UC San Diego

This dissertation looks at how the macro economy affects carbon dioxide emissions and evaluates policy designs intended to reduce emissions. The first chapter examines how the business cycle affects carbon dioxide emissions, finding that emissions respond more elastically to recessions than expansions, which results in future emissions forecasts that are lower on average but much less certain. The second chapter evaluates and proposes alternative, more effective designs of the State of California's Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, an incentive program to encourage the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles with the intent of reducing local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The third chapter evaluates the effectiveness of another California policy to encourage the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles by granting drivers free single-occupant access to high- occupancy vehicle lanes