Personal carbon allowances revisited

Here we discuss how personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could play a role in achieving ambitious climate mitigation targets. We argue that recent advances in AI for sustainable development, together with the need for a low-carbon recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, open a new window of opportunity for PCAs. Furthermore, we present design principles based on the Sustainable Development Goals for the future adoption of PCAs. We conclude that PCAs could be trialled in selected climate-conscious technologically advanced countries, mindful of potential issues around integration into the current policy mix, privacy concerns and distributional impacts. Personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could support climate mitigation efforts but would need to be carefully designed to avoid impacts on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Perspective discusses why the time is ripe for reconsidering PCAs and provides a set of SDG-based design principles for the future adoption of PCAs.

Automated summary

Personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could potentially boost climate mitigation efforts but must be carefully implemented to prevent negative impacts on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Perspective argues for the reconsideration of PCAs at this opportune moment and suggests a set of SDG-based design principles for future adoption of PCAs.