environmental policy: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

certified organic

Side-by-side diagrams compare command-and-control and cap-and-trade approaches to pollution control. The left shows both Plant A and Plant B each reducing emissions by 50 tons, resulting in higher total costs. The right shows cap-and-trade, where Plant A reduces emissions by 75 tons and Plant B by 25 tons, with Plant B paying Plant A for extra reductions, leading to lower overall costs. Emission levels, reduction amounts, and costs are labeled for both methods.

See All Images →

Topics

Global warming policy India’s environmental timeline Environmental law environmental economics environmental communication extended producer responsibility sustainability Today in History—June 9: The Global Fraud Case About Toxic Waste sustainable development LEED® standards foreign policy policy analysis government economic policy evidence-based policy competition policy bureaucratic politics approach incrementalism grand strategy precautionary principle

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

water scarcity: Environmental policy