This article weighs the differences between supply- and demand-related strategies for cutting the use of oil and gas. The article looks at each type of strategy in isolation, weighing the efficacy and drawbacks, and concludes that the United States is currently implementing a combination of strategies. Students who are unfamiliar with economic policies, carbon taxes, and other content-specific aspects may need to understand these before diving into this topic. The lesson How Do Governments Combat Climate Change? thoroughly explains the policies and strategies governments can and do implement to fight climate change. When talking about job loss or energy becoming increasingly expensive, students experiencing economic instability may become overwhelmed or uncomfortable. Teachers should prepare to support these students with strategies for processing emotions.
Written By: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
The MIT Climate Change Engagement Program, a part of MIT Climate HQ, provides the public with nonpartisan, easy-to-understand, and scientifically-grounded information on climate change and its solutions.
Fossil fuels, and the greenhouse gases they produce, are creating a hotter, more unstable world for future generations. That’s why policymakers concerned about this change have focused on switching from fossil fuels to clean sources of energy—quickly, before our mounting climate pollution causes even more disruption.
There are many policies that could advance that cause, but you can think of them as falling into two broad buckets, and both kinds have their advocates.
One type of policy focuses on the supply of fossil fuels. This includes shutting down gas pipelines, or banning new oil wells. These ideas aim to make fossil fuels scarcer, and thus more expensive.
Policies targeting supply can have a small impact on greenhouse gases or a more significant one, depending on the context.
