Greening the Grid and Climate Justice

Abstract:     
This short symposium essay argues that the collateral environmental and economic justice benefits of greening the grid provide support for transformative climate policies that speed the development of fossil fuel alternatives. More broadly, policymakers should integrate climate justice considerations into the design of any new energy infrastructure in order to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of the profound transition ahead. While efforts to integrate climate justice could complicate climate and energy legislation, they would, on balance, further rather than hinder the political prospects for greening the grid. The essay concludes by encouraging an inclusive and participatory process for developing green energy policy.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 140

Keywords: energy law, energy policy, alternative energy, green energy, environmental justice, climate justice, climate change, global warming

JEL Classification: L94, Q25, Q28, Q40, Q42, Q48

Accepted Paper Series