Environmentally Related Taxes In Oecd Countries Issues And Strategies

This report analyses current use of environmentally related taxes in OECD Member countries. Focus is given to their environmental effectiveness. The report identifies obstacles to a broader use of such taxes -- in particular the fear of loss of sectoral competitiveness -- and ways to overcome them.

This report analyses current use of environmentally related taxes in OECD Member countries. Focus is given to their environmental effectiveness. The report identifies obstacles to a broader use of such taxes -- in particular the fear of loss of sectoral competitiveness -- and ways to overcome them.

Most OECD countries have introduced various ecotaxes, but only a few are implementing comprehensive green tax reforms. This report reviews the 1997 situation and the lessons which can be drawn e.g. as to the competitiveness, social equity and employment implications of green taxes.

'Whilst green taxes face new challenges, there is now an accumulated international experience on which to reflect. This new collection of papers, providing material for further vigorous argument, evinces a keen appreciation of these realities. I recommend this generally very readable book as a helpful reflection of some recent key concerns in the environmental policy area. It constitutes a welcome addition to the literature, inviting critical responses from the specialist, but also drawing in the newcomer to the subject.' – John Snape, University of Warwick, UK 'The level of public and political debate on carbon taxes is low. Politicians fear the impact of a carbon tax on businesses and low income groups, as well as on their popularity among voters. This valuable book studies carbon taxes from many angles with ample attention paid to practical examples and shows that a smartly designed carbon tax is an indispensable instrument in the transition to a less carbon dependent economy.' – Jonathan Verschuuren, The University of Sydney, Australia and Tilburg University, The Netherlands Containing an authoritative set of original essays, Environmental Taxation and Climate Change provides fresh insights and analysis on how environmental sustainability can be achieved through fiscal policy. Written by distinguished environmental taxation scholars from around the world, this timely volume covers a range of hotly debated subjects including carbon related taxation in OECD countries, implications of environmental tax reforms, innovative environmental taxation and behavioural strategies, as well as many other relevant topics. This up-to-date and well-informed book will appeal to policymakers in government as well as students, researchers and academics in environmental law and other academic disciplines.

ÔIngeniously organized in a life cycle format, the Handbook covers environmental taxation concepts, design, acceptance, implementation, and impact. The universal themes discussed in each area will appeal to a broad range of readers.Õ Ð Larry Kreiser, Cleveland State University, US ÔThis book is a smart and useful readerÕs guide providing analytical tools for a full comprehension of environmental taxes, with an interdisciplinary approach that looks at all the different phases of environmental taxation: from the design to the implementation, the political acceptance and the impact on the economy. The authorsÕ effort is very successful in endowing academicians, policy makers and the general public with an excellent proof of the effectiveness of environmental taxes and green tax reforms.Õ Ð Alberto Majocchi, University of Pavia, Italy ÔPutting the words ÒenvironmentÓ next to ÒtaxationÓ might not always be the flavour of the month, but no modern society can ignore the value of the natural environment and the need to maintain its good quality and no competitive economy can prosper without the necessary tax revenues to function. Environmental taxation offers the prospect of moving towards a more resource-efficient economy, where preference is given to tax more what we burn, less what we earn. I welcome this contribution to the literature.Õ Ð Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, European Commission ÔThe Milne and Andersen volume provides a splendid treatment of environmental taxation that encompasses the basic conceptual issues, problems of tax design and implementation, and several insightful case studies that show how environmental taxes actually work in practice. It is the best overall treatment of environmental taxation available: comprehensive, rigorous, and readable.Õ Ð Wallace Oates, University of Maryland, US The Handbook of Research on Environmental Taxation captures the state of the art of research on environmental taxation. Written by 36 specialists in environmental taxation from 16 countries, it takes an interdisciplinary and international approach, focusing on issues that are universal to using taxation to achieve environmental goals. The Handbook explores the conceptual foundations of environmental taxation, essential elements for designing environmental tax measures, factors that influence the acceptance of environmental taxation, the variety of ways to implement environmental taxes, their environmental and economic impact and, finally, the larger question of the role of taxation among other policy approaches to environmental protection. Intermixing theory with case studies, the Handbook offers readers lessons that can be applied around the world. It identifies key bodies of research for people who are already working in the field or entering the field and highlights issues that call for more research in the future. With systematic analysis of key issues in environmental taxation, this book will appeal to researchers, governments, think tanks, NGOs, and academics in law, economics, political science and public finance, as well as students specializing in environmental taxation and other market-based instruments.

This report draws on case studies to explore the relationship between environmentally-related taxation and innovation to see whether taxation can spur innovation and if so, what types.

This book provides a comprehensive discussion on the effectiveness of environmentally related taxes and their potential for wider use.

Survey of environmental tax instruments in use in OECD countries. It deals a.o. with policy trends, taxation of motor fuels and vehicle-related taxes, taxation of other energy products, taxation of emissions, environmental taxation of energy in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, environmental taxation of agricultural inputs, taxation of other goods and services, environmental provisions in direct taxation, landing charges and other taxation of air transport, water charges and taxes, and waste disposal and management charges.