Climate Change: The Equity Problem

17 Pages Posted: 24 Oct 2007

See all articles by Michael P. Vandenbergh

Michael P. Vandenbergh

Vanderbilt University - Law School

Brooke A. Ackerly

Vanderbilt University

Abstract

A substantial proportion of the United States population is at or below the poverty level, yet many of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures proposed or adopted to date will increase the costs of energy, motor vehicles, and other consumer goods. This essay suggests that although scholarship and policymaking to date have focused on the disproportionate impact of these increased costs on the low-income population, the costs will have two important additional effects. First, the anticipated costs will generate political opposition from social justice groups, reducing the likelihood that aggressive measures will be adopted. Second, to the extent aggressive measures are adopted, they will miss large potential emissions reductions because the low-income population will be unable to respond by purchasing less greenhouse gas-intensive, but more expensive, consumer goods. The essay proposes a novel remedy to address this problem: equity offsets. These offsets will allow other individuals and organizations to subsidize low-income individuals' purchase of less greenhouse gas-intensive goods, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the political opposition to emissions reduction measures, and the hardships caused by the higher costs of consumer goods. The essay suggests that the creation of a private or public equity offset program along these lines is feasible and will begin to address all three implications of the climate change equity problem.

Keywords: climate change, environmental law, environmental policy, offsets, justice, equity, greenhouse gases

Suggested Citation

Vandenbergh, Michael P. and Ackerly, Brooke A., Climate Change: The Equity Problem. Virginia Environmental Law Journal, Vol. 26, 2007, Vanderbilt Law and Economics Research Paper No. 07-30, Vanderbilt Public Law Research Paper No. 07-23, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1024173

Michael P. Vandenbergh (Contact Author)

Vanderbilt University - Law School ( email )

131 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203-1181
United States

Brooke A. Ackerly

Vanderbilt University ( email )

2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 37240
United States

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