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A minilateral solution for global climate change? On bargaining efficiency, club benefits and international legitimacy / Robert Falkner, Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, July 2015, 27 p., Working Paper No. 222http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/publication/a-minilateral-solution-for-global-climate-change-on-bargaining-efficiency-club-benefits-and-international-legitimacy/Gridlock in the multilateral climate negotiations has created growing scholarly and practical interest in the use of minilateral forums. A large variety of climate club proposals have been developed in recent years, which promise more effective bargaining among the main climate powers, better incentives to encourage mitigation efforts and discourage free-riding, and new ways to align international power asymmetries with the interests of the global climate regime. This paper investigates the three dominant rationales that underpin minilateralist proposals. It offers a critical review of the their potential as well as limitations in promoting global climate action. It argues that minilateralism is unlikely to overcome the structural barriers to a comprehensive and ambitious international climate agreement. However, climate clubs can enhance political dialogue in the context multilateral negotiations and provide a more conducive environment for great power bargaining. They can create club benefits that strengthen mitigation strategies by so-called coalitions of the willing and help reduce the dangers of free-riding. And they can help re-legitimate the global climate regime against the background of profound power shifts that have slowed down progress in the multilateral negotiations.Taxing carbon : what, why, and how / Donald Marron, Eric Toder, and Lydia Austin. Tax Policy Center, June 2015, 27 p.http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/2000274-Taxing-Carbon-What-Why-and-How.pdfThe case for a carbon tax in the United States is strong. A well-designed tax could efficiently reduce the emissions that cause climate change, encourage innovation in cleaner technologies, and cut other pollutants. The resulting revenue could finance tax reductions, spending priorities, or deficit reduction— policies that could offset the tax’s distributional and economic burdens, improve the environment, or otherwise improve Americans’ well-being...Enhancing Engagement Between China and the EU on Resource Governance and Low-Carbon Development / Bernice Lee, Nick Mabey, Felix Preston, Antony Froggatt and Siân Bradley. London : Chatham House, June 2015, 45 p. (research paper)http://www.chathamhouse.org/publication/enhancing-engagement-between-china-and-eu-resource-governance-and-low-carbon-developmentDespite a distrustful and less confident EU and a distracted China, this new paper argues that improved EU-China cooperation remains key to achieving shared objectives on climate change and resource scarcity...