The Political Economy of Market-based and Information-based Environmental Policies

Jason Walter

International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, 2021, vol. 15, issue 4, 359-385

Abstract: Contemporary research shows consumers are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products, suggesting eco-labels and other information-based policies may be an alternative to market-based policy tools. Emission taxes and tradable permits incentivize pollution reduction through monetary penalties, thereby punishing dirtier firms. Eco-labeling, instead, incentivizes pollution reduction through monetary rewards, allowing producers to leverage environmentally concerned consumers' willingness-to-pay to increase their profits. A comparison of emission taxes and eco-labels illustrates a "carrot" versus "stick" approach to environmental policy. Both approaches yield environmental benefits; however, the political nature of environmental policy can create scenarios where the socially-optimal environmental policy is not implemented. This paper compares the political and economic impacts from traditional market-based policies to the popularized use of information-based eco-labels. The political nature of environmental policy suggests the "stick" provides an unpopular but effective environmental guidance, whereas the "carrot" shifts cost to consumers and yields only minor environmental benefits.

Keywords: Market-based environmental policy; information-based environmental policy; eco-certification; emission tax; eco-label; tradable permit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D43 D62 H23 P48 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:now:jirere:101.00000137

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