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Does the current trade liberalization agenda contribute to greenhouse gas emission mitigation in agriculture?

Author

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  • Himics, Mihaly
  • Fellmann, Thomas
  • Barreiro-Hurlé, Jesús
  • Witzke, Heinz-Peter
  • Pérez Domínguez, Ignacio
  • Jansson, Torbjörn
  • Weiss, Franz

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on the trade liberalization – climate change nexus by investigating the impact of the current free trade agenda of the European Union (EU) on the effectiveness of a possible greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction policy for its agricultural sector. For the analysis we implement scenarios with a carbon tax on non-CO2 emissions and trade liberalization both individually and combined in CAPRI, a global partial equilibrium model for agriculture. Scenario results indicate that the simulated trade liberalization by itself has only modest effects on agricultural GHG emissions by 2030. Pricing agricultural non-CO2 emissions in the EU triggers the adoption of mitigation technologies, which contributes to emission reductions. Emission leakage, however, partially offsets the EU emission savings as production increases in less emission-efficient regions in the world. The combination of agricultural trade liberalization and carbon pricing increases emission leakage and, therefore, further undermines global mitigation gains. Our results hinge on the key assumptions that future trade agreements between non-EU countries are not considered and that the climate actions are limited to the EU only. Despite these limitations we conclude that, from a global GHG mitigation perspective, trade agreements should address emission leakage, for instance by being conditional on participating nations adopting measures directed towards GHG mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Himics, Mihaly & Fellmann, Thomas & Barreiro-Hurlé, Jesús & Witzke, Heinz-Peter & Pérez Domínguez, Ignacio & Jansson, Torbjörn & Weiss, Franz, 2018. "Does the current trade liberalization agenda contribute to greenhouse gas emission mitigation in agriculture?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 120-129.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:76:y:2018:i:c:p:120-129
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2018.01.011
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    4. Laborde Debucquet, David & Mamun, Abdullah & Martin, Will & Piñeiro, Valeria & Vos, Rob, 2020. "Modeling the impacts of agricultural support policies on emissions from agriculture," IFPRI discussion papers 1954, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Ignacio Perez Dominguez & Thomas Fellmann, 2018. "PESETA III: Agro-economic analysis of climate change impacts in Europe," JRC Research Reports JRC113743, Joint Research Centre.
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    7. Shakeel Ahmad & Muhammad Tariq & Touseef Hussain & Qasir Abbas & Hamidullah Elham & Iqbal Haider & Xiangmei Li, 2020. "Does Chinese FDI, Climate Change, and CO 2 Emissions Stimulate Agricultural Productivity? An Empirical Evidence from Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-20, September.
    8. Torbjörn Jansson & Ida Nordin & Fredrik Wilhelmsson & Peter Witzke & Gordana Manevska‐Tasevska & Franz Weiss & Alexander Gocht, 2021. "Coupled Agricultural Subsidies in the EU Undermine Climate Efforts," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1503-1519, December.
    9. Mihaly Himics & Thomas Fellmann & Jesus Barreiro‐Hurle, 2020. "Setting Climate Action as the Priority for the Common Agricultural Policy: A Simulation Experiment," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(1), pages 50-69, February.
    10. Panxian Wang & Zimeng Ren & Guanghua Qiao, 2023. "How Does Agricultural Trade Liberalization Have Environmental Impacts? Evidence from a Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    11. Rafiee, Zohreh & Breen, James & Kilcline, Kevin, 2023. "Policies to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture, their implications for agricultural activity levels and land use decisions in Ireland," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334507, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    12. Vo Hong Tu & Steven W. Kopp & Nguyen Thuy Trang & Andreas Kontoleon & Mitsuyasu Yabe, 2021. "UK Consumers’ Preferences for Ethical Attributes of Floating Rice: Implications for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-27, July.
    13. Yu, Wusheng & Clora, Francesco & Costa, Louis & Baudry, Gino, 2021. "Dietary Transitions As Climate Mitigation Measures in Europe: Implications of Supply-Side Responses and Trade Policy Regimes," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315912, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Martin Henseler & Ruth Delzeit & Marcel Adenäuer & Sarah Baum & Peter Kreins, 2020. "Nitrogen Tax and Set-Aside as Greenhouse Gas Abatement Policies Under Global Change Scenarios: A Case Study for Germany," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(2), pages 299-329, July.
    15. Jeremiás Máté Balogh & Tamás Mizik, 2021. "Trade–Climate Nexus: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, June.
    16. Balogh, Jeremiás Máté, 2021. "A kereskedelmi megállapodások szerepe a klímaváltozásban. Szakirodalmi áttekintés [The role of trade agreements in climate change. Systematic literature review]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(5), pages 540-563.

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