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  • Book
  • © 2015

Use of Economic Instruments in Water Policy

Insights from International Experience

  • Draws broad information from the review of some 25 specific EPIs, using a common assessment framework
  • Sheds light on key concepts and definitions and conveys the benefits, limitations, transaction costs and opportunities of using EPIs in water policy
  • Offers examples and case studies based on implemented EPIs within the EU and around the world
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Global Issues in Water Policy (GLOB, volume 14)

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Table of contents (28 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Defining and Assessing Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management

    • Manuel Lago, Jaroslav Mysiak, Carlos M. Gómez, Gonzalo Delacámara, Alexandros Maziotis
    Pages 1-13
  3. Water Pricing and Taxes: An Introduction

    • Jaroslav Mysiak, Carlos M. Gómez
    Pages 15-20
  4. Effluent Tax in Germany

    • Jennifer Möller-Gulland, Manuel Lago, Katriona McGlade, Gerardo Anzaldua
    Pages 21-38
  5. The Water Load Fee of Hungary

    • Judit Rákosi, Gábor Ungvári, András Kis
    Pages 39-51
  6. Water Abstraction Charges and Compensation Payments in Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

    • Jennifer Möller-Gulland, Manuel Lago, Gerardo Anzaldua
    Pages 53-72
  7. The Danish Pesticide Tax

    • Anders Branth Pedersen, Helle Ørsted Nielsen, Mikael Skou Andersen
    Pages 73-87
  8. Subsidies for Drinking Water Conservation in Cyprus

    • Maggie Kossida, Anastasia Tekidou, Maria A. Mimikou
    Pages 89-103
  9. Residential Water Pricing in Italy

    • Jaroslav Mysiak, Fabio Farinosi, Lorenzo Carrera, Francesca Testella, Margaretha Breil, Antonio Massaruto
    Pages 105-119
  10. Water Tariffs in Agriculture: Emilia Romagna Case Study

    • Michele Vollaro, Laura Sardonini, Meri Raggi, Davide Viaggi
    Pages 121-134
  11. Green Energy Certificates and Compliance Market

    • Jaroslav Mysiak, Fabio Farinosi, Lorenzo Carrera, Francesca Testella, Margaretha Breil, Antonio Massaruto
    Pages 171-184
  12. Water Trading: An Introduction

    • Gonzalo Delacámara, Carlos M. Gómez
    Pages 201-207
  13. Water Quality Trading in Ohio

    • Mark S. Kieser, Jamie L. McCarthy
    Pages 209-222
  14. Nitrogen Reduction in North Carolina

    • Andrew J. Yates
    Pages 223-234
  15. Evaluation of Salinity Offset Programs in Australia

    • Tiho Ancev, M. A. Samad Azad
    Pages 235-248
  16. Water Trading in the Tagus River Basin (Spain)

    • Gonzalo Delacámara, C. Dionisio Pérez-Blanco, Estefanía Ibáñez, Carlos M. Gómez
    Pages 249-263

About this book

This book assesses both the effectiveness and efficiency of implemented Economic Policy Instruments (EPIs) in order to achieve water policy goals and identifies the preconditions under which they outperform alternative (e.g. regulatory) policy instruments and/or can complement them as part of complex policy mixes. The development of a consolidated assessment framework helps clarify (and where possible, quantify) the effectiveness of each EPI on the basis of different criteria. Outcome-oriented criteria describe how the EPIs perform. They include intended and unintended economic and environmental outcomes and the distribution of benefits and costs among the affected parties. These steps consider the application of cost effectiveness and cost benefits analysis, e.g. to assess ex-post performance of the EPI. Process criteria describe the institutional conditions (legislative, political, cultural, etc.) affecting the formation and operation of the EPI studied  (particularly relevant for assessing the possible impacts of using economic instruments), the transaction costs involved in implementing and enforcing the instruments and the process of implementation.

Case studies from Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as from Australia, Chile, Israel and the USA are presented in this book. A wide variety of EPIs are also covered, including water-pricing schemes (tariffs, environmental taxes, environmental charges or fees, subsidies on products and practices), trading schemes (tradable permits for abstraction and pollution) and cooperation mechanisms.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Ecologic Institut gemeinnützige GmbH, Berlin, Germany

    Manuel Lago

  • Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), Venice, Italy

    Jaroslav Mysiak

  • Departamento de Economía, Universidad de Alcalá and IMDEA-Water Foundation, Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain

    Carlos M. Gómez

  • Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Water (IMDEA-Water Foundation), Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain

    Gonzalo Delacámara

  • University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Alexandros Maziotis

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access