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Asymmetric Regulation of Identical Polluters in Oligopoly Models

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  • Rabah Amir
  • Niels Nannerup

Abstract

Studies of optimal second-best environmental regulation of identical polluting agents have invariably ignored potentially welfare-improving asymmetric regulation by imposing equal regulatory treatment of identical firms at the outset. Yet, cost asymmetry between oligopoly firms may well give rise to private as well as social gains. A trade-off is demonstrated for the regulator, between private costs savings and additional social costs when asymmetric treatment is allowed. Asymmetry is indeed optimal for a range of plausible parameter values. Further, it is demonstrated that for a broad class of abatement cost functions, there is scope for increasing welfare while keeping both total output and total emission constant. Some motivating policy issues are discussed in light of the results, including international harmonization and global carbon dioxide reduction. Copyright Springer 2005

Suggested Citation

  • Rabah Amir & Niels Nannerup, 2005. "Asymmetric Regulation of Identical Polluters in Oligopoly Models," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 30(1), pages 35-48, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:30:y:2005:i:1:p:35-48
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-004-1044-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rabah Amir & Val E. Lambson, 2000. "On the Effects of Entry in Cournot Markets," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 67(2), pages 235-254.
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    6. Ngo Long & Antoine Soubeyran, 2005. "Selective penalization of polluters: an inf-convolution approach," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 25(2), pages 421-454, February.
    7. Fredriksson, Per G., 1997. "The Political Economy of Pollution Taxes in a Small Open Economy," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 44-58, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerda Dewit & Dermot Leahy, 2015. "Tax Uniformity: A Commitment Device for Restraining Opportunistic Behavior," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(5), pages 641-672, October.
    2. Guy Meunier, 2011. "Emission Permit Trading Between Imperfectly Competitive Product Markets," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 50(3), pages 347-364, November.
    3. Jay S. Coggins & Andrew L. Goodkind & Jason Nguyen & Zhiyu Wang, 2019. "Price Effects, Inefficient Environmental Policy, and Windfall Profits," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 72(3), pages 637-656, March.
    4. Jihad C. Elnaboulsi, 2015. "Environmental Regulation and Policy Design: The Impact of the Regulator?s Ecological Conscience on the Tax Setting Process," Working Papers 2015-11, CRESE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    asymmetric emissions regulation; polluting oligopolists; EU harmonization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q2 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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