The European Carbon Tax: An Economic Assessment

The possible introduction of a carbon tax in Europe is an issue which has attracted the attention of numerous economists and policymakers. The problems under debate concern the effects of the tax at different levels: what costs, in terms of GDP growth, will be paid by each European country? Will the effects on income distribution be larger than those on income level? Should the carbon tax be coordinated among the European countries or would it be better to impose a uniform tax rate on carbon emissions? Can Europe introduce the tax unilaterally or should this be done jointly, with the other industrialised countries? This book provides answers to such questions. It analyses the effects of the European carbon tax on both a domestic and at an international level.