We examine the impact of a unilateral carbon tax in developed countries focusing on the expected size of carbon leakage (an increase in emissions in non-taxing regions as a result of the tax) and the effects on leakage of border tax adjustments. We start by analyzing the problem using a simple...

Congress is likely to consider domestic climate change legislation during 2009, with a cap-and-trade system continuing to draw support from the Obama Administration and many leaders in Congress. Yet cap-and-trade regulations would take years for EPA to develop and implement, the desired price...

This paper discusses the UN and EU regulations on the climate change in regard to CO2 emission in a perspective of the “Tragedy of the Commons”. The paper presents the objectives of the Rio Convention UNDCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement and the EU CO2 trading system. The main...

In the Tragedy of the Commons Hardin suggested that with respect to global commons we are trapped in a vicious circle where calculations of utility pushes us to keep polluting our own nest. This taken on a global scale has led to concerns about climate change and a realization that measures need...

The working paper concerns the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) and its climate provision. It addresses the “When”, “Where”, and “How”. The “When” concerns when the CAI may enter into force. The paper provides an overview of some of the current issues that may...

Border tax adjustments (BTAs) may be able to alleviate concerns of reduced competitiveness for countries introducing environmental taxes and standards, while limiting the risk of companies relocating to developing countries to exploit lax environmental regimes - known as leakage. However, the...

Given the urgent need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and concern regarding insufficient climate action and ambition across the globe, NGOs and individuals are increasingly turning to the courts to force States, public authorities, and private entities to increase their climate...

The European Union has been prizing itself for being the global leader in terms of climate change; its triptych approach and the 20-20-20 targets were certainly an enviable effort prior to the United Nations Convention. However, with the economic crisis having left its mark, there has been a...

Examining the US Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, I find that facilities reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7.0% after mandatory disclosure of facility-level emissions. A facility's prior GHG inefficiency predicts subsequent GHG emissions reductions, but only after public disclosure occurs,...

This overview paper explains how greenhouse gas emissions trading works, provides the essentials of the Directive on the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and summarizes the main implementation problems of the EU ETS. In addition, a law and economics approach is used to discuss...