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Does idiosyncratic risk matter for climate policy?

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  • Richard Jaimes

Abstract

This paper considers an overlapping generations model with idiosyncratic labor income risk and a climate externality. We illustrate analytically that market-based climate policies must be adjusted when there are other intertemporal distortions in the economy. Specifically, we show that under precautionary savings the government finds it optimal to tax capital and to correct the carbon price accordingly. In a numerical exercise, we find that idiosyncratic risk leads to an optimal capital income tax rate of 48% and a carbon price 11% lower than its Pigouvian level in the first best

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Jaimes, 2021. "Does idiosyncratic risk matter for climate policy?," Vniversitas Económica 19276, Universidad Javeriana - Bogotá.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000416:019276
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal policy; Optimal taxation; Externalities; Environmental policies.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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