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Political Science > Environmental Policy

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Cover IMF Working Papers
Policy Options for Climate Mitigation: Emissions Trading Schemes in Asia-Pacific
Margaux MacDonald and Ian W.H. Parry
Large reductions in global emissions are needed for the world to be on track to meet global temperature goals. Asia-Pacific countries have a critical role in emissions reduction given their large and rising share in global emissions. This paper discusses the main opportunities and behavioral responses for reducing emissions, and commonly used mitigation instruments. It then considers key design issues for carbon pricing, with a focus on emissions trading schemes (ETS), describes measures to overcome the obstacles to carbon pricing, and discusses experiences with carbon pricing relevant for Asia-Pacific economies. Lastly, the paper covers complementary policy reforms, including reinforcing mitigation instruments, public investment, fuel tax reform, green industrial policies, and supporting reforms to the energy sector. Carbon pricing, including ETSs can be the centerpiece of climate mitigation strategies for most countries, particularly if ETSs are designed to mimic some of the administrative and economic attractions of carbon taxes and implemented appropriately.
Keywords:
Emissions trading scheme; climate; Asia; mitigation instrument; climate mitigation strategy; mitigation opportunity; Asia-Pacific country; policy reform; transmission company; Carbon tax; Greenhouse gas emissions; Non-wage benefits; Asia and Pacific; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
New Zealand: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This Selected Issues paper investigates why New Zealand’s inflation is higher and further from target than comparator economies considering two main hypotheses: (1) the persistence of pandemic era shocks, and (2) strong migration inflows fuelling demand. The paper finds that, like in many advanced economies, expansionary fiscal and monetary policy, high global commodity prices, exchange rates, and high maritime transport costs all fed into higher inflation. However, unique for New Zealand, the delayed reopening of the economy likely caused a postponed demand shock relative to similar economies. Results show that the impact of these shocks decay rapidly over time, suggesting positive short-term inflation dynamics. With an eye for what lies ahead, the paper finds that large migration waves are associated with short-run increases in inflation, but that these effects are relatively modest and no longer significant after four years. Instead, the long-run dynamics show evidence that migration can lead to significant long-term gains to productivity, output, and capital growth. Countries with tight labor markets exhibit similar patterns to those without, except the inflationary effects of migration dissipate faster.
Keywords:
supply and demand demand shock; PPI inflation; net migration trend; climate goal; impulse response; Migration; Inflation; Greenhouse gas emissions; Climate policy; Labor markets; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Kingdom of the Netherlands–The Netherlands: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
The 2024 Article IV Consultation discusses that the economy has cooled, but signs of overheating remain in The Netherlands. After two years of strong recovery, growth decelerated in 2023, reflecting the energy shock, tighter financial conditions, and a slowdown in key trading partners, particularly Germany. Core inflation remains elevated, reflecting a tight labor market, robust wage growth, and healthy profit margins. Growth is expected to gradually regain momentum in 2024, driven by higher private consumption and external demand. High interest rates will weigh on business and residential investment. For 2024, given the high cost of underestimating inflation persistence, a non-expansionary stance is warranted; adjustment measures should be identified. Medium-term fiscal challenges call for structural reforms to stabilize debt. Climate mitigation strategies need to tackle implicit fuel subsidies, striking the right balance among regulation, pricing/feebates, and subsidies, while addressing distributional concerns and ensuring policy predictability.
Keywords:
government Finance statistics yearbook; IMF staff calculation; core inflation persistence; EMU aggregate; consultation cycle; Labor markets; Inflation; Labor shortages; Fiscal stance; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Kosovo: First Reviews Under the Stand-By Arrangement and the Arrangement Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility and Request for Modification of Reform Measure-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Republic of Kosovo
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This paper presents Republic of Kosovo’s First Reviews Under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) and the Arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) and Request for Modification of Reform Measure. The authorities are making very good progress in implementing their policy agenda under the Fund-supported arrangements. The SBA continues to provide a key policy anchor, and the RSF continues to support Kosovo’s climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts including by catalyzing additional climate financing. Program ownership remains strong. All quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets have been met. Structural benchmarks under the SBA and reform measures under the RSF have been implemented. Actions required for subsequent reviews are progressing as expected or have been strengthened. The RSF is laying the foundations for greener and more efficient energy markets and supporting reforms in other areas. The RSF increased the policy space to strengthen the regulatory framework to attract private investment into renewable energy, improve energy market functioning, expand green electricity generation, reduce air pollution and emissions, strengthen energy security, improve the targeting of energy subsidies, and increase preparedness for the implementation of carbon pricing.
Keywords:
RSF reform measure; budget spending; revenue performance; private sector consumption; RSF arrangement; budget revenue; management framework; Budget planning and preparation; Pensions; Pension spending; Aging; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
New Zealand: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This Selected Issues paper on New Zealand discusses addressing climate change. projections suggest the gap between New Zealand’s emissions targets and the projected path have narrowed significantly though more needs to be done if the Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030 is to be met. Three critical policy initiatives were introduced in 2022: the first Emissions Reduction Plan and associated emissions budgets were adopted; the National Adaptation Plan was published; and the government proposed its framework for pricing agriculture emissions, which account for around 62 percent of net emissions and are the missing piece in the emissions pricing framework. However, policies intended to address the cost-of-living crisis such as cuts to fuel taxes and duties could have an adverse impact on the feasibility of New Zealand’s emissions targets if prolonged. The heightened policy uncertainty was reflected in carbon prices: after peaking in November 2022, the price in the secondary market declined sharply and the June 2023 average price was around 40 percent below the peak level. The March 2023 Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction failed to clear, resulting in no new units being released. This is a cause for concern: If falling prices are not arrested, the envisaged emissions reductions may be out of reach. Further, as proceeds from the ETS auctions are intended to be used to support climate investments, shortfalls could put these at risk.
Keywords:
wage Phillips Curve; wage growth; wage inflation; wage pressure; min. wage; inflation expectation; Wages; Minimum wages; Climate change; Greenhouse gas emissions; Climate finance; Australia and New Zealand; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Deconstructing ESG Scores: How to Invest with your own Criteria?
Torsten Ehlers, Ulrike Elsenhuber, Kumar Jegarasasingam, and Eric Jondeau
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores are a key tool for asset managers in designing and implementing ESG investment strategies. They, however, amalgamate a broad range of fundamentally different factors, creating ambiguity for investors as to the underlying drivers of higher or lower ESG scores. We explore the feasibility and performance of more targeted investment strategies based on specific ESG categories, by deconstructing ESG scores into their granular components. First, we investigate the characteristics of the various categories underlying ESG scores. Not all types of ESG categories lend themselves to more focused strategies, which is related to both limits to ESG data disclosure and the fundamental challenge of translating qualitative characteristics into quantitative measures. Second, we consider an investment scheme based on the exclusion of firms with the lowest scores in a given category of interest. In most cases, this strategy allows investors to substantially improve the ESG category score, with a marginal impact on financial performance relative to a broad stock market benchmark. The exclusion results in regional and sectoral biases relative to the benchmark, which may be undesirable for some investors.We then implement a “best-in-class” strategy by excluding firms with the lowest category scores and reinvesting the proceeds in firms with the highest scores, maintaining the same regional and sectoral composition. This approach reduces the tracking error of the portfolio and slightly improves its risk-adjusted performance, while still yielding a large gain in the targeted ESG category score.
Keywords:
Sustainable investment; ESG ratings; ESG investing; Negative screening; Best-in-class screening; ESG score; ESG category; headline ESG; ESG data disclosure; Corporate social responsibility; Greenhouse gas emissions; Labor force; North America; Global; Europe
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Labor Market Implications for Green Investments and Carbon Pricing in Spain: Spain
Ana Lariau and Ms. Yu Shi
Labor Market Implications for Green Investments and Carbon Pricing in Spain green policies; input-output matrix; employment; occupations; skills ABSTRACT: We provide a tractable framework for assessing the labor market impact of policies that support the green transition of the Spanish economy, taking into account input-output linkages. We present illustrative examples that quantify changes in sectoral employment, occupations and skills stemming from two different green policies: (i) the announced green investments in the recovery plan; and (ii) an increase in carbon pricing and an expansion of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS). Our analysis shows that the labor market impact of these two policies is net positive, although the results depend on the design of the green policies, particularly on the use of the proceeds from the increase in carbon pricing. Strengthening active labor market policies, with a focus on training, and complementing them with education policies such as the expansion of vocational training, would facilitate the transition of workers from shrinking to expanding sectors.
Keywords:
green policies; input-output matrix; employment; occupations; skills; labor market impact; input-output linkage; labor market implication; carbon pricing; impact of policy; IMF staff calculation; Climate finance; Sustainable growth; Climate policy
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Labor Market Implications for Green Investments and Carbon Pricing in Spain: Spain
Ana Lariau and Ms. Yu Shi
We provide a tractable framework for assessing the labor market impact of policies that support the green transition of the Spanish economy, taking into account input-output linkages. We present illustrative examples that quantify changes in sectoral employment, occupations and skills stemming from two different green policies: (i) the announced green investments in the recovery plan; and (ii) an increase in carbon pricing and an expansion of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS). Our analysis shows that the labor market impact of these two policies is net positive, although the results depend on the design of the green policies, particularly on the use of the proceeds from the increase in carbon pricing. Strengthening active labor market policies, with a focus on training, and complementing them with education policies such as the expansion of vocational training, would facilitate the transition of workers from shrinking to expanding sectors.
Keywords:
green policies input-output matrix employment occupations skills; labor market impact; labor market implication; carbon pricing; impact of policy; implications of green investment; Climate finance; Sustainable growth; Climate policy; Employment
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports