A Service of zbw Green R&D versus End-of-Pipe Emission Abatement: A Model of Directed Technical Change Green R&D versus End-of-Pipe Emission Abatement: A Model of Directed Technical Change

Michael Rauscher
unpublished
Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen
more » ... bedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Abstract The paper looks at a model of directed technical change in an environmental-economics context. Firms can do conventional or "green" R&D or they can abate emissions at the end of pipe. The paper has two main foci. On the one hand, it investigates the impact of environmental regulation on the allocation of resources to conventional R&D, green R&D, and end-of-pipe abatement. On the other hand, it addresses the question whether stricter emission standards should be used to support green R&D and/or economic growth. The analysis looks at the steady state and finds that stricter environmental regulation reduces economic growth. It, however, may induce a shift from end-of-pipe abatement to process-integrated green technologies. As regards optimal policies, the first best is to use a Pigouvian tax to internalise environmental externalties and R&D subsidies to internalise knowledge spillovers. A second-best environmental policy in the absence of R&D subsidies may be stricter than the first-best benchmark if knowledge spillovers in the development of green technologies are larger than in the rest of the economy. Otherwise, the second-best environmental policy will always use laxer standards.
fatcat:jau5k3mfn5a5nkcq5n6cjbvgum