Announcing an important new publication from West Coast Environmental Law

A timely report of interest to anyone concerned
about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions

Ordering information

TURNING DOWN
THE HEAT:

Emissions Trading and Canadian Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol

Turning Down the Heat is intended to assist in the search for ways to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions. It examines the potential role for emissions trading in implementation of Canada's greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

What is Emissions Trading?

Under trading programs, individual polluters are given flexibility in how to reduce their emissions. Where an emitter can, at a low or negative cost, reduce emissions or energy use beyond what is required by regulation they can sell an emission reduction credit or an allowance to a polluter who cannot reduce their emissions as easily. The purchaser of the credit or allowance is then allowed to emit more. The theory of emissions trading assumes that by placing increased choice of control measures in the hands of emitters, emissions will be reduced at the lowest cost.

Emissions trading has often been promoted as a panacea, an alternative to regulation, and a new way to reduce emissions that will be politically easy and achieve emission reductions at the lowest cost. This report finds that, while there is potentially a large role for emission trading, it is none of the above. It is one tool — albeit a potentially important one — among many to reduce greenhouse gases.

Who Should Read Turning Down the Heat?

Turning Down the Heat will be of interest to anyone concerned with climate change and how greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced:

• Academics, Students and Interested Citizens. For those interested in understanding climate change the report gives an introduction to the science of climate change, its impacts, and different perspectives on the economics of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It provides background on Canadian emission sources and the development of provincial, national and international response strategies to climate change. It analyses the pros and cons of using broad market based approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emission versus use of narrowly focused regulatory interventions.
• Federal and Provincial Policy Analysts. The report analyses the pros and cons to various approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canadian jurisdictions; the demands different forms of emissions trading will place on enforcement and administrative resources; the extent to which different forms of emissions trading send efficient price signals to business and individuals; the policy choices that will need to be made in developing trading programs; how elements of emission reduction programs can affect costs borne by different sectors; ways of overcoming weaknesses in different program designs; and the constitutional and legislative basis by which a national greenhouse gas strategy can be put into law.
• Environmentalists. The report analyses the environmental risks and advantages of different forms of emissions trading; the elements that are needed to make a emissions trading program environmentally effective; and the experiences of other jurisdictions in implementing emissions trading in the real world.
• Industry. The report discusses the impacts of different emission reduction strategies on costs borne by different sectors; the transaction and monitoring costs businesses will face under different emission trading programs; and the roles and limitations of voluntary emission reduction initiatives.

Ordering information

Turning Down the Heat is available for $40.00 ($30.00 for WCEL members). Orders may be placed by e-mail, phone, fax, or mail at the numbers or addresses listed below. To process your order we require your name, mailing address, phone number and payment method. Payments can be made by cheque or Visa.