IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jed/journl/v46y2021i2p155-182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Carbon Pricing and Income Inequality: An Empirical Investigation

Author

Listed:
  • Tram T.H. Nguyen and Wonho Song

    (Chung-Ang University, South Korea)

Abstract

Carbon pricing, a carbon tax or emission trading system, is widely considered one of the most powerful policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, since a carbon pricing causes the costs of energy and other goods to increase, there are many concerns that carbon pricing would be regressive, negatively affecting low-income households and income inequality. While most of earlier studies use microsimulations and Input-Output tables to evaluate the distributional effect of different carbon pricing scenarios, debate continues over the impacts of carbon pricing policies on inequality in practice. This paper tries to estimate the effects of the carbon pricing policies on inequality with a panel of 53 countries from 1990 to 2019 using a panel fixed-effect model and panel VAR (Vector Autoregression) model. The estimation results indicate that carbon pricing has progressive effects on inequality and revenue-recycling mechanism has regressive effects. The same result is found for OECD (or high-income) countries whereas carbon pricing tends to be regressive for non-OECD (middle and low-income) countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Tram T.H. Nguyen and Wonho Song, 2021. "Carbon Pricing and Income Inequality: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 46(2), pages 155-182, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:jed:journl:v:46:y:2021:i:2:p:155-182
    DOI: 10.35866/caujed.2021.46.2.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.jed.or.kr/full-text/46-2/46-2-5.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.35866/caujed.2021.46.2.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiang, Zhujun & Shao, Shuai, 2014. "Distributional effects of a carbon tax on Chinese households: A case of Shanghai," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 269-277.
    2. Bureau, Benjamin, 2011. "Distributional effects of a carbon tax on car fuels in France," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 121-130, January.
    3. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/2ennjqtovk8lvprrqlro5ni69v is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Dorband, Ira Irina & Jakob, Michael & Kalkuhl, Matthias & Steckel, Jan Christoph, 2019. "Poverty and distributional effects of carbon pricing in low- and middle-income countries – A global comparative analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 246-257.
    5. Don Fullerton, 2008. "Distributional Effects of Environmental and Energy Policy: An Introduction," NBER Working Papers 14241, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/2a53rsm0o89kn9vjs4dhjqnvn5 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Alexandre Janiak & Etienne Wasmer, 2014. "Employment protection and capital-labor ratios," SciencePo Working papers hal-01061993, HAL.
    8. Liang, Qiao-Mei & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2012. "Distributional impacts of taxing carbon in China: Results from the CEEPA model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 545-551.
    9. Kirk Hamilton & Grant Cameron, 1994. "Simulating the Distributional Effects of a Canadian Carbon Tax," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 20(4), pages 385-399, December.
    10. Walid Oueslati & Vera Zipperer & Damien Rousselière & Alexandros Dimitropoulos, 2017. "Energy taxes, reforms and income inequality: An empirical cross-country analysis," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 150, pages 80-95.
    11. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/2ennjqtovk8lvprrqlro5ni69v is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Farrell, Niall, 2017. "What Factors Drive Inequalities in Carbon Tax Incidence? Decomposing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Carbon Tax Incidence in Ireland," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 31-45.
    13. José Alves & António Afonso, 2019. "Tax structure for consumption and income inequality: an empirical assessment," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 10(3), pages 337-364, November.
    14. Daniel Hoechle, 2007. "Robust standard errors for panel regressions with cross-sectional dependence," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(3), pages 281-312, September.
    15. World Bank, 2018. "The World Bank Annual Report 2018 [Informe Anual 2018 del Banco Mundial]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 30326.
    16. Xavier Labandeira & José M. Labeaga, 1999. "Combining input-output analysis and micro-simulation to assess the effects of carbon taxation on Spanish households," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 305-320, September.
    17. Arief Yusuf & Budy Resosudarmo, 2015. "On the distributional impact of a carbon tax in developing countries: the case of Indonesia," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 17(1), pages 131-156, January.
    18. Brenner, Mark & Riddle, Matthew & Boyce, James K., 2007. "A Chinese sky trust?: Distributional impacts of carbon charges and revenue recycling in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1771-1784, March.
    19. Kerkhof, Annemarie C. & Moll, Henri C. & Drissen, Eric & Wilting, Harry C., 2008. "Taxation of multiple greenhouse gases and the effects on income distribution: A case study of the Netherlands," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 318-326, September.
    20. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/3aom2mve1k829p8sp4h3vrpgkg is not listed on IDEAS
    21. N''Yilimon Nantob, 2016. "Taxation and Income Inequality in Developing Countries: An Empirical Investigation," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 36(3), pages 1508-1522.
    22. Wier, Mette & Birr-Pedersen, Katja & Jacobsen, Henrik Klinge & Klok, Jacob, 2005. "Are CO2 taxes regressive? Evidence from the Danish experience," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 239-251, January.
    23. World Bank, 2019. "The World Bank Annual Report 2019 [Rapport annuel 2019 de la Banque mondiale]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 32333.
    24. Gonzalez, Fidel, 2012. "Distributional effects of carbon taxes: The case of Mexico," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 2102-2115.
    25. Elizabeth Symons & John Proops & Philip Gay, 1994. "Carbon taxes, consumer demand and carbon dioxide emissions: a simulation analysis for the UK," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 19-43, May.
    26. repec:hal:journl:hal-01061024 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. World Bank & Ecofys, "undated". "State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2018," World Bank Publications - Reports 29687, The World Bank Group.
    28. Qiao-Mei Liang & Qian Wang & Yi-Ming Wei, 2013. "Assessing the Distributional Impacts of Carbon Tax among Households across Different Income Groups: The Case of China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 24(7-8), pages 1323-1346, December.
    29. Tovar Reaños, Miguel & Lynch, Muireann Á., 2019. "Carbon taxation in Ireland: distributional effects of revenue recycling policies," Quarterly Economic Commentary: Special Articles, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    30. Schlegelmilch, Kai & Cottrell, Jacqueline & Runkel, Matthias & Mahler, Alexander, 2016. "Environmental tax reform in developing, emerging and transition economies," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 93, number 93, July.
    31. Tiezzi, Silvia, 2005. "The welfare effects and the distributive impact of carbon taxation on Italian households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 1597-1612, August.
    32. Carl, Jeremy & Fedor, David, 2016. "Tracking global carbon revenues: A survey of carbon taxes versus cap-and-trade in the real world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 50-77.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Qian & Hubacek, Klaus & Feng, Kuishuang & Wei, Yi-Ming & Liang, Qiao-Mei, 2016. "Distributional effects of carbon taxation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1123-1131.
    2. Saelim, Supawan, 2019. "Carbon tax incidence on household consumption: Heterogeneity across socio-economic factors in Thailand," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 159-174.
    3. Heindl, Peter & Löschel, Andreas, 2015. "Social implications of green growth policies from the perspective of energy sector reform and its impact on households," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-012, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Nils Ohlendorf & Michael Jakob & Jan Christoph Minx & Carsten Schröder & Jan Christoph Steckel, 2018. "Distributional Impacts of Climate Mitigation Policies - a Meta-Analysis," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1776, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Nils Ohlendorf & Michael Jakob & Jan Christoph Minx & Carsten Schröder & Jan Christoph Steckel, 2021. "Distributional Impacts of Carbon Pricing: A Meta-Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(1), pages 1-42, January.
    6. Jiang, Zhujun & Shao, Shuai, 2014. "Distributional effects of a carbon tax on Chinese households: A case of Shanghai," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 269-277.
    7. Wang, Qian & Hubacek, Klaus & Feng, Kuishuang & Guo, Lin & Zhang, Kun & Xue, Jinjun & Liang, Qiao-Mei, 2019. "Distributional impact of carbon pricing in Chinese provinces," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 327-340.
    8. Qin, Ping. & Chen, Peilin. & Zhang, Xiao-Bing. & Xie, Lunyu., 2020. "Coal taxation reform in China and its distributional effects on residential consumers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    9. Qiao-Mei Liang & Qian Wang & Yi-Ming Wei, 2013. "Assessing the Distributional Impacts of Carbon Tax among Households across Different Income Groups: The Case of China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 24(7-8), pages 1323-1346, December.
    10. Qian Wang & Qiao-Mei Liang, 2015. "Will a carbon tax hinder China’s efforts to improve its primary income distribution status?," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(8), pages 1407-1436, December.
    11. Lucia Rotaris & Alessandro Gardelli, 2018. "Carbon Tax acceptability: A comparative experimental analysis," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(1), pages 117-132.
    12. You-Yi Guo & Jin-Xu Lin & Shih-Mo Lin, 2022. "The Distribution Effects of a Carbon Tax on Urban and Rural Households in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, June.
    13. da Silva Freitas, Lucio Flavio & de Santana Ribeiro, Luiz Carlos & de Souza, Kênia Barreiro & Hewings, Geoffrey John Dennis, 2016. "The distributional effects of emissions taxation in Brazil and their implications for climate policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 37-44.
    14. Moz-Christofoletti, Maria Alice & Pereda, Paula Carvalho, 2021. "Winners and losers: the distributional impacts of a carbon tax in Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    15. Labandeira, Xavier & Labeaga, José M. & Rodríguez, Miguel, 2009. "An integrated economic and distributional analysis of energy policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5776-5786, December.
    16. de Bruin, Kelly & Yakut, Aykut Mert, 2024. "Efficiency–equity trade-off in the Irish carbon tax: A CGE investigation of mixed revenue recycling schemes," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    17. Anan Wattanakuljarus, 2021. "Diverse effects of fossil fuel subsidy reform on industrial competitiveness in Thailand," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 489-517, September.
    18. Immervoll, Herwig & Linden, Jules & O'Donoghue, Cathal & Sologon, Denisa Maria, 2023. "Who Pays for Higher Carbon Prices? Illustration for Lithuania and a Research Agenda," IZA Discussion Papers 15868, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Waldemar Marz, 2019. "Climate Policy and Inequality in Two-Dimensional Political Competition," ifo Working Paper Series 319, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    20. Antosiewicz, Marek & Fuentes, J. Rodrigo & Lewandowski, Piotr & Witajewski-Baltvilks, Jan, 2022. "Distributional effects of emission pricing in a carbon-intensive economy: The case of Poland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Carbon Pricing; Carbon Tax; Emissions Trading Systems (ETS); Income Inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:jed:journl:v:46:y:2021:i:2:p:155-182. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sung Y. Park (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/eccaukr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.