When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves

This article investigates the use of expert-based Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC) to design abatement strategies. It shows that introducing inertia, in the form of the "cost in time" of available options, changes significantly the m...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vogt-Schilb, Adrien, Hallegatte, Stephane
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
AIR
CO
CO2
GHG
PP
Online Access:http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110921094422
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3567
id okr-10986-3567
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
topic ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES
ABATEMENT COSTS
ABATEMENT LEVEL
ABATEMENT MEASURES
ABATEMENT OPTION
ABATEMENT POTENTIAL
ABATEMENT STRATEGIES
ABATING CLIMATE CHANGE
AGGREGATE EMISSIONS
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION
AMOUNT OF ABATEMENT
ANNUAL EMISSION
ANNUAL EMISSIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION
AUTO INDUSTRY
BASELINE EMISSIONS
CAPITAL STOCKS
CAPITAL TURNOVER
CARBON
CARBON BUDGET
CARBON EMISSIONS
CARBON PRICE
CARBON PRICES
CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE DAMAGES
CLIMATE OBJECTIVES
CLIMATE POLICIES
CLIMATE POLICY
CLIMATE RESPONSE
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CO
CO2
COMBUSTION
CONCENTRATIONS
CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS
DEMAND CURVE
DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPACTS
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
ECONOMIC SECTORS
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
ELECTRICITY
EMISSION
EMISSION ABATEMENT
EMISSION BASELINE
EMISSION CONSTRAINT
EMISSION REDUCTIONS
EMISSION TARGET
EMISSION TARGETS
EMISSIONS
EMISSIONS ABATEMENT
EMISSIONS PATHWAYS
EMISSIONS TARGETS
ENERGY ECONOMICS
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY PRICES
ENERGY SECURITY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINES
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EXOGENOUS CONSTRAINT
FUEL
FUEL ECONOMY
GAS EMISSION
GHG
GLOBAL WARMING
GREENHOUSE
GREENHOUSE GAS
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
GREENHOUSE GASES
GREENHOUSE-GAS
INVESTMENT DECISIONS
LOW-CARBON
MARGINAL ABATEMENT
MARGINAL ABATEMENT COST
MARGINAL COST
MARGINAL COST OF ABATEMENT
MARKET FAILURES
POLICY ANALYSIS
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
PP
PRESENT COST
PRESENT VALUE
PRICE SIGNAL
REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY
RESTRICTIONS
SHADOW PRICE
SUM OF EMISSIONS
SUPPLY CURVE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
TRADABLE EMISSIONS
TRANSACTION COSTS
VEHICLE
WASTE
WASTE RECYCLING
WORLD ENERGY
spellingShingle ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES
ABATEMENT COSTS
ABATEMENT LEVEL
ABATEMENT MEASURES
ABATEMENT OPTION
ABATEMENT POTENTIAL
ABATEMENT STRATEGIES
ABATING CLIMATE CHANGE
AGGREGATE EMISSIONS
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION
AMOUNT OF ABATEMENT
ANNUAL EMISSION
ANNUAL EMISSIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION
AUTO INDUSTRY
BASELINE EMISSIONS
CAPITAL STOCKS
CAPITAL TURNOVER
CARBON
CARBON BUDGET
CARBON EMISSIONS
CARBON PRICE
CARBON PRICES
CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE DAMAGES
CLIMATE OBJECTIVES
CLIMATE POLICIES
CLIMATE POLICY
CLIMATE RESPONSE
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CO
CO2
COMBUSTION
CONCENTRATIONS
CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS
DEMAND CURVE
DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPACTS
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
ECONOMIC SECTORS
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
ELECTRICITY
EMISSION
EMISSION ABATEMENT
EMISSION BASELINE
EMISSION CONSTRAINT
EMISSION REDUCTIONS
EMISSION TARGET
EMISSION TARGETS
EMISSIONS
EMISSIONS ABATEMENT
EMISSIONS PATHWAYS
EMISSIONS TARGETS
ENERGY ECONOMICS
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY PRICES
ENERGY SECURITY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINES
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EXOGENOUS CONSTRAINT
FUEL
FUEL ECONOMY
GAS EMISSION
GHG
GLOBAL WARMING
GREENHOUSE
GREENHOUSE GAS
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
GREENHOUSE GASES
GREENHOUSE-GAS
INVESTMENT DECISIONS
LOW-CARBON
MARGINAL ABATEMENT
MARGINAL ABATEMENT COST
MARGINAL COST
MARGINAL COST OF ABATEMENT
MARKET FAILURES
POLICY ANALYSIS
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
PP
PRESENT COST
PRESENT VALUE
PRICE SIGNAL
REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY
RESTRICTIONS
SHADOW PRICE
SUM OF EMISSIONS
SUPPLY CURVE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
TRADABLE EMISSIONS
TRANSACTION COSTS
VEHICLE
WASTE
WASTE RECYCLING
WORLD ENERGY
Vogt-Schilb, Adrien
Hallegatte, Stephane
When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
geographic_facet The World Region
The World Region
relation Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5803
description This article investigates the use of expert-based Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC) to design abatement strategies. It shows that introducing inertia, in the form of the "cost in time" of available options, changes significantly the message from MACCs. With an abatement objective in cumulative emissions (e.g., emitting less than 200 GtCO2 in the 2000-2050 period), it makes sense to implement some of the more expensive options before the potential of the cheapest ones has been exhausted. With abatement targets expressed in terms of emissions at one point in time (e.g., reducing emissions by 20 percent in 2020), it can even be preferable to start with the implementation of the most expensive options if their potential is high and their inertia significant. Also, the best strategy to reach a short-term target is different depending on whether this target is the ultimate objective or there is a longer-term target. The best way to achieve Europe's goal of 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2020 is different if this objective is the ultimate objective or if it is only a milestone in a trajectory toward a 75 percent reduction in 2050. The cheapest options may be sufficient to reach the 2020 target but could create a carbon-intensive lock-in and preclude deeper emission reductions by 2050. These results show that in a world without perfect foresight and perfect credibility of the long-term carbon-price signal, a unique carbon price in all sectors is not the most efficient approach. Sectoral objectives, such as Europe's 20 percent renewable energy target in Europe, fuel-economy standards in the auto industry, or changes in urban planning, building norms and infrastructure design are a critical part of an efficient mitigation policy.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Vogt-Schilb, Adrien
Hallegatte, Stephane
author_facet Vogt-Schilb, Adrien
Hallegatte, Stephane
author_sort Vogt-Schilb, Adrien
title When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
title_short When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
title_full When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
title_fullStr When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
title_full_unstemmed When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves
title_sort when starting with the most expensive option makes sense : use and misuse of marginal abatement cost curves
publishDate 2012
url http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110921094422
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3567
_version_ 1764387238298255360
spelling okr-10986-35672021-04-23T14:02:10Z When Starting with the Most Expensive Option Makes Sense : Use and Misuse of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves Vogt-Schilb, Adrien Hallegatte, Stephane ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES ABATEMENT COSTS ABATEMENT LEVEL ABATEMENT MEASURES ABATEMENT OPTION ABATEMENT POTENTIAL ABATEMENT STRATEGIES ABATING CLIMATE CHANGE AGGREGATE EMISSIONS AIR AIR POLLUTION AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION AMOUNT OF ABATEMENT ANNUAL EMISSION ANNUAL EMISSIONS ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION AUTO INDUSTRY BASELINE EMISSIONS CAPITAL STOCKS CAPITAL TURNOVER CARBON CARBON BUDGET CARBON EMISSIONS CARBON PRICE CARBON PRICES CLEAN TRANSPORTATION CLIMATE CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE DAMAGES CLIMATE OBJECTIVES CLIMATE POLICIES CLIMATE POLICY CLIMATE RESPONSE CLIMATIC CHANGE CO CO2 COMBUSTION CONCENTRATIONS CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS DEMAND CURVE DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPACTS ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS ECONOMIC SECTORS ELECTRIC POWER ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS ELECTRIC VEHICLES ELECTRICITY EMISSION EMISSION ABATEMENT EMISSION BASELINE EMISSION CONSTRAINT EMISSION REDUCTIONS EMISSION TARGET EMISSION TARGETS EMISSIONS EMISSIONS ABATEMENT EMISSIONS PATHWAYS EMISSIONS TARGETS ENERGY ECONOMICS ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE ENERGY POLICY ENERGY PRICES ENERGY SECURITY ENERGY SOURCES ENGINES ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY EXOGENOUS CONSTRAINT FUEL FUEL ECONOMY GAS EMISSION GHG GLOBAL WARMING GREENHOUSE GREENHOUSE GAS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GREENHOUSE GASES GREENHOUSE-GAS INVESTMENT DECISIONS LOW-CARBON MARGINAL ABATEMENT MARGINAL ABATEMENT COST MARGINAL COST MARGINAL COST OF ABATEMENT MARKET FAILURES POLICY ANALYSIS POLICY IMPLICATIONS POLLUTION ABATEMENT POWER GENERATION POWER PLANTS PP PRESENT COST PRESENT VALUE PRICE SIGNAL REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS RENEWABLE ENERGIES RENEWABLE ENERGY RESTRICTIONS SHADOW PRICE SUM OF EMISSIONS SUPPLY CURVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRADABLE EMISSIONS TRANSACTION COSTS VEHICLE WASTE WASTE RECYCLING WORLD ENERGY This article investigates the use of expert-based Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC) to design abatement strategies. It shows that introducing inertia, in the form of the "cost in time" of available options, changes significantly the message from MACCs. With an abatement objective in cumulative emissions (e.g., emitting less than 200 GtCO2 in the 2000-2050 period), it makes sense to implement some of the more expensive options before the potential of the cheapest ones has been exhausted. With abatement targets expressed in terms of emissions at one point in time (e.g., reducing emissions by 20 percent in 2020), it can even be preferable to start with the implementation of the most expensive options if their potential is high and their inertia significant. Also, the best strategy to reach a short-term target is different depending on whether this target is the ultimate objective or there is a longer-term target. The best way to achieve Europe's goal of 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2020 is different if this objective is the ultimate objective or if it is only a milestone in a trajectory toward a 75 percent reduction in 2050. The cheapest options may be sufficient to reach the 2020 target but could create a carbon-intensive lock-in and preclude deeper emission reductions by 2050. These results show that in a world without perfect foresight and perfect credibility of the long-term carbon-price signal, a unique carbon price in all sectors is not the most efficient approach. Sectoral objectives, such as Europe's 20 percent renewable energy target in Europe, fuel-economy standards in the auto industry, or changes in urban planning, building norms and infrastructure design are a critical part of an efficient mitigation policy. 2012-03-19T18:04:43Z 2012-03-19T18:04:43Z 2011-09-01 http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110921094422 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3567 English Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5803 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper The World Region The World Region