Please use the carousel above to navigate the posts in this debate, starting with moderator David Pearce’s opening remarks.
“Are We Headed for a Green Trade War?” (July – August 2010)
Even though France has taken back steps to introduce tariffs on imported goods that do not offset emissions for the moment, they hinted in April that they will be pushing for an EU wide solution instead. At the same time, leading U.S. business groups have warned Congress that a “green trade war” could be imminent by passing a climate change bill that threatens other countries with tariffs on energy-intensive goods.
This has prompted China to respond with tough talk on the possibility of any form of tariffs being put on their manufacturing output. Beijing has already joined a growing clamour of complaints about these plans, warning it could set off a global trade war. The question that will be debated here is how much of an impact this is going to have on Australia’s export lead economy?
Affirmative Debater
Scott Davenport is the Chief Economist with NSW Industry and Investment (I&I NSW). He is also a member of the NSW Senior Executive Service and an Executive Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government. Scott commenced his career in 1982 as a Research Economist with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Economics. In 1991 he transferred to the NSW Department of Agriculture, which is now NSW DPI, being part of Industry and Investment NSW.
In his current position, Scott is responsible for the preparation of economic policy advice and analysis for I&I NSW’s Executive and Minister. Key areas of focus for Scott and his team of economists are working with industry and government stakeholders to design programs and policy settings that encourage the adoption by NSW primary industries of more profitable and sustainable production systems.
Negative Debater
Dr Leo Yanes is a Senior Consultant with ACIL Tasman. He holds Ph.D. and M.Sc. qualifications in economics from the London School of Economics and has been a Visiting Research Scholar in the Department of Economics at Harvard. He has extensive experience in quantitative economics, with a strong emphasis on planning, valuation (discounted cash flows, cost-benefit analysis), quantitative risk analysis (Monte Carlo simulation), and general equilibrium analysis.
He has experience in economic impact studies for major oil & gas projects, educational aspects of the National Reform Agenda and provided modelling support for the International Monetary Fund economic restructuring programme in Venezuela (1996).
Moderator
David Pearce is the Executive Director of the Centre for International Economics (CIE), based in Canberra. He has extensive experience as an applied economist, having worked on a broad range of issues with the CIE for the past 20 years (before which he was an officer at the Industry Commission, now Productivity Commission). David combines detailed knowledge of contemporary economic issues and techniques with a sound understanding of quantitative economics and an ability to clearly present complex ideas to a variety of audiences. With a long term commitment to commissioned research and consulting, David uses his detailed knowledge of economic analysis to clarify issues and to assist clients in tackling the diverse challenges they face in the modern economy. Our clients value David’s capacity to bring clear, logical thinking to the complex, high-stake economic decisions they make or influence.
Over the past 20 years, David has actively developed expertise in the analysis of trade and industry policy, regulatory environments, greenhouse and water industry policy, as well as R&D evaluation. David also has extensive international experience, including undertaking projects in Vietnam, China, India, Laos, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria and the Central Pacific.
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Creative Commons photo courtesy of Frank Yang.
