Drivers of Approval for Environmental Taxes

The French National Assembly and I4CE organized a conference entitled

“Investigating the Drivers of Approval for Environmental Taxes“

This conference has been organized by I4CE and fourteen members of the National Assembly, in order to discuss the future of the carbon tax in France.

International speakers were invited to bring their insights and share their experience. How to use the revenues of the carbon tax to make it more efficient and acceptable? How to support households and in particular the most vulnerable? Find the interviews and presentations of the speakers, as well as the summary of the discussion.

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Key messages in 1 minute

Environmental taxation is an essential part of the ecological transition. It is a powerful tool for changing the behavior of economic actors, and also a new source of revenue for the State.

Environmental taxation in France is increasing: the 2018 Budget law increases the price trajectory of the “climate and energy contribution” to reach € 86.2 / ton CO2 by 2022.

However, it raises legitimate concerns that regularly drive debates in the National Assembly: on the one hand, low-income households, or citizens living in rural and peri-urban areas may be severely impacted by this increase in their energy and transportation expenses ; on the other hand, the debate on the competitiveness of our economy is entirely legitimate, and should not be avoided. The collection of these taxes and the redistribution of associated revenues must address these concerns if we want to increase our ambition in terms of environmental taxation.

Supported by the former president of the National Assembly and now Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, François de Rugy, this conference initiated by 14 members of parliament and the think-tank Institute for Climate Change Economics (I4CE) was an opportunity to exchange, between parliamentarians and stakeholders, on this complex and often conflicting subject.

The conference took the form of three discussions involving experts such as Lord Nicholas Stern, Professor at the London School of Economics and chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and Alain Quinet, Chairman of the Commission on Social Value of Carbon in France. A tax expert from the OECD, representatives of foreign states as well as the Abbé Pierre Foundation completed this panel to give it the social and international dimension that the subject calls for.

All the debates was moderated by Benoit Leguet, Director General of I4CE.