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Climate policy, environmental performance, and profits

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  • Tommy Lundgren
  • Per-Olov Marklund

Abstract

In this study we investigate how firm level environmental performance (EP) affects firm level economic performance measured as profit efficiency (PE) in a stochastic profit frontier setting. Analyzing firms in Swedish manufacturing 1990–2004, results show that EP induced by environmental policy is not a determinant of PE, while voluntary or market driven EP seem to have a significant and positive effect on firm PE in most sectors. The evidence generally supports the idea that good EP is also good for business, as long as EP is not brought on by policy measures, in this case a CO 2 tax. Thus, the results provide no general support for the Porter hypothesis. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Tommy Lundgren & Per-Olov Marklund, 2015. "Climate policy, environmental performance, and profits," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 225-235, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:44:y:2015:i:3:p:225-235
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-014-0396-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Amjadi, Golnaz & Lundgren, Tommy & Persson, Lars, 2018. "The Rebound Effect in Swedish Heavy Industry," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 140-148.
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    3. Mario La Torre & Sabrina Leo & Ida Claudia Panetta, 2021. "Banks and environmental, social and governance drivers: Follow the market or the authorities?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1620-1634, November.
    4. Porzio, Claudio & Battaglia, Francesca, 2024. "Analyzing the role of sustainable investor in global systemically important banks and less significant institutions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Raymond Markey & Joseph McIvor & Martin O’Brien & Chris F Wright, 2021. "Triggering business responses to climate policy in Australia," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 46(2), pages 248-271, May.
    6. Huang, Youxing & Xu, Qi & Zhao, Yanping, 2021. "Short-run pain, long-run gain: Desulfurization investment and productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    7. Bashir, Muhammad Farhan & MA, Benjiang & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Shahzad, Umer & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2021. "Unveiling the heterogeneous impacts of environmental taxes on energy consumption and energy intensity: Empirical evidence from OECD countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    8. Pham, Huy & Ha, Van & Le, Hanh-Hong & Ramiah, Vikash & Frino, Alex, 2024. "The effects of polluting behaviour, dirty energy and electricity consumption on firm performance: Evidence from the recent crises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CO 2 tax; Environmental performance index; Profit technical efficiency; Stochastic frontier analysis; The Porter hypothesis; D20; H23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D20 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - General
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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