Unilateral Actions the Case of International Environmental Problems



5. Information structure and correlation of costs

Consider the following information structure. Initially, the countries are at qnc.
No country wants to initiate further reductions. Costs of further reductions are
uncertain, with probability
ρ, θ=L and with probability (1-ρ), θ=H, but most
importantly, costs are fully correlated between countries. This information
structure is common knowledge to the countries. Next, a country undertakes an
assessment of the costs of reductions and it is assumed that it gets fully, but pri-
vately, informed. If it is revealed that costs are low, the country will initiate
full-scale unilateral actions, if those actions indisputably reveal that costs are
low. If it is revealed that costs are high, no further reductions will be made if all
other countries believe that costs are high (but it will make unilateral actions, if
it could convince the other countries that costs are low). Given this information
structure, it is possible to state conditions where unilateral actions are indeed
profitable.

Formally, the following 4 assumptions are made regarding the information
structure:

Assumption A1 (correlation of costs): The cost-parameter is fully correlated
between countries, i.e.
θi =θj ,i, j I .

Assumption A2 (assessment of costs): Any country i can get fully (but pri-
vately) informed about
θi. The cost of doing so, is Di > 0.

Assumption A3 (profitability of unilateral actions for one country):

a) Let q(p ) = q(ρ2 ) for all p < ρ and ρ2 < p and let p < p.

b) Let i I : NBi(ρ,qi(ρ),q-i(ρ))NBi(L,qi(L),q-i(L))+Di and

j i : NBj(ρ, qj (ρ), qj(ρ)) NBj(L, qj (L), qj(L)) + Dj.

Assumption A4 (Information-transmission): No verification technologies exist.

23



More intriguing information

1. Synthesis and biological activity of α-galactosyl ceramide KRN7000 and galactosyl (α1→2) galactosyl ceramide
2. The name is absent
3. The name is absent
4. Changing spatial planning systems and the role of the regional government level; Comparing the Netherlands, Flanders and England
5. The Formation of Wenzhou Footwear Clusters: How Were the Entry Barriers Overcome?
6. The name is absent
7. Transfer from primary school to secondary school
8. AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PRODUCTION EFFECTS OF ADOPTING GM SEED TECHNOLOGY: THE CASE OF FARMERS IN ARGENTINA
9. The Effects of Reforming the Chinese Dual-Track Price System
10. The name is absent