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Capital Malleability, Emission Leakage and the Cost of Partial Climate Policies: General Equilibrium Analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System

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  • Elisa Lanzi

  • Ian Sue Wing

Abstract

Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models are the premier analytical platform for assessing the economic impacts of climate change mitigation. But these models tend to treat physical capital as “malleable”, capable of reallocation among sectors over the time-period for which equilibrium is solved. Because the extent to which capital adjustment costs might dampen reallocation is not well understood, there is concern that CGE assessments understate the true costs of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction policies. This paper uses a multi-region, multi-sector CGE model to investigate cap-and-trade schemes, such as the European Union Emission Trading System which cover a subset of the economy, elucidating the effects of capital malleability on GHG abatement, the potential for emission leakage from abating to non-abating sectors, and the impacts on welfare. To simplify the complex interactions being simulated within the CGE model, that analysis is complemented with an analytical model. A partial climate policy results in negative internal carbon leakage, with emissions declining not only in capped sectors but also in non-regulated ones. This result is stronger when capital is intersectorally mobile. Interestingly, in partial climate policy settings capital malleability can amplify or attenuate welfare losses depending on the attributes of the economy. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Elisa Lanzi & Ian Sue Wing, 2013. "Capital Malleability, Emission Leakage and the Cost of Partial Climate Policies: General Equilibrium Analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 55(2), pages 257-289, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:55:y:2013:i:2:p:257-289
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-012-9625-8
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    2. Yingying Lu & David I. Stern, 2016. "Substitutability and the Cost of Climate Mitigation Policy," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(1), pages 81-107, May.
    3. Sue Wing, Ian & Rose, Adam Z., 2020. "Economic consequence analysis of electric power infrastructure disruptions: General equilibrium approaches," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    4. Bosello, Francesco & De Cian, Enrica, 2014. "Climate change, sea level rise, and coastal disasters. A review of modeling practices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 593-605.
    5. Partha Sen, 2016. "Unilateral Emission Cuts and Carbon Leakages in a Dynamic North–South Trade Model," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(1), pages 131-152, May.
    6. Zhang, Peng & Yin, Guangzhi & Duan, Maosheng, 2020. "Distortion effects of emissions trading system on intra-sector competition and carbon leakage: A case study of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).

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