Trade Liberalization and Pollution: Evidence from the Philippines

by Rafaelita M. Adalba, Caesar B. Cororaton

The study assesses the impact of trade reforms in the Philippines on pollution using computable general equilibrium (CGE) model simulations. It focuses on the manufacturing industry and its pollution effects and examines whether trade liberalization is compatible with efforts to promote environmental protection. Generally, the results of the CGE simulations showed that trade reform is output augmenting and income improving. The overall impact on pollution is very little. The overall change in the level of emission for all pollutants is very small relative to the case where there is no tariff reform program. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that a change in production technology is a major factor that can check the problems of pollution in the process of industrialization.

  • Publication Year: 2002
  • Country: Philippines
  • Sector: Brown
  • Type: Individual Research Grant
  • Research Area: Pollution Control
  • Research Topic: Pollution Impacts and Health
  • Analytical Framework: Economy-Wide Modeling
Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia