Transport activity is inextricably linked with environmental damage. Economists traditionally urge policy makers to adopt pricing solutions, in particular taxes, to reduce environmental damage rather than quantity restrictions or standards. This chapter examines environmental pricing, defined...

In the Auto-Oil Programme, the European Commission looks for emission limits for cars such that the urban air quality targets are reached at minimum cost. This optimisation problem was solved by Degraeve et al. (1998). In this paper we deal with two methodological problems in this cost...

In this paper we analyse the gap between present transport prices and efficient transport prices. Efficient transport prices are those prices that maximise economic welfare, including external costs (congestion, air pollution, accidents). The methodology is applied to six urban and interregional...

This paper discusses the stranded cost concept. Stranded costs have to do with the transition from a regulated to a more competitive market. The aim of the paper is threefold. First, the paper discusses the place of the stranded cost concept in the variety of costs concepts encountered in the...

The paper analyses the impact of economies of density on the characteristics of an urban transport system under optimal pricing conditions. Optimal pricing rules are derived for a transport system where bus and car modes are available for peak and offpeak trips. Both modes contribute to...

We aim to integrate information, monitoring and enforcement costs into the choice of environmental policy instruments. We use a static partial equilibrium framework to study different combinations of regulatory instruments (taxes, standards...) and enforcement instruments (criminal fine,...

The paper analyses several possible concepts for transport accounts. First, it considers business type of transport accounts. It is shown that in general these are not a good guide for transport policy. Next, the paper examines the potential of social transport accounts and sees to what extent...

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature dealing with horizontal and vertical tax competition in the transport sector, taking into account the role of transport externalities. Our emphasis throughout is on tax competition between governments, not between private suppliers. For the...

This paper discusses the methodology and some results to assess the means and costs of meeting the Kyoto target for Greenhouse gas emissions in Belgium. This target consists in reducing the emissions of Greenhouse gasses in 2008-2012 by 7.5% compared to the level of 1990. Here we assume that...

For the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, governments of annex I countries need to develop strategies and policies for greenhouse gas reduction. Land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) offer CO2 emission reduction opportunities both home and abroad. Selection of effective forestry...