{"title":"On the interaction between fiscal policy and CO2 emissions in G7 countries: 1875–2016","authors":"Veli Yılancı, U. Pata","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1950575","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1950575","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of fiscal policy and economic growth on CO2 emissions employing a bootstrap causality test in the frequency domain. Analysing a long time series of data from 1875 to 2016 for G7 countries, we mainly aim to investigate the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis and whether fiscal policy affects the environment. The findings of causality from government expenditures to CO2 emissions are time-varying. However, the causality from economic growth to CO2 emissions follows a stable path and does not change over time in all countries except Canada. Since causal relations follow a consistent line and do not confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution, the EKC hypothesis does not hold in the G7 countries, implying that environmental problems are not automatically solved. The results also suggest that fiscal policy can contribute to climate change mitigation at different points in time.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1950575","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41472379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Energy taxes and economic growth in OECD countries: a simultaneous equations approach","authors":"Mahmoud Hassan, W. Oueslati, D. Rousselière","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1937326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1937326","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper explores the channels through which energy taxes may affect economic growth, using a simultaneous equations model for a balanced panel data of 31 OECD countries over the 1994–2013 period. The empirical results reveal a negative impact of energy taxes on physical investment in the short and long term. This impact is negatively sensitive to the existence and level of public debt. Additionally, the results show that energy taxes have an indirect effect on human capital through their impact on polluting emissions. The taxes on energy products are able to reduce both the flux and the stock of polluting emissions that have a negative impact on human capital skills in the short and long term. Finally, we found that energy taxes could encourage eco-innovation in the short and long term.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1937326","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48662860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of electricity pricing strategy on residential energy consumption decisions in China: empirical evidence from a household survey","authors":"Yimeng Du, Teng Ma","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1930586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1930586","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In this study, the direct impact of knowledge about the electricity pricing policies on residents’ electricity saving behaviour and the indirect impact of these pricing strategies on residential consumers’ fuel choices are analysed by adopting a traditional two-stage-least-squares model. Moreover, due to the different levels of affordability of energy, differences between rural and urban households are also examined. Estimations are based on an analysis of data from 3653 households from the Chinese General Social Survey of 2015. We find that energy sources with higher health risks – raw coal and briquettes – are more likely to be used in rural households than in urban households. However, our results confirm that applying for time-of-use (TOU) tariffs can help rural residents reduce their electricity expenditure, and thus increase their ability to consume cleaner energy – LPG instead of coal. Similarly, choosing TOU and possessing a higher understanding of tiered electricity pricing (TEP) significantly improves urban residents’ electricity saving behaviours. Urban residents with higher energy saving awareness are more likely to purchase energy sources with more convenience and less carbon emissions – natural gas instead of LPG. Finally, we suggest that more information on the TEP pricing scheme should be offered to rural residents to improve their energy saving knowledge levels.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1930586","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43505154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating environmental policy: the use and usefulness of experiments","authors":"J. Bouma","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1933606","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1933606","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper reflects on the use and usefulness of experiments for environmental policy evaluation. Whereas most of the literature has focused on the added value of field experiments, this paper also considers the added value of choice and lab experiments. The paper reviews the literature to assess the potential of the different methods, focusing on the type of policy issues that can be evaluated with the help of experiments. It then discusses validity issues, and how the validity of the different methods can be improved, after which it turns to the ‘policy validity’ or generalizability of the outcomes of the different methods, crucial for policy relevance. The paper ends with a reflection on how the use and usefulness of experiments for environmental policy evaluation can be improved, concluding that mixed method approaches that combine the different experimental methods seem most promising although efforts, to enhance the replicability of experiments and the building of an evidence base, are also important. Finally, to enhance the use and usefulness of experiments for environmental policy making, it is important that more attention is paid to the scalability of the experimental findings and for the inclusion of policy context in experimental design.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1933606","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47330512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of income inequality and economic complexity on ecological footprint: an analysis covering a long-time span","authors":"Emad Kazemzadeh, J. Fuinhas, Matheus Koengkan","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1930188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1930188","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Income inequality and economic complexity impacts on ecological footprint were researched for a panel of twenty-five countries, from 1970 to 2016, using the panel quantile regression approach. Results support that the economic complexity index in the 10th and 25th quantiles and pooled OLS regression positively affects ecological footprint, but not in the 75th and 90th quantiles. Gross Domestic Product in the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles have a positive effect on ecological footprint. Consumption of fossil fuels and population growth positively affects the ecological footprint in 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles and the pooled OLS. Income inequality in the 10th, 25th, and 50th quantiles and the OLS model regression positively affect ecological footprint. Economic openness in 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles and the pooled OLS negatively affect ecological footprint. Policymakers should promote policies to (i) encourage investment in green energy technologies and implement upgraded energy and environmental laws; (ii) diversify exports and sophisticate products in countries with a high ecological footprint; (iii) depth of human development to control for the population growth and stimulate the economic complexity; (vi) negotiate international trade agreements to open the economy; (v) implement measures to curb income inequality.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1930188","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48952218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research on customers’ willingness-to-pay for service changes in UK water company price reviews 1994–2019","authors":"Kent Willis, R. Sheldon","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1927850","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1927850","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Water companies are regional monopolies in the UK, and subject to quinquennial price reviews to ensure customers receive value for money. This paper documents the application and evolution of stated preference methodology in the quinquennial price review research. Stated preference methods are used to assess customers’ preferences for changes to water supply, waste-water, and environmental services; and customers’ willingness-to-pay, or willingness-to-accept, water bill amounts for changes to these service levels. Recently revealed preference methods have been given more prominence in estimating values for some water services. The application of stated preference, and revealed preference, has seen continued attempts, in successive price reviews, to improve the accuracy and reliability of values for water services, as an input into the cost–benefit analysis of water projects, and water company business plans.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1927850","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42047813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Isaac Ankamah-Yeboah, C. Armstrong, S. Hynes, Bui Bich Xuan, Katherine Simpson
{"title":"Assessing public preferences for deep sea ecosystem conservation: a choice experiment in Norway and Scotland","authors":"Isaac Ankamah-Yeboah, C. Armstrong, S. Hynes, Bui Bich Xuan, Katherine Simpson","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1924286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1924286","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Recent events around the world have revealed varying degrees of public support for climate change and environmental regulation. Applying a latent class logit model, this study investigates Norwegian and Scottish public’s economic support for proposed deep sea management policies for novel attributes, identifying the presence of preference heterogeneity. Marine litter and health of fish stocks were the attributes with the highest values in absolute terms. This was followed by the size of the protected area coverage, whilst the creation of jobs was the least valued. The results highlight public support for the further collective action required by the EU in moving beyond the 2020 objective of achieving good environmental status of Europe’s seas, despite the low WTP values of the minority classes in each country.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1924286","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49663976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structural reforms and productivity in the electricity generation sector","authors":"Philipp R. Steinbrunner","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1921040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1921040","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The European electricity industry has witnessed substantial restructuring over the last decades, aiming to introduce competitive and efficient electricity markets. This study sheds light on the effects of vertical disintegration and privatization on the productivity of European electricity generators. Using a data set of firms, incorporated in 17 European countries, from 2006 to 2013, I estimate the effect of structural reforms, considering their endogeneity, on technical efficiency derived from production instead of cost functions. This study, therefore, fills the academic void of the effects of structural reforms on productivity. Furthermore, I control for weather conditions, being a novelty with respect to the previous literature. The overall results show that vertical separation significantly decreases productivity of electricity generators by 8–14%, depending on the production function chosen. Besides, privatization results in efficiency gains, thereby providing policy lessons on the implementation of structural reforms.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1921040","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45943618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A sound investment? Traffic noise mitigation and property values","authors":"S. Lindgren","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2021.1911861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2021.1911861","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Traffic noise is a widespread problem that adversely affects health and well-being. A key policy question is how the benefit of noise mitigation compares with the cost. This study estimates the benefits of noise mitigation by its capitalization into property values. Using a dataset on properties considered for a noise mitigation programme, I estimate a difference-in-differences model that compares prices of properties receiving a measure to properties ineligible for the programme. Results show that noise mitigation raised property prices by 10–12 percent. The property price benefits exceed programme investment cost with each $1 spent on noise mitigation generating up to $1.7 in benefits.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21606544.2021.1911861","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46151646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Regime-dependent environmental tax multipliers: evidence from 75 countries","authors":"Christian Schoder","doi":"10.1080/21606544.2022.2089238","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2022.2089238","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper reviews the main transmission channels of an environmental tax reform shifting the tax burden from labour to carbon emission. The analysis uses a simple open-economy macro model and estimates dynamic environmental tax as well as personal income tax multiplier effects on output and employment for a panel of 75 high- and low-income countries from 1994 to 2018. Tax policy changes are identified by cyclically adjusting the tax revenues. The estimated environmental tax multiplier effects on output range from 1 on impact to 1.8 at the peak. Personal income tax multipliers are slightly higher, ranging from 1.4 to 2.3. While income taxes reduce employment, environmental taxes do not. Environmental tax multipliers are highly regime dependent: they are close to zero or statistically insignificant unless taxes are increased when output contracts, fuel prices are high, the environmental tax levels are high, or the carbon intensity of output is low. Commodity trade-exposed countries face higher tax multipliers. This analysis concludes that, compared with income taxes, environmental taxes can be a less contractionary source of revenues to support the post-COVID-19 fiscal consolidation efforts, especially in countries that are at the beginning of their decarbonization efforts.","PeriodicalId":44903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2021-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44777131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}