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Discounting in a world of limited growth

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This paper explores the consequences fordiscounting of assuming limits to growth. One of the main determinants of the discount rate is the rate of economic growth. If growth rates decline in the future then the discount rate should not be constant but also decline over time. In fact, we would then need not a single discount rate but rather a variable discount schedule. This would imply higher present values for the distant future. The paper analyses how discount rates would vary with different assumptions about the patterns of growth and the pure rate of time preference. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1994

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  • Thomas Sterner, 1994. "Discounting in a world of limited growth," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 4(5), pages 527-534, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:4:y:1994:i:5:p:527-534
    DOI: 10.1007/BF00691927
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    1. Nordhaus, William D, 1991. "To Slow or Not to Slow: The Economics of the Greenhouse Effect," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 101(407), pages 920-937, July.
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    1. Hultkrantz, Lars & A. Krüger, Niclas & Mantalos, Panagiotis, 2014. "Risk-adjusted long-term social rates of discount for transportation infrastructure investment," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 70-81.
    2. Hansen, Anders Chr., 2006. "Do declining discount rates lead to time inconsistent economic advice?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 138-144, November.
    3. Bayer, Stefan & Cansier, Dieter, 1996. "Systematic discounting in climate policy analysis," Tübinger Diskussionsbeiträge 85, University of Tübingen, School of Business and Economics.
    4. Häyhä, Tiina & Franzese, Pier Paolo & Ulgiati, Sergio, 2011. "Economic and environmental performance of electricity production in Finland: A multicriteria assessment framework," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 223(1), pages 81-90.
    5. Azar, Christian & Sterner, Thomas, 1996. "Discounting and distributional considerations in the context of global warming," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 169-184, November.
    6. Almansa Sáez, Carmen & Calatrava Requena, Javier, 2007. "La Problemática Del Descuento En La Evaluación Económica De Proyectos Con Impacto Intergeneracional: Tasa Ambiental Crítica Y Montante De Transferencia Intergeneracional/Discounting In The Context Of ," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 25, pages 165-198, Abril.
    7. Horowitz, John K., 1996. "Environmental policy under a non-market discount rate," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 73-78, January.
    8. Christian Azar, 1998. "Are Optimal CO 2 Emissions Really Optimal?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 11(3), pages 301-315, April.
    9. Horowitz, John K., 1995. "Environmental Policy Under a Non-Market Discount Rate," Working Papers 197828, University of Maryland, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    10. Saez, Carmen Almansa & Requena, Javier Calatrava, 2007. "Reconciling sustainability and discounting in Cost-Benefit Analysis: A methodological proposal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 712-725, February.
    11. Sotelsek, Daniel F. & Azqueta Oyarzún, Diego, 1999. "Comparative advantages and the exploitation of environmental resources," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    12. Philibert, Cedric, 1999. "The economics of climate change and the theory of discounting," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(15), pages 913-927, December.

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