Pearson eText Microeconomics -- Access Card
2nd Edition
ISBN: 9780136849513
Author: Acemoglu, Daron, Laibson, David, List, John
Publisher: PEARSON
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Textbook Question
Chapter 9, Problem 2P
A friend in your environmental economics study group suggests that taxes on pollution are ineffective because they do not eliminate all pollution. Based on the ideas from this chapter, explain what is wrong with this argument. Should the goal of any policy be to eliminate all pollution? If not, what should be the goal?
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- What are pollution havens? How are they created or why do they exist? Why do economists think they may change over time and develop policies to reduce pollution?arrow_forwardExplain why zero pollution should not be the goal for a society.arrow_forwardLucia is waiting in line to receive a free t-shirt at a charity event. Because the shirts are free, there are many people in line, and a long wait time is expected. Consider the following sentence: By waiting in line for the shirt Lucia will miss an appointment to tutor an economics student, for which she would have been paid $30. Which basic concept of individual choice does this sentence best illustrate? A. Externalities are a shortcoming of the market. B. Many decisions are made on the margin. C. People usually exploit opportunities to make themselves better off. D. Opportunity costs and money costs (price) are related but are not always exactly the same.arrow_forward
- Chapter 8 in Tietenberg and Lewis looks at climate change, the most important environmental issue of our time. Economists generally agree that putting a price on carbon is the best approach to reducing climate warming carbon emissions. The two main strategies for doing this are carbon taxes and the cap and trade version of emissions trading. Discuss the pros and cons to these two approaches to pricing carbon. Why do economists favor these kinds of market-based strategies to pollution control over “command and control” approaches such technology standards?arrow_forwardSuppose the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to mandate that all methane emissions must be reduced to zero in order to alleviate global warming in the United States. Which of the following describes why most economists would disagree with this policy? Reducing methane emissions is desirable, but whatever levels of pollution firms decide to emit privately are already efficient. Society would not benefit from lower air pollution. The environment isn’t worth protecting. The opportunity cost of zero pollution is much higher than its benefit.arrow_forwardUse a graph to illustrate the quantity of pollution that would be emitted (a) after a corrective tax has been imposed and (b) after tradable pollution permits have been imposed. Could these two quantities ever be equivalent?arrow_forward
- Which of the following policies could help the government achieve the efficient outcome? Check all that apply. Introduce emission taxes Offer a subsidy to consumers equal to the vertical distance between the marginal private benefit curve and the marginal social benefit curve Implement tradable pollution permits Offer a subsidy equal to the price at the efficient outcome Offer a subsidy to producers equal to the vertical distance between the marginal private benefit curve and marginal social benefit curvearrow_forwardParks confer many external benefits on society: open space, trees that reduce pollution, and so on. Therefore, the market equilibrium quantity of parks is not equal to the socially optimal quantity. The following graph shows the demand for parks (their private value), the supply of parks (the private cost of producing them), and the social value of parks, including both the private value and external benefits. Use the black point (plus symbol) to indicate the market equilibrium quantity. Next, use the purple point (diamond symbol) to indicate the socially optimal quantity.arrow_forwardWhy is pollution an example of market failure?arrow_forward
- Is zero pollution an optimal goal?arrow_forwardWhich of the following best explains why economists believe that there is an optimal amount of pollution reduction? The marginal cost of reducing pollution is decreasing, while the marginal benefit of reducing pollution is increasing. Economists only think about profits The marginal cost of reducing pollution is increasing, while the marginal benefit of reducing pollution is decreasing. Economists focus on the benefits of reducing pollution and ignore the cost.arrow_forwardIn Unit 5, you are learning about negative externalities and environmental protection. One activity that qualifies for negative externalities is the poaching of animals in several countries throughout the world. You will analyze the topics of negative externalities and environmental protection by completing the learning journal. 1. Choose one of the approaches listed below on protecting elephants from poachers in African countries. A. The government sets up enormous national parks that have sufficient habitat for elephants to thrive and forbids all local people to enter the parks or to injure either the elephants or their habitat in any way. B. The government sets up national parks and designates ten villages around the park's edges as official tourist centers that become places where tourists can stay and bases for guided tours inside the national park. 2. Depending on the approach you have chosen (A or B), explain how the incentives will affect the local villagers, who are…arrow_forward
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