Environment in an Overlapping Generations Economy with Endogenous Labor Supply: a Dynamic Analysis

Thomas Seegmuller and Alban Verchère

Working Papers of BETA from Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg

Abstract: We consider an overlapping generations model with environment, where we introduce an elastic labor supply. In this framework, consumers have to choose between consumption, environmental quality and leisure. We establish that several steady states can coexist, even under a Cobb-Douglas technology, and we put in evidence a non monotonic relationship between pollution and per capita income, as suggested by the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Moreover studying local dynamics, we show the existence of deterministic cycles and endogenous fluctuations due to self-fulfilling expectations. In contrast to previous results, the occurrence of such fluctuations does not require a high emission rate of pollution. Finally, we discuss some welfare and policy implications of our results. Especially, we show that a government which would reduce pollution emissions can face a trade-off between an increase of steady state welfare and an intergenerational welfare inequality due to indeterminacy.

Keywords: Environment; Labor supply; Overlapping generations; Multiplicity of steady states; Environmental Kuznets Curve; Indeterminacy; Endogenous cycles. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C62 E32 Q20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dge, nep-env and nep-mac
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2005-05

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