Working Paper: NBER ID: w22636
Authors: Jevan Cherniwchan; Brian R. Copeland; M. Scott Taylor
Abstract: We review recent research linking international trade to the environment, with a focus on new results and methods. The review is given structure by a novel decomposition linking changes in emissions to changes in productive activity at the plant, firm, industry, and national levels. While some new results have emerged from the application of a Melitz-style approach to trade and the environment, its full potential has not yet been exploited. We discuss existing empirical and theoretical work, introduce three new hypotheses, and suggest paths for future researchers to follow.
Keywords: Trade; Environment; Pollution; Firm-Level Adjustments; Decomposition
JEL Codes: F1; F14; F64; Q5; Q56
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Trade liberalization (F13) | emissions (Q52) |
| Outsourcing (L24) | emission intensities (L94) |
| Abatement investments (G31) | emission intensities (L94) |
| Trade liberalization (F13) | distressed and dirty industry hypothesis (L99) |