Global Demographic Change and Climate Policies

CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2017-035

46 Pages Posted: 22 Sep 2017

See all articles by Reyer Gerlagh

Reyer Gerlagh

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management

Richard Jaimes

Tilburg University - Center for Economic Research (CentER)

Ali Motavasseli

Institute for Management and Planning Studies

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: September 7, 2017

Abstract

Between 1950 and 2017, world average life expectancy increased from below-50 to above-70, while the fertility rate dropped from 5 to about 2.5. We develop and calibrate an analytic climate-economy model with overlapping generations to study the effect of such demographic change on capital markets and optimal climate policies. Our model replicates findings from the OLG-demography literature, such as a rise in households’ savings, and a declining rate of return to capital. We also find that demographic change raises the social cost of carbon, at 2020, from 28 euro/tCO2 in a model that abstracts from demography, to 94 euro/tCO2 in our calibrated model.

Keywords: Climate Change, Social Cost of Carbon, Environmental Policy, Demographic Trends

JEL Classification: H23, J11, Q54, Q58

Suggested Citation

Gerlagh, Reyer and Jaimes, Richard and Motavasseli, Ali, Global Demographic Change and Climate Policies (September 7, 2017). CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2017-035 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3040546 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3040546

Reyer Gerlagh (Contact Author)

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

Richard Jaimes

Tilburg University - Center for Economic Research (CentER) ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

Ali Motavasseli

Institute for Management and Planning Studies ( email )

North Niavaran Street
Tehran
Iran

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
82
Abstract Views
569
Rank
308,073
PlumX Metrics