1. The theory of path dependence a. suggests that market economies seldom lock-i
ID: 1173089 • Letter: 1
Question
1. The theory of path dependence
a. suggests that market economies seldom lock-in on a particular technology.
b. shows that the dominance of private automobile transport in Los Angeles was inevitable.
c. says that technologies which are developed early gain advantages due to infrastructure investment, economies of scale, and the growth of complementary industries.
d. provides a rationale for a laissez-faire approach to new technology.
e. implies that the majority of R&D in new technology should be government run.
2. Clean technologies
a. have long-run private costs comparable to existing technologies.
b. are superior to existing technology in terms of product quality.
c. generate no environmental externalities.
d. are often several decades from commercial development.
e. a and c.
3. The lack of a substantial profit advantage for many CT's
a. arises because they often enter mature markets.
b. leads to slow diffusion of these technologies.
c. occurs because of excessive government promotion of CT's.
d. makes it difficult to overcome high sunk costs of entry.
e. a, b and d.
4. Under least-cost planning
a. government promotes all technologies with a clear-cut environmental advantage.
b. subsidies should be performance-based or time-limited.
c. government chooses to promote the technology with the greatest environmental advantage.
d. government leaves technology choice up to the private market, since the market is best at promoting CT's.
e. government levels the playing field, by increasing subsidies for dirty technologies.
5. Because small scale technologies are already cost-competitive, government policy for promoting their diffusion should not
a. focus on providing information, through product-labeling or technical assistance.
b. establish flexible design standards to encourage efficient choices.
c. employ consumer subsidies, due to the potential for free-riding.
d. utilize technology-forcing regulation to further improve the technology.
e. further encourage utility marketing of energy efficiency technologies.
6. If a large-scale CT is not yet cost-competitive, government policy for promoting its development should not
a. level the playing field by reducing subsidies for dirty technologies.
b. utilize technology forcing regulation.
c. be conditional on cost reductions.
d. help fund research and development efforts.
e. focus on providing information to consumers.
7. U.S energy use per capita
a. rose after the 1979 OPEC oil shock.
b. has fallen by around 50% since 1974.
c. is roughly twice as high as Japan's.
d. tends to increase in economic recessions.
e. has increased by around 10% since 1974.
8. Each of the following presents a serious obstacle to a resurgence of nuclear power except
a. finding sites for low level radioactive waste.
b. finding sites for high level radioactive waste.
c. the continuing build-up of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
d. risk aversion on the part of voters.
e. construction delays due to intense regulatory scrutiny.
9. Solar power from photovoltaic solar cells
a. will be limited to relatively sunny areas.
b. is today at the stage that commercial production should be subsidized.
c. would not benefit from a reduction in government subsidies to "dirty" energy technologies.
d. has already seen substantial use in remote areas.
e. will require government R&D investments on the order of several billion dollars per year for the technology to become competitive in the next decade or so.
10. Utility subsidies for small-scale energy technologies like energy efficiency
a. will not create rebound effects, due to the small average value of the subsidy.
b. should be quite generous in order to minimize unwanted side effects.
c. need not worry about penalizing poor consumers.
d. are sometimes more expensive than anticipated due to free-riders.
e. are not needed to encourage consumers to undertake cost-effective investments.
11. Fuel efficiency in the U.S.
a. is not clearly a CT, since fuel savings generally fail to offset the increased expense of the vehicle.
b. has improved substantially as a result of the CAFE standards.
c. could be achieved more efficiently than via the CAFE standards by imposing a relatively modest gas tax.
d. has improved substantially as a result of the widespread use of feebates.
e. by reducing global demand for oil significantly, has actually raised gasoline prices.
12. In the debate over the cost of slowing greenhouse emissions, pessimists
a. point to the case of wind and solar thermal power development in the 1980's.
b. believe that cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities are widespread.
c. anticipate high-speed rail replacing air travel for short-haul trips.
d. argue that optimists fail to consider the costs associated with promoting clean technology.
e. point to Japan, and say that we could cut our energy use per capita in half using technologies that are already available.
13. Increasing general purchasing power in poor countries is likely to lead to all of the following improvements in environmental quality except
a. improved water supplies and sanitation.
b. increased regulation of urban air pollutants.
c. decreased generation of hazardous waste per capita.
d. reduced population growth.
e. reduced subsistence pressure on natural capital.
14. The world's population
a. will be, according to the UN
Explanation / Answer
(1)d. provides a rationale for a laissez-faire approach to new technology.
(2)e. a and c.
(3)e. a, b and d.
(4)d. government leaves technology choice up to the private market, since the market is best at promoting CT's.
(5)b. establish flexible design standards to encourage efficient choices.
(6)a. level the playing field by reducing subsidies for dirty technologies.
(7)c. is roughly twice as high as Japan's.
(8)c. the continuing build-up of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
(9)d. has already seen substantial use in remote areas.
(10)b. should be quite generous in order to minimize unwanted side effects.
(11)c. could be achieved more efficiently than via the CAFE standards by imposing a relatively modest gas tax.
(12)a. point to the case of wind and solar thermal power development in the 1980's.
(13)c. decreased generation of hazardous waste per capita.
(14)e. a and d.
(15)a. land reform, which redistributes wealth.
(16)e. all of the above.
(17)d. shows how countries can successfully overcome debt problems
(18)b. cannot be achieved without a substantial commitment of resources from rich countries.
(19)b. low timber royalties.
(20)d. does not require effective government involvement.
(21)e. a and b.
(22)a. sustained yield industries have been growing at a rapid rate, placing pressure on the resource.
(23)e. a and b.
(24)b. since increased economic activity in Mexico would generate
higher incomes, leading to an overall improvement in environmental quality
(25)e. the need for a compensation fund to bring poor countries on board.
(26)d. restricted access to a compensation fund.
(27)e. c and d.
(28)c. ozone depletion could be traced to a single chemical.
(29)d. successfully de-linked biodiversity from problems of sustainable development.
(30)d. problems of sustainable development will have to be addressed.
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