Printed 23 Apr 2019 http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute
Our latest work
Institutions, climate change, and the foundations of long-term policymaking
This paper focuses on the role of political institutions, particularly electoral rules, and state–business relationships, to ask why some countries take strong action to address long-term problems like climate change while others do very little. read more »
The global consumer incidence of carbon pricing: evidence from trade
This paper estimates the global distribution of the costs to consumers from carbon pricing, finding that some policies may be considered regressive for their burden on poorer consumers – but that the benefits from mitigating climate change may weaken or reverse the regressive effect. read more »
The impact of management practices on employee productivity: A field experiment with airline captains
This paper draws on the findings of a field experiment with Virgin Atlantic Airways which showed that changes to the behaviour of pilots brought about through monitoring, target setting and small incentives helped bring about fuel savings and, as a result, large cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. read more »
Hyperbolic discounting in the absence of credibility
The authors of this paper show theoretically that lack of credibility introduces a present bias, as subjects internalise the uncertainty. Hence, experiments that do not ensure credibility may erroneously conclude that observed behaviour is driven by hyperbolic pure time preferences, rather than the rational response to non-credible payoffs. read more »
For want of a chair: teaching price formation using a cap and trade game
This paper describes the benefits of a game created as an active learning method to teach current and future decision-makers about the ‘cap and trade’ system, one of the most innovative policy options developed by environmental economists. read more »
Sustainability and internationalism: driving development in the 21st century
Nicholas Stern contends that embarking on a path of strong, sustainable and inclusive growth can deliver the zero-carbon economy and the Sustainable Development Goals, and that such a strategy both requires, and can help create, a new internationalism. This is an extended version of a lecture by Professor Stern delivered in February 2019 at the University of Cambridge. read more »
Legislating for a low carbon and climate resilient transition: learning from international experiences
This paper aims to inform policy experts, legislators and decision makers on recent trends in climate change policy-making around the world and draws on the lessons learnt in relation to … read more »
El cambio climático y la transición justa: Guía para la toma de decisiones de los inversores
En esta guía se indica cómo los inversores pueden alcanzar el objetivo de una transición justa en el marco de sus prácticas operativas fundamentales. (Spanish translation of ‘Climate change and the just transition: A guide for investor action’.) read more »
Changement climatique et transition juste: Guide pour orienter l’action des investisseurs
Ce guide présente les leviers d’action dont disposent les investisseurs en vue de poursuivre l’objectif d’une transition juste dans le cadre de leurs pratiques opérationnelles. (French translation of ‘Climate change and the just transition: A guide for investor action’.) read more »
Sustainability in the insurance industry: what role does it play for the “risk manager of society” (In German)
Surminski and Täger: Nachhaltigkeit in der Versicherungswirtschaft, Zeitschrift fuer das Versicherungswesen, 04/2019.
Building the research foundations for greening the financial system
As recognition grows rapidly among central banks of the need for routine consideration of climate change risks, robust research is required to guide and underpin their actions. Nick Robins and Matthias Täger introduce a new global research network designed to build these foundations. read more »
Climate change deniers haul out a daft conspiracy theory about Attenborough’s new programme
Bob Ward refutes claims that polar bears rather than sea-ice decline were responsible for the mass walrus death scenes shown in the new Our Planet TV series. read more »
Nobel for Economics 2018 – a question of imbalance
Dimitri Zenghelis explains why Paul Romer’s theory of endogenous growth can be harnessed to direct and design a net-zero-carbon future while using William Nordhaus’s DICE and RICE models may already have proved truly damaging. read more »
Collaboration as the key learning: how we did it in UMFULA
UMFULA involves over 50 people spread across 13 organisations based in five countries and two continents. In the history of collaborative research, there have been many research consortia of this size and geographical spread – but what makes UMFULA special is its interdisciplinary nature says Estelle Rouhaud. read more »
Engineering the planet’s temperature: clash or cooperation?
Considerable uncertainties surround the potential of solar geoengineering, with important questions around governance. This commentary describes a game that finds out what could happen if countries were able to turn the Earth’s thermostat up or down. read more »
Hot topics
UK policy
A key strand of our work is focused on engaging decision-makers in the UK on policy issues related to climate change and the environment.
President Trump
What are the implications of the Trump presidency for US and global efforts to tackle climate change?
Economic competitiveness
Are environmental policies a threat to economic competitiveness?
Clean energy
How will the UK and Europe make the transition to a low-carbon power sector at the lowest cost?
Implementing the Paris Agreement
Research and analysis produced in the run up to and aftermath of the Paris Agreement.
Green growth
Can environmental policies deliver increased economic growth and prosperity?
