Briefing highlights – Analyzing policy attitudes is important for understanding environmental policy feasibility. – Pure self-interest is not sufficient to explain people’s policy positions. There are…

Economists argue that carbon taxation (and more generally carbon pricing) is the single most powerful way to combat climate change. Since this is so controversial, we need to explain it better, and to…

This publication explains how market-based instruments can be utilized to improve air quality, water, and waste management in Asia. Asia has experienced massive economic growth, characterized by rapid…

Abstract In this paper, we provide new insights into the drivers of China’s strong economic growth, especially after its entry into the WTO in 2001. Using synthetic control methods, we demonstrate…

We compare the effects of price and quantity instruments (an emissions tax and a quota with tradable permits) on the incentive to innovate to reduce the cost of an emission-free technology. We assume…

Many countries have implemented policies to tackle climate change, with Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) being one of the foremost attempts. Under such schemes, firms receive emission allowances. The…

As an industry intensively using fossil fuel, the power sector is naturally a focus of efforts to slow climate change. In March 2015, China started the third round of power sector reform with the…

Abstract This paper examines the impact of carbon emissions trading schemes (ETS) on technical change proxied by the number of green patents in the context of the pilot ETS in China. I find a small…

Policy makers often express concern about the impact of carbon taxes on employment and GDP. Focusing on European countries that have implemented carbon taxes over the past 30 years, we estimate the…

A number of studies show that payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs contribute to reducing deforestation, but few have measured the impact on ecosystem service provision or compared economic…