When Harmful Tax Expenditure Prevails over Environmental Tax: An Assessment on the 2014 Mexican Fiscal Reform

This article examines the role of environmental taxation in mitigating environmental problems and contributing to sustainability in Mexico. It focuses on environmental tax revenues and tax expenditures since the 2014 Public Financial Reform (PFR), according to pro- or anti-environmental orientation. The research carried out combines the study of the regulation of the selected tax instruments, their classification and the empirical analysis of the tax revenues and tax expenditures associated with the different taxes over the periods of validity of the taxes and benefits studied, using the databases of the CIAT and the Mexican SHCP. A critical analysis addresses the weak environmental function of environment-related taxes (IEPS, ISAN…), as well as the late implementation and reduced impact of the carbon and pesticide taxes introduced in 2014. The evolution of tax incentives and expenditure is thoroughly examined by examining both environmental measures, which have evolved positively but within a very reduced level, and the most prevalent tax expenditure measures, with harmful impacts to the environment. Based on the results obtained, long-term structural changes in the Mexican tax system are suggested. As for the short to medium term, profound changes in tax expenditure are proposed to eliminate of those tax benefits harmful to the environment, introduce of tax benefits for circular activities (e.g., repairing, reusing and remanufacturing) and broaden the carbon tax base and rates. The conclusions include recommendations for moving towards a systemic green tax reform that assists the transformation towards a sustainable economy.

The Green Tax Revolution

Climate crisis is becoming higher on the agenda of the decision makers of the world. A huge amount of resources have been dedicated to green projects, however far less emphasis has been put on tax policy opportunities. Carbon pricing can increase the burden of CO2 producers, but this does not appear to be enough. We need a Green Tax Reform which focuses on the Pigouvian approach and can correct the distortions of different climate hurting activities. Through tax policy tools, the price structure should be drastically changed and serious incentives should be provided to change the behaviours of the consumers and producers to achieve green policy goals.

Green Tax Reform and Employment Double Dividend in Australia Should Australia Follow Europe’s Footsteps? A CGE Analysis

Australia has one of the highest per capita carbon emissions, and its energy sector contributes significantly to the country’s carbon emissions. Renewable energy and climate change call for a shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon technologies for energy production. Policies aiming to reduce carbon emissions are perceived by many people as leading to higher living costs, but changes in energy policies can also lead to economic gains in the presence of revenue recycling. This article applies a computable general equilibrium approach to study the effect of energy tax in the Australian economy. Four different scenarios of green tax reform (GTR) are simulated to test the employment double dividend (EDD) potential. All four scenarios simulate changes in energy tax and one of four tax revenue recycling policies including (a) value added tax reduction, (b) payroll tax reduction, (c) goods and services tax (GST) reduction and (d) a mixture of all three recycling policies. The results show strong EDD potential of GST and payroll tax reduction when used along with energy tax in a revenue-neutral GTR approach. The study also presents a comparison of an optimal EDD inducive policy design between the European and Australian GTR approaches. JEL classifications: H23, C68, H21, Q48

Green Tax Reform in Australia in the Presence of Improved Environment-Induced Productivity Gain: Does It Offer Sustainable Recovery from a Post-COVID-19 Recession?

Disasters and pandemics such as COVID-19 will change the world in many ways and the road to redemption from the ongoing economic distress may require a novel approach. This paper proposes a path towards economic recovery that keeps sustainability at the forefront. A computable general equilibrium model is used to simulate different green tax reform (GTR) policies for triple dividend (TD), consisting of lower emissions, higher GDP and higher employment. The GTR design consists of an energy tax coupled with one of three tax revenue recycle methods: (i) reduction of payroll tax, (ii) reduction of goods and services tax (GST) and (iii) a mixed-recycling approach. The paper also presents the impact of higher productivity on the tax reform simulations, which is a possible positive externality of lower emissions. The study is based on the Australian economy and the salient findings are twofold: (i) productivity gain in the GTR context improves the GDP and employment outcomes in all three different simulation scenarios and (ii) GST reduction has the highest TD potential, followed by reduction of payroll tax.

The Distributional Effect of A Carbon Tax on Income in Taiwan

Environmental issues have become more important worldwide. A carbon tax is a strong tool for cutting carbon emissions directly through the internalization of the external costs of pollution. To mitigate the impact of carbon taxation, it is necessary to recycle the tax revenue into other taxes, subsidies, and transfers. In Taiwan, carbon tax policy has been under consideration. To analyze the effect of carbon tax and tax revenue recycling, this paper adopts a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model—General Equilibrium Model for Energy, Environment, and Technology (GEMEET)—under a comprehensive economic systems framework. The results show that a suitable recycling mechanism is a key factor for the success of green tax reform for a significant improvement in the economy, environment, and in income distribution, simultaneously.