SITE Seminar | Imports and the CO2 emissions of firms

Welcome to the next SITE Seminar! On October 1, Anders Åkerman, Professor at the University of Stavanger Business School, will present his working paper entitled "Imports and the CO2 Emissions of Firms" at SSE and online via Zoom.

Starttid: 2024-10-01 at 12:00

Sluttid: 2024-10-01 at 13:00

Tidszon: CEST

Plats: Room Torsten at SSE and online via Zoom

Working paper title: Imports and the CO2 emissions of firms

By: Rikard Forslid and Ossian Prane and Anders Åkerman

Abstract

We explore how importing of intermediate goods affects the carbon intensity of firms in the Swedish manufacturing sector. By exploiting exogenous shocks to foreign export supply of intermediate goods, we estimate that a 10 percent increase in imports causes a 5.6 percent reduction in carbon intensity. Average carbon intensity among the firms in our sample between 2004 and 2016 decreased by around 50 percent, and our results suggest that import growth accounted for about a third of this decline. Exploring the mechanisms, we find evidence for both a technique effect and a product composition effect. Importing has a positive impact on productivity, scale of production, and abatement investments. It also encourages firms to focus more on their core products. We find no evidence for a pollution haven effect.

About the speaker

Anders Åkerman is a Professor in Economics at the University of Stavanger Business School.

Anders completed his Bachelor and Master degrees at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and obtained his Ph.D. at Stockholm University. He has since also been an academic visitor at the University of Chicago and the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) in London.

Anders Åkerman's research focuses mainly on how new technology and international trade affect modern economies. He is particularly interested in the effect on aggregate productivity, the wage structure, and firm dynamics. He studies, for example, the impact of broadband internet, intermediation in international trade, outsourcing, arms trade, and the economy of China.

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Interested in attending the SITE Seminar at SSE or online via Zoom?

The link to the seminar will be distributed by invitation only. If you are interested in attending the seminar – please contact site@hhs.se. Follow the instructions below: