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Voluntary corporate climate initiatives and regulatory threat

Author

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  • Dragan Ilić

    (ETH Zürich, CER Center of Economic Research, ZUE F11
    University of Basel)

  • Janick Christian Mollet

    (ETH Zürich, CER Center of Economic Research, ZUE F11
    Polynomics)

Abstract

Does participation in voluntary environmental initiatives affect firm value? We take a closer look at the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) and the Climate Leaders (CL), two US initiatives to curb carbon emissions that were operating during a decisive regulatory event. In 2009 the Waxman-Markey Bill surprisingly passed the House of Representatives and brought the US economy a big step closer to a nationwide CO2 emission trading system. With an event study we assess how the stock market valued membership in the initiatives when the likelihood of CO2 regulation unexpectedly increased. Our findings suggest that only membership in the market-based CCX was considered beneficial for a mandated carbon market. This is consistent with research that equity-based regulation through financial markets can help economies favor clean industries over dirty ones. We interpret the empirical results in a simple model. Adding earlier market reactions to the firms’ membership announcements, the model implies that the market had been betting on a mandatory emission trading system all along.

Suggested Citation

  • Dragan Ilić & Janick Christian Mollet, 2022. "Voluntary corporate climate initiatives and regulatory threat," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 157-184, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:iecepo:v:19:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10368-021-00519-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10368-021-00519-0
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulation; Voluntary markets; Permit markets; Financial markets; Climate change; Greenhouse gas emissions; CO 2; Corporate social responsibility; Shareholder wealth; Equity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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