A paper co-authored by Devyani Singh, Ph.D., a former postdoctoral fellow at Harrisburg University, has been published by Resources for the Future, an independent, nonprofit research institution in Washington, D.C.
The paper, “The Fiscal Implications of the US Transition away from Fossil Fuels,” features research Dr. Singh and others conducted while she was a postdoctoral fellow at HU’s Center for Energy, Environment, and Economy (E3). The paper estimates the fiscal risk posed by the energy transition for governments dependent on fossil fuels, while examining policies to address this risk to revenues.
The paper’s other authors are Daniel Raimi, Emily Grubert, Jake Higdon, Gilbert Metcalf, and Sophie Pesek. Lead author Daniel Raimi delivered a public lecture at the Center for E3 in March 2018.
The following was taken from the paper’s abstract: Achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals requires curtailing coal, oil, and natural gas production and consumption. However, these fuels are major revenue sources for governments. Here we develop a novel estimate of the revenues generated by fossil fuels for all governments in the United States, then estimate how those revenues change under three stylized scenarios through 2050… Although revenue losses are substantial under these scenarios, we do not view them as justification to delay action on emissions mitigation. Instead, they highlight the need to address revenue shortfalls, which will be concentrated in certain regions, alongside policies to deeply reduce emissions. The policy tools to accomplish both goals are relatively straightforward but implementing them will require overcoming considerable political challenges.
Dr. Singh is currently a postdoctoral economist fellow at the Environmental Defense Fund, one of the world’s leading environmental organizations. Her current research focuses on the role of natural climate solutions in climate mitigation, and energy access and transition.
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