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Directed Technical Change and Climate Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent M. Otto

    (Wageningen University and MIT)

  • Andreas Löschel

    (European Commission)

  • John Reilly

    (Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change)

Abstract

This paper studies the cost effectiveness of climate policy if there are technology externalities. For this purpose, we develop a forward-looking CGE model that captures empirical links between CO2 emissions associated with energy use, directed technical change and the economy. We find the cost-effective climate policy to include a combination of R&D subsidies and CO2 emission constraints, although R&D subsidies raise the shadow value of the CO2 constraint (i.e. CO2 price) because of a strong rebound effect from stimulating innovation. Furthermore, we find that CO2 constraints differentiated toward CO2-intensive sectors are more cost effective than constraints that generate uniform CO2 prices among sectors. Differentiated CO2 prices, through technical change and concomitant technology externalities, encourage growth in the non-CO2 intensive sectors and discourage growth in CO2-intensive sectors. Thus, it is cost effective to let the latter bear relatively more of the abatement burden. This result is robust to whether emission constraints, R&D subsidies or combinations of both are used to reduce CO2 emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent M. Otto & Andreas Löschel & John Reilly, 2006. "Directed Technical Change and Climate Policy," Working Papers 2006.81, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2006.81
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre Besson & Nina Kousnetzoff, 2009. "Les impacts économiques du changement climatique : enjeux de modélisation," Working Papers 2009-36, CEPII research center.
    2. Gillingham, Kenneth & Newell, Richard G. & Pizer, William A., 2008. "Modeling endogenous technological change for climate policy analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 2734-2753, November.
    3. Heggedal, Tom-Reiel & Jacobsen, Karl, 2011. "Timing of innovation policies when carbon emissions are restricted: An applied general equilibrium analysis," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 913-937.
    4. Pizer, William A. & Popp, David, 2008. "Endogenizing technological change: Matching empirical evidence to modeling needs," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 2754-2770, November.
    5. Otto, Vincent M. & Reilly, John, 2008. "Directed technical change and the adoption of CO2 abatement technology: The case of CO2 capture and storage," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 2879-2898, November.
    6. Otto, Vincent M. & Löschel, Andreas, 2008. "Technological Uncertainty and Cost-effectiveness of CO2 Emission Trading Schemes," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-050, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    7. Cheung, Grace & Davies, Peter J. & Bassen, Alexander, 2019. "In the transition of energy systems: What lessons can be learnt from the German achievement?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 633-646.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Directed Technical Change; Climate Policy; Computable General Equilibrium Model; R&D;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D58 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Computable and Other Applied General Equilibrium Models
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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