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Intergenerational aspects of ecotax reforms - An application to Germany

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  • Habla, Wolfgang
  • Roeder, Kerstin

Abstract

In a model of overlapping generations and majority voting, we analyze an ecotax reform consisting of the tax rate and the budgetary rule. Revenue can be recycled through a lump-sum transfer or a reduction in pension contributions. Our theoretical results as well as the calibration of our model to the German economy show that the median voter’s preferred tax rate may exceed the efficient rate. This holds whenever income of the decisive voter is sufficiently high compared to the average income, as rich individuals benefit more from a reduction in pension contributions than they are harmed by an increase in ecotaxes. The calibration confirms that the median voter prefers the earmarking of tax revenue for reductions in pension contributions to the alternative lump-sum transfer. This is quite an accurate prediction of the situation in Germany. Aging of society as expected for Germany lowers the ecotax in the political equilibrium below its optimal level.

Suggested Citation

  • Habla, Wolfgang & Roeder, Kerstin, 2013. "Intergenerational aspects of ecotax reforms - An application to Germany," Munich Reprints in Economics 20469, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:lmu:muenar:20469
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    Cited by:

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    3. Minoru Nakada, 2020. "The impact of environmental tax revenue allocation on the consequence of lobbying activities," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 335-349, December.
    4. Habla, Wolfgang & Roeder, Kerstin, 2017. "The political economy of mitigation and adaptation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 239-257.
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    7. Rausch, Sebastian & Yonezawa, Hidemichi, 2019. "The Intergenerational Incidence and Social Welfare of Renewable Energy Support Policies vs. Carbon Pricing," Conference papers 333029, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.

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