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Optimal Timing of Environmental Policy. Interaction between Environmental Taxes and Innovation Externalities

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This paper addresses the impact of endogenous technology through research and development (R&D) and learning by doing (LbD) on the timing of environmental policy. We develop two models, the first with technological change through R&D and the second with LbD. We study the interaction between environmental taxes and innovation externalities in a dynamic economy and prove policy equivalence between the second-best R&D and the LbD model. Our analysis shows that the difference found in the literature between optimal environmental policy in R&D and LbD models can partly be traced back to the set of policy instruments available, rather than being directly linked to the source of technological innovation. Arguments for early action in LbD models carry over to a second-best R&D setting. We show that environmental taxes should be high compared to the Pigouvian levels when an abatement industry is developing. We illustrate our analysis through numerical simulations on climate change policy.

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  • Reyer Gerlagh & Snorre Kverndokk & Knut Einar Rosendahl, 2007. "Optimal Timing of Environmental Policy. Interaction between Environmental Taxes and Innovation Externalities," Discussion Papers 493, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssb:dispap:493
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    Cited by:

    1. André Grimaud & Luc Rouge, 2008. "Environment, Directed Technical Change and Economic Policy," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 41(4), pages 439-463, December.
    2. Tom-Reiel Heggedal, 2008. "On R&D and the undersupply of emerging versus mature technologies," Discussion Papers 571, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    3. Gerlagh, Reyer & Kverndokk, Snorre & Rosendahl, Knut Einar, 2014. "The optimal time path of clean energy R&D policy when patents have finite lifetime," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 2-19.
    4. Garrone, Paola & Grilli, Luca, 2010. "Is there a relationship between public expenditures in energy R&D and carbon emissions per GDP? An empirical investigation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 5600-5613, October.
    5. Ziesemer, Thomas & Michaelis, Peter, 2011. "Strategic environmental policy and the accumulation of knowledge," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 180-191, June.
    6. Gerlagh, Reyer & Kverndokk, Snorre & Rosendahl, Knut Einar, 2008. "Linking Environmental and Innovation Policy," Economic Theory and Applications Working Papers 37847, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    7. Hart, Rob, 2008. "The timing of taxes on CO2 emissions when technological change is endogenous," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 194-212, March.
    8. Geir H. Bjertnæs & Tom-Reiel Heggedal & Karl Jacobsen, 2009. "Knowledge spillovers and the timing of R&D policy," DEGIT Conference Papers c014_042, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    9. Wiepke Wissema & Rob Dellink, 2010. "AGE assessment of interactions between climate change policy instruments and pre-existing taxes: the case of Ireland," International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(1/2), pages 46-62.
    10. Marius Bulearca & Cristian Sima, 2015. "IDENTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY (International Conference “EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE OF LABOR MARKET - INOVATION, EXPERTNESS, PERFORMANCE”)," Institute for Economic Forecasting Conference Proceedings 141102, Institute for Economic Forecasting.
    11. Carraro, Carlo & De Cian, Enrica & Nicita, Lea & Massetti, Emanuele & Verdolini, Elena, 2010. "Environmental Policy and Technical Change: A Survey," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 4(2), pages 163-219, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental policy; technological change; research and development; learning by doing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources

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