Institutions and low carbon transport: The case of a decentralizing Indonesia

In recent years, developing Asia's policymakers have exhibited a growing interest in climate actions. Many factors have contributed to this interest, including a future climate change regime that provides financial, technological and capacity building support for “nationally appropriate mitigation actions” (NAMAs) (UNFCCC, 2007). But among those factors with the greatest potential to shape the region's climate policies is research on low carbon development. This research has already demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of a low carbon future in China, India, Indonesia, and Asia's other emerging economies (Jiang 2009, Shukla, Dhar, and Mahapatra 2008, Shrestha, Pradhan, and Liyanage 2008, Retno and Kobashi 2010). This paper will nevertheless argue that low carbon studies could prove more policy relevant if they accounted for institutions.