Climate Mitigation Policy

Overview

Avoiding dangerous climate change requires ambitious actions to deeply reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the international, national, and local community levels. At each of these levels, SEI-US informs, supports and advises decision-makers and civil society on possible pathways to an equitable, low-carbon future.

In addition to climate mitigation activities specifically related to energy modeling, climate economics, emissions trading, and equity, SEI-US:

• Provides analytical support and facilitation to regional and local policymakers and stakeholders in the development of climate action plans, in the design of emission trading systems, and in the establishment of technical capacity. For example, SEI-US has provided technical support to several U.S. states, including Washington and Massachusetts; to numerous developing countries, and to regional programs such as the Western Climate Initiative.
• Conducts low-carbon scenario studies that outline pathways to deep emission reductions, such as the recent Carbon Neutral Seattle and Europe's Share of the Climate Challenge studies.
• Develops methods for emissions accounting and assesses policies and measures such as domestic and international offset protocols (e.g. the Clean Development Mechanism), emissions benchmarking, and comprehensive emissions tracking frameworks that take both consumption and production into account.
• Develops tools to better assess the life cycle impact of energy projects (e.g. woody biomass energy).

Contact

Michael Lazarus leads this research program. Other team members include:
Peter Erickson
Charlie Heaps
Sivan Kartha
Carrie Lee
Chelsea Chandler