiations at an impasse, the responsibility to address
Gover nance
climate change continues to fall to national, state, and local governments, many or
of which have demonstrated tremendous leadership and creativity. This timely e
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volume brings together prominent experts to examine policy experience to date, ee
both within the United States and beyond its borders. The result is invaluable
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insight into climate governance that works, as well as pitfalls to be avoided by
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U.S. policymakers.”—Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia
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Addressing Climate Change
“Climate change is one of the most complex and intensely debated issues of our day. nu
Recognizing a need for comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis, the Miller Center
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of Public Affairs convened top scholars from political science, law, and history for the
ee in America
national conference which led to the publication of Greenhouse Governance. I know

of no other treatment of the subject that more thoroughly or practically presents the

big-picture implications of climate change governance concerns and the strategies
for addressing them.”—Gerald L. Baliles, former Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
Contributors: Christopher Borick, Muhlenberg College; Martha Derthick,
University of Virginia; Kirsten Engel, University of Arizona; Marc Landy, Boston
College; Pietro Nivola, Brookings Institution; Paul Posner, George Mason
University; Leigh Raymond, Purdue University; Walter Rosenbaum, University of
Florida; Ian Rowlands, University of Waterloo; Henrik Selin, Boston University;
Stacy VanDeveer, University of New Hampshire
Barry G. Rabe is professor of public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of
Public Policy and professor of the environment in the College of Literature,
Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. He is also a nonresident
scholar in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a fellow of
the National Academy of Public Administration.
BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS
Washington D.C.
www.brookings.edu
Cover by Nancy Bratton Design
Rabe_Climate_PB_f.indd 1 7/23/10 11:30:18 AM
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Greenhouse
Governance
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Greenhouse
Governance
Addressing Climate Change
in America
Barry G. Rabe
editor
brookings institution press
Washington, D.C.
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about brookings
The Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to research,
education, and publication on important issues of domestic and foreign policy. Its
principal purpose is to bring the highest-quality independent research and analysis to
bear on current and emerging policy problems. Interpretations or conclusions in
Brookings publications should be understood to be solely those of the authors.
Copyright © 2010
the brookings institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036
www.brookings.edu
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means without permission in writing from the Brookings Institution Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data
Greenhouse governance : addressing climate change in America / Barry G. Rabe, editor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “Examines national and international laws and institutions governing human-
mediated climate change. Issues examined include public perceptions and economic effects of
climate change and policies to mitigate it, renewable electricity standards, vehicle fuel econ-
omy standards, cap-and-trade regimes, carbon taxes, and the adaptation-versus-mitigation
debate”—Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-8157-0331-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Environmental policy—United States. 2. Climatic changes—Government policy—
United States. 3. Climatic changes—Environmental aspects—United States. I. Rabe, Barry
George, 1957- II. Brookings Institution. III. Title.
GE180.G7537 2010
363.738’7405610973—dc22 2010019408
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed on acid-free paper
Typeset in Adobe Garamond
Composition by R. Lynn Rivenbark
Macon, Georgia
Printed by R. R. Donnelley
Harrisonburg, Virginia
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Contents
Preface vii
i framing the issue of climate governance
1 Introduction: The Challenges of U.S. Climate Governance 3
Barry G. Rabe
2 American Public Opinion and Climate Change 24
Christopher P. Borick
3 Compensatory Federalism 58
Martha Derthick
4 The Politics of Vertical Diffusion:
The States and Climate Change 73
Paul L. Posner
ii market and regulatory approaches
to climate governance
5 The Emerging Revolution in Emissions Trading Policy 101
Leigh Raymond
v
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vi contents
6 The “Impossible Dream” of Carbon Taxes:
Is the “Best Answer” a Political Non-Starter? 126
Barry G. Rabe
7 The Long and Winding Road:
Automotive Fuel Economy and American Politics 158
Pietro S. Nivola
8 Encouraging Renewable Electricity to
Promote Climate Change Mitigation 181
Ian H. Rowlands
9 Adapting to Climate Change: Problems and Prospects 204
Marc Landy
iii are federal institutions up to the
challenge of climate change?
10 Courts and Climate Policy: Now and in the Future 229
Kirsten H. Engel
11 Can Congress Govern the Climate? 260
Barry G. Rabe
12 Greenhouse Regulation: How Capable Is EPA? 286
Walter Rosenbaum
iv reconnecting the united states
with the world
13 Re-engaging International Climate Governance:
Challenges and Opportunities for the United States 313
Stacy D. VanDeveer and Henrik Selin
14 Multilevel Governance and Transatlantic
Climate Change Politics 336
Henrik Selin and Stacy D. VanDeveer
15 Conclusion 353
Barry G. Rabe
Contributors 367
Index 369
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Preface
T
his book was launched in a discussion at a national treasure, the Miller Cen-
ter of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Gerald L. Baliles, direc-
tor of the Miller Center, and Sidney Milkis, assistant director for academic pro-
grams, convened a gathering to begin to explore the challenges of “governing the
climate” and how the Miller Center might bring together leading scholars and
policymakers for serious consideration of this issue. With that, the National Con-
ference on Climate Governance was born and the framework for this book was
established.
The Miller Center, which became my academic home for the 2008–09 period,
provided a unique blend of intellectual engagement and collegiality. Governor
Baliles and Sid Milkis were exemplary leaders throughout, and they were backed
by an exceptional set of colleagues. Anne Carter Mulligan provided superb sup-
port for all aspects of the project. I benefited also from collaboration with other
members of the Miller Center team, including Brian Balogh, Michael Greco,
Rose Marie Owen, Taylor Reveley, Joseph Taylor, and Lisa Todorovich Porter.
Generous financial support was provided by Altria Group, Inc., the Emily Hall
Tremaine Foundation, the WestWind Foundation, an anonymous Charlottesville
foundation, the Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the Gerald R. Ford
School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and Muhlenberg College.
Valuable research assistance was provided by Sourav Guha, Margaret McCarthy,
Daniel McDowell, and Matthew Rabe. Roxanne Balmas reviewed early versions
vii
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viii preface
of the full manuscript and offered excellent editorial support while Joshua Keyes
and Allison Wachter provided valuable technical assistance.
The transition from conference to draft papers to an edited book was capably
facilitated by Brookings Institution Press. Christopher Kelaher provided support
and good judgment throughout the process, and the book benefited greatly from
the involvement of Robert Faherty, Eileen Hughes, Janet Walker, and Susan
Woollen. In addition to helpful comments from external reviewers commissioned
by Brookings, the authors received valued early feedback from our conference dis-
cussants, Timothy Conlan, Daniel Fiorino, Susan Gander, Kathryn Harrison,
Christopher James, Suellen Keiner, Anne Khademian, Judith Layzer, and Alastair
Totty. Valuable input was also provided by other colleagues, including Jonathan
Cannon, Donald Kettl, Daniel Plafcan, Ed Russell, Vivian Thomson, and David
Vogel.
Barry G. Rabe
Ann Arbor, Michigan
June 2010
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I
part
Framing the Issue
of Climate Governance