Utilitarianism in Climate Policy and Cost–Benefit Analysis (1960–present)

1. Executive Order 12291 expands federal cost–benefit review

   Feb 17, 1981Labels: Executive Order, Ronald Reagan

   • Reagan Library
   • Presidency Project

2. Executive Order 12866 reaffirms benefits-justify-costs principle

   Sep 30, 1993Labels: Executive Order, Bill Clinton

   • Presidency Project
   • CRS Report

3. IPCC Second Assessment strengthens evidence of human influence

   Jan 1, 1995Labels: IPCC Second, climate science

   • UNFCCC Doc
   • UNT Library

4. Kyoto Protocol adopted, linking targets to economic debate

   Dec 11, 1997Labels: Kyoto Protocol, UNFCCC

   • UNFCCC
   • Pew

5. OMB Circular A-4 standardizes U.S. regulatory analysis methods

   Sep 17, 2003Labels: OMB Circular, Office of

   • OMB A 4
   • White House

6. Stern Review popularizes low discounting for climate action

   Oct 30, 2006Labels: Stern Review, UK Treasury

   • LSE Grantham
   • NBER

7. Massachusetts v. EPA recognizes greenhouse gases as pollutants

   Apr 2, 2007Labels: Massachusetts v, U S

   • Oyez
   • Justia

8. EPA issues Endangerment Finding for greenhouse gases

   Dec 7, 2009Labels: EPA Endangerment, Environmental Protection

   • EPA Finding
   • GAO FedRules

9. U.S. interagency group develops Social Cost of Carbon

   Jan 1, 2010Labels: Social Cost, Interagency group

   • RFF
   • CRS IF

10. Interagency Working Group publishes SCC technical update

    May 1, 2013Labels: SCC Technical, Interagency Working

    • IWG TSD
    • Carbon Brief

11. Paris Agreement shifts focus to iterative national commitments

    Dec 12, 2015Labels: Paris Agreement, NDCs

    • UN AVL
    • UN News

12. Executive Order 13990 reinstates federal social-cost framework

    Jan 20, 2021Labels: Executive Order, Joe Biden

    • Harvard EELP
    • CRS LSB

13. Executive Order 14154 directs pullback from social-cost use

    Jan 20, 2025Labels: Executive Order, Donald Trump

    • CRS IF
    • Fed Register

14. EPA revokes 2009 Endangerment Finding, disrupting climate CBA

    Feb 12, 2026Labels: EPA revocation, Endangerment Finding

    • AP News
    • Time