This study examines the effect of the composition of federal and state government spending on various important air pollutants in the United States using a newly assembled data set of government expenditures. The results indicate that a reallocation of spending from private goods to social and public goods by state and local governments reduces air pollution concentrations while changes in the composition of federal spending have no effect. An increase in the share of social and public goods spending by state and local governments by 1 standard deviation reduces sulfur dioxide concentrations by 2–3%, particular matter 2.5 concentrations by 3–5%, and ozone concentrations by 2–6% of their respective standard deviations. The results are robust to various sensitivity checks.
{"title":"Government Spending and Air Pollution in the US","authors":"Asif M. Islam, Ramón López","doi":"10.1561/101.00000068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000068","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the effect of the composition of federal and state government spending on various important air pollutants in the United States using a newly assembled data set of government expenditures. The results indicate that a reallocation of spending from private goods to social and public goods by state and local governments reduces air pollution concentrations while changes in the composition of federal spending have no effect. An increase in the share of social and public goods spending by state and local governments by 1 standard deviation reduces sulfur dioxide concentrations by 2–3%, particular matter 2.5 concentrations by 3–5%, and ozone concentrations by 2–6% of their respective standard deviations. The results are robust to various sensitivity checks.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"8 1","pages":"139-189"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2013-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000068","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67074044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper reviews and summarizes most of the literature on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), focusing mainly on disentangling and clarifying the key concepts underlying the two classes of existing theoretical explanations for the EKC occurrence — those driven by technology and those driven by preferences — as well as the technical formalization of such concepts. To do this, we develop a model which allows the analysis of the two types of theoretical explanations under a common theoretical framework. Using this analytical setting, we first review models with technology as the main driver of the EKC, and then we study those with preferences as the fundamental driver. Finally, we present a closed form solution for the EKC which, on the one hand, is simpler and less restrictive than previous ones in the literature and, on the other hand, helps us to highlight some of the remaining theoretical gaps and to propose some possibilities for future research.
{"title":"The Environmental Kuznets Curve: A Survey of the Theoretical Literature","authors":"R. Pastén, B. Figueroa","doi":"10.1561/101.00000051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000051","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reviews and summarizes most of the literature on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), focusing mainly on disentangling and clarifying the key concepts underlying the two classes of existing theoretical explanations for the EKC occurrence — those driven by technology and those driven by preferences — as well as the technical formalization of such concepts. To do this, we develop a model which allows the analysis of the two types of theoretical explanations under a common theoretical framework. Using this analytical setting, we first review models with technology as the main driver of the EKC, and then we study those with preferences as the fundamental driver. Finally, we present a closed form solution for the EKC which, on the one hand, is simpler and less restrictive than previous ones in the literature and, on the other hand, helps us to highlight some of the remaining theoretical gaps and to propose some possibilities for future research.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"6 1","pages":"195-224"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2012-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Voluntary agreements (VAs) have been widely used in environmental policymaking over the past 20 years. This paper reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on VAs, assessing their performance in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is evaluated on three criteria: (i) effectiveness in setting the pollution abatement target, (ii) effectiveness in incentivising participation , and (iii) effectiveness in realizing the abatement target. Both static efficiency, in particular the allocation of abatement among participants in the VA, and dynamic efficiency, in particular the role of technology and informational spillovers, are evaluated. Finally, we identify gaps in the literature that provide opportunities for future research.
{"title":"Voluntary Environmental Agreements: Lessons on Effectiveness, Efficiency and Spillover Potential","authors":"F. D. Vries, A. Nentjes, Neil Odam","doi":"10.1561/101.00000049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000049","url":null,"abstract":"Voluntary agreements (VAs) have been widely used in environmental policymaking over the past 20 years. This paper reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on VAs, assessing their performance in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is evaluated on three criteria: (i) effectiveness in setting the pollution abatement target, (ii) effectiveness in incentivising participation , and (iii) effectiveness in realizing the abatement target. Both static efficiency, in particular the allocation of abatement among participants in the VA, and dynamic efficiency, in particular the role of technology and informational spillovers, are evaluated. Finally, we identify gaps in the literature that provide opportunities for future research.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"6 1","pages":"119-152"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2012-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Well-intended policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions may have unintended undesirable consequences. Recently, a large literature has emerged showing that such a 'green paradox' may occur in response to particular policies. We review this literature and identify four different imperfect policy approaches that may induce a green paradox. We discuss under what conditions a green paradox may occur and highlight avenues for future research.
{"title":"Imperfect Environmental Policy and Polluting Emissions: The Green Paradox and Beyond","authors":"E. Werf, C. D. Maria","doi":"10.1561/101.00000050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000050","url":null,"abstract":"Well-intended policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions may have unintended undesirable consequences. Recently, a large literature has emerged showing that such a 'green paradox' may occur in response to particular policies. We review this literature and identify four different imperfect policy approaches that may induce a green paradox. We discuss under what conditions a green paradox may occur and highlight avenues for future research.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"6 1","pages":"153-194"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2012-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
"(Ecologists) recommendations, when problems arise, tend to favor the preservation of nature, or to favor management programs that optimize only the biological side of the problem. It is not surprising that man, in self-interest, has usually chosen instead the recommendations of the economist or engineer, who is trained to optimize the human side of the problem." (Smith, 1968, p. 11)
{"title":"Perspectives on Ecosystem Based Management for Delivering Ecosystem Services with an Example from an Eighteen-Species Marine Model","authors":"D. Finnoff, Min Gong, J. Tschirhart","doi":"10.1561/101.00000048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000048","url":null,"abstract":"\"(Ecologists) recommendations, when problems arise, tend to favor the preservation of nature, or to favor management programs that optimize only the biological side of the problem. It is not surprising that man, in self-interest, has usually chosen instead the recommendations of the economist or engineer, who is trained to optimize the human side of the problem.\" (Smith, 1968, p. 11)","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"6 1","pages":"79-118"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article compares tradable permits with tradable credits, two distinct economic instruments of environmental policy. It is demonstrated that under credit trading, which is an addition to (relative) emission standards, residual emissions are free of cost. Under permit trading (cap-and-trade), residual emissions always have a cost. The economic consequences of this difference are surveyed and analyzed with regard to various issues, including economic efficiency, political acceptance, incentives for adopting clean technologies, and incentives for legal compliance. The review concludes that permit trading is less costly to society than credit trading, but imperfect markets for output may change this ranking. The article reveals several gaps in the literature and formulates some new hypotheses for future research.
{"title":"Tradable Permits versus Tradable Credits: A Survey and Analysis","authors":"A. Nentjes, E. Woerdman","doi":"10.1561/101.00000047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000047","url":null,"abstract":"This article compares tradable permits with tradable credits, two distinct economic instruments of environmental policy. It is demonstrated that under credit trading, which is an addition to (relative) emission standards, residual emissions are free of cost. Under permit trading (cap-and-trade), residual emissions always have a cost. The economic consequences of this difference are surveyed and analyzed with regard to various issues, including economic efficiency, political acceptance, incentives for adopting clean technologies, and incentives for legal compliance. The review concludes that permit trading is less costly to society than credit trading, but imperfect markets for output may change this ranking. The article reveals several gaps in the literature and formulates some new hypotheses for future research.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"78 1","pages":"1-78"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cap and trade programs have been a commonly proposed method to regulate emissions of various pollutants. As many countries move forward with plans to regulate CO 2 emissions, concerns over containing the costs of such policies often arise given the relatively large scope of the programs. We review three cost containment mechanisms most commonly employed in existing cap and trade policies and/or discussed in the literature: banking and borrowing, hybrid policies, and emission offsets. For each of these mechanisms we discuss the theoretical basis for the policy, potential unintended consequences and, where applicable, the effectiveness of the policy as it has been used in practice.
{"title":"Cost Containment under Cap and Trade: A Review of the Literature","authors":"Harrison Fell, Eric M. Moore, R. Morgenstern","doi":"10.1561/101.00000044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000044","url":null,"abstract":"Cap and trade programs have been a commonly proposed method to regulate emissions of various pollutants. As many countries move forward with plans to regulate CO 2 emissions, concerns over containing the costs of such policies often arise given the relatively large scope of the programs. We review three cost containment mechanisms most commonly employed in existing cap and trade policies and/or discussed in the literature: banking and borrowing, hybrid policies, and emission offsets. For each of these mechanisms we discuss the theoretical basis for the policy, potential unintended consequences and, where applicable, the effectiveness of the policy as it has been used in practice.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"5 1","pages":"285-307"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2011-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000044","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
If governments cannot commit to future carbon tax rates, investments in greenhouse gas mitigation will be based on uncertain and/or wrong predictions about these tax rates. Predictions about future carbon tax rates are also important for decisions made by owners of nonrenewable carbon resources. The effects of the size of expected future carbon taxes on near-term emissions and investments in substitutes for carbon energy depend significantly on how rapidly extraction costs increase with increasing total extraction. In addition, the time profile of the returns to investments in noncarbon substitutes is important for the effects on emissions and investments.
{"title":"The Green Paradox and Greenhouse Gas Reducing Investments","authors":"M. Hoel","doi":"10.1561/101.00000046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000046","url":null,"abstract":"If governments cannot commit to future carbon tax rates, investments in greenhouse gas mitigation will be based on uncertain and/or wrong predictions about these tax rates. Predictions about future carbon tax rates are also important for decisions made by owners of nonrenewable carbon resources. The effects of the size of expected future carbon taxes on near-term emissions and investments in substitutes for carbon energy depend significantly on how rapidly extraction costs increase with increasing total extraction. In addition, the time profile of the returns to investments in noncarbon substitutes is important for the effects on emissions and investments.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"5 1","pages":"353-379"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2011-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. S. Andersen, M. S. Hansen, J. Carstensen, B. Kronvang, H. E. Andersen, H. Thodsen
Monetary Valuation with Impact Pathway Analysis: Benefits of Reducing Nitrate Leaching in European Catchments
货币价值与影响路径分析:减少欧洲集水区硝酸盐浸出的好处
{"title":"Monetary Valuation with Impact Pathway Analysis: Benefits of Reducing Nitrate Leaching in European Catchments","authors":"M. S. Andersen, M. S. Hansen, J. Carstensen, B. Kronvang, H. E. Andersen, H. Thodsen","doi":"10.1561/101.00000042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000042","url":null,"abstract":"Monetary Valuation with Impact Pathway Analysis: Benefits of Reducing Nitrate Leaching in European Catchments","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"5 1","pages":"199-244"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2011-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000042","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We review the disease ecology and bioeconomic literature on managing wildlife disease problems, and we also describe how wildlife disease problems relate to other health and resource problems. The disease ecology literature advocates managing populations relative to fixed ecological thresholds to produce disease eradication. We show that thresholds are generally endogenous functions of management choices, so that management involves manipulating both populations and thresholds. We also explore the conditions for optimal disease eradication and illustrate how harvest values and stock-related values may influence the optimality of eradication. When eradication is not optimal, we describe how the characteristic features of wildlife disease problems (i.e., multiple, interacting state variables and imperfect controls) make it unlikely that an optimal management plan will involve a monotonic path to a steady-state outcome.
{"title":"Wildlife Disease Bioeconomics","authors":"R. Horan, Eli P. Fenichel, Richard T. Melstrom","doi":"10.1561/101.00000038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000038","url":null,"abstract":"We review the disease ecology and bioeconomic literature on managing wildlife disease problems, and we also describe how wildlife disease problems relate to other health and resource problems. The disease ecology literature advocates managing populations relative to fixed ecological thresholds to produce disease eradication. We show that thresholds are generally endogenous functions of management choices, so that management involves manipulating both populations and thresholds. We also explore the conditions for optimal disease eradication and illustrate how harvest values and stock-related values may influence the optimality of eradication. When eradication is not optimal, we describe how the characteristic features of wildlife disease problems (i.e., multiple, interacting state variables and imperfect controls) make it unlikely that an optimal management plan will involve a monotonic path to a steady-state outcome.","PeriodicalId":45355,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics","volume":"89 1","pages":"23-61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2011-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1561/101.00000038","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67073522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}