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The natalist bias of pollution control

Author

Listed:
  • DE LA CROIX, David

    (Université catholique de Louvain, CORE and IRES, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

  • GOSSERIES, Axel

    (Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (Belgium) and Hoover Chair, UCLouvain, Belgium)

Abstract

For a given technology, two ways are available to achieve low polluting emissions: reducing production per capita or reducing population size. This paper insists on the tension between the former and the latter. Controlling pollution either through Pigovian taxes or through tradable quotas schemes encourages agents to shift away from production to tax free activities such as procreation and leisure. This natalist bias will deteriorate the environment further, entailing the need to impose ever more stringent pollution rights per person. However, this will in turn gradually impoverish the successive generations: population will tend to increase further and production per capita to decrease as the generations pass. One possible solution consists in capping population too.

Suggested Citation

  • DE LA CROIX, David & GOSSERIES, Axel, 2011. "The natalist bias of pollution control," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2011027, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2011027
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Cassin, Lesly, 2020. "The effects of migration and pollution on cognitive skills in Caribbean economies: a theoretical analysis," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(6), pages 657-686, December.
    2. Lesly Cassin, 2018. "The effects of migration and pollution externality on cognitive skills in Caribbean economies: a Theoretical analysis," EconomiX Working Papers 2018-30, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    3. Maria Kamran, 2022. "A Touch of Violence - Welfare Outcomes under Bride Exchange and Child Brides," IHEID Working Papers 12-2022, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    4. Gerlagh, Reyer & Jaimes, Richard & Motavasseli, Ali, 2017. "Global Demographic Change and Climate Policies," Other publications TiSEM 7a4ee2a9-e025-4ec0-8bc8-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Lehmijoki, Ulla & Palokangas, Tapio K., 2016. "Fertility, Mortality and Environmental Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 10465, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández & Germana Giombini & Edgar J. Sánchez-Carrera, 2025. "Climateflation and Monetary Policy in an Environmental OLG Growth Model," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 88(11), pages 2937-2968, November.
    7. Dao, Nguyen Thang & Dávila, Julio, 2013. "Can geography lock a society in stagnation?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 120(3), pages 442-446.
    8. Ulla Lehmijoki & Tapio Palokangas, 2023. "Optimal Population Policy with Health Care and Lethal Pollution," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 22(1), pages 31-47, January.
    9. Gerlagh, Reyer, 2022. "Climate, Technology, Family Size; on the Crossroad between Two Ultimate Externalities," Other publications TiSEM b6d5b02f-4624-46fd-836a-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Gerlagh, Reyer, 2022. "Climate, Technology, Family Size; on the Crossroad between Two Ultimate Externalities," Discussion Paper 2022-027, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    11. Fabio Mariani & Agustin Pérez-Barahona & Natacha Raffin, 2019. "Population and the environment: the role of fertility, education and life expectancy," Post-Print hal-02327510, HAL.
    12. Gerlagh, Reyer, 2023. "Climate, technology, family size; on the crossroad between two ultimate externalities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    13. Sordi, Serena & Dávila-Fernández, Marwil J., 2023. "The green-MKS system: A baseline environmental macro-dynamic model," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1056-1085.
    14. DEVOLDER, Olivier, 2011. "Stochastic first order methods in smooth convex optimization," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2011070, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    15. Bezin, Emeline, 2013. "The dynamics of environmental concern and the evolution of pollution," Working Papers 207983, Institut National de la recherche Agronomique (INRA), Departement Sciences Sociales, Agriculture et Alimentation, Espace et Environnement (SAE2).
    16. de la Croix, David & Gobbi, Paula E., 2017. "Population density, fertility, and demographic convergence in developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 13-24.
    17. Alessia Cafferata & Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández, 2024. "How robust is the natalist bias of pollution control?," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 337(3), pages 1111-1133, June.
    18. GABSZEWICZ, Jean & TAROLA, Ornella, 2011. "Migration, wage differentials and fiscal competition," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2011065, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    19. Reyer Gerlagh & Veronica Lupi & Marzio Galeotti, 2023. "Fertility and climate change," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 125(1), pages 208-252, January.
    20. Lupi, Veronica & Marsiglio, Simone, 2021. "Population growth and climate change: A dynamic integrated climate-economy-demography model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    21. Emeline Bezin, 2013. "The dynamics of environmental concern and the evolution of pollution," Working Papers SMART 13-09, INRAE UMR SMART.
    22. Lucia Granelli, 2017. "Family Tax Policy with Heterogeneous Altruistic Households," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2017019, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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