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On the Economics of Climate Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Becker Gary S.

    (University of Chicago)

  • Murphy Kevin M.

    (University of Chicago)

  • Topel Robert H.

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

We analyze the central features of economic policies to mitigate climate change. The basic structure of Pigouvian “carbon pricing” is shown to follow from a standard Hotelling problem for the intertemporal pricing of an exhaustible resource. We extend this analysis to consider the strength and timing of research incentives, the costs of implementation delay and the impact of anticipated future technologies on current carbon prices. We study a variety of issues related to the valuation of climate investments, including uncertainty as to the future timing and distribution of climate impacts and the appropriate social rate of discount for valuing policies. Under reasonable circumstances the insurance properties of climate investments may warrant unusually low discount rates. We use the same framework to argue that policy makers in developing countries will discount the expected returns from climate investments more heavily, because such investments have weaker insurance value in the developing world.

Suggested Citation

  • Becker Gary S. & Murphy Kevin M. & Topel Robert H., 2011. "On the Economics of Climate Policy," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 10(2), pages 1-27, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:10:y:2011:i:2:n:19
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1682.2854
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    • Becker, Gary S. & Murphy, Kevin M. & Topel, Robert H., 2010. "On the Economics of Climate Policy," Working Papers 234, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tatyana Deryugina & Laura Kawano & Steven Levitt, 2018. "The Economic Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Its Victims: Evidence from Individual Tax Returns," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(2), pages 202-233, April.
    2. Szekeres, Szabolcs, 2021. "Should CBA use descriptive or prescriptive discount rates? It should use both!," MPRA Paper 106029, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Alpino, Matteo & Citino, Luca & Zeni, Federica, 2023. "Costs and benefits of the green transitionenvisaged in the Italian NRRP - An evaluation using the social cost of carbon," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    4. Szekeres, Szabolcs, 2022. "Answering the social discount rate question," MPRA Paper 115848, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Szekeres, Szabolcs, 2023. "The simple answer to the Social Discount Rate question," MPRA Paper 117843, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Michael Greenstone & Elizabeth Kopits & Ann Wolverton, 2011. "Estimating the Social Cost of Carbon for Use in U.S. Federal Rulemakings: A Summary and Interpretation," Working Papers 1106, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research.
    7. Pindyck, Robert S., 2019. "The social cost of carbon revisited," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 140-160.
    8. Szekeres, Szabolcs, 2021. "Should CBA use descriptive or prescriptive discount rates? It should use both!," MPRA Paper 108397, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Clara E. Piano, 2022. "The family and the state: a public choice perspective," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 35(3), pages 383-405, September.
    10. Koen Vermeylen, 2013. "Non-Marginal Cost-Benefit Analysis and the Tyranny of Discounting," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-203/VI, Tinbergen Institute.
    11. Robert S. Pindyck, 2017. "Coase Lecture—Taxes, Targets and the Social Cost of Carbon," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 84(335), pages 345-364, July.

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