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The Impacts of Alternative Policy Instruments on Environmental Performance: A Firm Level Study of Temporary and Persistent Effects

Author

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  • Brita Bye

    (Statistics Norway)

  • Marit E. Klemetsen

    (Statistics Norway
    University of Oslo)

Abstract

Using a rich Norwegian panel data set that includes information about environmental regulations such as environmental taxes, non-tradable emission quotas and technology standards, all kinds of polluting emissions, and a large number of control variables, we analyze the effects of direct and indirect environmental regulations on environmental performance. We identify positive and significant effects of both direct and indirect policy instruments. Moreover, we test whether the two types of regulations lead to positive and persistent effects on environmental performance. We find evidence that direct regulations promote such effects. Indirect regulations, on the other hand, will only have potential persistent effects if environmental taxes are increasing over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Brita Bye & Marit E. Klemetsen, 2018. "The Impacts of Alternative Policy Instruments on Environmental Performance: A Firm Level Study of Temporary and Persistent Effects," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 69(2), pages 317-341, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:69:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s10640-016-0081-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-016-0081-8
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    Cited by:

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    5. Xuhui Ding & Yong Chen & Min Li & Narisu Liu, 2022. "Booster or Killer? Research on Undertaking Transferred Industries and Residents’ Well-Being Improvements," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-19, November.
    6. Shenggang Ren & Duojun He & Tao Zhang & Xiaohong Chen, 2019. "Symbolic reactions or substantive pro‐environmental behaviour? An empirical study of corporate environmental performance under the government's environmental subsidy scheme," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 1148-1165, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Emission intensity; Environmental performance; Environmental regulation; Command-and-control; Environmental taxes; Long-term effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C01 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - Econometrics
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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