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Modeling the Economics of Greenhouse Gas Abatement: An Overlapping Generations Perspective

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  • Tobias Rasmussen

    (International Monetary Fund)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the implications of using an overlapping generations model for simulating the effects of greenhouse gas abatement policies rather than the traditional approach based on an infinitely lived agent. The overlapping generations framework has many appealing characteristics. In particular, by not aggregating different generations, it avoids imposing implicitly a social welfare function that discounts the utility of people living in the future. The results show that the costs of imposing a tax on CO2 emissions are highly unequally distributed. Generations to be born a century from now stand to incur substantial losses while those alive in the near future will suffer much less and the current old may even experience a gain. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Rasmussen, 2003. "Modeling the Economics of Greenhouse Gas Abatement: An Overlapping Generations Perspective," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 6(1), pages 99-119, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:issued:v:6:y:2003:i:1:p:99-119
    DOI: 10.1016/S1094-2025(02)00010-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Laurence Kotlikoff & Felix Kubler & Andrey Polbin & Jeffrey Sachs & Simon Scheidegger, 2021. "Making Carbon Taxation A Generational Win Win," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 62(1), pages 3-46, February.
    2. Kavuncu, Y. Okan & Knabb, Shawn D., 2005. "Stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions: Assessing the intergenerational costs and benefits of the Kyoto Protocol," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 369-386, May.
    3. Catalano, Michele & Forni, Lorenzo & Pezzolla, Emilia, 2020. "Climate-change adaptation: The role of fiscal policy," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    4. Garau, Giorgio & Lecca, Patrizio & Mandras, Giovanni, 2013. "The impact of population ageing on energy use: Evidence from Italy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 970-980.
    5. Frédéric Gonand, 2016. "The Carbon Tax, Ageing and Pension Deficits," Post-Print hal-01251698, HAL.
    6. Larry Karp & Armon Rezai, 2014. "The Political Economy Of Environmental Policy With Overlapping Generations," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55(3), pages 711-733, August.
    7. Mohamed Mabrouk, 2005. "Intergenerational anonymity as an alternative to the discounted- sum criterion in the calculus of optimal growth II: Pareto optimality and some economic interpretations," GE, Growth, Math methods 0511007, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Mohamed Mabrouk, 2005. "Intergenerational anonymity as an alternative to the discounted- sum criterion in the calculus of optimal growth I: Consensual optimality," GE, Growth, Math methods 0510013, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. repec:rnp:ecopol:s2101 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Kotlikoff, Laurence & Kubler, Felix & Polbin, Andrey & Scheidegger, Simon, 2024. "Can today’s and tomorrow’s world uniformly gain from carbon taxation?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    11. Andersen, Torben M. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Liu, Pan, 2020. "Resolving intergenerational conflict over the environment under the Pareto criterion," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    12. Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Andrey Polbin & Andrey Zubarev, 2016. "Will the Paris Accord Accelerate Climate Change?," NBER Working Papers 22731, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Andersen, Torben M. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Liu, Pan, 2018. "A way to resolve intergenerational conflict over the environment under the Pareto criterion using green bonds," ISU General Staff Papers 201808240700001070, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    14. Gonand, Frédéric & Jouvet, Pierre-André, 2015. "The “second dividend” and the demographic structure," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 71-97.
    15. Voyvoda, Ebru, 2013. "Energy-Economy-Environment Interaction Using OLG Framework: Evaluation of Alternative Policies under Demographic Transition," Conference papers 332376, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    16. Mabrouk, Mohamed, 2006. "Allais-anonymity as an alternative to the discounted-sum criterion in the calculus of optimal growth I: Consensual optimality," MPRA Paper 10512, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Rausch, Sebastian & Abrell, Jan, 2014. "Optimal Dynamic Carbon Taxation in a Life-Cycle Model with Distortionary Fiscal Policy," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100513, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    18. KAVUNCU Y. Okan, 2010. "Reconsidering Intergenerational Cost-Benefit Analysis of Climate Change: An Endogenous Abatement Approach," EcoMod2003 330700079, EcoMod.
    19. Leach, Andrew J., 2009. "The welfare implications of climate change policy," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 151-165, March.

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