Can factor substitution reduce the shadow price of air pollution embodied in international trade? A worldwide perspective.

Abstract

The calculation of trade-embodied air pollution (TEAP) and its economic losses can be reasonably used to assess the impact of transboundary air pollution. However, these air pollutants, which are associated with international trade, can be easily ignored due to their concealment. Based on this, the global multiregional input‒output model (MRIO) is used to quantify the volume of five air pollutants that are embodied in the trade of 20 countries from 2000 to 2016. Then, the shadow price of trade-embodied air pollution (SPTEAP) and the elasticity of factor substitution (EFS) are both calculated by applying the translog production function. Finally, impulse response analysis is used to study the dynamic impact of EFS on the SPTEAP. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) All countries experienced a mass transfer of TEAP, among which China and the USA are the developing and developed countries with the largest amount of TEAP transfers, respectively. (2) The SPTEAP and EFS vary greatly among countries, and these values are generally higher in developed countries than in developing countries. The relationship between the three EFSs can be expressed as [Formula: see text] in all countries, thus indicating that improving the technological level of a country is the best solution for reducing the TEAP in that country while incurring the lowest cost and the least difficulty. (3) Over the long run, the increase in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reduces the SPTEAP. Conversely, an increase in [Formula: see text] increases the SPTEAP. Therefore, policymakers should weigh these three factors according to the fluctuation of the SPTEAP and constantly adjust the allocation structure and ratio of these factors to maximize the benefits of transboundary air pollution governance.