The Distribution of Emissions Can Influence Support for Environmental Taxes

A new study indicates that support for increased environmental taxes is lower in countries with weak governmental institutions, particularly when the non-rich majority of the population accounts for a larger share of carbon emissions. The study is Pär Dalén’s first dissertation work as a doctoral student at the Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), and was recently published in International Journal of Sociology.

Pär Dalén. Photo: Magnus Dahl

The study uses data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) and the World Inequality Database, covering 41 countries between 1993 and 2020. It examines how the distribution of carbon emissions is related to public willingness to accept higher environmental taxes by analyzing both cross-sectional and longitudinal data.

The results show that support for environmental taxes is particularly low in countries with weak quality of government, especially when the non-rich majority of the population accounts for a larger share of emissions.

– It is important to map who bears the costs of different climate measures and what consequences this has, says Pär Dalén. This study suggests that the quality of governmental institutions plays a significant role in gaining support for environmental policy measures. A well-functioning state seems to reduce concerns that increased environmental taxes will disproportionately and unfairly impact groups with limited resources.

The article, The Share of Carbon Emissions by the Non-Rich and Support for Higher Environmental Taxes in Cross-National and Longitudinal Perspective, is one of the first studies to analyze how the distribution of emissions and the quality of public institutions interact to shape public support for environmental taxes.