Should we stop the COPs ?

Renaud Bourlès (), Jérémy Laurent-Lucchetti and Jean-Charles Rochet ()
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Jérémy Laurent-Lucchetti: UNIGE - Université de Genève = University of Geneva
Jean-Charles Rochet: TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - Comue de Toulouse - Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement

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Abstract: More than a decade after COP21, carbon emission trajectories remain far above the 1.5° C threshold, due to lack of international consensus. Departing from cost-benefit approaches, we assess the maximum reduction in carbon emissions that could be accepted by all countries. We characterize the target-consistent mechanism that minimizes global emissions subject to the participation constraint of each country. The mechanism can be implemented either via a uniform carbon tax or as a cap-and-trade system. Calibrated to data from 69 countries, including GDP, carbon intensities, and observed tax rates, our model suggests — for our baseline scenario — that the maximum uniform carbon price politically acceptable for all countries is $250 per ton. It could reduce global emissions by 35%, but would require unprecedented international transfers: up to 3% of world GDP, with a large redistribution from high-income, low-emission countries to carbon-intensive emerging economies. Our analysis highlights the structural ambition gap imposed by voluntary cooperation and identifies two levers to overcome it: convergence in green technologies and stronger political support for mitigation. Without progress in these dimensions, international climate policy remains constrained to deliver only modest results.

Date: 2026-03
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05551080v1
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Working Paper: Should we stop the COPs? (2026)
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