We examine the extent to which various environmental policy instruments meet major evaluation criteria, including cost-effectiveness, distributional equity, minimization of risk in the presence of uncertainty, and political feasibility. Instruments considered include emissions taxes, tradable emissions allowances, subsidies for emissions reductions, performance standards, technology mandates, a...

We study the optimal emission standards under uncertain pollution damages and transaction costs associated with policy changes. We show that in many situations, the authority should avoid or reduce the scale of a policy change in the presence of future transaction costs. Then policy persistence is a rational response of forward-looking policy makers to future transaction costs, rather than a pa...

The ‘post-materialist’ value hypothesis, positing heightened concern for the environment, should predict eventual convergence in environmental policies. In the meantime, surprisingly wide variations persist, even when controlling for income levels. Is there a role for public opinion to explain better the divergences and outcomes observed in environmental policies? This paper explores a ...

The main objective of this paper is to determine whether ecological tax reform paradigm that hitherto is employed by a section of industrialized countries as an instrument of environmental management has possibilities of application in developing countries. This is an imperative consideration because of possibilities of diffusion, the need to approach global environmental issues from a global p...

This paper develops the key finding of Hogan, Ozanne and Colman (2000) that risk aversion among farmers ameliorates the moral hazard problem in relation to agri-environmental policy compliance. It is shown that risk averse farmers who face uncertainty in their production income are more likely to comply with such a policy as a means of risk management. In addition, it is shown that a principal ...

/ This paper reviews the state of the environment in Ghana and explores the potential for the use of institutional, legal, and economic instruments in environmental management in the specific context of this developing country.The environmental situation in Ghana is characterized by desertification, land degradation, deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate water supply in the northern regio...

BACKGROUND Executive Order (EO) 13045, Protection of Children From Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks, directs each federal agency to ensure that its policies, programs, activities, and standards address disproportionate environmental health and safety risks to children. OBJECTIVES We reviewed regulatory actions published by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal R...

Recently, there have been calls among decision makers, interest groups, citizens, and scientists alike for more science-based environmental policy. The assumption is that including scientists and scientific information will improve the quality of complex policy decisions. Others have argued, however, that science and scientists are just one source of expertise concerning natural resource manage...

As we put together another issue of Tobacco Induced Diseases we are faced with a number of publication problems. Within this issue we have several very interesting studies as well as commentaries and reviews all related to smoking or the effects of tobacco smoke components on different biological systems. We begin with a review of a recent publication from the Royal College of Physicians, Londo...