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Moral concerns on tradable pollution permits in international environmental agreements

Author

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  • Johan EYCKMANS
  • Snorre KVERNDOKK

Abstract

We investigate how moral concerns about permit trading affect an endogenous pollution permit trading equilibrium, where governments choose non-cooperatively the amount of permits they allocate to domestic industries. Politicians may feel reluctant to allow permit trading and/or may prefer that abatement is undertaken domestically due to moral concerns. This will have an effect on the initial permit allocations, and, therefore, on global emissions. The impact on global emissions depends on the precise formulation of the moral concerns, but under reasonable assumptions, we show that global emissions may increase. Thus, doing what is perceived as good does not always yield the desired outcome. However, this can be offset by restrictions on permit trading when governments have moral concerns about this trade.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan EYCKMANS & Snorre KVERNDOKK, 2009. "Moral concerns on tradable pollution permits in international environmental agreements," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven ces09.12, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    • Handle: RePEc:ete:ceswps:ces09.12
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    Cited by:

    1. Anderson, Blake & M'Gonigle, Michael, 2012. "Does ecological economics have a future?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 37-48.
    2. Birgit Bednar-Friedl, 2012. "Climate policy targets in emerging and industrialized economies: the influence of technological differences, environmental preferences and propensity to save," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 191-215, May.
    3. Jakob, Michael & Kübler, Dorothea & Steckel, Jan Christoph & van Veldhuizen, Roel, 2017. "Clean up your own mess: An experimental study of moral responsibility and efficiency," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 138-146.
    4. Hong, Fuhai, 2015. "International Environmental Agreements with reference points," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 68-73.
    5. Thierry Bréchet & Yann Ménière & Pierre M. Picard, 2016. "The Clean Development Mechanism in a world carbon market," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1569-1598, November.
    6. Hauge, Karen E. & Kverndokk, Snorre & Lange, Andreas, 2024. "Opposition to markets: Experimental evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    7. He, Weijun & Yang, Yi & Wang, Zhaohua & Zhu, Joe, 2018. "Estimation and allocation of cost savings from collaborative CO2 abatement in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 62-74.
    8. Rübbelke, Dirk T.G., 2011. "International support of climate change policies in developing countries: Strategic, moral and fairness aspects," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1470-1480, June.
    9. Eyckmans, Johan & Hagem, Cathrine, 2011. "The European Union's potential for strategic emissions trading through permit sales contracts," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 247-267, January.
    10. Karen Evelyn Hauge & Snorre Kverndokk & Andreas Lange, 2021. "Why People Oppose Trade Institutions - On Morality, Fairness and Risky Actions," CESifo Working Paper Series 9456, CESifo.
    11. Braaten, Ragnhild Haugli & Brekke, Kjell Arne & Rogeberg, Ole, 2015. "Buying the right to do wrong – An experimental test of moral objections to trading emission permits," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 110-124.
    12. Chen, Zhongfei & Chen, Fanglin & Zhou, Mengling, 2021. "Does social trust affect corporate environmental performance in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Simon Quemin & Christian Perthuis, 2019. "Transitional Restricted Linkage Between Emissions Trading Schemes," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(1), pages 1-32, September.
    14. Wu, Pei-Ing & Chen, Chai Tzu & Cheng, Pei-Ching & Liou, Je-Liang, 2014. "Climate game analyses for CO2 emission trading among various world organizations," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 441-446.
    15. Snorre Kverndokk, 2013. "Moral positions on tradable permit markets," Chapters, in: Roger Fouquet (ed.), Handbook on Energy and Climate Change, chapter 22, pages 490-499, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Breton, Michèle & Sbragia, Lucia, 2023. "Self-image and the stability of international environmental agreements," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    17. Fuhai Hong & Susheng Wang, 2012. "Climate Policy, Learning, and Technology Adoption in Small Countries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 391-411, March.
    18. Karen Pittel & Dirk Rübbelke, 2013. "International Climate Finance and Its Influence on Fairness and Policy," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 419-436, April.

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    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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