General equilibrium modelling of the direct and indirect economic impacts of water quality improvements in the Netherlands at national and river basin scale

The main objective of the study presented in this paper is to estimate the direct and indirect economic impacts of water quality policy scenarios in the Netherlands focusing on the reduction of emission levels of nutrients and a number of eco-toxicological substances. For this purpose, an Applied General Equilibrium (AGE) model consisting of 27 production sectors is extended to water through the inclusion of substitution elasticities between labour, capital and emissions to water in the sectors' production functions. The macro-economic costs of a 10, 20 and 50% reduction of the emission levels in the year 2000 of ten priority substances in the EU Water Framework Directive vary between 0.2 and 9.4% of Net National Income (NNI). A large share of the total economic costs are borne by important sources of pollution like commercial shipping, the chemical and metal industry. However, important spin-off effects due to adaptation take place in the tertiary service sector. Besides the estimation of the economy-wide impacts of water quality improvements, the novelty of the study presented here is found in the downscaling of national and sector results to river basin level and the estimation of shadow prices for water-polluting substances through the introduction of an emission permits market.     

Welfare costs of monetary policy uncertainty in the economy with shifting trend inflation

We study welfare costs of the uncertainty about monetary policy in the economy featuring shifting trend inflation. We follow Ruge-Murcia (J Econ Dyn Control 36: 914–-938, 2012) to employ the SMM approach to fit the model to the US data (1979Q1-2015Q1). We find that the monetary policy uncertainty affects economic welfare through different dimensions. On the one hand, the policy uncertainty itself distorts the economic welfare negligibly, not only by increasing volatilities of consumption and leisure, but also by decreasing their average levels. A higher level of trend inflation then signifies these changes to produce greater welfare costs. Furthermore, the adverse impacts of policy uncertainty on the economy, documented by the impulse response functions of macroeconomic variables to policy uncertainty shock, become larger when central banks raise their inflation targets. On the other hand, the costs of exogenous variations in trend inflation are larger if there is policy uncertainty.     

Global environment and dynamic games of environmental policy in an international duopoly

This paper examines a differential game model of international pollution control in which polluting oligopolists compete in a third country market. Two alternative policy instruments (emission taxes and command-and-control regulations) are considered. A tougher emission policy in the home country enhances the foreign firm’s competitiveness because of the static “rent-shifting” effect. The foreign country also enjoys a future improvement of the global environmental quality by “free riding” on the home country’s emission reduction effort. Because of these strategic effects, the levels of environmental policy determined in the noncooperative policy game are distorted away from the socially optimal level. Moreover, the emission tax game produces a more distortionary outcome than that in the command-and-control game; it generates more pollution and lower welfare.      

Capital Malleability, Emission Leakage and the Cost of Partial Climate Policies: General Equilibrium Analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System

Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models are the premier analytical platform for assessing the economic impacts of climate change mitigation. But these models tend to treat physical capital as “malleable”, capable of reallocation among sectors over the time-period for which equilibrium is solved. Because the extent to which capital adjustment costs might dampen reallocation is not well understood, there is concern that CGE assessments understate the true costs of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction policies. This paper uses a multi-region, multi-sector CGE model to investigate cap-and-trade schemes, such as the European Union Emission Trading System which cover a subset of the economy, elucidating the effects of capital malleability on GHG abatement, the potential for emission leakage from abating to non-abating sectors, and the impacts on welfare. To simplify the complex interactions being simulated within the CGE model, that analysis is complemented with an analytical model. A partial climate policy results in negative internal carbon leakage, with emissions declining not only in capped sectors but also in non-regulated ones. This result is stronger when capital is intersectorally mobile. Interestingly, in partial climate policy settings capital malleability can amplify or attenuate welfare losses depending on the attributes of the economy.     

Alternative standards and instruments for air pollution control in Poland

Like other Central European countries, Poland faces the twin challenges of improving environmental quality while also fostering sustainable economic development. In this study we examine the costs of different standards for air pollution control, and the cost savings from using incentive-based policy instruments in lieu of more rigid command-and-control policies. The comparisons are based on the results of a simulation model of energy use and air pollution control for the Polish economy over 1990–2015. The model simulates least-cost energy supply decisions under different environmental policy assumptions, the corresponding emissions, and the cost of achieving the specified policy objectives. The model results suggest that incentive-based policies will have efficiency gains over command policies that are at least worthy of consideration and may be quite substantial. The size of the gains in practice depends in part on how much flexibility is built into the command approach, e.g., capacity for intrafirm trading as well as alack of technology-specific requirements. To achieve these gains, an increase in the current levels of emissions fees is desirable both to strengthen abatement incentives and to improve the capacity of the Polish government to overcome past environmental damages. However, it seems highly unlikely in practice that fees could be raised to the levels necessary to meet current Polish emissions standards. To make further headway, an evolutionary approach to emissions trading patterned after (and profiting from the experience with) emissions trading in the U.S. seems useful. The program could start out relatively modestly and increase in ambitiousness as the Polish economic transition proceeds.     

产业生态化协同集聚的绿色经济效应与空间溢出效应

协同集聚作为现阶段产业发展的主要组织方式，对区域经济和生态均存在多方面影响。环保产业与一般制造业共聚是产业协同集聚的一种细分模式，通过对比其与一般协同集聚在动因、效应和关联方式等方面异同，依据其显著的生态闭环功能和环境正外部性特征，将其命名为生态化协同集聚，并基于2013—2019年短面板数据，采用杜宾模型（SDM）考察生态化协同集聚的绿色经济效应和空间溢出效应。结果表明，全国范围内生态化协同集聚对绿色经济效率的促进作用总体呈现U型特征，且存在显著的空间异质性和空间溢出效应；沿海地区生态化协同集聚程度较高，对绿色经济效率已形成有效促进作用，而内陆地区生态化协同集聚水平较低，集聚对绿色经济效率表现为抑制作用；环境规制对生态化协同集聚的绿色经济效应具有显著影响。结论可为生态化协同集聚促进区域绿色经济效率提升和高质量发展提供决策参考。     

Dynamics of environmental quality and economic development: the regional experience from Yangtze River Delta of China

This article investigates the dynamic relationship between economic progress and environmental quality at a regional level. An important economic intuition in this context is that environmental degradation will be limited by human behaviour if costs and benefits of such degradation are local since economic agents will then be incentivized to choose appropriate corrective action. Therefore, we note the likelihood that regional economic development can help regions ‘grow out of’ environmental problems. Using a new data set from Yangtze River Delta of China, we find a strong confirmation of the intuition that human can and will resolve the environmental problem by altering the damaging behaviour of economic agents. A very interesting finding of this study is that the relationship between environmental quality and economic progress measured by per capita income can display a wave-like function in the case of water pollution, as opposed to the much dramatized environmental Kuznets curve, with significant policy implications.     

Coherence,Causality, and Effectiveness of the EU Environmental Policy System: Results of Complementary Statistical and Econometric Analyses

The spatial differentiation of input-based pollution fees should in theory decrease compliance costs in the case of nitrate pollution of water bodies from agriculture because both the damage and the compliance costs vary over space. However, the empirical evidence in the literature does not agree on the extent of the potential savings from differentiation. We address this issue in the case of France, using a mathematical programming model of agricultural supply (AROPAj). The modeling approach used accounts for the spatial diversity of nitrate pollution and the heterogeneity of farming systems. Our results reveal the efficiency gains from differentiating pollution fees among polluters and water bodies. For instance, firm-specific and water body-specific taxes represent respectively 5.8 and 32.5 % of farmers’ gross margin in terms of compliance costs, whereas a uniform policy at the river-basin district or national level leads to major economic losses and abandonment of the agricultural activity. These results stem from the lower tax rates faced by farmers in less polluted areas, for scenarios based on spatial differentiation. Our estimates suggest that realistic regulation via input-based pollution fees should be differentiated in order to significantly reduce the financial burden on farmers of conforming to predefined pollution levels. Some potential adverse effects related to input-based taxation and land use change call for additional fine-scale nitrogen pollution regulation (e.g. limitations on crop switching).     

Government policy to reduce pollution emissions within the overlapping generations model

This article develops an overlapping generations model with multiple categories of capital. The importance of this article is in its ability to analyse changes in the distribution of various categories of capital along the growth path of the economy. Economic growth is accompanied by capital growth as well as increase in pollution emissions. Implementing a government policy to reduce pollution emission would change the equilibrium path of capital distribution. Within the model, the government builds a corporate tax function that defines the tax rate as a function of a ‘desired’ pollution level. The tax rate decreases as the ‘desired’ pollution level is higher. When the ‘desired’ pollution level is higher than the actual pollution level, production is subsidized and pollution levels rise. An example and a simulation are presented in order to confirm the theoretical results and demonstrate that the model can be used for empirical analysis.     

A dynamic general equilibrium model of pollution abatement under learning by doing

In 2013, Beladi et al. constructed a dynamic general equilibrium model of pollution, and characterized a steady-state equilibrium. In this paper, we extend Beladi et al.’s model to an even more general model in which the pollution abatement costs under learning by doing are taken into account. In our model, the instantaneous abatement costs depend on both the rate of abatement and the experience of using a technology. Our objective is to apply optimal control theory to investigate the dynamic general equilibrium model of pollution abatement, and derive the steady-state equilibrium properties and optimal levels of emission permits and pollution treatment.     

流域水污染成因及其治理的经济分析

只有通过融资激励机制来改变或强化各行政区域的污染治理和监督激励强度,才能实现流域上下游整体上的福利优化,有效的流域水污染治理机制需从宏观和微观两个层面上实现流域水污染治理成本-收益的平衡.对流域水污染成因及其治理的分析表明,在中国现行水污染治理体制下,流域内各行政区域间的激励不相容导致了流域水污染的持续和加剧,也导致了地方政府污染治理监督强度和治理强度上明显的激励不足.通过自主协商和横向要素转移等自组织模式强化上游的治理、融资和监督激励,可有效地实现分散信息下的上下游之间的激励相容,推动流域水污染治理和流域水环境的改善.     

集聚与分散:新经济地理学模型与城市内部空间结构、外部规模经济效应的整合研究

本文将城市内部空间结构和外部规模经济效应同时整合到标准的新经济地理学模型框架之中。模型的结论显示,作为重要分散力量的城市内部通勤成本和作为重要集聚力量的马歇尔外部规模经济效应都对经济活动的集聚程度有重要的影响,引入这两个因素使得模型更加接近经济现实。此外,模型的数值模拟结果显示,在引入外部规模经济效应后,即使运输成本为零,经济活动完全集聚在某一地区也可能是稳定均衡;同时,城市内部通勤成本确实会降低经济活动的集聚程度。     

贸易、环境污染与经济增长——基于开放经济下的一个内生增长模型

通过构建一个开放经济条件下的内生增长模型,文章探讨了国际贸易、环境质量与经济持续增长三者的内在关系以及相互作用的动力机制。首先,通过对模型的竞争性市场均衡分析,给出了平衡增长路径的经济增长率,并系统地分析了在环境污染进入效用函数的情形下长期经济增长的内在机理。其次,通过对最优增长路径进行比较静态分析,分别讨论了贸易自由化对环境质量、经济增长、福利效应的影响;污染外部性对长期经济增长的约束等。最后给出了模型的综合结论及其现实涵义。     

On the impacts of carbon tax and technological progress on China

Using a dynamic national computable general equilibrium model, we investigate the impact of carbon tax and energy efficiency improvement on the economy and environment of China. The Chinese social account matrix is presented based upon the latest input–output table (2012 IO table) and other data. The business as usual (BAU) scenario is designed according to several forecasts about China by 2030, followed by six policy scenarios, including different levels of carbon tax and technological progress as well as their combinations. The results show that carbon tax will frustrate the overall economic growth slightly. The CO₂ emission will be 13.81% lower in 2030 compared to BAU case if the carbon tax scheme is carried out at a rate of 200 RMB/ton of CO₂. Technological progress will stimulate the economic growth, enrich the household and government income, increase total investment and make most sectors prosperous with the exception of energy industries.     

Optimal time paths with age-dependence: a theory of population policy

A mathematical model is established whereby optimal accumulation paths of population and the economy can be figured when the basic feature of population dynamics, age dependence, is taken into account. This model series links 2 previously separate disciplines and literatures - i.e., formal policy dealing with the dynamics of age and time. An integral-equation control theory is utilized. Recognition of age structure in analyzing fertility trends is important at both macro- and microeconomic levels. The present model was constructed by embedding an age-disaggregated population in a simple economic growth model where the fertility level and rate of savings can both be influenced by government policy. Such policy should balance the lifetime value of births and capital against the social costs necessary to create them. One the problem has been defined and a dynamic theory developed, optimum static theories can be establihsed where the variables are held constant over time.     

Spatial and Temporal Efficiency in Climate Policy: Applications of FUND

FUND is an integrated assessment model of the interactions between climate and economy. Nine world regions emit greenhouse gases, and suffer damages from climate change. A number of greenhouse gas emission reduction policies are compared, including optimal and cost-effective strategies, strategies with early and late abatement, and strategies with and without international co-operation. The analyses confirm that co-operation matters, resulting in substantially lower costs or higher welfare. The real commitments of policy targets based on an absolute level (e.g., 1990 emissions) are hard to estimate because of the uncertainties in the baseline. Postponing action conflicts with minimising costs and maximising welfare, but so does sharp emission reduction at the short-term as proposed in the Kyoto Protocol.     

Valuing The Beneficts of Air Pollution Abatement Using a Health Production Function A Case Study of Panipat Thermal Power Station, India

The Indian economy today is highly prone to industrial pollution and ismaking compliance decisions in order to meet environmental standards.Environmental regulations impose significant costs upon industry that arefairly high and, therefore, require economic justification. This justificationcan be given by estimating the benefits associated with these costs. Whilethe scientific rationale behind air quality preservation is well understood,its economic rationale for a developing country like India, has to beverified. The objective of the present paper is to estimate the economicvalue that people in an urban area in India (Panipat Thermal Power Station(PTPS) Colony in Panipat, Haryana) place upon improving the air quality.The dose-response method, based on the Gerking and Stanley (1986) model,is used to estimate the economic benefits of air quality improvement. Theseestimates range from one to two percent of monthly income. Income andhealth status variables were significant determinants of peoples'willingness to pay (WTP) for air quality improvements. This lends supportto the neo-conventional wisdom `act now to protect the environment beforeit is too late'. These people are ready to pay for environmentalimprovements. We do believe, however, that the relatively successfulapplication of the dose response method at PTPS colony suggests that thetechnique can be more widely applied in developing countries like India.     

External Costs of Aquaculture Production in West Virginia

Temperate hill-lands of the U.S.A. such as those in West Virginia are areas from which increasing output of farm-raised fish may be possible. However, the downstream economic impacts of current and projected future effluent as a result of aquaculture production have not been extensively studied. Using an externality framework and a combination of primary and secondary data, this study determines pollution prevention costs (PPC), and downstream pollution damage costs resulting from fish farm wastewater effluent measured as willingness to pay (WTP) for restoring water quality. PPC is estimated at $0.11 per kg of trout produced (which would add 6% to private production cost), and WTP is estimated at $0.49 per kg of trout produced (representing 25% of private production cost) at current production and price levels. This study shows that installation of filtration units is a low-cost (less than 6% of total cost) and an effective technology for controlling pollution at the source. Internalizing external costs (adding this 6% to private production costs) is one strategy that could contribute to sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.     

经济结构、技术进步与环境污染——基于中国工业行业数据的分析

文章将环境污染的影响分解为规模效应、结构效应、纯生产技术效应、纯污染治理技术效应、混合技术效应、结构生产技术效应、结构治理技术效应和综合效应,并运用37个工业行业2001-2009年三种主要废气排放数据实证分析了工业经济结构和技术进步对工业废气减排的贡献,得到如下结论:纯生产技术效应、纯污染治理技术效应在减排过程中占据了主导地位;工业经济结构的变化对工业废气减排的作用效果不明显,相对2001年甚至还加剧了环境污染;结构生产技术效应和结构治理技术效应都对废气减排起到了促进作用,环境技术进步在一定程度上弥补了工业结构的不合理。     

Dynamic modelling of pollution abatement in a CGE framework

This paper deals with the specification of pollution abatement in dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) models and analyses the dynamic feedback mechanisms between economy and abatement in the context of environmental policy. A Ramsey-type economic model is presented, in which bottom-up technical and economic information on abatement techniques is integrated in a top-down dynamic CGE context. The practical suitability of the specification is illustrated by an empirical application for climate change and acidification in the Netherlands. The results show that a mixture of some slowdown of economic growth, a substantial restructuring of the economy and implementation of most technical abatement measures is optimal.