Econometrica

Journal Of The Econometric Society

An International Society for the Advancement of Economic
Theory in its Relation to Statistics and Mathematics

Edited by: Guido W. Imbens • Print ISSN: 0012-9682 • Online ISSN: 1468-0262

Econometrica: Mar, 2025, Volume 93, Issue 2

Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax Meet Arrow–Debreu

https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA22923
p. 357-393

Robert M. Anderson|Haosui Duanmu

We propose two general equilibrium models, quota equilibrium, and emission tax equilibrium. Government specifies quotas or taxes on emissions, and then refrains from further action. All results remain valid regardless of how government chooses its emissions target. Quota equilibrium exists; the allocation of emission property rights impacts the distribution of welfare. If the only externality arises from total net emissions, quota equilibrium is Pareto optimal among all feasible outcomes with the same total net emissions. For certain tax rates, emission tax equilibrium may not exist. Every quota equilibrium can be realized as an emission tax equilibrium and vice versa. However, different quota prices may arise in equilibrium from a single quota, and different emission levels may arise in equilibrium from a single tax rate. This leads to inequivalence between quota and emission tax equilibria.


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Supplemental Material

Supplement to "Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax Meet Arrow-Debreu"

Robert M. Anderson and Haosui Duanmu

This supplementary material consists of a section discussing the limitations of partial equilibrium analysis and disposal cone, a section on Rebate Walras Law, proofs of Propositions 1 and 2 in Anderson and Duanmu (2025), a special case of Theorem 2 in Anderson and Duanmu (2025), and detailed analysis of the examples from Anderson and Duanmu (2025).


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