automotive industry in China Essays | Online Homework Help

1. Pollution
What pollutants do vehicles generate? How many of those pollutants come from vehicles vs. other sources (electricity generation, manufacturing, etc.)? What is the historical trend in each of those pollutants over time? What is the breakdown of those pollutants by vehicle type (diesel vs. gasoline, commercial vs. household, public transportation vs. private, etc.)? What are the health consequences of those pollutants from vehicles?

2. Policy
What environmental regulation has been proposed and/or implemented to address the vehicle pollution problem? Are they command-and-control or market-based? What other regulation (border tax, etc.) has also impacted vehicle pollution?

3. Automakers
How do automakers respond to / comply with those regulations? Have they adjusted the vehicle prices and attributes? Have they changed how they do research and development? Have they changed how they interact with foreign automakers? Have they changed their marketing strategies? Are there any unintended/unexpected consequences of automakers’ response to environmental policies?

4. Consumers
Have consumers become more interested in purchasing environmentally friendly vehicles (vehicles with higher MPG, hybrids, electric vehicles, etc.)? Have they changed their driving behavior (e.g. relying less or more on public transportation, driving longer or shorter distances, etc.)?

5. Conclusion
Based on the existing policies and the automakers’ and consumers’ responses, do you think we are on the right track (define what “right” means)? What are some of the mistakes that we have made in the past, and what can we do in the future to improve social welfare?

I would look for a mixture of academic papers (prioritize high-quality economic research) and policy reports, and government documents. Some of the economists I would start with include: Shanjun Li (Cornell), Jie Bai (Harvard Kennedy School), Michael Greenstone (Chicago). You can see what work they have done, what papers they have cited, and what papers have cited them, to get the ball rolling. Reputable policy institutes include ICCT, RFF, World Bank, etc.