Research
Overview
Achieving a net-zero energy transition to mitigate the impacts of climate change represents a planetary crisis and pressing public policy challenge. While economists often tout the economic efficiency of carbon pricing, in practice jurisdictions are applying a mix of policy instruments to reduce emissions, including regulations, performance standards, subsidies, and R&D funding. These “second-best” policies may be preferred by policymakers seeking to achieve additional policy objectives, such as incentivizing technological change, distributional equity, or political acceptability. However, the use of such overlapping policies can also create tradeoffs across policy goals which have been under-explored.
My research examines how alternative approaches to decarbonization manage trade-offs between environmental, economic, and social objectives. I use empirical and simulation modelling tools from economics, engineering, public policy, and environmental studies to evaluate the impact of existing policies as well as the expected impact of potential future policies across multiple objectives.
Peer-reviewed Publications
Cost and carbon-intensity reducing innovation in biofuels for road transportation (2025) Energy Policy, 197, 114416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114416
Available Open Access
Developing a Climate Change Mitigation Policy Inventory for Canada (Accepted) with Winter, J. and Munzur, A. and Koch, K], Canadian Public Policy. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=4920154
Summary article hosted by the Canadian Climate Institute
Cost, innovation, and emissions leakage from overlapping climate policy (2024) Energy Economics, 139, 107949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107949.
Available Open Access
Multi-level climate governance: Examining impacts and interactions between national and sub-national emissions mitigation policy mixes in Canada (2023) with Rhodes, E. & C. Hoicka, Climate Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2023.2185586
Summary article in The Conversation
Designing flexible regulations to mitigate climate change: A cross-country comparative policy analysis (2021) with Rhodes, E. & Jaccard, M. Energy Policy, 156, 112419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112419
Featured in Nature Climate Change: Research highlights
Summary article in Policy Options
Working Papers
Clean Technology and Business Innovation (2018) with Elgie, S., McCarney, G., and Miedzinski, M Clean Economy Working Paper Series, University of Ottawa – Smart Prosperity Institute. Available from http://institute.smartprosperity.ca/library/research/clean-technology-and-business-innovation
Select Policy Publications
Scott, W. A. (2019) ‘Water Quality Trading for Lake Winnipeg’, prepared for the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources.
Scott, W. A. (2018) Hot Topic: Green Bonds in Canada, 2018 Canadian Responsible Investment Trends Report.
Samson, R. and Scott, W. A. (2018) 'Canada's Clean Growth Opportunity', prepared for Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada.
Brownlee, M., Elgie, S. and Scott, W. A. (2018) Canada’s Next Edge: Why clean innovation is critical to Canada’s economy and how we get it right, Smart Prosperity Institute.
Scott, W. A. (2017) Low Carbon Fuel Standards in Canada, Smart Prosperity Institute.
Opinion
Climate change costs British Columbians, whether or not we have a carbon tax . Vancouver Sun, September 16, 2024.