• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.1-20
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• 2023

Carbon pricing is in the spotlight as an economically efficient policy to limit global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We examine how policymakers can improve social acceptance of a carbon tax, which is the main obstacle in implementing the policy. We conduct a survey experiment to analyze this topic and adopt two different interventions focusing on the use of revenue from a carbon tax and types of information to be provided. Regarding revenue use, we consider 1) tax reductions, 2) lump-sum transfers, and 3) green project investments. For information types, we focus on 1) the economic value of a carbon tax, and 2) the environmental value of a carbon tax. We find that lump-sum transfers have negative impacts on social acceptance of a carbon tax. For those who perceive climate change as a serious issue, moreover, both lump-sum transfers and tax reductions have negative impacts on acceptability. Regardless of the type of information provided, on the other hand, the social acceptance of a carbon tax is increased after the provision of information. Furthermore, the impact of information provision on the social acceptance interacts with the revenue use impacts. When the revenue use and the type of information are consistent with the aim of the policy, the effects of these strategies can be amplified.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2010

This paper makes the case that a new policy strategy to enhance a global green recovery is needed urgently. The new strategy requires two essential elements. First, G20 economies should follow the lead of South Korea and China and turn their green stimulus investments into a serious long-term commitment, and to support these investments, they should adopt environmental pricing policies and instigate pricing and regulatory reforms to reduce carbon dependency. Second, the G20 also needs to target and coordinate assistance to developing economies in science, technology and innovation (STI) for clean energy. Such assistance is essential to help developing economies to overcome the skills, technological and capital gap that they face in clean energy technologies over the long term. Reform of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is also necessary to establish a long-term global price signal for carbon, and to increase the coverage of developing economies, the sectors and technologies and the overall financing of clean energy projects. Formulating such a policy strategy should appeal to both the Asian-Pacific and Western economies comprising the G20, and by working together to formulate such a strategy, the G20 could lead the way toward a new era of global economic management and STI cooperation in clean energy.