Carbon Taxes: A Review of Experience and Policy Design Considerations

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1219290· OSTI ID:1219290

Sumner, Jenny ^[1]; Bird, Lori ^[1]; Smith, Hillary ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

State and local governments in the United States are evaluating a wide range of policies to reduce carbon emissions, including, in some instances, carbon taxes, which have existed internationally for nearly 20 years. This report reviews existing carbon tax policies both internationally and in the United States. It also analyzes carbon policy design and effectiveness. Design considerations include which sectors to tax, where to set the tax rate, how to use tax revenues, what the impact will be on consumers, and how to ensure emissions reduction goals are achieved. Emission reductions that are due to carbon taxes can be difficult to measure, though some jurisdictions have quantified reductions in overall emissions and other jurisdictions have examined impacts that are due to programs funded by carbon tax revenues.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Energy Information Administration (EIA), Office of Energy Analysis; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1219290
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP--6A2-47312; 5261
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
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