Colloquium: Prof. Frank Jotzo
Thursday, 20th September 2018, at 16.15 - 17.30
ETH Zurich, UNO B 11, Universitätstrasse 41
The politics of climate change and the role of environmental economics: Australia's case
Australia is a stark example of the political difficulties to achieve sound climate policy, and of the tremendous opportunities in renewable energy supply. Since 2011, Australia has had five changes in Prime Minister motivated largely or in part by climate change policy. Party positions on climate change remain starkly divided. This reflects different visions about the future of Australia’s economy, the coal industry’s political and public influence, the pressures that transition in the energy sector brings, the opportunities inherent in large scale investment in renewables and new renewables based industries, and widespread support among the population for action on climate change. In this presentation, I will discuss Australia’s history of (mostly failed) climate change and energy policy, and what role economic research may play when policy choice and design is dominated by political considerations. I will also present some ongoing research on transition in the coal sector and scenarios for a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
About Prof. Frank Jotzo
Frank Jotzo is Professor at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, where he directs the Centre for Climate Economics and Policy. He is also Crawford School’s Research Director, and co-director of the Energy Transition Hub. As an environmental economist, his research focuses on policy relevant aspects of climate change, energy, and broader issues of environment, development and economic reform.
Frank Jotzo is joint editor-in-chief of the journal Climate Policy and was a Lead Author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 5th Assessment Report. He has been involved in a number of policy research and advisory exercises, including as senior advisor to Australia’s Garnaut Climate Change Review, advisor to Indonesia‘s Minister of Finance, and to the World Bank. He leads a collaborative research program on market mechanisms for China’s climate and energy policy, supported by the Australian government. He is a member of the Australian Capital Territory’s Climate Change Council and has formally and informally advised other State governments.
He teaches the courses Domestic Climate Change Policy and Economics, International Climate Change Policy and Economics, and Research in Climate Change Economics and Policy, and co-convenes the Master of Climate Change degree.
You can read a Summary of the talk on ISTP News