Abstract
Policy makers and environmental agencies have echoed concerns brought forward by academics about the need to address the rebound effect for achieving absolute energy and environmental decoupling. However, such concerns have generally not been translated into tangible policy action. The reasons behind this inaction are not fully understood, and much remains unknown about the status of the rebound effect issue on the policy agenda and policy pathways available. Such knowledge gaps may hamper the development of effective policies to address this issue. In this paper, we examine the extent to and ways in which the rebound effect is considered in policy documents and analyse thirteen specific policy pathways for rebound mitigation. The effectiveness of the pathways is scrutinised and conclusions are offered to mitigate rebound effects. The main policy conclusions of the paper are that an appropriate policy design and policy mix are key to avoiding undesired outcomes, such as the creation of additional rebound effects and environmental trade-offs. From the discussion, economy-wide cap-and-trade systems as well as energy and carbon taxes, when designed appropriately, emerge as the most effective policies in setting a ceiling for emissions and addressing energy use across the economy.
Highlights
Policy makers and environmental agencies have echoed concerns brought forward by academics about the need to address the rebound effect for achieving absolute energy and environmental decoupling
Some important reasons are the inability to reconcile policies aimed at constraining demand with the existing GDP-based economic growth paradigm, the better alignment of efficiency strategies with prevailing managerial discourses and the lack of a systems perspective in policy that would allow policy makers to better predict and verify the success of a rebound mitigation policy
Meaningful rebound mitigation and environmental strategies in general may require a shift towards systems-literate policy action (Levett, 2009) as well as transformative changes in the current socio-economic structures (Sorrell, 2010)
Summary
Such concerns have generally not been translated into tangible policy action The reasons behind this inaction are not fully understood, and much remains unknown about the status of the rebound effect issue on the policy agenda and policy pathways available. These concerns, have generally not been translated into any tangible policy action (IRGC, 2013; Maxwell et al, 2011) The reasons behind this inaction are not fully understood, and much remains unknown about the status of the rebound effect issue on the policy agenda as well as the range of policy pathways available. What policy pathways are available and which of them could be more effective to mitigate the undesired consequences of the rebound effect?
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.