Expecting the Unexpected: Emissions Uncertainty and Environmental Market Design

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2019
Volume: 109
Issue: 11
Pages: 3953-77

Authors (4)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We study potential equilibria in California's cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gases (GHGs) based on information available before the market started. We find large ex ante uncertainty in business-as-usual emissions and in the abatement that might result from non-market policies, much larger than the reduction that could plausibly occur in response to an allowance price within a politically acceptable range. This implies that the market price is very likely to be determined by an administrative price floor or ceiling. Similar factors seem likely to be present in other cap-and-trade markets for GHGs.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:109:y:2019:i:11:p:3953-77
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24