Thursday, April 2, 2009 - 1:30 – 3:00 pm Location: 1008/272 & 274
C. Meghan Starbuck, Assistant Professor of Economics at New Mexico State University Will present recent work on: An agent-based model for carbon tax policy in the United States Abstract: This paper uses an agent-based simulation to model a carbon tax in the United States, specifically aiming to find the optimal price level and resulting greenhouse gas emissions mitigation resulting from such a tax. Differing social networks are assumed among environmentally conscious consumers and non-environmentally conscious consumers. The model simulates the consumer agents’ and producer agents’ responses in an attempt to offer policymakers the optimal solution for a carbon tax policy. Results indicate that a threshold carbon tax level exists, above which the tax is quite effective at reducing emissions. Below this threshold price level, however, emissions are not reduced at all, and in fact continue to rise. ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
