The Use of Economic Instruments in Environmental Policy
The Use of Economic Instruments in Environmental Policy

Author:

Publisher: UNEP/Earthprint

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 121

ISBN-13: 928072391X

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This paper looks at the role and importance of economic instruments in the context of three specific biodiversity related Multilateral Environmental Agreements. These are the Convention on international Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention). The paper also discusses ways to improve and enhance the use of economic instruments as a means of conserving and sustaining biological diversity. (UNEP).

Environment in the Transition to a Market Economy Progress in Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States
Environment in the Transition to a Market Economy Progress in Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 1999-10-14

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 9264173935

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This book provides a coherent analysis of the environmental challenges and achievements in institutional strengthening and policy reform, environmental policy instruments, environmental financing, and environmental management in enterprises in transition countries.

Environment in the Transition to a Market Economy
Environment in the Transition to a Market Economy

Author: Anthony Zamparutti

Publisher: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Published: 1999-10-14

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13:

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Severe environmental problems were a key issue in the protests that marked the end of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. This groundbreaking book provides new insights into the interaction between economic policy reforms, environmental protection efforts and environmental conditions in the region's subsequent transition to market-based economies and democratic societies over the past eight to ten years. The unique contribution of the book is its synthesis of a vast amount of information and cumulative experience together with detailed examples and case studies to provide a coherent analysis of the challenges and achievements in institutional strengthening and policy reform, environmental policy instruments, environmental financing, and environmental management in enterprises. It also reviews the development of domestic public participation and international co-operation for the safeguarding of the region's environment and discusses trends in industrial pollution and biodiversity protection. The book shows that economic reforms provided a crucial stimulus for environmental improvement, leading to reductions in high pollution levels. Moreover, several countries have strengthened their domestic environmental policies, institutions, and financing, resulting in further improvements. Nonetheless, many serious problems remain, and others have grown worse over the transition period: in many countries of the former Soviet Union in particular, economic crises and political stagnation have impeded environmental protection efforts. Continued partnerships between governments of the region, OECD donor countries, international financial institutions and organisations, environmental NGOs, businesses and trade unions, as well as public support for these, will be essential to reinforce the environmental improvements achieved thus far.

Economics for Environmental Policy in Transition Economies
Economics for Environmental Policy in Transition Economies

Author: Péter Kaderják

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13:

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This book offers original economic analyses on the economy-environment relationship in Eastern and Central Europe. Drawing on the Hungarian experience, it provides empirical evidence on the reform of environmental policy which can be applicable to similar problems in other transition economies. The macroeconomic shocks of the transition process in Central and Eastern Europe have been exceptional in both their intensity and speed. The implications of this adjustment process are examined in relation to their effects on environmental policy, with special emphasis on the rethinking of standard environmental policy recommendations for transition economies. The authors focus on a variety of issues including the environmental concerns raised by the privatization process and to what extent the less rigorous environmental regulations in Hungary attract foreign direct investment. There is also a critical overview of the existing literature and an examination of the costs of reducing air pollution and the use of the contingent valuation method to measure the economic benefits of improving air quality in Hungary. In addition the authors assess the effects of industrial restructuring on emissions and analyse incentive-based policy measures including prospects for emission trading. Their conclusions challenge the common perception that energy pricing policy is the most important policy measure to induce structural changes in transition economies that are beneficial to the environment. Economics for Environmental Policy in Transition Economies will be of interest to policymakers, academics and postgraduates working in the fields of transition economics, environmental economics and environmental valuation.

The Market and the Environment
The Market and the Environment

Author: Thomas Sterner

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 528

ISBN-13:

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Comprising 22 essays by international scholars in agriculture, engineering, environment, and economics, this anthology focuses on the environmental effectiveness of market-based policies, especially taxes, to improve the environment. Taxes levied at different stages and in different ways during a product's life-cycle are compared with other market-based instruments such as charges, subsidies, tradable emission permits, and deposit-refund systems. Environmental taxes are also compared to liability and insurance schemes, and to green labeling. Several essays concentrate on the transaction and information costs associated with market-based policy instruments. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Economic Policies for Sustainable Development
Economic Policies for Sustainable Development

Author: Thomas Sterner

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 9401108323

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This book focuses on describing policy instruments in different countries. Its purpose is not only descriptive but also, to some extent, advocatory. We believe that economic instruments can make an important contribution to an environmentally less disruptive path of development. The design of economic instruments is however a fine art and depends among other things on their political acceptability and this acceptability is of course influenced by experience. It is therefore important to provide information on the use of policy instruments in other countries. Policies are currently developing quite fast and thus a book such as this one can inevitably not capture more than a "snapshot" view at a single moment of time. We would hope that the book encourages more experimentation with economic instruments and that countries will make a fuller use of the whole arsenal of economic policy instruments. If the book does succeed in this sense then it will soon become dated as policies change -but that would be a price well worth paying! The book combines a dozen country monographs together with a few international surveys on particular topics (gasoline pricing, vehicle regulations, acid rain, deforestation and global warming). These papers are intended to illustrate the diversity of policy options available. The actual policies adopted depend on economic as well as ecological conditions. The country studies cover two "Western" countries and then concentrate on formerly planned and developing countries. They show that economic instruments are still generally thought of as new and innovative.