The Carbon Bubble: climate policy in a fire‐sale model of deleveraging

B-Tier
Journal: Scandanavian Journal of Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 125
Issue: 3
Pages: 655-687

Authors (2)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Credible implementation of climate change policy, consistent with the 2 °C limit, requires a large proportion of current fossil‐fuel reserves to remain unused. This issue, named the Carbon Bubble, is usually presented as a required asset write‐off, with implications for investors. We embed the Carbon Bubble in a macroeconomic model exhibiting a financial accelerator: if investors are leveraged, then the Carbon Bubble might precipitate a fire‐sale of assets across the economy, and generate a large and persistent fall in output and investment, impairing the economy's ability to invest in the zero carbon assets it needs to produce output in the post‐climate‐transition world. We find a role for macroeconomic policy protecting investors' balance sheets in mitigating the macroeconomic effects of the Carbon Bubble, and enhancing welfare.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:scandj:v:125:y:2023:i:3:p:655-687
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25