Shadow price of carbon: economic appraisal in the UK
A note from Defra on the difference between the social cost of carbon and the shadow price of carbon, plus peer reviews and response.
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This note sets out:
- a definition of the social cost of carbon, hitherto used in UK government appraisals to reflect the external costs of greenhouse gas emissions;
- the rationale for adopting a shadow price of carbon (SPC) for use in policy and investment appraisals across UK government; and the factors which the SPC reflects which the social cost of carbon (SCC) does not;
- our approach to setting the appropriate level for the shadow price of carbon (SPC), now and in the future; and
- how the SPC should be used in policy advice, and why it differs from other carbon price and cost concepts.