Climate change, global warming, and greenhouse gas emissions in a simple model of renewable resources

Abstract

We analyze the dynamics of climate change and emission rates in a model of the type used for modeling the harvesting of renewable resources. The rate of pollution, the rate of emission of greenhouse gases, is a control variable that negatively influences the natural environment. The quality of the environment is modeled as a state variable with an ability to regenerate itself. This rate of regeneration is reduced by the rate of pollution, and in equilibrium the two rates are the same. Taking the departure in a simple version of the model, we modify the model discussing the implications of (political) restrictions on the rate of pollution as well as different assumptions on the regeneration process. In doing so, we make no claim of originality. The purpose is rather to focus on some very simple dynamic characteristics of the problem that are often forgotten in the political discussions of environmental problems, but could be of crucial importance for the dynamics of environmental change.