A cost-effectiveness analysis of the actions taken by the participants of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emission with respect to selected city characteristics /

"This study analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the actions taken by the participants of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with respect to selected city characteristics. The goal of the analysis was to determine what actions would reduce the most GHG emis...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sazama, Christina Marie
Corporate Author: Bemidji State University. Center for Environmental, Earth and Space Studies, Economics and Sociology
Format: Thesis Book
Language:English
Published: 2010.
Series:Thesis (Bemidji State University. Center for Environmental, Earth and Space Studies, Economics and Sociology ).
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Summary:"This study analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the actions taken by the participants of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with respect to selected city characteristics. The goal of the analysis was to determine what actions would reduce the most GHG emissions at the lowest cost. A survey was developed for the study and sent to selected participants of the Agreement. The purpose of the survey was to obtain information concerning the action that was implemented, cost of the action, and the annual kWh reduction or ton of GHG reduction that resulted from the action. A cost effectiveness ratio was then determined for both the cost/kWh reduced annually and the cost/ton of GHG reduced annually where appropriate. Although the sample size was small, various inferential statistics, both parametric and nonparametric, were conducted and it was found that the three factors chosen to examine, population, region, and action, all had influence over the cost effectiveness ratio. A demonstration was then conducted where a hypothetical city with a restrained budget used the cost effectiveness data to make a logical decision on which actions to implement to reduce GHG emissions rather than choose actions without concern for cost effectiveness. The demonstration highlighted the utility of using cost effectiveness data to aid in the decision making process. When the cost effectiveness ratios were used in the decision making process the city obtained a much higher reduction in annual kWh usage or ton of GHG emitted. In contrast, when cost effectiveness did not factor into the decision making process, the amount of GHG or kWh reduced was marginal in comparison"--Abstract.
Physical Description:viii, 78 leaves ; 28 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.