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Joshua A. Basseches

Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Environmental Studies, Tulane University
Chapter Member: New Orleans 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

"Xcel’s Winter of Discontent," Joshua A. Basseches (with Andrew Kenney), CPR News, March 24, 2023.
Joshua A. Basseches quoted by Dharna Noor, "Red States Are Leading On Renewable Energy, While Mass. Ranks 29th, New Analysis Shows" The Boston Globe, March 8, 2023.
Guest to discuss How the Inflation Reduction Act’s Approach to Energy Policy and Environment May Impact Louisiana on Louisiana Considered, Joshua A. Basseches, September 14, 2022.
Joshua A. Basseches quoted by Sam Karlan, "Power Companies Bet Big on Natural Gas in Louisiana. Now, Customers Are Feeling the Squeeze" The Advocate, August 14, 2022.
Joshua A. Basseches quoted by Jacob Zincula, "There Are a Lot of Perks for Big Oil in Democrats’ New Bill, Even Though It’s Being Touted As the Biggest Climate Investment in US History" Insider, August 13, 2022.
"The Senate Climate Deal Is Huge, but the Harder Work Is Happening in the States – Including the Red Ones," Joshua A. Basseches, Guest Column, The Advocate, August 8, 2022.
Joshua A. Basseches quoted by Joe Raedle, "Coal, Solar and EVs: A Pitfall for Electric Utilities?" EE News, July 15, 2022.
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.