Directed technical change, environmental sustainability, and population growth
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Directed technical change, environmental sustainability, and population growth. / Kruse-Andersen, Peter Kjær.
I: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Bind 122, 102885, 10.2023.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Directed technical change, environmental sustainability, and population growth
AU - Kruse-Andersen, Peter Kjær
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Population growth has two potentially counteracting effects on pollution emissions: (i) more people imply more production and thereby more emissions, and (ii) more people imply a larger research capacity which might reduce the emission intensity of production, depending on the direction of research. This study investigates how to achieve a given climate goal in the presence of these two effects. A growth model featuring both directed technical change and population growth is developed. The model allows for simultaneous research in polluting and non-polluting technologies. Both analytical and numerical results indicate that population growth is a burden on the environment, even when all research efforts are directed toward non-polluting technologies. Thus, research subsidies alone cannot ensure environmental sustainability. Instead, the analysis highlights the importance of carbon taxes for climate change mitigation.
AB - Population growth has two potentially counteracting effects on pollution emissions: (i) more people imply more production and thereby more emissions, and (ii) more people imply a larger research capacity which might reduce the emission intensity of production, depending on the direction of research. This study investigates how to achieve a given climate goal in the presence of these two effects. A growth model featuring both directed technical change and population growth is developed. The model allows for simultaneous research in polluting and non-polluting technologies. Both analytical and numerical results indicate that population growth is a burden on the environment, even when all research efforts are directed toward non-polluting technologies. Thus, research subsidies alone cannot ensure environmental sustainability. Instead, the analysis highlights the importance of carbon taxes for climate change mitigation.
KW - Climate change
KW - Directed technical change
KW - Endogenous growth
KW - Environmental policy
KW - Environmental sustainability
KW - Population growth
U2 - 10.1016/j.jeem.2023.102885
DO - 10.1016/j.jeem.2023.102885
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85173255268
VL - 122
JO - Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
SN - 0095-0696
M1 - 102885
ER -
ID: 370216598