Do voluntary pollution reduction programs (VPRs) spur or deter environmental innovation? Evidence from 33/50

Carmen Carrion-Flores, Robert Innes () and Abdoul G. Sam

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2013, vol. 66, issue 3, 444-459

Abstract: We study whether a government-sponsored voluntary pollution reduction program (VPR) promotes or deters the development of new environmental technologies that yield future emission reduction benefits. Using a panel of 127 U.S. manufacturing industries defined by 3-digit SIC classifications over the 1989–2004 period, we estimate impacts of industry-level participation in the 33/50 program, a VPR initiated by government regulators in 1991, on industry-level rates of environmental patenting. We find that higher rates of 33/50 program participation are associated with significant reductions in the number of successful environmental patent applications five to nine years after the program ended.

Keywords: Voluntary environmental programs; Regulatory enforcement; Environmental innovation; Count panel models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (44)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:66:y:2013:i:3:p:444-459

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2013.05.002

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