Yesterday, the Center for Sustainable Cities at USC SPPD, my lovely home, sponsored a talk by my colleagues, economist Adam Rose, and political scientist Toni Bertelli. The topic concerned the value and politics surrounding cap and trade climate trade policy at the Federal level.

From Adam Rose, I learned that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap and trade system, is working and provides an excellent example of how a national system would work.

From Tony Bertelli, I learned that Waxman Marky is unlikely to pass and that the Congressional coalition behind it is crumbling. However, there are other bills floating around that might have more clarity, less pork, and more political viability.