Working Paper

Dark Clouds or Silver Linings? Knightian Uncertainty and Climate Change

Yu-Fu Chen, Michael Funke, Nicole Glanemann
CESifo, Munich, 2011

CESifo Working Paper No. 3516

This paper examines the impact of Knightian uncertainty upon optimal climate policy through the prism of a continuous-time real option modelling framework. We analytically determine optimal intertemporal climate policies under ambiguity. Additionally, numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the properties of the model. The results indicate that increasing Knightian uncertainty accelerates climate policy, i.e. policymakers become more reluctant to postpone the timing of climate policies into the future.

CESifo Category
Resources and Environment
Empirical and Theoretical Methods
Fiscal Policy, Macroeconomics and Growth
Keywords: climate change, Knightian uncertainty, ê ambiguity, real options
JEL Classification: C610, D810, Q540