EconPlusDal: Hot Topics-2023
Paper one
Market Failure:
Negative (Carbon Emissions)
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Policies to decrease carbon emissions
Recent debates on the need for carbon tax in the UK. Many other nations already
have one
What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a carbon tax?
Banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, 2030
Banning the sale of gas boilers, Mid-2030
Existing pollution permits scheme, ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme)
Cut subsidies for solar panels and electric cars. What are the pros and cons of this
action?
Large market failure surrounding plastic waste and encouraging greater recycle
Alcohol minimum pricing in Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland
Vaping: A way of reducing consumption of cigarettes, Market failure within itself?
Market for higher education and healthcare. Is state provision the most efficient method?
Should there be state provision: Wi-Fi, Flood defence
Externalities linked to cross rail and HS2
Market Structure: Know them inside out: Characteristics, Diagrams, Pros and Cons
especially competitive markets such as monopolistic and perfect competition. Consider subbranches as well: Price discrimination and Natural monopoly
Government intervention with markets: Monopoly regulation, Privatisation, De-regulation,
Nationalisation (Section B)
Examples: Energy price cap being a complete failure, Blocked merger of Asda and
Sainsburys by the CMA in 2019
Regulation against tech such as a windfall tax to prevent monopoly abuses
Nationalisation of steel, water, mail, and rail
Labour:
Labour market: Role of trade unions, falling trade union density and membership in the UK.
Is it something to worry about? Does this link to inequality? Is that good news or bad news
for workers? Monopsony impacts
Wage differentials between ethnic and regional lines. Why is there this inequality in wage?
What policy can be enacted? Should we solve wage inequality in the first place?
Flexible labour markets, The gig economy in the UK. Is the gig economy a good thing? Does
there need to be more government intervention?
Paper two
Paper three