Barry Rabe examines the political feasibility and performance of environmental policy in the United States and in other federal systems. This includes extensive work on the politics of carbon pricing, reflected in a 2018 MIT Press book, "Can We Price Carbon" that considers lessons from efforts to adopt and implement carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies over the past two decades. He also explores the politics of severance tax and royalty regimes related to fossil fuel production in American states and internationally. This reflects a particular interest in the question of governmental capacity to set aside revenues for longer-term considerations, such as addressing economic and environmental challenges that often follow production boom periods, and will be examined in a future book.
Rabe is the recipient of four research awards from the American Political Science Association, including the 2017 Martha Derthick Award in honor of the book on federalism and intergovernmental relations that has had a lasting impact for more than a decade. This award recognized his 2004 Brookings Press book, "Statehouse and Greenhouse: The Emerging Politics of American Climate Change Policy." He is also currently working on a sequel to Statehouse and greenhouse, examining how states respond to Trump Administration policies in pursuing climate change mitigation policies. His previous Brookings books include "Greenhouse Governance" (2010), "Beyond Nimby" (1994), and "When Federalism Works" (1986).
Rabe is the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Environmental Policy at the University of Michigan, where his primary appointment is in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He directs the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the Ford School, which co-directs the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE) with the Muhlenberg Institute of Public Opinion The NSEE conducts twice-annual surveys on American public opinion on climate and energy policy that focus heavily on state policy options and post data in a timely fashion with the Institute of Social Research at the University of Michigan. Rabe is the chair of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assumable Waters Subcommittee and is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration where he has served on recent panels and external advisory groups for the Departments of Interior and Commerce.
Barry Rabe examines the political feasibility and performance of environmental policy in the United States and in other federal systems. This includes extensive work on the politics of carbon pricing, reflected in a 2018 MIT Press book, "Can We Price Carbon" that considers lessons from efforts to adopt and implement carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies over the past two decades. He also explores the politics of severance tax and royalty regimes related to fossil fuel production in American states and internationally. This reflects a particular interest in the question of governmental capacity to set aside revenues for longer-term considerations, such as addressing economic and environmental challenges that often follow production boom periods, and will be examined in a future book.
Rabe is the recipient of four research awards from the American Political Science Association, including the 2017 Martha Derthick Award in honor of the book on federalism and intergovernmental relations that has had a lasting impact for more than a decade. This award recognized his 2004 Brookings Press book, "Statehouse and Greenhouse: The Emerging Politics of American Climate Change Policy." He is also currently working on a sequel to Statehouse and greenhouse, examining how states respond to Trump Administration policies in pursuing climate change mitigation policies. His previous Brookings books include "Greenhouse Governance" (2010), "Beyond Nimby" (1994), and "When Federalism Works" (1986).