Governments’ Role in Energy Sustainability

Governments’ Role in Energy Sustainability Zach Brym James Kunz Eytan Shtull-Leber Bhavya Sridhar

Questions We Wish to Answer: • What do we mean by sustainability? • Which form of government—sub-national, national, or international—is currently best suited for sustainability? • How do governments differ in progressive thought in regard to sustainability?

Project Outline • Hypothesis • Sub-National Government: The Local Approach • National Government: The Current Answer • Progressive Thought Within National Government • Conclusion and International Government: The Means of the Future

Hypothesis • Sub-national government implements • National creates/enforces environmental policy • Without National influence, sustainability only exists as a patchy network • Once national governments begin to adopt this paradigm, international government will supplant them

Sub-National Government: Advantages • Closest to People: • “As the level of governance closest to the people, [sub-national governments] play a vital role in educating, mobilizing, and responding to the public to promote sustainable development” --UNCED, 1992 • Greatest in Number • Best-suited for Implementation • “If sustainable development does not start in the cities, it simply will not go—cities have got to lead the way." --UNCED, 1992

Ann Arbor • Sun Dragon Pool • Municipality Initiatives

California • New Solar Homes Partnership • Wind Power: 1.5% of the State’s total electricity – California Energy Commission

Sub-National Government: Disadvantages • Limited Resources • Budget and Cost of Renewable Energy • Limited Influence • “Most initiatives remain localized “islands of success”… a reflection of the limits to bottom-up development.” --Peter Gubbels, International Program Director, World Neighbors

National Government • The conditions for sustainability simply are not evident [in local government]…the state must work to establish a sophisticated blend of pressure and support” –Fullan et al., Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 2001

National Government: Advantages • Nearly Unlimited Budget • Infrastructure in Place • Subsidies • Incentives • Influence

Germany • Chernobyl and the German Energy Story • 100,000 Solar Roofs Program • Wind Power Subsidies • Ecotax • Renewable Energy Act www.solarfuture.org

China • Sustainable Villages • Three Gorges Dam • Concerns

Progressive Thought in National Government • Women in government = progressive thought • Reflection of voters • Tendencies of representatives Unep, 2002

GIS Results • Correlation between women in government and total energy consumption Progressive Thought Women in Government Environmental Policy Positive, Reinforcing, Multidirectional Loop

Looking Toward the Future • United States needs to continue positive strides • George Bush “We are addicted to oil.” • Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency

International Government • “Intergovernmental relations in federations have proved to be highly adaptive to changing circumstance and capable of great innovation…which suggests that federalism might provide a promising framework.” --David C. Hawkes • Variations between national governments • Developed vs. Developing • Western nations vs. other nations • International Government • Kyoto Accord • United Nations • Hope for the future

Governments’ Role in Energy Sustainability