IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v118y2018icp1-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimal carbon taxes for China and implications for power generation, welfare, and the environment

Author

Listed:
  • Wesseh, Presley K.
  • Lin, Boqiang

Abstract

China is expected to constitute about half of the world's emissions between 2010 and 2040. As concerns about climate change intensify, the Chinese government is poised to commit to a low carbon economy. These conditions make China a suitable case in which to study how emission policies impact on energy supply, welfare, and the environment. To achieve this purpose, we incorporate abatement technologies into the GTAP computable general equilibrium model and show that optimal taxes range between 0.03% for services and 2.02% for manufacturing. In most cases, simulated tax rates are by far higher than pollution taxes stipulated in the new Chinese environmental tax law. Furthermore, despite a decline in output of many sectors including the electricity sector, overall welfare gains exist from introducing carbon taxes. Moreover, these taxes reduce environmental pollution by approximately 62.5%. In general, carbon taxes are insufficient for mitigation in China, and due to a coal-dominant energy structure, implementing these taxes leads to a decline in power generation. Hence, the Chinese aggressive investment strategy for renewable electricity technologies as stipulated in its 13th Five-Year Plan is understandable.

Suggested Citation

  • Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Optimal carbon taxes for China and implications for power generation, welfare, and the environment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 1-8.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:118:y:2018:i:c:p:1-8
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.031
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421518301630
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.031?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bosetti, Valentina & Carraro, Carlo & Duval, Romain & Tavoni, Massimo, 2011. "What should we expect from innovation? A model-based assessment of the environmental and mitigation cost implications of climate-related R&D," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 1313-1320.
    2. Sinclair, Peter J N, 1992. "High Does Nothing and Rising Is Worse: Carbon Taxes Should Keep Declining to Cut Harmful Emissions," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 60(1), pages 41-52, March.
    3. Martin L. Weitzman, 1974. "Prices vs. Quantities," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 41(4), pages 477-491.
    4. Chen, Zhan-Ming & Liu, Yu & Qin, Ping & Zhang, Bo & Lester, Leo & Chen, Guanghua & Guo, Yumei & Zheng, Xinye, 2015. "Environmental externality of coal use in China: Welfare effect and tax regulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 16-31.
    5. Farzin, Y H & Tahvonen, O, 1996. "Global Carbon Cycle and the Optimal Time Path of a Carbon Tax," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(4), pages 515-536, October.
    6. Hoel, Michael & Kverndokk, Snorre, 1996. "Depletion of fossil fuels and the impacts of global warming," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 115-136, June.
    7. Chen, Zi-yue & Nie, Pu-yan, 2016. "Effects of carbon tax on social welfare: A case study of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1607-1615.
    8. Fang, Guochang & Tian, Lixin & Fu, Min & Sun, Mei, 2013. "The impacts of carbon tax on energy intensity and economic growth – A dynamic evolution analysis on the case of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 17-28.
    9. Lin, Boqiang & Wesseh, Presley K. & Appiah, Michael Owusu, 2014. "Oil price fluctuation, volatility spillover and the Ghanaian equity market: Implication for portfolio management and hedging effectiveness," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 172-182.
    10. Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang, 2017. "Climate change and agriculture under CO2 fertilization effects and farm level adaptation: Where do the models meet?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 556-571.
    11. Liang, Qiao-Mei & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2012. "Distributional impacts of taxing carbon in China: Results from the CEEPA model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 545-551.
    12. Alton, Theresa & Arndt, Channing & Davies, Rob & Hartley, Faaiqa & Makrelov, Konstantin & Thurlow, James & Ubogu, Dumebi, 2014. "Introducing carbon taxes in South Africa," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 344-354.
    13. William D. Nordhaus, 2006. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control Global Warming," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 31-34, May.
    14. Dissou, Yazid & Siddiqui, Muhammad Shahid, 2014. "Can carbon taxes be progressive?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 88-100.
    15. Hertel, Thomas, 1997. "Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and applications," GTAP Books, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, number 7685, December.
    16. Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Modeling environmental policy with and without abatement substitution: A tradeoff between economics and environment?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 34-43.
    17. van der Zwaan, B. C. C. & Gerlagh, R. & G. & Klaassen & Schrattenholzer, L., 2002. "Endogenous technological change in climate change modelling," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 1-19, January.
    18. Pizer, William A., 2002. "Combining price and quantity controls to mitigate global climate change," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(3), pages 409-434, September.
    19. Lin, Boqiang & Wesseh, Presley K., 2013. "What causes price volatility and regime shifts in the natural gas market," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 553-563.
    20. Liu, Yu & Lu, Yingying, 2015. "The Economic impact of different carbon tax revenue recycling schemes in China: A model-based scenario analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 96-105.
    21. Lin, Boqiang & Wesseh, Presley K., 2013. "Valuing Chinese feed-in tariffs program for solar power generation: A real options analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 474-482.
    22. Lin, Boqiang & Wesseh, Presley K., 2013. "Estimates of inter-fuel substitution possibilities in Chinese chemical industry," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 560-568.
    23. Dong, Huijuan & Dai, Hancheng & Dong, Liang & Fujita, Tsuyoshi & Geng, Yong & Klimont, Zbigniew & Inoue, Tsuyoshi & Bunya, Shintaro & Fujii, Minoru & Masui, Toshihiko, 2015. "Pursuing air pollutant co-benefits of CO2 mitigation in China: A provincial leveled analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 165-174.
    24. Ulph, Alistair & Ulph, David, 1994. "The Optimal Time Path of a Carbon Tax," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(0), pages 857-868, Supplemen.
    25. Zakeri, Atefe & Dehghanian, Farzad & Fahimnia, Behnam & Sarkis, Joseph, 2015. "Carbon pricing versus emissions trading: A supply chain planning perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 197-205.
    26. Duan, Hong-Bo & Zhu, Lei & Fan, Ying, 2014. "Optimal carbon taxes in carbon-constrained China: A logistic-induced energy economic hybrid model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 345-356.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Modeling environmental policy with and without abatement substitution: A tradeoff between economics and environment?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 34-43.
    2. Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang & Atsagli, Philip, 2017. "Carbon taxes, industrial production, welfare and the environment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 305-313.
    3. Wang, Qian & Hubacek, Klaus & Feng, Kuishuang & Wei, Yi-Ming & Liang, Qiao-Mei, 2016. "Distributional effects of carbon taxation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1123-1131.
    4. Duan, Hong-Bo & Zhu, Lei & Fan, Ying, 2014. "Optimal carbon taxes in carbon-constrained China: A logistic-induced energy economic hybrid model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 345-356.
    5. Sandal, Leif Kristoffer & Steinshamn, Stein Ivar, 2004. "Pollution Decay, Consumer Awareness and Optimal Carbon Taxes," Discussion Papers 2004/7, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    6. Wu, T. & Thomassin, P.J., 2018. "The Impact of Carbon Tax on Food Prices and Consumption in Canada," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 275913, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Xiao Yu & Yingdong Xu & Meng Sun & Yanzhe Zhang, 2021. "The Green-Innovation-Inducing Effect of a Unit Progressive Carbon Tax," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.
    8. Christian Beermann, 2015. "Climate Policy and the Intertemporal Supply of Fossil Resources," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 62.
    9. Grimaud, André & Lafforgue, Gilles & Magné, Bertrand, 2011. "Climate change mitigation options and directed technical change: A decentralized equilibrium analysis," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 938-962.
    10. Stiglitz, Joseph E., 2019. "Addressing climate change through price and non-price interventions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 594-612.
    11. Michael Hoel, 2011. "The Supply Side of CO 2 with Country Heterogeneity," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 113(4), pages 846-865, December.
    12. Rubio, Santiago J. & Escriche, Luisa, 2001. "Strategic pigouvian taxation, stock externalities and polluting non-renewable resources," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 297-313, February.
    13. Wei, Yi-Ming & Mi, Zhi-Fu & Huang, Zhimin, 2015. "Climate policy modeling: An online SCI-E and SSCI based literature review," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 57(PA), pages 70-84.
    14. Luise Röpke, 2015. "Essays on the Integration of New Energy Sources into Existing Energy Systems," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 58.
    15. Dong, Huijuan & Dai, Hancheng & Geng, Yong & Fujita, Tsuyoshi & Liu, Zhe & Xie, Yang & Wu, Rui & Fujii, Minoru & Masui, Toshihiko & Tang, Liang, 2017. "Exploring impact of carbon tax on China’s CO2 reductions and provincial disparities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 596-603.
    16. Hoel, Michael, 2013. "Supply Side Climate Policy and the Green Paradox," Memorandum 03/2013, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    17. Lin, Boqiang & Wesseh Jr., Presley K., 2014. "Energy consumption and economic growth in South Africa reexamined: A nonparametric testing apporach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 840-850.
    18. Fang, Guochang & Tian, Lixin & Fu, Min & Sun, Mei & Du, Ruijin & Liu, Menghe, 2017. "Investigating carbon tax pilot in YRD urban agglomerations—Analysis of a novel ESER system with carbon tax constraints and its application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 635-647.
    19. Wesseh, Presley K. & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Factor demand, technical change and inter-fuel substitution in Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 979-991.
    20. Munguía-López, Aurora del Carmen & González-Bravo, Ramón & Ponce-Ortega, José María, 2019. "Evaluation of carbon and water policies in the optimization of water distribution networks involving power-desalination plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 927-936.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:118:y:2018:i:c:p:1-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.