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Deciding with long-term environmental impacts: what role for discounting?

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  • Schilizzi, Steven

Abstract

The problem of how to discount values in the far future is reviewed, and shown to lead down a blind alley. An alternative is proposed that allows long term consequences to be addressed by decisions using a relatively short term time horizon. A simple model investigating the optimal containment of radioactive waste in a deterministic world is used to show that current generations can indeed cater for the interests of the far future while optimising over the short term; however, this is not always possible. The proposed method seems to address most of the critiques of long term discounting found in the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Schilizzi, Steven, 2003. "Deciding with long-term environmental impacts: what role for discounting?," 2003 Conference (47th), February 12-14, 2003, Fremantle, Australia 58206, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aare03:58206
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.58206
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    References listed on IDEAS

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