報告題目：Policy design to address climate change with dynamic technologies

報告所屬學科：管理科學與工程

報告人：Gregory F. Nemet（University of Wisconsin-Madison）

報告時間：2020年9月15日 08:30

報告地點：騰訊會議（會議號：764 011 583）

報告摘要：

We need a new approach to climate policy that puts innovation and adoption of low carbon technologies at the center. Unexpectedly large improvements in low-carbon technology over the past 20 years have made decarbonizing the world economy far more feasible; we can peak emissions soon, rapidly decline to zero, and do so in a way that enhances human well-being. At the same time, three decades of dithering on policy action combined with heightened estimates of climate sensitivity and their human impacts have made the climate problem more urgent. The extent of change required to the world economy is massive and robust public policy is necessary to accelerate sufficient change. Wind, solar, and batteries have improved by a combination of enabling science, supportive policies, and a variety of receptive markets, all of which have led them down the technology learning curve. That has made a transition to a low carbon economy far more affordable, on the scale of trillions in savings over the century. Further, other emerging technologies show strong potential to follow a similar learning curve leading to improved performance and low costs. In particular, electrolyzers, small scale direct air capture, and heat pumps could play central roles in a decarbonized world economy, especially if they improve like solar, wind, and batteries. General purpose technologies such as digitalization and synthetic biology can enhance these systems. I argue, we should focus our policy efforts on improving and adopting these technologies. The goal should be to expand the set of choices we will have in the future rather than on minimizing costs today. Successful examples indicate that this approach has a few core characteristics: it requires multiple ppolicy instruments, not one; it involves deeper engagement by the state in low carbon innovation; and goes beyond just the technology itself to elevate the role of social acceptance; and its goals reflect urgency and acceleration. As a result it looks more like industrial policy than environmental policy. That gives us the best chance of leaving a zero-sum world that sets the environment against the economy and embracing an innovation-oriented approach where new possibilities are continuously created and put to use.

報告人簡介：

Nemet教授是威斯康星大學麥迪遜分校教授、尼爾森可持續發展與全球環境研究所成員，2015年因其科研貢獻獲評威斯康星大學H.I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship，2017年獲聘Andrew Carnegie Fellow。長期從事全球能源系統分析方面研究，具體包括能源技術變化和公共政策研究。