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The Impact of a Carbon Tax on Economic Growth and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Ireland

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Conefrey

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

  • John FitzGerald

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

  • Laura Malaguzzi Valeri

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

  • Richard S. J. Tol

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

Abstract

This paper analyses the medium-term effects of a carbon tax on growth and CO2 emissions in Ireland, a small open economy. We find that a double dividend exists if the carbon tax revenue is recycled through reduced income taxes. If the revenue is recycled by giving a lump-sum transfer to households, a double dividend is unlikely. We also determine that a greater incidence of the carbon tax falls on capital than on labour. When combined with a decrease in income tax, there is a clear shift of the tax burden from labour to capital. Finally, most of the effect on the economy is due to changes in the competitiveness of the manufacturing and market services sectors. These results hold even if we allow changes in energy prices to have an enhanced (detrimental) effect on Ireland's competitiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Conefrey & John FitzGerald & Laura Malaguzzi Valeri & Richard S. J. Tol, 2008. "The Impact of a Carbon Tax on Economic Growth and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Ireland," Papers WP251, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp251
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Legge, Thomas & Scott, Susan, 2009. "Policy Options to Reduce Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS9.
    2. Alberto Gago & Xavier Labandeira & Xiral López Otero, 2014. "A Panorama on Energy Taxes and Green Tax Reforms," Hacienda Pública Española, IEF, vol. 208(1), pages 145-190, March.
    3. Legge, Thomas & Scott, Susan, 2009. "Policy Options to Reduce Ireland's GHG Emissions [Instrument choice: the pros and cons of alternative policy instruments]," Papers WP284, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    4. Niall Farrell & Seán Lyons, 2016. "Equity impacts of energy and climate policy: who is shouldering the burden?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(5), pages 492-509, September.
    5. Nanthakumar, Loganathan & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Taha, Roshaiza, 2014. "The Effect of Green Taxation and Economic Growth on Environment Hazards: The Case of Malaysia," MPRA Paper 56843, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 23 Jun 2014.
    6. Loganathan, Nanthakumar & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Taha, Roshaiza, 2014. "The link between green taxation and economic growth on CO2 emissions: Fresh evidence from Malaysia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1083-1091.
    7. Callan, Tim & Lyons, Sean & Scott, Susan & Tol, Richard S.J. & Verde, Stefano, 2009. "The distributional implications of a carbon tax in Ireland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 407-412, February.
    8. John FitzGerald, 2012. "The Irish Economy Today: Albatross or Phoenix?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(10), pages 1239-1255, October.
    9. repec:ebl:ecbull:eb-17-00684 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Keane, Claire & Walsh, John R. & Callan, Tim & Savage, Michael, 2012. "Property Tax in Ireland: Key Choices," Papers EC11, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    11. Di Cosmo, Valeria & Hyland, Marie, 2013. "Carbon tax scenarios and their effects on the Irish energy sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 404-414.
    12. John Curtis, Valeria Di Cosmo, and Paul Deane, 2014. "Climate policy, interconnection and carbon leakage: The effect of unilateral UK policy on electricity and GHG emissions in Ireland," Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 2).
    13. Curtis, John & Devitt, Niamh & di Cosmo, Valeria & Farrell, Niall & FitzGerald, John & Hyland, Marie & Lynch, Muireann & Lyons, Sean & McCoy, Daire & Malaguzzi Valeri, Laura & Walsh, Darragh, 2014. "Irish Energy Policy: An Analysis of Current Issues," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number rs37 edited by FitzGerald, John & Malaguzzi Valeri, Laura.
    14. FitzGerald, John & Kearney, Ide & Bergin, Adele & Conefrey, Thomas & Duffy, David & Timoney, Kevin & Znuderl, Nusa, 2013. "Medium-Term Review: 2013-2020, No. 12," Forecasting Report, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number MTR12, April.
    15. Bernold, Elizabeth & Ancev, Tiho & Baltaduonis, Rimvyda, 2015. "Regulating greenhouse gas emissions by an intertemporal policy mix: An experimental investigation," Working Papers 2015-17, University of Sydney, School of Economics.
    16. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-494 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Keywords

    carbon tax; Ireland; double dividend; tax incidence;

    JEL classification:

    • 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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