Barriers to personal carbon trading in the policy arena

Abstract

Theories of the policy process are used to identify existing and possible future barriers to personal carbon trading (PCT) in the political and policy arenas. PCT is a policy invention, i.e. a policy that does not yet exist anywhere and therefore is perceived as risky by many. It faces more barriers than 'conventional' new policies. Obstacles to PCT are examined at the policy stages of agenda-setting, problem definition, and policy decision. The article highlights the political nature of policy-making, considers how PCT might be kept in the 'pool' from which policy instruments are chosen, and elaborates the changes that would be needed in the core values and beliefs currently dominating decision-making forums. Les éventuels obstacles présents et futurs à l'échange de carbone individuel « Personal Carbon Trading » (PCT) dans les arènes politiques et règlementaires sont identifiés à l'aide des théories sur le processus de formulation de politiques. Le PCT est une invention politique, c'est-à-dire une politique qui n'existe nulle part ailleurs. Cependant elle est conçue par beaucoup comme étant une politique à risque exposée à davantage d'obstacles comparé aux nouvelles politiques « conventionnelles ». Les obstacles à la formulation d'une politique sur le PCT sont examinés aux différentsstades de: formulation de l'échéancier; définition du problème; et prise de décision. Ce papier souligne la nature politique de l'élaboration des politiques, examine la manière dont le PCT pourrait être maintenu dans le commun duquel ressortent les instruments politiques habituels, et explique les changements de valeurs et de conceptions requis au sein de ceux régnant actuellement dans les forums de prises de décisions.Mots clés: barrières à la formulation de politiques; echange de carbone individuel; établir un échéancier; gouvernance; processus de formulation des politiques; réduction des émissions de GES

Personal Carbon Trading: Trade-off and Complementarity Between In-home and Transport Related Emissions Reduction

“…These include Fawcett (2010), Eyre (2010), Parag and Eyre (2010), Parag and Strickland (2011). While PCT gained much purchase as a downstream policy instrument in the UK during the early years of 2000, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs slowed its momentum substantially in 2008 when it concluded nonetheless seem that it is an idea currently ahead of its time in terms of public acceptability and the technology to bring down the costs (DEFRA 2008).…”

Reconciling scientific reality with realpolitik: moving beyond carbon pricing to TEQs – an integrated, economy-wide emissions cap

“…Price-based frameworks could potentially be applied to this [37] , but we will now consider certain inherent features of carbon pricing frameworks that have contributed to their becoming sufficiently unpopular that even climate activist groups oppose and demonstrate against them [205] . In this context, any attempt to directly engage households in a pricing framework is perceived as a risky political move, and may even be perceived by some stakeholders as 'letting government off the hook' by shifting away the responsibility for action [38] .…”

Influences on intentions to use a personal carbon trading system (NICHE - The Norfolk Island Carbon Health Evaluation Project)

“…A number of studies have looked at the political acceptability of PCT in different countries 34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42 . While most of this research has primarily focused on the UK in recent years several research projects have focused on political acceptability and the implementation of PCT in Australia 43,44 .…”