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Strategic Environmental Policy Under Free Trade with Transboundary Pollution

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  • Sikdar, Shiva
  • Lapan, Harvey E.

Abstract

We analyze the effects of free trade on environmental policies in a strategic setting with transboundary pollution. Trade liberalization can result in a race to the bottom in environmental outcomes, making both countries worse off. With command and control policies (quotas), there is no race to the bottom. However, with internationally tradable permits, unless pollution is a pure global public bad, there is a race to the bottom in environmental policy. In our model carbon leakage alone, and not a terms of trade motive, drives countries to relax domestic environmental policy. Quantity-based tools strictly welfare-dominate price-based tools under free trade.

Suggested Citation

  • Sikdar, Shiva & Lapan, Harvey E., 2008. "Strategic Environmental Policy Under Free Trade with Transboundary Pollution," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12931, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:isu:genres:12931
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hwang, Sanghyun, 2022. "Is There an Environmental Race to the Bottom in an Endogenous Growth Model of Interjurisdictional Competition?," Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 63(1), pages 24-50, June.
    2. Choi, E. Kwan, 2013. "Genetic contamination of traditional products," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 291-297.
    3. Chen, Xudong & Huang, Bihong, 2016. "Club membership and transboundary pollution: Evidence from the European Union enlargement," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 230-237.
    4. Rui Wan & Jean-François Wen, 2017. "The Environmental Conundrum of Rare Earth Elements," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(1), pages 157-180, May.
    5. E. Kwan Choi, 2011. "Genetic Contamination of Traditional Products," DEGIT Conference Papers c016_002, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    6. Thomas Eichner & Rüdiger Pethig, 2012. "Stable climate coalitions (Nash) and international trade," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 155-12, Universität Siegen, Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschaftsinformatik und Wirtschaftsrecht.
    7. Soham Baksi, 2014. "Regional versus Multilateral Trade Liberalization, Environmental Taxation, and Welfare," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 47(1), pages 232-249, February.
    8. Nikos Tsakiris & Panos Hatzipanayotou & Michael S. Michael, 2017. "Welfare Ranking of Environmental Policies in the Presence of Capital Mobility and Cross‐Border Pollution," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 84(1), pages 317-336, July.
    9. Harvey E. Lapan & Shiva Sikdar, 2017. "Can Trade Be Good for the Environment?," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 19(2), pages 267-288, April.
    10. E. Kwan Choi, 2011. "Genetic Contamination of Traditional Products," CESifo Working Paper Series 3624, CESifo.
    11. Sikdar, Shiva, 2008. "Essays in macroeconomics, international trade and the environment," ISU General Staff Papers 2008010108000016832, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    12. Michael S. Michael & Panos Hatzipanayotou, 2013. "Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Equilibrium Consumption Taxes in the Presence of Cross-Border Pollution," CESifo Working Paper Series 4501, CESifo.
    13. Harvey E. Lapan & Shiva Sikdar, 2019. "Is Trade in Permits Good for the Environment?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 72(2), pages 501-510, February.
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    15. Thomas Eichner & Rüdiger Pethig, 2015. "Is trade liberalization conducive to the formation of climate coalitions?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 22(6), pages 932-955, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    free trade; transboundary pollution; environmental policy; carbon leakage; race to the bottom;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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