Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Center on Food Security and the Environment
Stanford Health Policy
The Europe Center
Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center
Program on Energy and Sustainable Development
Rural Education Action Program
Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education
Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies
Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy Studies
Center for Innovation in Global Health
Stanford Center at Peking University
Michael Wara
Law Professor and Faculty AffiliateView Michael Wara's bio, list of research, recent publications and events »
September 17th, 2008
Wara reviews performance of the Clean Development Mechanism
in the news: UCLA Law Review on August 1, 2008Michael Wara reviews the UN's Clean Development Mechanism's (CDM) performance, using empirical analysis to illustrate its successes and failures in using a carbon credit market to reduce greenhouse gases. He concludes by suggesting possible reforms to the CDM in anticipation of the Kyoto Protocol's expiration in 2012.
July 23rd, 2008
PESD work on the role of carbon offsets in climate change mitigation attracts international attention
Michael Wara and David Victor's recent work, A Realistic Policy on International Carbon Offsets, addresses problems with the world's largest offset program, the UN's Clean Development Mechanism. Wara and Victor argue that much of the CDM investment doesn't actually meet the UN's crucial additionality standards, and they outline ways to fix the problem.
- » Wall Street Journal: French firm cashes in under UN warming program
- » Science Magazine: California emissions plan to explore use of offsets
- » Wall Street Journal: UN warming program draws fire
July 15th, 2008
Michael Wara and David Victor Address the Role of Offsets in California's Cap and Trade Plan
in the news: Science MagazineCalifornia's plan to cut carbon emissions 10% by 2020 relies on offsets as a part of a cap and trade scheme. Michael Wara points out the challenges that face the state as it designs its offset program, and David Victor sheds light on difficulties faced by the world's largest offset program, the UN's CDM protocol.
July 14th, 2008
Michael Wara Discusses Coal and the CDM
in the news: Wall Street Journal on July 11, 2008The CDM Executive Board recently approved several gas-fired power plants under the UN's carbon offset scheme, opening the door for subsidizing coal generation and stoking controversy. Michael Wara questions the additionality of such projects and argues subsidies are better spent on other clean-energy development.
May 28th, 2008
Carbon markets need reform, say Wara and Victor
in the newsA new PESD working paper, "A Realistic Policy on International Carbon Offsets" by Michael Wara and David Victor, argues that a substantial fraction of the international carbon market does not actually represent real reductions in emissions. They also argue that these international credits, which are part of the Kyoto Protocol's "Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)," will not offer companies reliable ways to contain the cost of complying with limits on emissions. Links below to the original paper and reporting in many sources, including the Economist, Guardian, Le Monde, National Public Radio, and BBC Radio.
- » A Realistic Policy on International Carbon Offsets
- » Guardian (UK)
- » Le Monde (France)
- » Economist
- » Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
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