Climate payments: A Coase theorem

Climate-related payments have emerged as a contentious and complex issue in climate negotiations. Major questions remain on how this will be done and how effective payments will be. The paper studies transfers under a variety of timing possibilities. It is shown that outcome-contingent payments always lead to efficiency and a particular alignment of transfer and emission timings implies that the efficient equilibrium is the only equilibrium even when the horizon is infinite. The theoretical novelty is a multi-lateral Coase Theorem in a dynamic model. The policy prescription is for an enhanced role for transfers to solve the climate problem.