Date: April 22, 2013

Time: 4:30 pm -

Location: Bowl 16, Robertson Hall

Prof. Ryan Kellogg, of the University of Michigan, will give a talk entitled “Climate Amenities, Climate Change and American Quality of Life” as part of the WWS-Andlinger Energy Seminar Series.

ABSTRACT
We present a hedonic framework to estimate U.S. households’ preferences over local climates, using detailed weather and 2000 Census data. We find that Americans favor an average daily temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit, will pay more on the margin to avoid excess heat than cold, and are not substantially more averse to extremes than to temperatures that are merely uncomfortable. These preferences vary by location due to sorting or adaptation.Changes in climate amenities under business-as-usual predictions imply annual welfare losses of 1 to 3 percent of income by 2100, holding technology and preferences constant.

BIOGRAPHY
Ryan Kellogg is an associate professor of economics, earning his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in 2008. Ryan’s research bridges industrial organization, energy economics, and environmental policy. His projects range from analyses of the behavior of oil and gas firms to evaluations of U.S. pollution abatement programs and the welfare impacts of climate change.