VfS Annual Conference 2019 – Climate Decisions Raise Many Unresolved Questions
ConferencesZEW Presents Current Research at Economic Conference
The policy package recently adopted by the federal government’s Climate Cabinet has been criticised by many and has – not least for that reason – been subject of a number of in-depth analyses by economists. This was clearly reflected at this year’s conference of the Verein für Socialpolitk (VfS, German Economic Association) held at the University of Leipzig from 23 to 25 September. ZEW’s contribution to the conference included a total of 16 presentations by ZEW researchers, a panel discussion moderated by ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach, and a ZEW information stand.
ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach moderated the panel debate of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft deutscher wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Forschungsinstitute (ARGE, Association of German Economic Research Institutes) on the topic “CO2 Taxes and Fossil Fuel Phase-Out – Is Germany on the Right Path?”. Together with his colleagues from DIW Berlin (the German Institute for Economic Research), the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the ifo Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, Wambach discussed the recent decisions of the Climate Cabinet, whose policy package will soon be transformed into a climate protection law.
The ZEW President emphasized that there were a whole series of unresolved issues that had to be addressed concerning the agreed climate package. For example, it remains unclear whether the estimated price of one tonne of carbon dioxide would have the same effect in every sector, such as agriculture, and whether the package would make sense to take redistribution effects into account. On the basis of the climate package, the central environmental policy conflict is whether the focus should be on CO2 pricing and its effects or on the measures themselves, with the CO2 pricing targets complementing these measures. With that said, the dispute over individual issues such as the ban on domestic flights or SUVs is of a purely symbolic nature. “Such bans only have a political signalling effect,” said the ZEW President.
ZEW presentation on a variety of topics
In their presentations, ZEW economists gave insights into their latest research findings, among other things, on how early childhood education affects the integration of refugee families, how auctions can achieve reasonable prices and low default risks in the procurement of medicines, how bond purchases by the European Central Bank affect the yields of government bonds and exchange rates, and – in keeping with the theme of the VfS Conference “30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Democracy and Market Economy” – how system changes affect individual attitudes towards immigration. In addition to the presentations, ZEW also hosted an information stand at the conference site, which offered VfS participants the opportunity to catch up on research, publications, events, and career possibilities at ZEW.
Keynote speakers at this year’s VfS conference were Professor Maria Petrova from the New Economic School (NES) in Moscow and Professor Davide Cantoni, Chair of Economic History at the LMU Munich. Next year, the VfS Annual Conference will be held at the University of Cologne on 22 to 25 September and will focus on “Gender Economics. Gender Studies in Economics”. The VfS currently has around 4,000 personal and institutional members, making it one of the largest economic associations in Europe.