Consider a piece of land covered by old-growth forest which could potentially be cleared and converted to agricultural use. The marginal benefit MB, the marginal private costs MC and the marginal external costs MEC of converting an area r of land are: MB(r) 10 – z MC(r) 3 МЕС(г) (a) Represent the situation in a diagram and explain in economic terms why the ex- ternality associated with land conversion leads to market failure, i.e. to a market equilibrium that is not socially optimal. (b) Determine analytically (i) the equilibrium allocation that results from individual utility maximization, (ii) the socially optimal allocation that results from consider- ing the full social costs, and (iii) compare both allocations.

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
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8-1. Consider a piece of land covered by old-growth forest which could potentially be cleared
and converted to agricultural use. The marginal benefit MB, the marginal private costs
MC and the marginal external costs MEC of converting an area r of land are:
MB(x)
10 – x
MC(x)
3
MEC(r)
(a) Represent the situation in a diagram and explain in economic terms why the ex-
ternality associated with land conversion leads to market failure, i.e. to a market
equilibrium that is not socially optimal.
(b) Determine analytically (i) the equilibrium allocation that results from individual
utility maximization, (ii) the socially optimal allocation that results from consider-
ing the full social costs, and (iii) compare both allocations.
(c) Explain graphically and analytically how a regulator could solve the market failure
by either (i) imposing an upper limit on land conversion or (ii) levying a Pigou-
vian tax on land conversion, and determine the limit and the Pigouvian tax rate,
respectively.
Transcribed Image Text:8-1. Consider a piece of land covered by old-growth forest which could potentially be cleared and converted to agricultural use. The marginal benefit MB, the marginal private costs MC and the marginal external costs MEC of converting an area r of land are: MB(x) 10 – x MC(x) 3 MEC(r) (a) Represent the situation in a diagram and explain in economic terms why the ex- ternality associated with land conversion leads to market failure, i.e. to a market equilibrium that is not socially optimal. (b) Determine analytically (i) the equilibrium allocation that results from individual utility maximization, (ii) the socially optimal allocation that results from consider- ing the full social costs, and (iii) compare both allocations. (c) Explain graphically and analytically how a regulator could solve the market failure by either (i) imposing an upper limit on land conversion or (ii) levying a Pigou- vian tax on land conversion, and determine the limit and the Pigouvian tax rate, respectively.
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