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

Rachel Glennerster and Seema Jayachandran

No 31421, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

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.

JEL-codes: F18 O13 Q54 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-ene and nep-env
Note: DEV EEE ITI
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published as Rachel Glennerster & Seema Jayachandran, 2023. "Think Globally, Act Globally: Opportunities to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol 37(3), pages 111-135.

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