Climate Change, Trade and Competitiveness: Is a Collision Inevitable?

On June 9, 2008, Brookings convened more than 70 stakeholders for a conference on “Climate Change, Trade and Competitiveness.” The conference was led by Lael Brainard, Vice President and Director of Brookings Global, and focused on how climate change presents a new set of challenges for the world trading system.

Participants discussed potential conflicts that may arise as some wealthy nations begin to adopt carbon pricing regimes while others resist any policies that might limit their growth. Additionally, as the leakage of carbon emissions and the resulting shift of production across borders have attracted the attention of policymakers, participants debated potential policy solutions and their affect on economic competitiveness and the environment.

Conference papers cover a number of related issues, including: governance of climate change and trade issues, potential economic and environmental effects of border adjustments for carbon taxes, technology transfer and climate change, international trade law and options for addressing leakage/competitiveness issues.

View the related book: Climate Change, Trade, and Competitiveness: Is a Collision Inevitable?

Draft Conference Papers:

• The Economic and Environmental Effects of Border Adjustments for Carbon Taxes
  Authors: Warwick McKibbin (Brookings Institution) & Peter Wilcoxen (Brookings Institution)
  Commentators: Nils Axel Braathen (OECD Environment Directorate), Tom Tao Hu (State Environmental Protection Administration, People’s Republic of China), Arik Levinson (Georgetown University), & Meg McDonald (Alcoa Foundation)
• Lessons for Governing Global Climate from World Trade
   Author: William Antholis (Brookings Institution)
• Multilateral Institutions and the Climate Commons
   Author: Ford Runge (University of Minnesota)
  Commentators: Scott Barrett (Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies), Colin Bradford (Brookings Institution), Elizabeth Dowdeswell (Nuclear Waste Management Organization), Dan Drezner (Tufts University), & Nigel Purvis (Brookings Institution & Climate Advisers)
• Technology Transfer and Climate Change: International Flows, Barriers, and Frameworks
   Author: Thomas Brewer (Georgetown University and Center for European Policy Studies)
  Commentators: Brian Flannery(Exxon Mobil Corporation), Kelly Sims Gallagher (Harvard Kennedy School), Muthukumara Mani (World Bank), & Jacob Werksmanm (World Resources Institute)
• Options for Addressing the Leakage/Competitiveness Issue in Climate Change Policy Proposals
  Author: Jeff Frankel (Harvard Kennedy School)
• International Trade Law and the Economics of Climate Policy: Evaluating the Legality And Effectiveness of Proposals to Address Competitiveness and Leakage Concerns
  Author: Jason Bordoff (Brookings Institution)
  Commentators: Joe Aldy (Resources for the Future), Steve Charnovitz (George Washington University), Tim Richards(General Electric), & Andrew Shoyer (Sidley Austin LLP)