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Taxing Consumption to Mitigate Carbon Leakage

Author

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  • Kevin R. Kaushal

    (Statistics Norway
    Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

  • Knut Einar Rosendahl

    (Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

Abstract

Unilateral actions to reduce CO2 emissions could lead to carbon leakage such as relocation of emission-intensive and trade-exposed industries (EITE). To mitigate such leakage, countries often supplement an emissions trading system (ETS) with free allocation of allowances to exposed industries, e.g. in the form of output-based allocation (OBA). This paper examines the welfare effects of supplementing OBA with a consumption tax on EITE goods. In particular, we investigate the case when only a subset of countries involved in a joint ETS introduces such a tax. The analytical results suggest that the consumption tax would have unambiguously global welfare improving effects, and have welfare improving effects for the tax introducing country as well unless there are strong unfavorable terms-of-trade effects. Numerical simulations in the context of the EU ETS support the analytical findings, including that the consumption tax is welfare improving for the single country that implements the tax.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin R. Kaushal & Knut Einar Rosendahl, 2020. "Taxing Consumption to Mitigate Carbon Leakage," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 75(1), pages 151-181, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:75:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10640-019-00392-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-019-00392-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Philippe Quirion, 2022. "Output-based allocation and output-based rebates: a survey," Chapters, in: Handbook on Trade Policy and Climate Change, chapter 7, pages 94-107, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    3. Fabio Antoniou & Panos Hatzipanayotou & Nikos Tsakiris, 2023. "Regulatory Stringency and Emission Leakage Mitigation," DEOS Working Papers 2302, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    4. Peter Kjær Kruse-Andersen & Peter Birch Sørensen, 2021. "Opimal Unilateral Climate Policy with Carbon Leakage at the Extensive and the Intensive Margin," CESifo Working Paper Series 9185, CESifo.
    5. Michael S. Michael & Panos Hatzipanayotou & Nikos Tsakiris, 2023. "Can Small Economies Act Strategically? The Case of Consumption Pollution and Non-tradable Goods," DEOS Working Papers 2312, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    6. Thomas Eichner & Rüdiger Pethig, 2021. "Unilateral Phase-Out of Coal to Power in an Emissions Trading Scheme," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(2), pages 379-407, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Carbon leakage; Consumption tax; Emission trading system; Output-based allocation; Unilateral policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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