IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/10001.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

On the political economy of environmental survival versus collapse. Clarifying the work done by Tinbergen & Hueting vis-à-vis Weitzman, Nordhaus and Stern

Author

Listed:
  • Colignatus, Thomas

Abstract

The Stern Review (2006) on the economics of climate change presented a cost estimate of perhaps even 20% of national income and subsequently was criticized by Weitzman and Nordhaus and others in a discussion that centered on the use of the calculus of variations and the choice of the proper rate of discount. The Tinbergen & Hueting (1991) approach deals with the wider environmental collapse, is not formulated in the form of the calculus of variations, and arrives at a sustainable level of national income of about 50% of national income. The Tinbergen & Hueting (TH) approach appears to be neglected by Weitzman, Nordhaus and Stern (WNS) but appears to be better grounded in economic theory, mathematically richer and empirically more relevant. This paper clarifies the misunderstandings and omissions in the work by WNS on environmental economics.

Suggested Citation

  • Colignatus, Thomas, 2008. "On the political economy of environmental survival versus collapse. Clarifying the work done by Tinbergen & Hueting vis-à-vis Weitzman, Nordhaus and Stern," MPRA Paper 10001, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:10001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/10001/1/MPRA_paper_10001.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Sterner & U. Martin Persson, 2008. "An Even Sterner Review: Introducing Relative Prices into the Discounting Debate," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 2(1), pages 61-76, Winter.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    3. William D. Nordhaus & James Tobin, 1973. "Is Growth Obsolete?," NBER Chapters, in: The Measurement of Economic and Social Performance, pages 509-564, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. de Bovenberg, A Lans & Mooij, Ruud A, 1994. "Environmental Levies and Distortionary Taxation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(4), pages 1085-1089, September.
    5. Ekko C. Van Ierland & Jan van der Straaten & Herman Vollebergh (ed.), 2001. "Economic Growth and Valuation of the Environment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2219.
    6. Thomas Colignatus, 2005. "Announcement of availability: "Definition & Reality in the General Theory of Political Economy" 2nd edition 2005," General Economics and Teaching 0502072, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. William D. Nordhaus, 1995. "How Should We Measure Sustainable Income?," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1101, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    8. Thomas Cool, 1995. "On the political economy of employment in the welfare state," Macroeconomics 9509001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 03 Oct 1995.
    9. William D. Nordhaus, 2006. "The "Stern Review" on the Economics of Climate Change," NBER Working Papers 12741, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Colignatus, Thomas, 2008. "The Old Man and the SNI: A review of advance and adversity in Hueting's research in sustainable national income (SNI), economic growth and the new scarcity from the environment," MPRA Paper 9152, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Herbert E. Scarf, 1992. "Tjalling Charles Koopmans (August 28, 1910-February 26, 1985)," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1029, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Céline Antonin & Thomas Melonio & Xavier Timbeau, 2012. "L'epargne nette ré-ajustée," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(1), pages 259-286.
    2. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09hi4j70a29 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:bla:opecrv:v:33:y:2009:i:1:p:1-22 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09hi4j70a29 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09hi4j70a29 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09hi4j70a29 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Hoff, Jens V. & Rasmussen, Martin M.B. & Sørensen, Peter Birch, 2021. "Barriers and opportunities in developing and implementing a Green GDP," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    8. Endress, Lee H. & Pongkijvorasin, Sittidaj & Roumasset, James & Wada, Christopher A., 2014. "Intergenerational equity with individual impatience in a model of optimal and sustainable growth," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 620-635.
    9. Carl Obst & Lars Hein & Bram Edens, 2016. "National Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Assets and Their Services," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(1), pages 1-23, May.
    10. Simonis, Udo E., 1990. "Beyond growth: elements of sustainable development," EconStor Books, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 112255, June.
    11. Fleurbaey, Marc, 2015. "On sustainability and social welfare," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 34-53.
    12. Zoltán Nagy & Tekla Sebestyén Szép, 2017. "Sustainable Energy in Post-Communist East- Central Europe - A Comprehensive Study," Theory Methodology Practice (TMP), Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 13(02), pages 59-70.
    13. Moritz A. Drupp, 2018. "Limits to Substitution Between Ecosystem Services and Manufactured Goods and Implications for Social Discounting," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 69(1), pages 135-158, January.
    14. Valeria Andreoni, 2010. "Material Flows Accounting: A Biophysical Approach to Macroeconomic Sustainability," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 17(1), pages 217-228, May.
    15. Vardon, Michael & Burnett, Peter & Dovers, Stephen, 2016. "The accounting push and the policy pull: balancing environment and economic decisions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 145-152.
    16. Alfsen, Knut H. & Greaker, Mads, 2007. "From natural resources and environmental accounting to construction of indicators for sustainable development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 600-610, March.
    17. Xiaorui Wang, 2019. "The National Ecological Accounting and Auditing Scheme as an Instrument of Institutional Reform in China: A Discourse Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 587-603, February.
    18. Cook, David & Davidsdottir, Brynhildur & Petursson, Jón Geir, 2015. "Accounting for the utilisation of geothermal energy resources within the genuine progress indicator—A methodological review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 211-220.
    19. Wackernagel, Mathis & Rees, William E., 1997. "Perceptual and structural barriers to investing in natural capital: Economics from an ecological footprint perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 3-24, January.
    20. Weitzman, Martin L. & Lofgren, Karl-Gustaf, 1997. "On the Welfare Significance of Green Accounting as Taught by Parable," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 139-153, February.
    21. Proops, John L. R. & Atkinson, Giles & Schlotheim, Burkhard Frhr. v. & Simon, Sandrine, 1999. "International trade and the sustainability footprint: a practical criterion for its assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 75-97, January.
    22. Agnieszka Alińska & Beata Zofia Filipiak & Aneta Kosztowniak, 2018. "The Importance of the Public Sector in Sustainable Development in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-24, September.
    23. Pulselli, Federico Maria & Ciampalini, Francesca & Tiezzi, Enzo & Zappia, Carlo, 2006. "The index of sustainable economic welfare (ISEW) for a local authority: A case study in Italy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 271-281, November.
    24. Laurie Johnson & Chris Hope, 2012. "The social cost of carbon in U.S. regulatory impact analyses: an introduction and critique," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 2(3), pages 205-221, September.
    25. Andrea Rampa, 2020. "Climate change, catastrophes and Dismal Theorem: a critical review [Klimawandel, Katastrophen und das „Dismal Theorem“: eine kritische Überprüfung]," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 40(2), pages 113-136, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social welfare; national income; sustainable national income; economic growth; sustainable economic growth; sustainability; environment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:10001. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.