In the NewsQuartzMarch 4, 2021

What is the social cost of carbon?

“The social cost of carbon is incredibly important because it enables policymakers or other decision-makers to put the costs and benefits of any climate policy on a level playing field,” said Tamma Carleton, an environmental economist at the University of California Santa Barbara. “It’s not the environment versus the economy—climate change has measurable effects on the economy—so it’s really about measuring what’s best for society” while choosing smart policies, she said.