Please refer to the publications page of the main SEI web site for a complete list of SEI publications. For an overview of our projects and publications, read our Center Reports. Recent SEI-US working papers.
December 2009
C. Heaps, P. Erickson, S. Kartha, E. Kemp-Benedict This report examines how Europe can show leadership: firstly, by undertaking domestic actions to rapidly reduce emissions of GHGs, and secondly, by fulfilling its international obligations to help other countries address the twin crises of climate change and development.
More information and download report
October 2009
America’s largest network of independent climate economists has issued a major new report showing that the more aggressive world leaders are in curbing world carbon emissions, the greater the economic benefits will be. The two lead authors, SEI researchers Frank Ackerman and Elizabeth A. Stanton, co-authored the report with researchers from universities and think-tanks across the country. The report argues that a worldwide effort to lower atmospheric carbon concentrations to 350 parts per million is affordable; it can create more new jobs, spur more innovation and protect businesses, governments and households from the damages caused by the rapid heating of the earth.
More information, download report
January 2009
Frank Ackerman offers a refreshing look at the economics of climate change, explaining how the arbitrary assumptions of conventional theories get in the way of understanding this urgent problem. The benefits of climate protection are vital but priceless, and hence often devalued in cost-benefit calculations. Preparation for the most predictable outcomes of global warming is less important than protection against the growing risk of catastrophic change; massive investment in new, low carbon technologies and industries should be thought of as life insurance for the planet.
December 2008
This report discusses the role of offsets and reviews and compares offset programs of 24 mandatory and voluntary market mechanisms.
SEI staff Charlie Heaps and Anja Kollmuss have authored the mitigation module of the new UNFCCC Resource Guides on Preparing National Communications for Non Annex 1 (NAI) Parties. The module introduces the basic concepts behind performing a mitigation assessment, reviews mitigation options in different sectors of the economy, outlines barriers to mitigation and provides a brief introduction to alternative modeling tools for mitigation assessment. The mitigation module is available here. A companion module about vulnerability and adaptation to climate change is available here.
May 2008
New study on the costs of inaction for the U.S. economy by Frank Ackerman and Elizabeth A. Stanton. Commissioned by the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), this report presents both a detailed analysis of four major categories of climate costs, and comprehensive modeling of climate impacts on the economy as a whole.
