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The Challenge of Global Warming for the Global Economy - GFDRR

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What is <strong>the</strong> economist’s bottom on global warming?<br />

<strong>The</strong> fundamental problem is <strong>the</strong> climate-change externality – a<br />

“global public good”<br />

Economic participants (millions <strong>of</strong> firms, billions <strong>of</strong> people, trillions<br />

<strong>of</strong> decisions) need to face realistic carbon prices if <strong>the</strong>ir decisions<br />

about consumption, investment, and innovation are to be correct.<br />

1. To be effective, we need a market price <strong>of</strong> carbon<br />

emissions that reflects <strong>the</strong> social costs.<br />

2. Moreover, to be efficient, <strong>the</strong> price must be universal<br />

and harmonized in every sector and country.<br />

But a major economic question remains: what is <strong>the</strong> appropriate<br />

price <strong>of</strong> carbon? This question is addressed by integrated<br />

assessment models.<br />

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