Men Dan

                                                                      School of International Economics and International Relations

Abstract: It is an indisputable fact because of the deterioration of the global climate and scarce resources. A number of energy and environment conferences have been held by many countries in order to protect human living environment. These meetings have already made certain achievements. We can see great progress in human consciousness on environmental issues according to several conventions, they are as follows. “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” was signed in 1992 holding the target of the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. “Kyoto Protocol” was agreed in the form of law to limit greenhouse gas emissions in 2005. “Bali Island Road Map” was drawn up in 2007. The Copenhagen climate summit in Doha was held in 2009, and it is said that this conference is a successfully climate conference.

It is well known that the United States has a lukewarm attitude towards the low carbon economy, but the situation has changed since President Obama came to power. Nowadays the United States not only acts as a leader in the world, but also actively participates in the construction of low carbon economy. President Obama took an active part in the Copenhagen Conference in 2009, and then announced the abolition of Bush government's negative climate policy nationwide. The low carbon development projects gradually become an important part of the economic stimulus plan through the promulgation of “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act”. It is regarded as of the victory of low carbon economy due to President Obama's re-election in November, 2012. However, the surface changes provoke deeper thinking: what is the reason why the low-carbon economy policy of the United States is modified? Whether the domestic and foreign factors can explain the reason? If there are other more profound reasons leading to the convert of American low carbon economy policy? What performance has achieved during President Obama's first four years?

According to the analysis of such logic and path, the main content of the thesis are as follows:

Introduction introduces the background and significance of the research, literature review, the problems to be solved, innovation, and research methods. The literature review section detailed investigates the reason why the policy is changed, the policy orientation and effect of America low-carbon economic.

Chapter 2 is the theories of low carbon economic policy and the structure of the thesis. This part puts forward the framework of "three game theory" in order to analyze America low carbon economic policy on the basis of the definition and combination of low carbon economy.

Chapter 3 finds that a positive tendency of America low carbon economic policy appears from President Obama through the research on the historical evolution of low carbon economic policy of recent governments of the United States.

Chapter 4，5 and 6 make a thorough inquiry of the reason from three aspects. They are domestic and international incentive and constraint, American national development strategy. It points that the domestic and international perspectives determine the policy tendency, and this positive tendency is formulated and implemented in accordance with American national development strategy after the crisis.

Chapter 7 gives an inquiry in the policy status and contents from the foreign policy and the domestic policy of the United States. It points that America low carbon economic policy is composed of two parts. They are the external side and the internal side. On one hand, the external side includes four aspects. They are international cooperation, international financing, carbon tariffs, and carbon pricing. On the other hand, the internal side includes five aspects. They are climate change, strengthen energy security, clean energy, clean cars and buildings and emissions trading.

Chapter 8 studies the economic performance since Obama administration. It finds that America silently operations in the low carbon economy achieved significant results, although “Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” is not adopted wholly.

Chapter 9 analyzes the resistance of carbon emission in current and future situation. It makes a prediction of American low carbon economic policy in Obama's second term, and then gives some coping strategies for china.

Through the above analysis, the following conclusions are drawn.

Firstly, American low carbon economic policy is changed because of foreign and domestic incentive and constraint. The foreign reasons are as follows: the international public opinion and emission reduction pressure; a threat from the development of low carbon economy in Europe and Japan; international institution and international carbon market conditions; a powerful platform provided by America low carbon economic development. Domestic reasons are as follows: the political party struggle; the game between interest groups; local “bottom-up”; a new economic growth point; extreme climate cost and risk factors in energy structure.

Secondly, the deep reason is the change of American national development strategy after the crisis, not only the foreign and domestic factors. The transformation of American low carbon economy policy is in line with the United States climate security strategy, energy security strategy, competitive strategy and the “smart power” strategy, and the national development strategy further decides the orientation and content of American low carbon economy.

Finally, the effect of American new low carbon economy is obvious in the first term of the Obama administration. The total carbon emissions, carbon department emissions and carbon emissions according to the energy classification have been reduced greatly than previous governments. In terms of energy structure, the total energy consumption declines obviously, it is the first time that the consumption of coal and oil decreases, the use of renewable energy and nuclear power is on the rise, and shale gas revolution brings huge energy supply for the United States.

In the aspect of low carbon technology and industry, clean energy patents are surging, the utilization rate is higher in low carbon technology, and the new energy industrial investment continues and become strong. In the carbon trading, the carbon market is in a steady development, and regional carbon trading has gained remarkable achievements. California has begun to start the transaction of carbon emissions. We find it is the first time that the ratio of America’s dependence on foreign oil began to decrease by 50%, so the energy independence enhanced; and at the same time the green employment quantity reached 3000000 per year.

Read the full article here:           美国低碳经济政策转向研究：原因、定位及经济绩效.pdf