Rückblick auf ein umweltpolitisches Modell: Die Emissisionsabgabe in Japan

Abstract

The paper is dealing with the pollution load levy for sulfur dioxide emissions in Japan during the last fourteen years. The main questions are:
- how acceptance could be reached towards the levy even though it meant an internalization of the social costs of pollution by the strict application of the polluter-pays-principle?
- how did industry deal with the emission levy?
- what can be regarded as the effects on the state of air pollution?
The paper shows that the main reaction of industry towards the levy was to invest in anti-pollution equipment, which became one of the main reasons for the impressive reduction of SO2 emissions in Japan. But there is some evidence too that such levy can serve as one important economic incentive for industry to introduce energy-saving technology.