JEEA-FBBVA LECTURE 2017: The Dynamics of Environmental Politics and Values
构建了一个框架，将环保主义视为一种文化现象，即反映社会对特定价值观的认同过程。模型解释了环保主义者和物质主义者在社会中的比例如何与排放税共同演化，以保护社会免受环境退化的损害。这些政策由选举竞争决定，但即使政治家选择功利最优政策，动态均衡路径也可能无法收敛到长期福利最高的稳态。
Abstract This paper develops a framework to study environmentalism as a cultural phenomenon, namely as reflecting a process of social identification with certain values. The model is used to explain how the shares of environmentalists and materialists in society can coevolve with taxes on emissions to protect society against damages caused by environmental degradation. These policies are determined by electoral competition. However, even though politicians internalize the welfare of those currently alive and pick utilitarian optimal policies, the dynamic equilibrium paths of policies and evolving values may not converge to the steady state with the highest level of long-run welfare.