Policy analysis What will be the effects of different environmental policies? Policies can affect: the level of emissions profitability and competitiveness government revenue public perceptions The Environment Business can measure the effects of environmental policies on the above, providing quantitative and qualitative analysis with an explanation of the risks. Different scales of policies can be modelled, from Government to intra company. The Environment Business has experience in building computer models of complex systems, allowing interactions to take place between the agents in the models. Laurence Smith and Bridget Rosewell created a model of over 3400 large firms to determine the effects of incentives to sign up for an emissions target and emissions trading. The model was adapted for the DETR and the results formed the basis for the successful bid in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2000. The model worked by performing, under each incentive, a cost benefit analysis for each of the firms involved and outputting the resulting reduction in emissions, cost to the government and the number of firms who sign up. More information.