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Is Emission Intensity or Output U-shaped in the Strictness of Environmental Policy

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  • Bouwe Dijkstra
  • Maria J. Gil-Moltó

Abstract

In a model where firms face a continuous choice of how much to invest in environmental innovation, we show that an ever stricter environmental policy does not always lead to ever cleaner production methods and ever lower production of polluting goods. It does so when the abatement technology is end-of-pipe. When the abatement technology is integrated however, either emission intensity or output is U-shaped in the strictness of policy. If the emission intensity is U-shaped, it will reach its lowest value at the point where the Marginal Abatement Cost curves intersect. These results hold with emission taxation (whether firms are price-takers or they interact strategically on the output market) as well as in the social optimum.

Suggested Citation

  • Bouwe Dijkstra & Maria J. Gil-Moltó, 2014. "Is Emission Intensity or Output U-shaped in the Strictness of Environmental Policy," CESifo Working Paper Series 4833, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4833
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    Cited by:

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    3. Poyago-Theotoky Joanna & Yong Soo Keong, 2019. "Managerial Delegation Contracts, “Green” R&D and Emissions Taxation," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 1-10, June.
    4. Casini, Paolo & Valentini, Edilio, 2019. "Emissions Markets with Price Stabilizing Mechanisms: Possible Unpleasant Outcomes," ES: Economics for Sustainability 291801, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) > ES: Economics for Sustainability.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    environmental innovation; environmental taxation; oligopoly; marginal abatement costs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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