Publications [#365722] of Richard G. Newell

Articles

1. Rennert, K; Errickson, F; Prest, BC; Rennels, L; Newell, RG; Pizer, W; Kingdon, C; Wingenroth, J; Cooke, R; Parthum, B; Smith, D; Cromar, K; Diaz, D; Moore, FC; Müller, UK; Plevin, RJ; Raftery, AE; Ševčíková, H; Sheets, H; Stock, JH; Tan, T; Watson, M; Wong, TE; Anthoff, D, Comprehensive evidence implies a higher social cost of CO₂., Nature, vol. 610 no. 7933 (October, 2022), pp. 687-692, Springer Science and Business Media LLC [doi]
   (last updated on 2023/06/01)

   Abstract:
   The social cost of carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) measures the monetized value of the damages to society caused by an incremental metric tonne of CO₂ emissions and is a key metric informing climate policy. Used by governments and other decision-makers in benefit-cost analysis for over a decade, SC-CO₂ estimates draw on climate science, economics, demography and other disciplines. However, a 2017 report by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine¹ (NASEM) highlighted that current SC-CO₂ estimates no longer reflect the latest research. The report provided a series of recommendations for improving the scientific basis, transparency and uncertainty characterization of SC-CO₂ estimates. Here we show that improved probabilistic socioeconomic projections, climate models, damage functions, and discounting methods that collectively reflect theoretically consistent valuation of risk, substantially increase estimates of the SC-CO₂. Our preferred mean SC-CO₂ estimate is $185 per tonne of CO₂ ($44-$413 per tCO₂: 5%-95% range, 2020 US dollars) at a near-term risk-free discount rate of 2%, a value 3.6 times higher than the US government's current value of $51 per tCO₂. Our estimates incorporate updated scientific understanding throughout all components of SC-CO₂ estimation in the new open-source Greenhouse Gas Impact Value Estimator (GIVE) model, in a manner fully responsive to the near-term NASEM recommendations. Our higher SC-CO₂ values, compared with estimates currently used in policy evaluation, substantially increase the estimated benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation and thereby increase the expected net benefits of more stringent climate policies.