Feedback Nash equilibria for non-linear differential games in pollution control

Dynamic problems of pollution and resource management with stock externalities often require a differential games framework of analysis. In addition they are represented realistically by non-linear transition equations. However, feedback Nash equilibrium (FBNE) solutions, which are the desired ones in this case, are difficult to obtain in problems with nonlinear-quadratic structure. We develop a method to obtain numerically non-linear FBNE for a class of such problems, with a specific example for shallow lake pollution control. We compare FBNE solutions, by considering the entire equilibrium trajectories, with optimal management and open-loop solutions, and we show that the value of the best FBNE is in general worse than the open-loop and optimal management solutions. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.