Much of the air pollution currently regulated under U.S. emissions trading programs is non-uniformly mixed, meaning that health and environmental damages depend on the location and dispersion characteristics of the sources. Existing policy regimes ignore this fact. Emissions are penalized at a...

The Scoping Plan for compliance with California Assembly Bill 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006; AB 32) proposes a substantial reduction in 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all economic sectors through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other technological measures. Most of the...

Through a series of experiments, we measure the marginal damage of emissions near Atlanta using a sophisticated integrated assessment model. The marginal damages of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are driven by proximity to downtown Atlanta; emissions produced closer to the city lead to higher exposures and...

We explore the long run dynamic implications of subjecting an imperfectly competitive industry to market-based pollution regulation. We are particularly interested in understanding how the allocation of emissions permits in a cap-and-trade program can influence the evolution of a trade exposed...

We document very low takeâ€up of an energy efficiency program that is widely believed to be privately beneficial. Program participants receive a substantial home “weatherization†retrofit; all installation and equipment costs are covered by the program. Less than one percent of...

An advantage of cap-and-trade programs over more prescriptive environmental regulation is that compliance flexibility and cost effectiveness can make more stringent emissions reductions politically feasible. However, when markets (versus regulators) determine where emissions occur, it becomes...

According to the Coase theorem, if property rights to pollute are clearly established and emissions permit markets nearly eliminate transaction costs, the permit market equilibrium will be independent of how the permits are initially distributed among …firms. Testing the independence of...

We assess the long-run dynamic implications of market-based regulation of carbon dioxide emissions in the US Portland cement industry. We consider several alternative policy designs, including mechanisms that use production subsidies to partially offset compliance costs and border tax...

The sale of “green power” (electricity generated using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or geothermal power) to non-residential customers at a premium is one of several market-based approaches for supporting renewables. Why would profit-maximizing firms or budget-conscious...