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Q: Has a country with partisan divides on the existence of climate change like the U.S. been able to create a sustainable carbon pricing policy? A: A decade ago, it was common to see more
bipartisan support for carbon pricing, both in Congress and many states. Consider John McCain and Mitt Romney. That has largely disappeared, with only modest exceptions among some coastal states. But we also see partisan divides on carbon pricing elsewhere, including Australia and Canada, where there have been some policy reversals following adoption and possibly more to come. This isn’t easy anywhere. Q: What can government officials do to
implement successful policies to reduce carbon emissions, generally speaking? A: Think near-term feasibility and long-term
durability. Develop a clear plan from the outset on how to allocate carbon price revenues—
Spotli ght
Photo: Jennifer Heffner / Vita Images
Networked Forty three masters students spent early February in DC, networking with and learning from our incredibly engaged DC alums and their colleagues. A record 145 people turned out for the evening reception and Q&A with michael Barr and Alumni Board Chair Keith Fudge (MPP ‘09).
and then deliver on that promise. Consider management and policy adjustment systems that can navigate inevitable bumps and surprises. Explore every possible way to make the pricing system work politically and expand supportive coalitions over time. Q: What advice do you have for policy students who are interested in entering the world of environmental policy? A: This is an inherently interdisciplinary field.
No single discipline owns it. At their best, our students ask tough questions that push the boundaries of individual fields, while in Weill Hall and beyond. While I was in DC writing this book, I routinely ran into former students who have launched careers of meaningful public service doing just this, including remarkable work on the carbon front. ■
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