Publication: A "Greenprint" for International Cooperation on Climate Change
Date
2013-05
ISSN
Published
2013-05
Author(s)
Mattoo, Aaditya
Subramanian, Arvind
Abstract
International negotiations on climate
change have been dogged by mutual recriminations between
rich and poor countries, constricted by the zero-sum
arithmetic of a shrinking global carbon budget, and
overtaken by shifts in economic power between industrialized
and developing countries. To overcome these
"narrative," "adding-up," and "new
world" problems, respectively, this paper proposes a
new Greenprint for cooperation. First, the large dynamic
emerging economies -- China, India, Brazil, and Indonesia --
must assume the mantle of leadership, offering contributions
of their own and prodding the reluctant industrial countries
into action. This role reversal would be consistent with the
greater stakes for the dynamic emerging economies. Second,
the emphasis must be on technology generation. This would
allow greater consumption and production possibilities for
all countries while respecting the global emissions budget
that is dictated by the climate change goal of keeping
average temperature rise below 2 degrees centigrade. Third,
instead of the old cash-for-cuts approach -- which relies on
the industrial countries offering cash (which they do not
have) to the dynamic emerging economies for cuts (that they
are unwilling to make) -- all major emitters must make
contributions. With a view to galvanizing a technology
revolution, industrial countries would take early action to
raise carbon prices. The dynamic emerging economies would in
turn eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, commit to matching
carbon price increases in the future, allow limited border
taxes against their own exports, and strengthen protection
of intellectual property for green technologies. This would
directly and indirectly facilitate such a technological revolution.
Citation
“Mattoo, Aaditya; Subramanian, Arvind. 2013. A "Greenprint" for International Cooperation on Climate Change. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 6440. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15581 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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