Paper Number: EE-0567

Document Date: 05/11/2011

Author(s):  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Subject Area(s):

Economic Analysis, Corporate Behavior, Voluntary Programs, Economic Incentives, Information Disclosure

Keywords: Economic Analysis, Corporate Behavior, Voluntary Programs, Economic Incentives, Information Disclosure, Labeling, Consumer Surveys, Environmental Audit

Summary: 

The purpose of the Environmental Policy and Economics Workshop Series is to hold in-depth workshops on timely topics that will further the use of economics as a tool for environmental decision making. Both NSF/EPA grant recipients and researchers (from EPA, fellow Federal agencies, academia, and others) will be invited to attend and discuss their on-going research. Topics will be chosen based on relevance to current EPA issues and, more broadly, to issues of concern to the environmental economics community. These topics include exploration of innovations in economic research methods as well as how research will further environmental policy making and future environmental economic studies.

This workshop sponsored by EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics and National Center for Environmental Research highlighted results from EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants and other projects related  to the theme of the "Benefits of Environmental Information Disclosure".  Workshop focused on how to improve or create effective information disclosure policies in the context of government-based environmental programs. Ongoing research was presented in a broad array of fields including: environmental labels, voluntary reporting, consumer willingness to pay, “greenwash,” and audits.

Session I: The Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency Labels

• Consumer Willingness-to-Pay for Energy STAR and Green Power Labeled Refrigerators - Christopher Clark, University of Tennessee (Paper & Slides)
• Evaluating Alternative Approaches to Energy Efficiency Labeling: Designing and Implementing a Choice
• Experiment - Juha Siikamaki, Resources for the Future (Slides)
• Discussant- Chris Moore, EPA, National Center for Environmental Economics (Slides)
• Discussant - Maureen McNamara, EPA, Climate Protection Partnerships

Session II: What Causes Reductions in TRI Emissions?

• The Impact of Quasi-Regulatory Mechanisms on Polluting Behavior: Evidence From Pollution Prevention Programs and Toxic Releases - Linda Bui, Brandeis University (Paper & Slides)
• Discussant - Ann Wolverton, EPA, National Center for Environmental Economics (Slides)
• Discussant -  Sheila Olmstead, Resources for the Future (Slides)

Session III: Information, Audits, and Enforcement

• Regulatory Enforcement With Dynamic Targeted Audit Mechanisms -  Christian Vossler, University of Tennessee (Paper & Slides)
• Strategic Environmental Disclosure: Evidence From DOE’s Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Registry - Thomas Lyon, University of Michigan (Slides)
• Competing Environmental Labels - Carolyn Fischer, Resources for the Future (Slides)
• Discussant - Jon Silberman, EPA, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (Paper)
• Discussant -Sarah Stafford, College of William and Mary

Session IV: Panel: Perspectives on Information Disclosure, Emissions, and Compliance

• Economic Perspectives on Environmental Information Disclosure - Jay Shimshack, Tulane University (Paper)
• Cody Rice, EPA, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

Appendices

• Agenda
• Participants List

This workshop is part of the Environmental Policy and Economics Workshop Series.

• Benefits of Environmental Information Disclosure (PDF)(193 pp, 9 MB, 05/11/2011, EE-0567)
  Workshop hosted by US EPA, National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) and National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) on "Benefits of Environmental Information Disclosure" focused on how to improve or create effective information disclosure policies in the context of government-based environmental programs. Ongoing research was presented in a broad array of fields including: environmental labels, voluntary reporting, consumer willingness to pay, “greenwash,” and audits.