Arik Levinson
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ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson
@ariklevinson.bsky.social
1.2K followers 130 following 69 posts
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Arik Levinson is a professor of economics at Georgetown University. He works in the fields of energy economics and environmental economics. He was Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary for Climate and Energy Economics in the Biden administration from 2022 to 2024, and a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers in the Obama administration from 2010 to 2011. .. more

Economics 57%
Energy 15%
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ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
6) Got more? Add your own.

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
5) “the Supreme Court will eventually rule on this week’s move, as well, ostensibly in favor.”

Really? A U.S. District Court in January tossed the DOE’s fake-science report meant to support the endangerment repeal.

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
4) “light and medium-duty cars and trucks combined to generate just 1.8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.”

Cars and light trucks account for around 16% of U.S. emissions. The U.S. accounts for around 12% of global emissions. Why are we multiplying those two numbers?

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
3) “free-market-driven innovation has done more to combat climate change than regulatory power grabs like the “endangerment finding.”

Really? You have evidence, or is this just empty ideological bluster?

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
2) “There may come a time when the people elected to enact laws decide the modest benefits of regulating greenhouse gases outweigh the considerable economic costs.”

Wrong. Benefit cost analyses regularly show the benefits of reducing GHGs vastly outweigh the costs.

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
1) “in 2009, the EPA decided it would treat greenhouse gases like other pollutants, despite their damage being global rather than local.”

No, the Bush-era EPA decided *not* to regulate greenhouse gases, was sued, and lost in the Supreme Court.

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11h
The new WaPo is wrong, wrong, wrong in so many ways. Let's count:

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 5d
Tariffs on solar panels have been even worse than I thought. Never mind the environmental cost, the pass-through rate to US consumers was more than 100%.

Each $1 of tariff cost US solar customers $1.17.
aereorg.bsky.social AERE @aereorg.bsky.social · 28d
📢 Out now in the ❄️January 2026 issue❄️of #JAERE! 📢
"The Incidence of the US-China Solar Trade War" by Wenjun Wang and Sébastien Houde.
🔓 Read the open-access article here :https://buff.ly/ZPR6BG4
📈📉 #Econsky

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 9d
And a federal judge tossed the report. Not because it's junk science, but because of a DOE process foul selecting the junk scientists who authored it.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/c...

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 11d
I watched and learned as @chadpbown.com explains trade policy (nicely) to @pkrugman.bsky.social.

(Love the screen grab, too.)

youtu.be/kVZMns6NuVI?...
Talking with Chad Bown
YouTube video by Paul Krugman
youtu.be

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · 27d
Economists make climate policy seem so straightforward.

Reposted by A. E. Dessler, Arik Levinson

noahqkaufman.bsky.social
Noah Kaufman @noahqkaufman.bsky.social · 27d
Most economists disagree with extreme voices on debates about climate risks, and yet we keep providing fuel to both sides. This article tries to explain why.
www.theatlantic.com/science/2026...
The Climate Question That Economists Cannot Answer
Models can predict catastrophic or modest damages from climate change, but not which of these futures is coming.
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Arik Levinson

aereorg.bsky.social
AERE @aereorg.bsky.social · 28d
📢 Out now in the ❄️January 2026 issue❄️of #JAERE! 📢
"The Incidence of the US-China Solar Trade War" by Wenjun Wang and Sébastien Houde.
🔓 Read the open-access article here :https://buff.ly/ZPR6BG4
📈📉 #Econsky

Reposted by Arik Levinson

kylemeng.com
Kyle Meng @kylemeng.com · 28d
If you you miss reading a proper cost-benefit analysis of environmental policy, one that fully accounts for costs AND benefits, here's California CARB's proposed GHG cap-and-invest regulations, dropped at noon.

No "we won't value public health benefits just because they're uncertain" shenanigans.
Cap-and-Invest Regulation | California Air Resources Board
Proposed 2026 Amendments to the Cap-and-Invest (formerly Cap-and-Trade) Regulation The preliminary documents posted below have been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and may be modif...
ww2.arb.ca.gov

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Jan 2
Pre-ordered mine. 5 months early. Because I'll read anything by these two explainers.

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/...
How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy
How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy [Keynes, Soumaya, Bown, Chad] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy
www.amazon.com

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Dec 18
Pepco (Exelon) send me this unhelpful alert, informing me that I spent more on electricity this month than last.

But guess what? I used *less* electricity. I spent more because the company charged me more. Thanks for nothing, @exelonofficial.bsky.social.

Reposted by Matthew E. Kahn, Arik Levinson

aereorg.bsky.social
AERE @aereorg.bsky.social · Dec 18
📢 Just accepted in #JAERE! 📢
"Decarbonizing Aviation: Cash-for-Clunkers in the Airline Industry" by Jan K. Brueckner, Matthew E. Kahn ( @mattkahn1966.bsky.social ), and Jerry Nickelsburg.
Read it here: buff.ly/JExG0Iz
📈📉 #Econsky

Reposted by Christian Odendahl, Richard S.J. Tol, Arik Levinson

cwolfram.bsky.social
Catherine Wolfram @cwolfram.bsky.social · Dec 16
More news on CBAM expansion plans.

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
EU to extend carbon border levy to new products, drafts show
The European Union plans to expand its upcoming carbon border tariff to cover imported products including car parts, refrigerators, and washing machines, draft European Commission documents seen by Re...
www.reuters.com

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Dec 2
It's even worse than Max humorously gripes. Can anybody look at Max's bill and calculate his incremental cost per kWh?

[ChatGPT tells me it's "approximately $0.65 per kWh.]
severinborenstein.bsky.social Severin Borenstein @severinborenstein.bsky.social · Dec 2
In this week's Energy Institute blog, Max Auffhammer's highly entertaining and also very serious take on redesigning electricity bills so customers can actually understand them. An important step in enabling demand flexibility. energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/a...
A Small Beautiful Bill
It would be nice if I could understand my energy bill.  This is the time of the year where we are gathered around tables – mostly with loving family and tasty food- and then someone says…
energyathaas.wordpress.com

Reposted by Arik Levinson

severinborenstein.bsky.social
Severin Borenstein @severinborenstein.bsky.social · Dec 2
In this week's Energy Institute blog, Max Auffhammer's highly entertaining and also very serious take on redesigning electricity bills so customers can actually understand them. An important step in enabling demand flexibility. energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/a...
A Small Beautiful Bill
It would be nice if I could understand my energy bill.  This is the time of the year where we are gathered around tables – mostly with loving family and tasty food- and then someone says…
energyathaas.wordpress.com

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Paul Lehmann, Arik Levinson , and 2 more

ifal78.bsky.social
Luis Fernández Intriago @ifal78.bsky.social · Nov 13
🌍 Are you in the market? Dream postdoc opportunity for environmental economists!
@envdefensefund.bsky.social + @ucsb.bsky.social's @emlab.ucsb.edu are hiring 2-3 postdocs to work on carbon markets, nature-based solutions & resource economics with Chris Costello (emLab Director/EDF Chief Economist).
Environmental and Resource Economics Postdoctoral Scholar (up to 3 positions), Environmental Markets Lab (emLab), University of California Santa Barbara
University of California Santa Barbara is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu

Reposted by Arik Levinson

severinborenstein.bsky.social
Severin Borenstein @severinborenstein.bsky.social · Oct 30
Not sure how this got past the administration's communication controls, but EIA had a nice piece last Friday on the increasing role of solar/wind/batteries in Texas.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
🔌💡
ERCOT increasingly meets rising demand with solar, wind, and batteries - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
www.eia.gov

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Oct 20
Jim Sallee gives a master class in how to explain complex policy in simple prose. I'm definitely assigning this to students.
severinborenstein.bsky.social Severin Borenstein @severinborenstein.bsky.social · Oct 20
I'm back from vacation (and the huge Oakland No Kings protest). Lots to catch up on posting. In the EI blog today, Jim Sallee has an excellent analysis of the poorly designed, but good direction, of proposed international shipping GHG regulations.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/10/20/c...
Carbon Pricing on the High Seas?
The international maritime organization gets close to a carbon tax. If an environmental economist stumbled upon a magic lamp and got one wish from the genie, most of us would know what to ask for—a…
energyathaas.wordpress.com

Reposted by Arik Levinson

severinborenstein.bsky.social
Severin Borenstein @severinborenstein.bsky.social · Oct 20
I'm back from vacation (and the huge Oakland No Kings protest). Lots to catch up on posting. In the EI blog today, Jim Sallee has an excellent analysis of the poorly designed, but good direction, of proposed international shipping GHG regulations.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/10/20/c...
Carbon Pricing on the High Seas?
The international maritime organization gets close to a carbon tax. If an environmental economist stumbled upon a magic lamp and got one wish from the genie, most of us would know what to ask for—a…
energyathaas.wordpress.com

Reposted by Arik Levinson

aereorg.bsky.social
AERE @aereorg.bsky.social · Oct 20
✨ We will be featuring the 2025 AERE Scholars & Mentors over the coming weeks! Stay tuned to learn more about the amazing cohort! ✨

Reposted by Kimberly A. Clausing

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Oct 18
Ok so the Trump administration blew up the international agreement to tax CO2 from shipping. 14 years ago the Obama administration successfully opposed applying the EU carbon price to US airlines operating in Europe.

Just because Ds and Rs both agree on something doesn't mean it's right.

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Oct 16
Great news!
Andrew Plantinga will be succeeding Nick Kuminoff as one of the four editors of @jaereaere.bsky.social starting January 1.

Compensation for the less great but inevitable news that Nick's term must end. Thanks Nick and welcome Andrew.

www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jaere/cu...
Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists | Vol 12, No 6
www.journals.uchicago.edu

Reposted by Nathan Nunn, Arik Levinson, Aaron Sojourner

tderyugina.bsky.social
Tatyana Deryugina @tderyugina.bsky.social · Oct 10
Hey #EconSky working in environmental econ! Looking for things to do this weekend? Why not write up a 2-3 page proposal for a cool conference-publication combo, happening in May 2025 in Washington, DC?

Submit your proposal (or paper) here by Oct 20: conference.nber.org/confsubmit/b...
Submission: 8th Annual NBER Environmental and Energy Policy and the Economy Conference, Page 1 of 2 - MyNBER
conference.nber.org

Reposted by Arik Levinson, Toshihiko Mukoyama

gcer-gu.bsky.social
Georgetown Center for Economic Research @gcer-gu.bsky.social · Oct 9
🎉 Congratulations to Professor Ivana Komunjer on being elected a Fellow of the Econometric Society
@econometric.bsky.social one of the highest distinctions in the field of economics! Since 1931, only 1,254 scholars have received this honor 🧵 [1/3]

ariklevinson.bsky.social
Arik Levinson @ariklevinson.bsky.social · Oct 1
Head-scratching WaPo article says solar tax credits are slowing adoption, and ending them will (by mid-century) result in more solar panels on roofs.

Explain *that*, Econ 101 professors.

www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Column | Solar tax credits are ending. Here’s why that could be good for solar.
It could force the industry to address the issues that have made installing solar more expensive in the U.S. than elsewhere in the developed world.
www.washingtonpost.com