Putting a price on carbon – Accelerating the dialogue: a challenge for governments and a request from businesses

Policy brief for public and private decision makers attending the Business Dialogue meeting during Climate Week in New York – September 2015

I4CE – Institute for Climate Economics has produced a position paper on carbon pricing policies for the Business Dialogue meeting organized by the French Presidency at the Climate Week in New York September 26^th, 2015.

This paper presents an overview of the carbon pricing issue and highlighting the following conclusions:

• Putting a price on GHG emissions is necessary to stay under the 2°C trajectory
• The choice of instrument used to put a price on carbon depends on national circumstances
• Carbon pricing already covers 12% of global GHG emissions
• The pioneering experience of the European Union is significant in terms of understanding the challenges to putting a price on carbon
• Carbon price(s)? A medley of CO₂ prices will be more effective in the future than a single price
• A carbon price is necessary but still insufficient to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy
• The Paris Climate agreement may facilitate the emergence of carbon pricing policies

Download the note here