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Carbon Pricing in the EU: Evaluation of Different EU ETS Reform Options

Author

Listed:
  • Corjan Brink
  • Herman R. J. Vollebergh
  • Edwin van der Werf

Abstract

This paper studies various options to support allowance prices in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), such as adjusting the cap, an auction reserve price, and fixed and variable carbon taxes in addition to EU ETS. We use a dynamic computable general equilibrium model that explicitly allows for allowance banking and for a detailed cost-effectiveness analysis at the EU Member State level. We find that both a variable carbon tax and an auction reserve price support effective carbon prices at least cost in times of negative demand shocks for emission allowances. Moreover, these price-based policies still benefit from the intertemporal flexibility through the banking provision in the EU ETS by re-allocating emissions over time with stronger emission reductions in early years and emission increases in later years. Compliance costs of the various options differ over time and between Member States. New Member States face larger welfare gains than the EU as a whole with a variable tax, while they are worse off than other Member States under an auction reserve price.

Suggested Citation

  • Corjan Brink & Herman R. J. Vollebergh & Edwin van der Werf, 2015. "Carbon Pricing in the EU: Evaluation of Different EU ETS Reform Options," CESifo Working Paper Series 5633, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_5633
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    climate policy; European Union Emission Trading System; auction reserve price; carbon tax; price floor; banking; computable general equilibrium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • D58 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Computable and Other Applied General Equilibrium Models
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis

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