Graduation Year

2015

Date of Submission

4-2015

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environment, Economics, and Politics (EEP)

Reader 1

Emil Morhardt

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© 2015 Timothy T. Storer

Abstract

As climate change persists full bore, economists continue to estimate the cost effectiveness of various climate mitigation strategies. Minimal research has considered fertility-reducing policies, such as women's education (WE) and family planning (FP), as competitive emissions abatement strategies. Both WE and FP can mitigate climate change in two ways: they reduce emissions by lowering population growth, and reduce damages by reducing the number of vulnerable persons, especially when implemented in African countries. Previous research focuses exclusively on the former and neglects the latter entirely. By including the full scope of climate benefits from fertility reduction, it is clear that both WE and FP are highly cost-competitive with other climate mitigation strategies. Additionally, WE and FP are highly valued for social and ethical reasons, but are currently underfunded. Recognizing them as viable climate mitigation strategies could help garner the additional funding that is demanded in the literature. It is long overdue that WE and FP receive international funding on the basis of climate change mitigation, in addition to the fund they already receive for humanitarian reasons.

This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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