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A simple climate-Solow model for introducing the economics of climate change to undergraduate students

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  • Tsigaris, Panagiotis
  • Wood, Joel

Abstract

In this paper the simplest integrated assessment model is developed in order to illustrate to undergraduate students the economic issues associated with climate change. The growth model developed in this paper is an extension of the basic Solow model and includes a simple climate model. Even though the model is very simple it is very powerful in its predictions. Students use the model to explore various scenarios illustrating how economic activity today will inflict damages from higher temperatures on future generations. But students also observe that future generations will be richer than today’s generation due to productivity growth and population stabilization. Hence, the richer future generations will not be as rich as they would be without climate change. Since the cost of action is absorbed by the current generation and the benefits of action accrue to future generations students can conduct a cost-benefit analysis and explore the importance of the discount rate. The appendix provides step-by-step instructions for students to setup the model in MS Excel and to conduct simulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsigaris, Panagiotis & Wood, Joel, 2016. "A simple climate-Solow model for introducing the economics of climate change to undergraduate students," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 65-81.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ireced:v:23:y:2016:i:c:p:65-81
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iree.2016.06.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Luis Antonio Galiano Bastarrica & Eva M. Buitrago Esquinas & María Ángeles Caraballo Pou & Rocío Yñiguez Ovando, 2023. "Environmental adjustment of the EU27 GDP: an econometric quantitative model," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 115-128, March.
    2. Surender Kumar & Madhu Khanna, 2019. "Temperature and production efficiency growth: empirical evidence," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 209-229, September.
    3. Bongers, Anelí & Gómez, Trinidad & Torres, José L., 2020. "Teaching dynamic General equilibrium macroeconomics to undergraduates using a spreadsheet," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    4. Sahar Milani, 2023. "Teaching Environmental Macroeconomics to Undergraduate Students," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 49(3), pages 391-407, June.
    5. Tsigaris, Panagiotis & Wood, Joel, 2019. "The potential impacts of climate change on capital in the 21st century," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 74-86.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Integrated assessment models; Climate change; Solow growth model; Teaching economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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