On the Political Economy of Environmental Policy

30 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2002

See all articles by Gebhard Kirchgässner

Gebhard Kirchgässner

Universität St. Gallen; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Friedrich Schneider

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research); Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Date Written: June 2002

Abstract

In the past there was hardly any use of economic instruments in environmental policy, mainly command and control measures were used. More recently, ecological taxes as well as tradable permits became more popular and voluntary agreements have been implemented. Using the Public Choice approach we ask for the reasons of this wider acceptance of economic instruments. We conclude that the use of market based instruments in environmental policy has not increased very much and their impact on the actual situation is still rather low, but there is hope of at least some increase in the future.

Keywords: Environmental Policy, Ecological Taxes, Tradable Permits, Voluntary Agreements, Voting Behaviour, Public Bureaucracy, Interest Groups

JEL Classification: Q00

Suggested Citation

Kirchgaessner, Gebhard and Schneider, Friedrich G., On the Political Economy of Environmental Policy (June 2002). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 741; U of St. Gallen Econ. Working Paper No. 2001-20, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=298152 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.298152

Gebhard Kirchgaessner (Contact Author)

Universität St. Gallen ( email )

SIAW, Bodanstrasse 8
CH-9000 St.Gallen
Switzerland
+41 71 224 23 47 (Phone)
+41 71 224 22 98 (Fax)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Friedrich G. Schneider

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics ( email )

Altenbergerstrasse 69
A-4040 Linz, 4040
Austria
+43 732 2468 8210 (Phone)
+43 732 2468 8208 (Fax)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research)

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Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.CESifo.de

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

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Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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