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Transboundary pollution, R&D spillovers and international trade

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  • Slim Ben Youssef

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Abstract

We consider a symmetric three-stage game played by a pair of regulator-firm hierarchies to capture the scale and technology effects. Each firm produces one good sold on the market. The production process generates pollution characterized by a fixed emission/output ratio, and cross-borders. Firms can invest in R&D in order to lower their emission/output ratio, and this activity is characterized by positive R&D spillovers. We show that R&D spillovers and the competition of firms on the common market help non-cooperating countries to internalize transboundary pollution more efficiently. Consequently, in most cases, when the positive externality increases, the levels of R&D and production increase while pollution decreases, implying an increase of the social welfare. However, in some other cases, pollution under common market increases with the R&D externality implying a decrease of the social welfare. Opening markets to the international trade leads to more investment in R&D and more production. In most cases, pollution under common market is lower than under autarky, implying a greater social welfare. Nevertheless, in some other cases, pollution under common market is higher than under autarky implying that opening markets deteriorates social welfare.
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Suggested Citation

  • Slim Ben Youssef, 2009. "Transboundary pollution, R&D spillovers and international trade," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 43(1), pages 235-250, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:43:y:2009:i:1:p:235-250
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-007-0198-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. d'Aspremont, Claude & Jacquemin, Alexis, 1988. "Cooperative and Noncooperative R&D in Duopoly with Spillovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(5), pages 1133-1137, December.
    2. Santore, Rudy & Robison, H. David & Klein, Yehuda, 2001. "Strategic state-level environmental policy with asymmetric pollution spillovers," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 199-224, May.
    3. Barbara J. Spencer & James A. Brander, 1983. "International R & D Rivalry and Industrial Strategy," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 50(4), pages 707-722.
    4. Kjetil Bjorvatn & Guttorm Schjelderup, 2002. "Tax Competition and International Public Goods," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 9(2), pages 111-120, March.
    5. Cremer, Helmuth & Gahvari, Firouz, 2004. "Environmental taxation, tax competition, and harmonization," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 21-45, January.
    6. Copeland, Brian R & Taylor, M Scott, 1995. "Trade and Transboundary Pollution," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(4), pages 716-737, September.
    7. Werner Antweiler & Brian R. Copeland & M. Scott Taylor, 2001. "Is Free Trade Good for the Environment?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 877-908, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Hoel & Rolf Golombek, 2004. "Climate Agreements and Technology Policy," Working Papers 2004.90, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    2. Ben Youssef, Slim & Zaccour, Georges, 2014. "Absorptive Capacity, R&D Spillovers, Emissions Taxes and R&D Subsidies," Strategic Behavior and the Environment, now publishers, vol. 4(1), pages 41-58, April.
    3. Ben Jebli, Mehdi & Ben Youssef, Slim, 2014. "Timing of adoption of clean technologies, transboundary pollution and international trade," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), vol. 8, pages 1-31.
    4. Ben Youssef, Slim & Dinar, Zeineb, 2009. "Régulation d'un duopole et R&D environnementale
      [Regulation of a duopoly and environmental R&D]      ," MPRA Paper 20596, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Feb 2010.
    5. Ben Youssef, Slim, 2009. "Transboundary Pollution and Absorptive Capacity," MPRA Paper 17158, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Golombek, Rolf & Hoel, Michael, 2004. "Unilateral emission reductions when there are cross -country technology spillovers," Memorandum 17/2004, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    7. Zeineb Dinar, 2014. "Transboundary Pollution, R&D Spillovers, Absorptive Capacity and International Trade," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 4(3), pages 501-513.
    8. Dinar, Zeineb, 2013. "Transboundary pollution, R&D spillovers, absorptive capacity and international trade," Economics Discussion Papers 2013-23, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    D62; F12; H21; O32;

    JEL classification:

    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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