Biography

Professor Shobe’s current research includes emission market and auction design, environmental federalism, and early childhood intervention to enhance school readiness.

In 2007, he worked with Professor Charlie Holt and others on the research team that designed the carbon allowance auctions for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  In 2000, Shobe received a Fulbright Fellowship in environmental economics and policy.  Before joining U.Va., Shobe served as Associate Director for Economic & Regulatory Analysis with the Virginia Department of Planning & Budget, where he coordinated state expenditure forecasts and the economic analysis of state regulations. 

While at the DPB, Shobe managed the design and implementation of the innovative Virginia NOx allowance auction.  He also developed the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall web site, the first in the nation web site for managing and publicizing state regulatory development. This site was honored with a “2002 Best-of-Breed” award from the Center for Digital Government, the 2002 Colborn Award (for innovation) from the National Association of Secretaries of State, and the 2003 Public Access to Government Information Award from the National Association of Law Libraries.

Prior to joining DPB, he taught economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  Shobe serves on a number of state advisory boards including the Joint Advisory Board of Economists and the State Advisory Board on Air Pollution. 

Selected Recent Publications

Elements of emission market design: An experimental analysis of California's market for greenhouse gas allowances

William Shobe, Charles Holt, Thaddeus Huetteman, Elements of emission market design: An experimental analysis of California's market for greenhouse gas allowances, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, April 2014 read more »

Rethinking Environmental Federalism in a Warming World

William Shobe & Dallas Burtraw, 2012. "Rethinking Environmental Federalism in a Warming World," Climate Change Economics (2012), 3(4):1-33.  read more »

Oral Health and the Dental Care Workforce in Southwest Virginia

Oral Health and the Dental Care Workforce in Southwest Virginia (2011), with Tanya Wanchek, Terrence Rephann, and William Shobe, Charlottesville: Center for Economic and Policy Studies. read more »

Price Discovery in Emissions Permit Auctions

Dallas Burtraw & Jacob K. Goeree & Charles A. Holt & Erica Myers & Karen Palmer & William Shobe, 2010. "Price Discovery in Emissions Permit Auctions," Working Papers 2010-01, Center for Economic and Policy Studies. read more »

Related News & Events

Shobe quoted in Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report

William M. Shobe, director of the Center for Economic & Policy Studies at the University of Virginia, said, ‘‘A huge uncertainty here is how RGGI might respond to requests from other states to join.’’ Shobe posed a number of questions: ‘‘Given that RGGI states have in recent years reduced their emissions more than most other states, what will the terms be for new members? Will they have to reduce emissions from 2005 levels by the same proportion as RGGI states before they can join? Will new entrants be allowed to join even if it means substantial changes in RGGI allowance prices? Will RGGI relax its targets if they turn out to be more stringent than the national standards?’’ 

Shobe quoted in discussion of carbon prices

“My take on that is that there are plenty of players out there who think that the price is going to continue to rise,” Shobe said. “It’s good for the market. There are going to be plenty of counterparties for trading for the compliance entities. But it also indicates that there are people out there who think this is a good investment for the future.”

Batten Faculty at APPAM Conference

Congratulations to the following Batten faculty and alumni presenting at the annual APPAM Research Conference November 7-9, 2013: Jennifer Doleac: The Visible Hand: Race and Online Market Outcomes, Saturday, November 9, 2013 : 3:50 PM 

Proposed RGGI Rule Changes: What Does it Mean for the Industry?

Tuesday, April 9, panel featuring Professor Bill Shobe

Investigation of the Effects of Emission Market Design on the Market-Based Compliance Mechanism of the California Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Co-authored by Charles Holt, Professor of Economics and Public Policy and William Shobe, Professor of Public Policy read more »

Bill Shobe quoted in Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report

William Shobe, director of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at the University of Virginia, told BNA that the RGGI emissions cap model rule ‘‘seems very sensible and on target for the kind of electricity generating market that has evolved in the last few years.’’

Economic Approaches to Water Pollution Control: Methods, Cases and Some Policy Thoughts

A biophysical approach to identifying best management practices relevant to a given area

RGGI’s coming of age

It’s been a rough ride for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in its first phase

Economic Challenges in 2012: National and State Perspectives

Date: Friday, October 12, 2012 - 10:30

With Ray Scheppach, professor of the practice of public policy and former executive director of the National Governors Association, and William Shobe, Director of Center for Economic and Policy Studies, Weldon Cooper Center and Professor of Public Policy 

Parsing the AB 32 Allowance Auction: Implications for the Rising CCA Market

Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 14:00

EMA's AB 32 Webinar Series Part 1