This study investigates the relationship between the nuclear power proportion and CO₂ emissions per capita using the panel dynamic ordinary least square method. The panel datasets consist of 18 countries covering 95% of the global nuclear reactors. The results indicate that a long-term 1% increase in nuclear power led to a 0.26–0.32% decrease in CO₂ emissions per capita. Additionally, in France, Germany, and Switzerland they demonstrate the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve—an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental pollution and income per capita.

One of the main concerns of policymakers regarding emissions trading markets is that some firms may well enjoy market power owing to their share of the emissions. This study shows that including indirect emissions within the coverage of an emissions trading scheme can help to reduce market power and thereby enhance social efficiency. In this study, the market concentration measured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index significantly drops after including indirect emissions in the South Korean emissions trading market. In addition, other market concentration measures are also considered to verify that the conclusion does not depend on the choice of concentration measures.

The goal of this study is to introduce greenhouse gas (GHG) Emission Efficiency (GEE) as the index to evaluate the effectiveness of GHG mitigation policies. To define and estimate GEE, we rely on the concept of multiple output distance function and employ stochastic frontier analysis, respectively. The data set used in this study comprises firm‐level panel data from 251 firms operating in 15 industries under the regulation of the Energy Target Management System, and the critical variables for estimating GEE are GHG emissions, energy consumption, sales, tangible assets, and number of employees from 2011 to 2015. The main results are as follows. First, the average GEE of total firms improved in 2012 and then decreased in both 2013 and 2014. However, it improved in 2015 with establishment of the Emissions Trading Schemes. Second, the trend of average GEE across many industries was similar to that of total firms. Finally, the average GEE of the refining industry improved rapidly in 2013 and 2014 and reached a peak in 2015.

We aim to clarify why the GHG emissions from the transportation sector during 2018 ~ 2019 deviated from the path described in the 2030 GHG reduction road map using the decomposition analysis. We also evaluate whether abatement polices were properly implemented during 2018 ~ 2019 as planned in the road map. We find that during 2018 ~ 2019 yearly emissions in the transportation sector exceeded those of the reduction path on the road map by around 7 million tons. The growth rates of population and economy were lower than those assumed in the road map, which should contribute to achieving the target. However, dominating energy intensity and carbon intensity effects produced realized emissions greater than those of the targeted path. The road map listed several abatement policies and measures for the transportation sector, some of which are operating as planned, while others are not. These policies and measures should be evaluated periodically so that they can be improved and updated to reach the 2050 carbon neutral goal.

This study aims to empirically assess the effect of allowance banking restrictions on allowance price using event study methods. This study also outlines and evaluates other key government intervention measures implemented so far in order to stabilize the market for emissions during the first and second planning periods. The main results are as follows. First, there were three market interventions during the first planning period, but they were likely to have no significant effect on the market. Second, the banking restrictions within the planned period, announced in June 2019, are evaluated to be stronger than before, but the price of KAU18 temporarily fell shortly after the announcement of the public hearing plan, and it eventually returned to the previous trend. But, this can have a significant effect in terms of increasing market liquidity.