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Joshua A. Basseches

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Chapter Member: Michigan SSN
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About Joshua

Basseches’ research focuses on energy and climate policy and politics in the U.S. states. He examines the roles of business interests, environmental and consumer advocacy organizations, and state-level policymakers in shaping the content of the policies that have emerged. He has also been involved in research projects on business-government relations and state-level incarceration and criminal justice policy.
Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | In the News | Publications

Contributions

How Investor-Owned Utilities Can be Induced to Support Reforms to Mitigate Climate Change

Basic Facts Brief,

In the News

Joshua A. Basseches quoted , "Empty Rhetoric:’The Solar Industry’s Public Spat With Biden Over Tariffs" Renewable Energy World, March 31, 2022.
"Washington Will Become Second State To Adopt Cap-and-Trade Law. But What Happens Next Really Matters," Joshua A. Basseches, Commentary, Washington State Wire, April 29, 2021.
"The Key to Passing Climate Policy? Rein In (or Win Over) Utilities Monopolies," Joshua A. Basseches, Voices, Grist, March 2, 2021.
Joshua A. Basseches quoted by Ben Hellerstein, Jen Stevenson Zepeda, Mark Sandeen, Fran Cummings, Caren Solomon, MD MPH, Nicholas Hill, MD, Alex Rabin, MD and Jim Recht, MD , "100% Renewable Is What’s Needed for Massachusetts. And Why a Mere “Roadmap” Misses the Mark." Environment Massachusetts, July 18, 2020.

Publications

"Challenges and Opportunities in Policy Design and Coordination," (with Nwamaka Ikenze), Ford School International Policy Center, 2021.
Discusses the United States and Canada's commitment to reduce their climate-changing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Mentions the importance of both countries adopting the same grand strategy to do so: "electrify" everything.
"Climate Policy Conflict in the U.S. States: A Critical Review and Way Forward" (with Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, Maxwell T. Boykoff, Trevor Culhane, Galen Hall, Noel Healy, David J. Hess, David Hsu, Rachel M. Krause, Harland Prechel, J. Timmons Roberts, and Jennie C. Stephens ). Climatic Change 170, no. 32 (2022).

Reviews the political structures and interest groups that slow action, and we examine emerging tensions between climate justice and the technocratic and/or market-oriented approaches traditionally taken by many mainstream environmental groups. Suggests strategies for overcoming opposition to climate action that may advance more effective and inclusive state policy, focusing on political strategies, media framing, collaboration, and leveraging the efforts of ambitious local governments.

"Coalitions That Clash: California’s Climate Leadership and the Perpetuation of Environmental Inequality" (with Kaitlyn Rubinstein and Sarah M. Kulaga). Research in Political Sociology 28 (Forthcoming).

Draws on legislative and regulatory texts, archival material, and interviews with relevant political actors to compare the policymaking influence of each of these coalitions, and argues that the composition of the two coalitions is the key to understanding why one was more successful than the other. Points out the justice-oriented coalition’s growing power, as market-oriented SMOs while seeking to point out the justice-oriented coalition’s growing power, as market-oriented SMOs seek to preserve their legitimacy.

"It Happened Behind Closed Doors': Legislative Buffering as an Informal Mechanism of Political Mediation" Mobilization: An International Quarterly 24, no. 3 (September 2019): 365-388.

Compares the efforts of social movement organizations to shape two state bills addressing climate change. Examines differences in political context that can create additional obstacles to movement success.