全球智库信息集成服务系统

Sterner, Thomas and Adrian Muller. 2006. “Output and Abatement Effects of Allocation Readjustment in Permit Trade” RFF Discussion paper 06-49
Download reference

In permit trading systems, free initial allocation is common practice. A recent example is the European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS).

We investigate effects of different free allocation schemes on incentives and identify significant perverse effects on abatement and output employing a simple multi-period model. Firms have incentives for strategic action if allocation in one period depends on their actions in previous ones and thus can be influenced by them. These findings play a major role where trading schemes become increasingly popular as environmental or resource use policy instruments. This is of particular relevance in the EU-ETS, where the current period is a trial-period before the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol. Finally, this paper fills a gap in the literature by establishing a consistent terminology for initial allocation.

Co-author:

Adrian Muller

Authors

• Sterner, Thomas
• Other authors:
  Muller, Adrian