Dr. Mark Schopf

(in the fields covered by the research center)

• It is worldwide recognized that global warming must be limited to below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. However, it is questionable whether this target can be reached by global cooperation. According to the United Nations, the measures promised by the Paris Agreement are insufficient. Accordingly, sub-global policies are necessary to achieve the climate goal.
• Two aspects are focussed on when evaluating such unilateral measures. First, they should be designed to actually reduce global warming. This requires considering international reactions to climate policy to avoid the shifting of greenhouse gas emissions in space ("cabon leakage") or time ("green paradox"). Second, the climate target should be achieved with the least possible expenditure of resources to maintain the attractiveness of unilateral measures. To achieve this, it is also possible to shift some of the costs onto countries that do not participate in climate policy by exploiting strategic price effects.
• In principle, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced both by reducing the demand for fossil fuels and reducing their supply. Examples for demand-reducing measures include emission taxes and emissions rights trading. Supply-reducing measures include taxes on fossil fuel extraction and the purchase of fossil fuel deposits to keep them untouched. The current focus of our research project is on the evaluation of unilateral supply-side climate policies.