Energy Prices and Carbon Taxes under Uncertainty about Global Warming

This paper extends the strategic interactions between producers of fossil fuels concerned about their profits and a taxing government concerned about the consumers’ welfare for uncertainty: global warming follows an Itô -process. Stochasticity requires to differentiate between reversible and irreversible emissions in contrast to the deterministic version. The unconstrained (= reversible) case allows for a closed form solution but not the more realistic and constrained case. Nevertheless interesting analytical properties (e.g. about when to stop emissions, implicit conservation due to monopolistic supply) are derived and complemented by a numerical example.     

Catastrophe Theory Predicts International Concern for Global Warming

Global warming is considered one of the most far-reaching environmental problems facing human kind. Thus, understanding international concern for global warming might be the key in creating mitigation and adaptation policies. In this research we aim to assess public concern for global warming at the international level based on a large sample representing 47 nations. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first to use catastrophe theory to study the influence of factors such as GDP, CO₂ emissions, environmental problems and demographic factors on global warming concern. Stochastic cusp models’ results support the affluence and post-materialism hypotheses advocated by Inglehart. However, our findings contradict the objective environmental problems hypothesis postulated by the same environmental scholar. Results also reveal the existence of a global warming environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Finally, our findings show that global warming is driven by demographic factors such as age, religiosity and educational level. The findings of this research highlight the importance of applying nonlinear dynamic techniques in investigating concern for global warming at the international level.

     

国际社会发展和全球环境基金

本文系统阐明了当今世界环境问题是人类面临的严峻挑战;世界银行、联合国开发计划署和环境规划署全球环境基金的主要业务范围和实际运行。     

International Equity and Differentiation in Global Warming Policy

ne of the major obstacles to reaching a comprehensive agreement on global warming is the setting of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for individual countries. Long-standing tensions between industrialized and developing countries have raised the issue of equity in burden-sharing. Moreover, individual industrialized nations have pleaded special circumstances and have sought differentiation in their obligations. This paper analyzes alternative rules for distributing tradable carbon dioxide emissions permits. A non-linear programming model, which distinguishes between allocation-based and outcome-based rules, is used to analyze the relative welfare outcomes. The model is applied to the world body of nations and yields several important policy implications.     

Global Warming, Endogenous Risk, and Irreversibility

This paper develops two-period analytical and numerical models to study the question: given a stock of greenhouse gases that poses a risk of future damages of unknown magnitude, and the possibility of learning about damages, how do sunk abatement capital and a nondegradable stock of greenhouse gases affect optimal first-period investment? We show that both affect investment, the former negatively and the latter positively. Additionally, endogenous risk – the risk of damages dependent on the stock of gases – results in an increase in optimal investment for any level of capital ‘sunkness’ or greenhouse gas degradability. Quantitatively, the effect of sunk capital is stronger than the effect of greenhouse gas irreversibility or that of endogenous risk.     

Carbon Subsidies,Taxes and Optimal Forest Management

We consider the effect of carbon credit payment schemes on forest owners’ land use and harvest decisions. We study two possible credit allocation regimes: one where credits are allocated according to the actual amount of carbon sequestered by the trees on a piece of land and another where credits are allocated according to the long-run potential to sequester carbon on the land. Using a real options model with uncertain future timber prices, we examine the effect on the timing of harvests and the replanting-abandonment decision. We show that both schemes discourage deforestation. Compensating growers for actual carbon sequestration leads to longer rotation periods between harvests, while basing compensation only on the long-run potential level of sequestration induces shorter rotation periods. The former scheme leads to greater benefits of carbon sequestration at lower cost than the latter scheme. Although inducing moderate levels of sequestration is expensive under both schemes, the cost falls dramatically when the level of payments climbs above some threshold. Indeed, providing the payments are sufficiently generous, carbon credit payment schemes offer an effective means of increasing carbon sequestration. The views expressed in this paper are strictly those of the authors and do not represent the views of the New Zealand Commerce Commission. We thank Lewis Evans and two anonymous referees for many very helpful comments. Kevin Counsell, Steen Videbeck, and participants at an ISCR seminar also provided useful suggestions. Fletcher Forests Ltd and the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry generously provided data.     

Policy Adoption Rules and Global Warming

Although there is widespread agreement about the dangers of global warming and the resulting need to cut down emissions, there does not seem to be general agreement about the exact form the policy should take or the timing of its adoption. Failure to adopt and implement policies against global warming reflects the complexity of the problem, the uncertainties of climate change and the cost of policy adoption. Issues associated with the interactions between uncertainties and irreversibilities in determining the timing of policy adoption are analyzed by using the methodology of optimal stopping rules. Optimal policy functions are derived for cooperative and noncooperative solutions, with differential game representation. Issues associated with the empirical application of the optimal policy rules are also considered.     

全球气候变暖与节能的紧迫性

全球气候变暖已对人类生产与生活产生了很大的影响,文章利用统计实证的方法验证了二氧化碳气体排放与全球平均气温变化之间的关系,利用相关、回归与Granger因果关系检验,得出近年来二氧化碳排放量的增加是导致全球气候变暖的主要原因,而煤炭、石油、天然气消费量的增加又是引起全球二氧化碳排放量增加的主要原因。因此,节约能源,控制二氧化碳的排放,是应对全球气候变暖的必由之路。     

Proposal for a Global Fund for Women through Innovative Finance

Despite the spread of budget initiatives for gender equality following the Beijing Declaration of 1995, resources allocated for eliminating gender inequalities remain inadequate. This paper proposes to create a Global Fund for Women through Innovative Finance (GFWIF) with the ability to raise funds through innovative sources of finance on a scale more appropriate to the estimated requirements of making reasonable progress toward gender equality (US$31–107 billion per year in constant 2014 dollars). It builds on previous calls by feminist economists for the establishment of such funds through global forms of taxation. Since donors’ commitments only meet the lower bound, the GFWIF could scale up funding for gender equality interventions commensurate with country needs. Global resource mobilization through innovative mechanisms, including allocations of new Special Drawing Rights, currency transaction taxes, and carbon taxes, have the potential to provide the necessary financing at a much faster pace than is currently possible.     

碳税对我国的影响及其政策响应

二氧化碳(CO2)是引起全球气候变化的最重要的温室气体(GHG)之一。温室气体的减排是当前国际社会普遍关注的热点环境问题。碳税常常被认为是成本有效的碳减排政策工具,目前已有一些国家征收碳税或能源税。文章介绍了碳税的理论基础及其在一些国家的征收实践,总结和分析了国内外一些学者关于实施碳税对温室气体减排、对经济和能源系统的影响的研究结果,并在此基础上讨论了我国对碳税制度的政策响应和对策。     

农民资金互助社发展的现状、国际比较及启示

《中共中央国务院关于实施乡村振兴战略的意见》对乡村振兴战略进行了全面部署,提出加大农村金融供给要求。农民资金互助社作为金融服务乡村振兴的重要力量,为农村资金融通和经济发展提供了有效的金融补充,但近年来也暴露出定位异化、不良上升、管理不规范等问题。文章在论述当前农民资金互助社发展现状的基础上,介绍了国外农村合作金融组织经验,归纳总结了国外先进经验对我国农民资金互助社发展的启示。     

Taxes,Tuition Fees,and Education for Pleasure

The fact that education provides both a productive and a consumptive (nonproductive) return has important and, in some cases, dramatic implications for optimal taxes and tuition fees. Using a simple model, we show that when the consumption share in education is endogenous and tuition fees are unconstrained, the optimal tax/fee system involves regressive income taxes and high tuition fees. A progressive labor income tax system may, on the other hand, be a second‐best response to politically constrained, low tuition fees. Finally, the existence of individuals with different abilities will also move the optimal income tax system toward progressivity.     

中国国际工程承包企业面临的资金问题与对策

通过分析影响对外工程承包企业资金短缺的因素,指出应从政府、企业两方面入手才能根本解决这一问题,并提出相应的对策。     

Carbon Taxes and Joint Implementation. An Applied General Equilibrium Analysis for Germany and India

Germany has committed itself toreducing its carbon emissions by 25 percent in2005 as compared to 1990 emission levels. Toachieve this goal, the government has recentlylaunched an environmental tax reform whichentails a continuous increase in energy taxesin conjunction with a revenue-neutral cut innon-wage labor costs. This policy is supposedto yield a double dividend, reducing both, theproblem of global warming and high unemploymentrates. In addition to domestic actions,international treaties on climate protectionallow for the supplementary use of flexibleinstruments to exploit cheaper emissionreduction possibilities elsewhere. One concreteoption for Germany would be to enter jointimplementation (JI) with developing countriessuch as India where Germany pays emissionreduction abroad rather than meeting itsreduction target solely by domestic action. Inthis paper, we investigate whether anenvironmental tax reform cum JI providesemployment and overall efficiency gains ascompared to an environmental tax reformstand-alone. We address this question in theframework of a large-scale general equilibriummodel for Germany and India where Germany mayundertake JI with the Indian electricitysector. Our main finding is that JI offsetslargely the adverse effects of carbon emissionconstraints on the German economy. JIsignificantly lowers the level of carbon taxesand thus reduces the total costs of abatementas well as negative effects on labor demand. Inaddition, JI triggers direct investment demandfor energy efficient power plants produced inGermany. This provides positive employmenteffects and additional income for Germany. ForIndia, joint implementation equips itselectricity industry with scarce capital goodsleading to a more efficient power productionwith lower electricity prices for the economyand substantial welfare gains.     

Taxes,Strikes and Wages

A union and a firm bargain about wage increases. The firm possesses private information about its revenues. A two-period screening model is used to derive equilibrium wage demands by the union and to calculate measures of strike activity. Changes in wage demands and dispute probabilities due to alterations in various taxes are analysed. A more progressive income tax, a lower level of income taxes and higher payroll taxes reduce wages and strike activity. Hence, tax policy can be used not only to affect wages and employment, but lso to influence strike incidence.     

Growth,Death, and Taxes

Recent theories of endogenous growth suggest that changes in tax rates may permanently affect growth. However, attempts to quantify these growth effects have reached very different conclusions in spite of a common theoretical framework: the neoclassical growth model with human capital accumulation by infinitely lived households. This paper shows that a model which explicitly specifies human capital accumulation over the life-cycle provides sharper answers. In such a model, a plausible range for the growth effects of eliminating taxes in the United States is between 0.5 and 1.3 percentage points compared with 0 to 4 percentage points in the infinite horizon model. The much wider range found in the literature is due to two assumptions which are commonly viewed as innocuous simplifications but contrast sharply with traditional human capital theory: that households are infinitely lived and face constant point-in-time returns in human capital accumulation. The widely held view that long, finite horizons are closely approximated by infinite horizons is generally invalid. Abstracting from finite horizons leads to a systematic overstatement of the growth effects of taxes. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: J24, O41.