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Prices vs Quantities: The Irrelevance of Irreversibility

Author

Listed:
  • Baldursson, F.M.
  • von der Fehr, N.-H. M.

Abstract

We explore the efficacy of price and quantity controls in a dynamic set up in which the decisions of some agents are irreversible. We demonstrate that the assumption of irreversibility improves the performance of a tax relative that of a system of tradable quotas and significantly alters the optimal behavior of agents. We nevertheless conclude that taking account of the fact that agents' decisions may be irreversible does not lead to policy implications significantly different from those reached in a simpler model in which irreversibility is ignored.

Suggested Citation

  • Baldursson, F.M. & von der Fehr, N.-H. M., 1998. "Prices vs Quantities: The Irrelevance of Irreversibility," Memorandum 1998_009, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:osloec:1998_009
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabio Antoniou & Panos Hatzipanayotou & Phoebe Koundouri, 2012. "Second Best Environmental Policies under Uncertainty," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 78(3), pages 1019-1040, January.
    2. Michael Grubb, 2007. "The European Emissions Trading Scheme: An Overview of Operations and Lessons," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 5(04), pages 17-25, June.
    3. repec:ces:ifodic:v:5:y:2007:i:4:p:14567295 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Crépin, Anne-Sophie & Norberg, Jon & Mäler, Karl-Göran, 2011. "Coupled economic-ecological systems with slow and fast dynamics -- Modelling and analysis method," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1448-1458, June.
    5. Tang, Bao-Jun & Wang, Xiang-Yu & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2019. "Quantities versus prices for best social welfare in carbon reduction: A literature review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 554-564.
    6. Corato, Luca Di & Maoz, Yishay D., 2023. "Externality control and endogenous market structure under uncertainty: The price vs. quantity dilemma," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    7. Fridrik Baldursson & Nils-Henrik Fehr, 2012. "Price Volatility and Risk Exposure: On the Interaction of Quota and Product Markets," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 52(2), pages 213-233, June.
    8. Zhao, Jinhua, 2003. "Irreversible abatement investment under cost uncertainties: tradable emission permits and emissions charges," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(12), pages 2765-2789, December.
    9. Michael Grubb, 2007. "The European Emissions Trading Scheme: An Overview of Operations and Lessons," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 5(4), pages 17-25, 06.
    10. Villegas, Clara & Coria, Jessica, 2009. "Taxes, Permits, and the Adoptation of Abatement Technology under Imperfect Compliance," RFF Working Paper Series dp-09-20-efd, Resources for the Future.
    11. Chan, Ying Tung, 2020. "Carbon policies and productivity uncertainty: An intertemporal analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    12. Baldursson, Fridrik M & von der Fehr, N.-H.M.Nils-Henrik M, 2004. "Price volatility and risk exposure: on market-based environmental policy instruments," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 682-704, July.
    13. Clara Villegas-Palacio & Jessica Coria, 2010. "On the interaction between imperfect compliance and technology adoption: taxes versus tradable emissions permits," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 274-291, December.
    14. Ying Tung Chan, 2019. "The Environmental Impacts and Optimal Environmental Policies of Macroeconomic Uncertainty Shocks: A Dynamic Model Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-26, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    REGULATION ; TAXES ; UNCERTAINTY ; ENVIRONMENT;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • Q38 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy (includes OPEC Policy)

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