The Impact of Emission Trading System on Economic Growth and Gross Fixed Capital Formation

Abstract: Policymakers' action of mitigating and slowing down the continued increase of carbon emission is a significant global priority. One way to internalise the negative externality of pollution is to put a price on greenhouse gases and use the market-based approach of emission trading systems. On the other hand, according to economic reasoning, pollution is an essential tool for economic development. This paper aims to investigate the economic effects of introducing the first international emission trading system of greenhouse gases, the EU emission trading system, by observing the economic growth and gross fixed capital formation. Mankiw, Romer, and Wiel's (1992) theory is utilised in this study and based on cross-country and cross-state panel data between 1999-2012, an empirical analysis using the fixed effects model was followed. The finding shows that the EU emission trading system has a negative effect on the growth of real gross domestic product per capita compared to states and countries not participating in an emission trading system. In addition, the first phase results having a positive effect and the second phase has a negative effect on the economic growth compared to states and countries not participating in an emission trading system. There is no statistical evidence of the effect on gross fixed capital formation as a percentage share of GDP. Organisations can use the findings to decide whether developing countries can afford the consequence of an implemented emission trading system since it tends to slow down growth. However, further research needs to consider the effect of the financial crisis of 2008 and the interpretation of the EU emission trading scheme.