1. Developing and Testing the Equity Offset Concept
Social and Environmental Justice Perspectives from and for Global Feminisms Global Feminisms Collaborative
Developing and Testing the Equity Offset Concept
April 24, 2008
Brooke A. Ackerly
Associate Professor of Political Science
Michael P. Vandenbergh Professor of Law and Co-Director, Regulatory Program
Vanderbilt University Law School

2. The Climate-Justice Problem
The justice questions are seemingly intractable.
- Disparate impact of climate harms
Disparate impact of higher energy costs
The governance challenges are seemingly intractable.
- Difficult to assign responsibility
Difficult to reduce emissions
Difficult to overcome political opposition

3. Recent Articles
Climate Change Justice: The Challenge for Global Governance, 17 Geo. Intl Envtl. L.J. (2008)(Brooke Ackerly & Michael Vandenbergh)
Climate Change: The Equity Problem, 26 Va. Envtl. L. J. (2007)(Michael Vandenbergh & Brooke Ackerly)
The Carbon-Neutral Individual, 82 NYU L. Rev. (2007)(Michael Vandenbergh & Anne Steinemann)

4. Thesis Even without moral agreement Even without political agreement
We can develop institutions that are justice-enhancing and address the climate crisis
Scholarship and activism can be mutually supportive in this effort

5. Climate Change Assumptions
Goal: Reduce Risk of Catastrophic Climate Change
Short-term Target: Level Off
Long-term Target: 60%-80%
Business-as-Usual: Doubling
All Major Sources and Countries

6. Individual Emissions: Average and Aggregate Impacts (Vandenbergh & Steinemann, 2007)
U.S. Individual Behavior
- 14,779 pounds/year = 32% of US total
- 4.1 trillion (individual) > 3.9 trillion (industry)
- US generated 24.4% of world total in 2000
- US individual share is ~ 8% of world total
Larger than Central Am., South Am., and Africa combined
- 2/3 the total for China

7. Individual Emissions: Specific Behavior Types
Estimated Percentage of Total Household Energy Consumed (1990)
(Gardner & Stern, 1996, tbl.10-5)
End Use Percentage
Transportation 40
In Home Use
Space Heat 23
Motors and Appliances 14
Water Heat 11
Lighting 6
Cooling 6

8. The Justice or Equity Problem
Income Disparity
- 12.6% Living in Poverty in US
- Many Others with Limited Resources
Global Disparities
Substantial Energy Price Increases from Cap-and-Trade
Implications
- Political Viability
Efficacy
Distributive Justice

9. A Proposal, Part I Equity Offsets: Complementary Tool Private Measures
Identify Efficiencies
Calculate Emissions Reductions (tpy)
Verify
Bundle and Sell
Role of Intermediaries

10. A Proposal, Part II Public Measures The Subsidy Problem
Integrate into Domestic Cap-and-Trade?
Integrate into Global Cap-and-Trade?
Other Domestic or Global Options?

11. A Proposal, Part III Challenges: Transaction Costs
Identifying Opportunities
Verifying Additionality of Offsets
Managing Funds
Marketing Offsets
Challenges: Efficacy
Size of Reductions
Size of Market for Offsets

12. Conclusion Pilot Project: Scholarship & Activism
- Evaluate Equity Offset Concept
- Explore Public and Private Applications
- Explore Global and National Applications