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Climate Policy

Climate Policy 7 (2007) 197–211

Research Article

Why the CDM will reduce carbon leakage

Steffen Kallbekken


Abstract

Carbon leakage is an important concern because it can reduce the environmental effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), one of the flexibility mechanisms allowed under the protocol, has the potential to reduce carbon leakage significantly because it reduces the relative competitive disadvantage to Annex-B countries of restricting greenhouse gas emissions. The economic rationale behind this mechanism is explored in a theoretical analysis. It is then analysed numerically using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The results indicate that, assuming appropriate accounting for leakage and under realistic assumptions on CDM activity, the CDM has the potential to reduce the magnitude of carbon leakage by more than one-half.

Keywords: Clean Development Mechanism; carbon leakage


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