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On the optimal timing of reductions of CO2 emissions; an economists' perspective on the debate on "when flexibility"

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  • Henri de Groot

Abstract

Reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to reduce climate change is high on the policy agenda. Discounted costs of reduction are estimated to be substantial. They depend on the employment of various flexibility mechanisms that affect these costs. Reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to reduce climate change is high on the policy agenda. Discounted costs of reduction are estimated to be substantial. They depend on the employment of various flexibility mechanisms that affect these costs. One of these flexibility mechanisms is the so-called when-flexibility stressing the timing of policy measures aimed at reducing CO2-emissions. This paper surveys the arguments in favour of early and late reduction. By means of an illustration of some of the key-mechanisms, we discuss an applied analysis of optimal timing performed with the applied general equilibrium model DICE.

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  • Henri de Groot, 2001. "On the optimal timing of reductions of CO2 emissions; an economists' perspective on the debate on "when flexibility"," CPB Discussion Paper 1, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpb:discus:1
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    2. Nijkamp, Peter & Wang, Shunli & Kremers, Hans, 2005. "Modeling the impacts of international climate change policies in a CGE context: The use of the GTAP-E model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 22(6), pages 955-974, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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