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Optimal Energy Investment and R&D Strategies to Stabilise Greenhouse Gas Atmospheric Concentrations

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Author Info
Carlo Carraro () (Department of Economics, University Of Venice Cà Foscari)
Valentina Bosetti (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)
Emanuele Massetti (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)
Massimo Tavoni (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)

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Abstract

The stabilisation of GHG atmospheric concentrations at levels expected to prevent dangerous climate change has become an important, global, long-term objective. It is therefore crucial to identify a cost-effective way to achieve this objective. In this paper we use WITCH, a hybrid climate-energy-economy model, to obtain a quantitative assessment of some cost-effective strategies that stabilise CO2 concentrations at 550 or 450 ppm. In particular, this paper analyses the energy investment and R&D policies that optimally achieve these two GHG stabilisation targets (i.e. the future optimal energy mix consistent with the stabilisation of GHG atmospheric concentrations at 550 and 450 ppm). Given that the model accounts for interdependencies and spillovers across 12 regions of the world, optimal strategies are the outcome of a dynamic game through which inefficiency costs induced by global strategic interactions can be assessed. Therefore, our results are somehow different from previous analyses of GHG stabilisation policies where a central planner or a single global economy are usually assumed. In particular, the effects of free-riding incentives in reducing emissions and in investing in R&D are taken into account. Technical change being endogenous in WITCH, this paper also provides an assessment of the implications of technological evolution in the energy sector of different stabilisation scenarios. Finally, this paper quantifies the net costs of stabilising GHG concentrations at different levels, for different allocations of permits and for different technological scenarios. In each case, the optimal long-term investment strategies for all available energy technologies are determined. The case of an unknown backstop energy technology is also analysed.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Venice "Ca' Foscari", Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 2007_22.

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Length: 24
Date of creation: 2007
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Handle: RePEc:ven:wpaper:2007_22

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Related research
Keywords: Climate Policy; Energy R&D; Investments; Stabilisation Cost;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods
O3 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change
Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Valentina Bosetti & Carlo Carraro & Emanuele Massetti & Massimo Tavoni, 2007. "International Energy R&D Spillovers and the Economics of Greenhouse Gas Atmospheric Stabilization," Working Papers 2007.82, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
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  2. Massimo Tavoni & Valentina Bosetti & Brent Sohngen, 2007. "Forestry and the Carbon Market Response to Stabilize Climate," Working Papers 2007.15, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
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  3. Valentina Bosetti & Carlo Carraro & Marzio Galeotti & Emanuele Massetti & Massimo Tavoni, 2006. "WITCH. A World Induced Technical Change Hybrid Model," Working Papers 2006_46, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari", Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Coe, David T. & Helpman, Elhanan, 1995. "International R&D spillovers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 859-887, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Manne, Alan & Mendelsohn, Robert & Richels, Richard, 1995. "MERGE : A model for evaluating regional and global effects of GHG reduction policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 17-34, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Valentina Bosetti & Emanuele Massetti & Massimo Tavoni, 2007. "The WITCH Model. Structure, Baseline, Solutions," Working Papers 2007.10, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
  7. Valentina Bosetti & Massimo Tavoni, 2007. "Uncertain R&D, Backstop Technology and GHGs Stabilization," Working Papers 2007.6, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Carlo Carraro & Valentina Bosetti & Emanuele Massetti, 2008. "Banking Permits: Economic Efficiency and Distributional Effects," Working Papers 2008_01, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari", Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  2. Valentina Bosetti & Carlo Carraro & Alessandra Sgobbi & Massimo Tavoni, 2008. "Modelling Economic Impacts of Alternative International Climate Policy Architectures. A Quantitative and Comparative Assessment of Architectures for Agreement," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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