Canada: The State of the Federation, 2009 (Carbon Pricing and Environmental Federalism)

Climate change that is attributable to global warming has emerged as one of the most significant public-policy issues for governments in the twenty-first century. Respecting neither intranational nor international boundaries, the emissions giving rise to the problem are especially difficult to combat in multi-level states such as Canada, where environmental responsibility is shared by the federal and provincial governments.

Initially prepared for an Institute of Intergovernmental Relations conference jointly sponsored by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and Sustainable Prosperity, the papers presented here are by an outstanding group of those actively involved in conducting research and developing policy in this contested area. The issues are analyzed from legal, economic, and political perspectives, with particular attention paid to intergovernmental and international aspects.