Abstract:
Assuming that an environmentally-friendly technology not only reduces pollution emissions but also strengthens the preference of consumers for goods produced with such a technology, we show that a legally stipulated choice of cleaner technologies, requiring resources and hence reducing output, can improve the welfare of the economy even when other economies do not choose such technologies, and that the driving force can be the terms-of-trade effect. Therefore, even a unilateral regulation on the choice of technology would be approved in the economy when the environmental awareness of consumers is sufficiently raised. Copyright 2009 The Author. Journal compilation 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/University of Adelaide and Flinders University.