Distributional effects of carbon pricing in Brazil under the Paris Agreement

Rafael Garaffa, Bruno S.L. Cunha, Talita Cruz, Paula Bezerra, André F.P. Lucena and Angelo Gurgel

Energy Economics, 2021, vol. 101, issue C

Abstract: This paper assesses the distributional effects of carbon pricing on Brazilian households. We apply a multi-regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model with representation of multiple households according to a family expenditure survey. Important questions for policy makers in Brazil are addressed. What are the economic effects of introducing carbon pricing in Brazil? Is there a double dividend, with economic and environmental benefits, when carbon revenue is recycled through tax rebates? Could carbon revenue contribute to the financing of social spending and to income distribution improvements in Brazil? Results show that carbon pricing avoids further carbon intensive infrastructure lock-in by further promoting biomass in electricity generation and biofuels in the transportation sector. Lump-sum transfers from carbon revenue help boosting income of lower deciles up to +4.5%, while targeting transfers to most vulnerable groups leads to an income growth of +42.2% by 2030. Brazil has a large gap in terms of effective carbon pricing when compared to other countries that could be addressed in the context of the ongoing tax reform debate, with carbon revenue contributing to the financing of social spending. Our analysis examines different policy design options and contribute to the debate about fiscal reform and socioeconomic effects of carbon pricing in Brazil.

Keywords: Carbon price; Household distributional impacts; General equilibrium; Paris agreement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D58 Q48 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:101:y:2021:i:c:s0140988321002954

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2021.105396

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