Title

Think Globally, Act Globally: Opportunities to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Author(s)

Rachel Glennerster Rachel Glennerster (University of Chicago)

Seema Jayachandran Seema Jayachandran (Princeton University)

Abstract

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are a global public good, which makes it efficient to act globally when addressing this challenge. We lay out several reasons that high-income countries seeking to mitigate climate change might have greater impact if they invest their resources in opportunities in low- and middle-income countries. Specifically, some of the easiest and cheapest options have already been tapped in high-income countries, land and labor costs are lower in low- and middle-income countries, it is cheaper to build green than to retrofit green, and global targeting matters in integrated economies. We also discuss economic counterarguments such as the challenge of monitoring emissions levels in low and middle-income countries, ethical considerations, the importance of not double counting mitigation funding as development aid, and policy steps that might help to realize this opportunity.

Creation Date

2023-06

Section URL ID

Paper Number

313

URL

https://gceps.princeton.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/wp313_JayachandranGlennerster_Act_Globally.pdf

File Function

Jel

F18, O13, Q54, Q56

Keyword(s)

Climate change, mitigation, Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions

Suppress

false

Series

3