Improving the Environment through Reducing Subsidies : Part III: Case Studies / Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Environmental economics--OECD countries.

Environmental economics.

Subsidies--OECD countries.

Subsidies.

Tax incentives--OECD countries.

Tax incentives.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (273 p.)

Place of Publication:

Paris : OECD Publishing, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Substantial amounts of money continue to be spent in OECD countries on measures to support agriculture, energy, transportation and industrial activities. Many of these support measures encourage the emission of environmentally harmful pollutants, the generation of waste, and the excessive use of natural resources; and they constitute a large drain on government budgets. In addition, much of the money spent on support may not reach the intended recipients as it can leak away to other sectors of the economy instead. As such, it is likely that the reform or removal of these subsidies could lead to "win-win" benefits through increased economic efficiency, reduced government spending and improved environmental quality. This publication compiles eight case studies undertaken as part of an OECD study on how economic support measures actually affect the economy and, as a result, the environment. These case studies analyse the effects of particular support schemes and/or the possibilities for their reform. The objective is to further develop understanding of how the combination of the particular elements of a support scheme, the sector it is applied in, and other factors impact on the environment. A wide range of sectors are examined, including agriculture, energy, transport, industry, and metals production.

Contents:

CONTENTS; Introduction; 1. Overview of the Case Studies; The Effects of Taxes and Support on Marginal Costs: Quantitative Illustrations; 1. Introduction; 2. Statutory Taxes and Support; 3. Non-Tax Parameters: Economic Depreciation Rates, Capital and Input Structures; 4. METR on Up-stream Production; 5. METR on Manufacturing Costs: Country A; 6. METR on Manufacturing Costs: Country B; 7. Conclusions; Annex: Methodology for Calculating Marginal Effective Tax Rates; Notes; References; Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Support: Cereal Irrigation in France; 1. Introduction

2. Irrigation: Current Situation and Reasons for its Development3. Microeconomic Modelling; 4. Conclusions; Notes; References; Environmental Effects of Changes in Taxation and Support to Agriculture; Summary of Results and Policy Implications; 1. Introduction; 2. Control of Nitrogen Pollution from Agriculture in the Netherlands; 3. Nitrogen Pollution Control by Taxing Inputs; 4. Nitrogen Pollution Control by Taxing Emissions; 5. The Effects on Primary Production; 6. Impact of Taxes on Income and Employment in the Agribusiness; 7. Adjustment of VAT Rates According to Production Methods; Annex

NotesReferences; Effective Tax Rates on the Marginal Costs of Different Modes of Freight Transport; 1. Introduction; 2. Methodology and Parameterisation; 3. Results; 4. Conclusions; Statistical Annex; Notes; References; Energy Support Measures and their Environmental Effects: Decisive Parameters for Subsidy Removal; 1. Introduction; 2. Methodology; 3. Review of the Previous Case Studies Using the Characteristics Approach; 4. Towards Generalisations; References; Effects of Government Subsidies on the Environment: the Case of Electricity and Newsprint Production from a Swedish Perspective

Executive Summary1. Introduction; 2. The Electricity System; 3. The Newsprint Industry; 4. Emissions from Newsprint and Electricity Production; 5. An Introduction to the Calculation Model; 6. Sheltered Sectors - a Theoretical Case; 7. Sweden as an Open Economy; 8. Concluding Remarks; Notes; References; Environmental and Economic Effects of Support to the Austrian Pulp and Paper Industry; 1. Background and Objectives; 2. Direct Subsidies and the Pulp and Paper Sector; 3. Extent of Direct Subsidies in the Pulp and Paper Sector

4. Subsidy Targets and Efficiency by Direct Subsidies to the Pulp and Paper Sector5. Energy as Indirect Support; 6. Some Crucial Factors; 7. Reform of the Support System; Annex; Notes; References; Competitiveness and Reduction of Support Measures to Industry: the Prisoners' Dilemma; 1. Introduction; 2. The Prisoners and their Dilemmas; 3. Subsidies, Cost Structure and Markets in the Agriculture, Metal, Energyand Paper Industries; 4. Impact of Subsidy Removal on Competitiveness; 5. Strategies for Subsidy Reduction; 6. Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Work

Annex: The Impact of Input and Output Subsidies on Production Levels

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

ISBN:

1-280-08129-5

9786610081295

92-64-18018-4

OCLC:

700683305