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Energy policy in transport and transport policy

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  • Van Dender, Kurt

Abstract

Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution. Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified.

Suggested Citation

  • Van Dender, Kurt, 2009. "Energy policy in transport and transport policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 3854-3862, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:37:y:2009:i:10:p:3854-3862
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    2. Borba, Bruno S.M.C. & Lucena, André F.P. & Rathmann, Régis & Costa, Isabella V.L. & Nogueira, Larissa P.P. & Rochedo, Pedro R.R. & Castelo Branco, David A. & Júnior, Mauricio F.H. & Szklo, Alexandre &, 2012. "Energy-related climate change mitigation in Brazil: Potential, abatement costs and associated policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 430-441.
    3. Sehatpour, Mohammad-Hadi & Kazemi, Aliyeh & Sehatpour, Hesam-eddin, 2017. "Evaluation of alternative fuels for light-duty vehicles in Iran using a multi-criteria approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 295-310.
    4. Solaymani, Saeed, 2019. "CO2 emissions patterns in 7 top carbon emitter economies: The case of transport sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 989-1001.
    5. Solaymani, Saeed & Kardooni, Roozbeh & Yusoff, Sumiani Binti & Kari, Fatimah, 2015. "The impacts of climate change policies on the transportation sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 719-728.
    6. Pablo del Río & Desiderio Romero & Marta Jorge & Mercedes Burguillo, 2012. "Territorial differences for transport fuel demand in Spain: an econometric study," Chapters, in: Larry Kreiser & Ana Yábar Sterling & Pedro Herrera & Janet E. Milne & Hope Ashiabor (ed.), Green Taxation and Environmental Sustainability, chapter 4, pages 56-68, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Santos, Georgina & Behrendt, Hannah & Teytelboym, Alexander, 2010. "Part II: Policy instruments for sustainable road transport," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 46-91.

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