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TemaNord 2025:523
Can Economic Instruments Transform Behaviour?
Evaluating the impact of Nordic environmental policy
Can Economic Instruments Transform Behaviour?
About this publication
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Preface
Executive Summary
Resumé
Introduction
1.1 Economic instruments in Nordic environmental policy
Methodology and scope
2.1 Literature review
2.2 Interviews
2.3 Workshop
3. Analysis Green charges
3.1 Tax on pesticides
Benefits and challenges with the tax design
Benefits and challenges with the tax design: homogenous pesticide use
Price elasticity and market effects of the pesticide charge
Use of revenue of the tax
Synergies and external effects
3.1.1 Cross Nordic outlook
3.2 Tax on residential electricity consumption
Historical overview of the purpose and development of the tax
Use of revenues of the tax
Electricity consumption, shift in energy sources and reduced CO2 emissions
3.2.1 Intended effect of policy instrument
3.3 Carbon Tax
Use of revenues
Evidence and Implications of Price Elasticity
3.3.1 Intended effect of policy instrument
3.3.2 Cross Nordic outlook
3.4 Beverage packaging tax (deposit refund system)
Background on the DRS and Tax System
3.4.1 Intended effect of policy instrument
3.4.2 Cross Nordic outlook
3.5 The NOX fund
NOX emissions
The instrument
Textbox 1: Information about the NOX tax in Sweden.
3.5.1 Intended effect of the NOx fund
3.6 The waste Incineration tax
CO2 emissions
The instrument
Textbox 2: Rates for the waste incineration tax for 2024.
Textbox 3: Legislative frameworks for waste incineration in the other Nordic countries.
Possible responses
3.6.1 Intended effect of the waste incineration tax
Textbox 4: Economic instruments and the circular economy.
Textbox 4: Economic instruments and the circular economy.
3.7 Aviation tax
3.7.1 Intended effect of policy instrument
3.7.2 Cross Nordic outlook
3.8 Plastic bag tax
3.8.1 Intended effect of policy instrument
3.8.2 Cross Nordic outlook
Cross Nordic comparison
Conclusions
Recommendations
References
Appendix
8.1 List of interviewed experts
8.2 List of experts at workshop