Competitive Distortions In An International Emissions Trading Market

The objective of this paper on international greenhouse gasemissions trading is to find the conditions, if any, under which internationaldifferences in domestic permit allocation procedures lead to competitivedistortions.The paper finds that grandfathered firms or sectors do not have a costadvantage over identical auctioned firms or sectors abroad, as long asmarkets are perfectly competitive, because they have to include theopportunity costs of using the permits in the product price. However,grandfathered permits are a capital gift to the firm, inducing a windfallprofit, which implies that a similar firm abroad which has to buy its permitshas a higher cash outflow and hence less financial resources. This aspect ofgrandfathering becomes relevant when considering imperfect competitionor equity.Firstly, it is concluded that competitive distortions may arise underimperfect competition, mainly because the grandfathered firms can outlastthe auctioned firms abroad in a price war. Secondly, it appears thatcompetition (or: the level playing field) is distorted in terms of equity,because the mere process of permit allocation gives the grandfathered firmsa stronger financial position and thus an unfair competitive advantage overtheir auctioned competitors abroad.In legal terms, these findings imply that grandfathering is WTO compatibleif one is only willing to consider efficiency and assume perfect competition.However, grandfathering constitutes an actionable subsidy under WTO lawif one also considers equity or if competition is imperfect, which couldnecessitate some level of international harmonization of domestic permitallocation rules.     

Measuring the Welfare Cost of Climate Change Policies: A Comparative Assessment Based on the Computable General Equilibrium Model GEMINI-E3

Measuring the welfare cost of climate change policies is a real challenge, raising difficult issues of micro- and macro-economics: cost-benefit analysis on the one hand, foreign trade and international specialization on the second hand. At the domestic level the possible existence of distortions, in particular in the fiscal system, may either increase or alleviate the welfare cost of a climate change policy, as illustrated by the debate on double dividend. Effects on the prices in international markets and distorted competition between countries committed to abate (Annex B) and uncommitted countries affect both the sharing of the burden, in particular through the change in the terms of trade, and the allocation of activities with the frequently waved threat of delocalization. Based on a companion theoretical analysis, the present paper aims at putting order in the welfare analysis of climate change policy and to present and compare various estimations, issuing from macro- or computable general equilibrium models. Beside the global welfare cost, the paper focuses on the marginal abatement cost and its relation to the carbon price.Most present conceptual and applied analysis is based on the case of a single domestic household-consumer. Taking into account several consumers raises new challenges, concerning equity but even more fundamentally the mere definition of fiscal distortion, which have not yet been really addressed.     

从中德比较论我国环境许可制度的发展

首先从现代环境保护的内在逻辑入手,指出我国环境法治正处于从外生型向内生型转变,并认同以排污许可为核心的环境许可制度应成为我国环境治理的核心制度。接着对环境许可制度进行基本的理论分析和简单框架梳理,认为环境许可制度是以法治完善和科技发展为支撑的,在此基础上需要进一步的内容细化和体系构建,并强调在风险预防原则下,环境许可不应局限于排污许可制度。然后分析了欧盟与德国在环境许可一体化上的趋势与不同,进而提出我国环境许可制度的趋势。探讨了与环境许可制度紧密相关的环境技术标准制度,认为基于技术的环境标准面临内生性、系统化和动态完善的要求,环境许可制度需要面向环境质量达标体系转型。本文还分析了德国环境治理理念的转型变革与许可制度衔接的经验。最后,小结对我国环境许可制度的启示。     

提升“三线一单”中生态环境准入清单有效性的若干建议

生态环境准入清单是“三线一单”的成果出口，是未来落实空间环境管控和准入的直接依据，也是提升“三线一单”有效落地实施的重要抓手，要达到适用、实用、管用的要求。通过总结梳理当前已发布和编制中的生态环境准入清单情况，本文发现各省（区、市）在构建生态环境准入清单分层体系、制定“三线—单元—清单”逻辑链条和解决区域重点环境问题中形成了较好的经验，但同时生态环境准入清单在编制和应用中还存在各层次缺乏连通、管控单元和清单要求之间存在逻辑偏差、对主要环境问题研判不够和缺乏针对性整改措施等难点与问题。结合各省（区、市）编制组在清单编制中的有效做法和经验，本文建议在下一步清单细化和优化工作中，首先要加强与各职能部门、管理部门的对接；其次要坚持问题导向，结合区域实际情况，以精细化管理的目标制定针对性的清单措施与要求；最后开展成果的实践应用试点，总结经验，进一步提升清单有效性。     

基于排污权交易制度的流域水质管理体系研究

计划经济体制下行政和命令式的流域管理模式缺乏相应的利益调节和经济激励,因此难以适应市场经济体制下对水质资源管理的新需求。排污权交易制度作为一种新的治理流域污染的市场手段比政府行政管制手段具有更大的优势,它将市场机制充分地运用于环境资源的配置,在总量控制的前提下,通过排污权的交易,实现低成本治理污染,保护水质。从排污权立法、许可的最初分配和排污交易等方面建立排污权交易制度模式,为流域水质管理提供有益的思路。     

排污权影子价格模型的分析及启示

通过建立排污权交易市场,引入市场机制力促进企业污染减排,以形成治污的长效机制,是推进节能减排制度创新的重要举措。作为一种以市场为基础的环境经济政策,排污权交易体系具有污染治理的成本效率特征,允许企业在以最低成本减少污染的同时拥有一定灵活性。在中国当前的排污权交易试点工作中,排污权初始分配方式成为了各方争论的一个焦点。利用排污权影子价格模型,深入剖析了排污权影子价格的形成机制和相关命题,并论述了排污权影子价格的政策含义及其对中国开展排污权交易的启示。     

Unified methodology for site-characterization and sampling of highway runoff

Hydrology, roadway traffic conditions, and atmospheric deposition are three essential data categories for the planning and implementation of highway-runoff monitoring and characterization programs. Causal variables pertaining to each data category could be site specific but have been shown to correlate with runoff pollutant loads. These data categories were combined to derive statistical relationships for characterization and prioritization of the respective pollutant loads at highway runoff sites. Storm runoff data of total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solid (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) collected from three highway sites in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, were used to illustrate the development of site-specific highway-runoff pollutant loading models. This unified methodology provides a basis for initial assessment of the pollutant-constituent loads from highway runoff using hydrologic component variables. Improved reliability is achievable when additional traffic and/or atmospheric component variables are incorporated into the basic hydrologic regression model. In addition, operational guidance is suggested for implementing highway-runoff monitoring programs that are subject to sampling and resources constraints.     

企业主体责任导向下排污许可制的制度内涵、法律价值和构建路径

构建以排污许可制为核心的固定污染源监管制度体系,具有丰富的制度内涵,在当前强化排污单位污染防治主体责任的政策目标下,对有效形成企业持证排污、政府依证监管格局,提升固定污染源污染防治的法治化水平,具有重要的法律价值。当前应以《排污许可管理条例》的制定为契机,以排污许可证整合企业污染防治义务,厘清政府和企业的权力义务边界,明确排污单位污染排放控制的责任范围,具体化监管要求,增强企业污染物排放管理的预期,激励和推动企业强化对自身排放行为的管理,主动承担环境治理主体责任,提升污染源监管制度效能。     

基于排污许可证执行报告的“依证指数”构建方法研究

排污许可证执行报告是评价排污单位排污许可证实施情况的重要依据。执行报告以自行监测与台账记录信息为核心,涵盖排污单位污染治理与排放全过程的众多信息,但是目前尚缺少据此对排污许可执行情况进行综合评价的方法体系。采取常见的指数化方法,基于执行报告中的自行监测和台账记录等信息,构建排污许可证执行报告报送指数(A)、合规指数(R),结合监督检查校正系数(B),最终建立依证指数(I),依此对排污单位排污许可执行情况进行综合评价。对案例甲和案例乙两家火电企业2018年、2019年依证指数进行试算,所得结果可以较为全面地反映排污单位的执行情况,证明了该方法的可行性。建议以此方法为基础,对排污单位排污许可执行情况进行综合评价,以推动排污许可制的有效执行。     

沈阳市推行大气排污许可证制度的技术路线

沈阳市推行大气排污许可证制度的技术路线是点面结合全方位控制,即对重点污染源的控制与区域性的总量控制,简要介绍了推行这一技术路线的思路和试行结果。