Title: Limiting air pollution from transport: economic evaluation of policy options for the European Union

Authors: Stef Proost, Denise Van Regemorter, Frederic Lantz, Valerie Saint-Antonin

Addresses: Faculty of Economics, Catholic University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. ' Center for Economic Studies, Catholic University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. ' IFP School, 232 Avenue Napoleon Bonaparte, 92852 Rueil Malmaison Cedex, France. ' IFP School, 232 Avenue Napoleon Bonaparte, 92852 Rueil Malmaison Cedex, France.

Abstract: Policies addressing air pollution from transport have in the past mainly focused on SO₂, NO_x and VOC through vehicle emission and fuel quality regulation. More recently however, CO₂ emissions and particulates have come on the agenda because of global warming and the perception of the major role of particulates in health damage. This shift is also reflected in the last proposed directive by the European Commission and the European Parliament and in the agreement between the European Commission and the Auto Industry. The objective of this paper is first to evaluate the impact of the new policy proposals and, secondly, to look at a policy combining these new policy proposals with a tax reform aiming at more neutrality between fuels in terms of environmental damage. The analysis uses the PRIMES transport model in combination with the PRIMES refinery model, in order to assess both the energy demand impact and the supply impact of the proposed policies.

Keywords: air pollution; transport; tax policy; regulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2000.004431

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2000 Vol.14 No.1/2/3/4, pp.320 - 330

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article