Responding to Carbon Leakage

Question A:

The carbon border adjustment mechanism will ensure that the European Union’s green objectives are not undermined by the relocation of EU production in the sectors under the mechanism to non-EU countries with less ambitious climate policies (‘carbon leakage').

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question B:

To the extent that the carbon border adjustment mechanism is effective in reducing emissions and carbon leakage, it will impose substantial costs on the economies of poorer countries.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question A Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
The first round effects should be as described. But secondary effects may be unexpected and large so probably a good thing but there may be surprises.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Bloom
Nicholas Bloom
Stanford
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Fehr
Ernst Fehr
Universität Zurich
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
Sciences Po
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
The undermining of sustainable production processes through global competition is indeed hampered by the CBAM. But, of course, at a cost that needs to be addressed as well, namely the willingness of "the north" to invest in better technologies in "the south" - insurance may help
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Agree in principle. CBAM should help with concerns about leakage and the competitiveness of domestic firms. But “ensure” is a strong statement. The devil is in the details. Much depends on scope and implementation. Evidence for overall effect on emissions mixed.
-see background information here
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Persson
Torsten Persson
Stockholm University Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Pissarides
Christopher Pissarides
London School of Economics and Political Science Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
While the magnitude of any re-location in response to carbon taxes is highly uncertain, a carbon border adjustment could help to make more aggressive policies politically feasible.
Van Reenen
John Van Reenen
LSE
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Now the biggest polluters in Europe get free permits and do not face a proper incentive to cut emissions. With a BTA there will be a level playing field and these firms can pay the permit price too without risking dirty commission from outside the EU.
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
“Ensure” seems too strong but it should help.
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
A necessary condition for a common carbon tax is a common carbon border. And the Common Market cannot operate with varied carbon taxes.

Question B Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
In the short term maybe but in the long term uncertain. This may help these countries to adjust faster and become more sophisticated in green technologies.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
it depends on what measures they themselves take to limit emissions.
Bloom
Nicholas Bloom
Stanford
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Depends on accompanying policies. Poorer countries are severely exposed to global warming.
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
I am not sure the poorer economies will be the most affected. Those who are should get financial help from rich countries to transition to low carbon production
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Fehr
Ernst Fehr
Universität Zurich
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
Sciences Po
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
There will no doubt be exporters that stand to lose, but longer term they will benefit from climate change mitigation. Besides(as with other corrective taxes) distributional effects can be offset by compensating grants; (But will they?).
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
This is why a policy of targeted transfers ("green international aid") can allow improved technology investments in "the south" to reach profitability.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
If effective, CBAM will shift some of the burden to non-abating countries, which most likely poorer countries. We know this from tariff literature. “Uncertain” because not sure about size of effect. It (or incidence) depends on the demand and supplies elasticities.
-see background information here
-see background information here
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Uncertain
9
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Persson
Torsten Persson
Stockholm University Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Pissarides
Christopher Pissarides
London School of Economics and Political Science Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
With currently likely levels of carbon border adjustments, the impacts are unlikely to be substantial.
Van Reenen
John Van Reenen
LSE
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
On the one hand, poorer countries will find it more difficult to export CO2-intensive products to the EU and will thus be worse off. On the other hand, it will encourage them also to speed up their green transition.
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
it will be an incentive for all countries to limit carbon emissions, which is unavoidable. Helping poorer countries does not mean allowing them to avoid adjustments but providing them with financial support.