The Nicholas Institute welcomes the announcement that two of Capitol Hill's most respected leaders, Senators John Warner and Joseph Lieberman, are working to draft a bipartisan cap-and-trade bill to curb greenhouse gas emissions. To assist them and all other lawmakers working on climate policy, the Institute has engaged with Duke's top economists and trade law experts to design solutions to valid concerns about containing the costs of the legislation, spurring federal investment in new technologies, allocating emissions allowances and leveling the playing field between U.S. companies and international competitors not operating under pollution limits. One example of our work, a paper that examines possible solutions to the issue of competitiveness, is online here. For other examples, explore this Web site or contact us at nicholas.institute@duke.edu. You can read our statement about the Lieberman-Warner initiative here.

In the ongoing climate policy debate, few tools are as critical, or complex, as the models used to predict future economic impacts. Different models predict different impacts. So how can policymakers, scientists, environmental advocates and industry leaders tell which models, if any, are the most reliable?  The Nicholas Institute is hosting a two-day symposium in Washington, D.C., on July 18-19 to help make sense of it all. "Economic Modeling of Federal Climate Proposals: Advancing Model Transparency and Technology Policy Development," will bring together dozens of top experts to address three goals: To provide a transparent view of currents models and their analysis of legislation; to identify strengths, weakness and needed improvements in each model; and to identify targets for complementary technologies policies. The event is geared for content providers and the policy audience alike. Learn more here. 

The Institute's comprehensive new guide for farmers, foresters and investors interested in profiting from carbon markets is now available from Duke University Press. "Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy: How to Create and Verify Greenhouse Gas Offsets" explains how changes in land use and farming practices can help convert carbon storage capacity and methane gas reductions into verifiable greenhouse gas offsets that can be bought or sold in emissions markets. To order the guide, go to www.dukeupress.edu.