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Decentralization effects in ecological fiscal transfers: The case of Portugal

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  • Droste, Nils
  • Becker, Claudia
  • Ring, Irene
  • Santos, Rui

Abstract

Portugal has a unitary system in which the central government transfers funds to lower government levels for their public functions. In 2007, Portugal introduced Ecological Fiscal Transfers (EFT), where municipalities receive transfers for hosting Protected Areas (PA). We study whether introducing EFT in Portugal incentivized municipalities to designate PA and has led to a decentralization of conservation decisions. We employ a Bayesian structural time series approach to estimate the effect of introducing EFT in comparison to a simulated counterfactual time series. Quantitative results show a significant increase in the ratio of municipal and national PA designations following Portugal's EFT introduction. The analysis furthermore places emphasis on the importance of relevant municipal conservation competencies and the role of local decision makers' motivations for PA designations. Results have important implications for conservation policy-making in terms of allocating budgets and competencies in multi-level governments.

Suggested Citation

  • Droste, Nils & Becker, Claudia & Ring, Irene & Santos, Rui, 2017. "Decentralization effects in ecological fiscal transfers: The case of Portugal," UFZ Discussion Papers 3/2017, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ufzdps:32017
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    Cited by:

    1. Lima de Paulo, Felipe Luiz & Camões, Pedro Jorge Sobral, 2019. "Ecological Fiscal Transfers for Biodiversity Conservation Policy: A Transaction Costs Analysis of Minas Gerais, Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-1.
    2. de Paulo, Felipe Luiz Lima & Sobral Camões, Pedro Jorge, 2019. "The adoption of ecological fiscal transfers: An empirical analysis," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Chakraborty, Lekha, 2021. "Mainstreaming Climate Change Commitments through Finance Commission's Recommendations," Working Papers 21/341, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bayesian structural time series; ecological fiscal transfers; fiscal federalism; municipal competencies; nature conservation; Portugal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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