Expected net present value, expected net future value, and the Ramsey rule

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
Year: 2010
Volume: 59
Issue: 2
Pages: 142-148

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

Weitzman [1] showed that when future interest rates are uncertain, using the expected net present value implies a term structure of discount rates that is decreasing to the smallest possible interest rate. On the contrary, using the expected net future value criteria implies an increasing term structure of discount rates up to the largest possible interest rate. We reconcile the two approaches by introducing risk aversion and utility maximization. We show that if the aggregate consumption path is optimized and made flexible to news about future interest rates, the two criteria are equivalent. Moreover, they are also equivalent to the Ramsey rule extended to uncertainty.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jeeman:v:59:y:2010:i:2:p:142-148
Journal Field
Environment
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25