The best fiscal system for a country is the one that allows maximum revenue in the long run, satisfying both efficiency and equity. Environmental taxes are consistent with these criteria. Not only it is fair to tax 'bads', such as pollution or excessive use of natural resources, rather than 'goods', such as labor and profits, it is a known result in the received literature that green taxes have a positive effect on the development and diffusion of new technologies. GDP (and possibly employment) increases will follow, which in turn secure an increase in the long run tax revenue. This book aims to encourage the study of fiscal reforms - consistent with ongoing environmental problems - by addressing a variety of efficiency and equity related issues under different perspectives and in relation to different countries. Moreover the book emphasises that 'green tax reform' requires further action than the introduction of one or two green taxes.
Preface; L.Castellucci & A. Markandya PART I: GENERAL ISSUES Environmental Taxation: What Have We Learned in the Last Thirty Years? A.Markandya Market-Based Instruments in CEE Countries: Much Ado About Nothing; M. Scasny & V. Maca PART II: DISTRIBUTIONAL ISSUES Environmental Fiscal Reform in East and Southern Africa and its Effects on Income Distribution; D. Slunge & T. Sterner Environmental Quality and Income Inequality: The Impact of Redistribution on Direct Household Emissions in Italy; L. Castellucci, A. d'Amato & M. Zoli PART III: CARBON TAXATION Carbon Pricing as an Effective Instrument of Climate Policy: Searching for an Optimal Policy Instrument; A. Ansuategi & I. Galarraga Green Taxes on Aviation: The Case of Italy. The Proposal of the Green Taxation Matrix; A. Markandya & E. C. Ricci Is it Time for a Revival of ETR in Italy? Energy Elasticities and Factor Substitutability for Manufacturing Firms; R. Bardazzi, F. Oropallo & M.G. Pazienza Financing Public Expenditure via Emissions Taxation under International Emissions Trading: Is there any Scope for Emission Tax Harmonization? A. d'Amato & A. Spisto