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The dynamics of optimal abatement strategies for multiple pollutants--An illustration in the Greenhouse

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  • Moslener, Ulf
  • Requate, Till

Abstract

We investigate optimal abatement strategies for cumulative and interacting pollutants. We show that different decay rates can cause non-monotonic behavior in the optimal paths of emissions, the aggregate level of pollution, and even the relative optimal price for emissions. This contrasts strikingly with the case of a single pollutant. The results are illustrated by numerical simulations, first for instructive fictitious and second for more realistic parameters mimicking the greenhouse problem. The results add to the skepticism existing about whether the concept of global warming potential is a useful indicator for the optimal relative abatement of different GHGs over time. In fact, we show that a constant index suitable for comparing dynamically different pollutants with respect to their economic harmfulness does not exist.

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  • Moslener, Ulf & Requate, Till, 2009. "The dynamics of optimal abatement strategies for multiple pollutants--An illustration in the Greenhouse," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1521-1534, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:68:y:2009:i:5:p:1521-1534
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    3. Guy Meunier, 2015. "Prices vs. quantities in presence of a second, unpriced, externality," Working Papers hal-01242040, HAL.
    4. Andreas Schaefer, 2016. "Survival to Adulthood and the Growth Drag of Pollution," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 16/241, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    5. Legras, Sophie, 2011. "Incomplete model specification in a multi-pollutants setting: The case of climate change and acidification," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 527-543, September.
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    9. Zhang, Xiao-Bing & Xu, Jing, 2018. "Optimal policies for climate change: A joint consideration of CO2 and methane," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 1021-1029.
    10. Rickels, Wilfried & Merk, Christine & Honneth, Johannes & Schwinger, Jörg & Quaas, Martin & Oschlies, Andreas, 2019. "Welche Rolle spielen negative Emissionen für die zukünftige Klimapolitik?," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 261840, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
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