On Income Inequality and Green Preferences
Abstract
We derive conditions of individual preferences and technology that give rise to a negative correlation between income inequality and environmental protection. We present a class of models (which captures a static model as well as an overlapping-generations model) in which individuals differ in earning abilities, and where a representative takes the decisions on a pollution tax and a redistributive tax. We show that, if private consumption goods and the environment are non-inferior goods, and the decisive individual has lower ability than the average, they will prefer a higher redistributive tax and a lower pollution tax.Download Info
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Bibliographic Info
Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 3677.Length:
Date of creation: Jan 2003
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3677
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Related research
Keywords: environmental policy; inequality; political economy; redistribution;Find related papers by JEL classification:
- D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
- D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
- H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2003-03-14 (All new papers)
- NEP-LAB-2003-03-14 (Labour Economics)
References
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