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Raising finance to support developing country action: some economic considerations

Author

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  • Bowen, Alex
Abstract
This article explores the principles that should guide efforts to raise finance for climate action in developing countries. The main conclusions are that, first, there is an important role for private finance, which would be facilitated by having pervasive and broadly uniform emissions pricing around the world. Second, public finance is warranted by a range of market – and policy – failures associated with climate change and its mitigation. Third, raising tax revenues may be preferable to borrowing as a means of raising public finance, although the economics is not clear-cut. Public finance theory advocates taxing ‘bads,’ of which a number have escaped the tax base so far. But it discourages hypothecation of specific revenue streams to particular uses. Fourth, how much could or should be raised by the many specific proposals for finance for climate action in developing countries is often uncertain. So is how multiple schemes would interact. Several schemes could depress carbon prices. Earmarking is often assumed to be justified despite the arguments to the contrary. Fifth, two sets of proposals do particularly well judged against this analysis: (i) expanding the scale and scope of the CDM (ii) expanding the use of international financial institutions’ balance sheets.

Suggested Citation

  • Bowen, Alex, 2011. "Raising finance to support developing country action: some economic considerations," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 37572, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:37572
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/37572/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Luis Abadie & Ibon Galarraga & Dirk Rübbelke, 2013. "An analysis of the causes of the mitigation bias in international climate finance," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(7), pages 943-955, October.
    2. Kempa, Karol & Moslener, Ulf, 2015. "Climate policy with the chequebook: Economic considerations on climate investment support," Frankfurt School - Working Paper Series 219, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.
    3. Oberlack, Christoph & Neumärker, Bernhard, 2011. "Economics, institutions and adaptation to climate change," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 04-2011, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    4. Pickering, Jonathan & Skovgaard, Jakob & Kim, Soyeun & Roberts, J. Timmons & Rossati, David & Stadelmann, Martin & Reich, Hendrikje, 2015. "Acting on Climate Finance Pledges: Inter-Agency Dynamics and Relationships with Aid in Contributor States," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 149-162.
    5. Jonathan Pickering & Paul Mitchell, 2017. "What drives national support for multilateral climate finance? International and domestic influences on Australia’s shifting stance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 107-125, February.
    6. Joyeeta Gupta & Arthur Rempel & Hebe Verrest, 2020. "Access and allocation: the role of large shareholders and investors in leaving fossil fuels underground," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 303-322, June.
    7. Tanya O'Garra & Susana Mourato, 2016. "Are we willing to give what it takes? Willingness to pay for climate change adaptation in developing countries," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(3), pages 249-264, September.
    8. Sam Fankhauser, 2017. "Adaptation to Climate Change," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 209-230, October.
    9. Oberlack, Christoph & Eisenack, Klaus, 2012. "Overcoming barriers to urban adaptation through international cooperation? Modes and design properties under the UNFCCC," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 03-2012, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    10. Michael Jakob & Jérôme Hilaire, 2015. "Using importers’ windfall savings from oil subsidy reform to enhance international cooperation on climate policies," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 131(4), pages 465-472, August.
    11. Joyeeta Gupta & Arthur Rempel & Hebe Verrest, 0. "Access and allocation: the role of large shareholders and investors in leaving fossil fuels underground," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    12. Kamleshan Pillay & Jorge E. Viñuales, 2016. "“Monetary” rules for a linked system of offset credits," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 933-951, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    financial mechanisms; economic assessment; less developed countries; hypothecation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F53 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Agreements and Observance; International Organizations
    • Q27 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Issues in International Trade
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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