Abstract
This paper designs the second-best Payment for Environmental Services (PES) when it interacts with a Pigouvian tax under market imperfections. Following Lankoski and Ollikainen (2003. “Agri-Environmental Externalities: A Framework for Designing Targeted Policies.” European Review of Agricultural Economics 30 (1): 51–75), we study the optimal allocation of land between two crops with different environmental impacts and fallow land. The regulator sets a Pigouvian tax on the agricultural production generating environmental damage and a PES on uncultivated land, as fallow buffer strips promote biodiversity. We assume an economy with market power and distortionary taxation. We show that the second-best level of the Pigouvian tax is higher than the marginal damage, contrary to Barnett (1980. “The Pigouvian Tax Rule Under Monopoly.” The American Economic Review 70 (5): 1037–41) whereas the PES is lower than the marginal benefit. The Pigouvian tax increases with the marginal social cost of public funds while the PES decreases with the marginal social cost of public funds provided that demand for the environmentally damaging agricultural good is inelastic. We thus highlight a contributory component of the environmental incentive tax. This paper also identifies specific cases where the PES is ineffective in promoting biodiversity.
Appendix A: Welfare Function Concavity and Existence of the Solution
If ψ = 0, we construct the Hessian matrix, I(W) from equations (10) and (11):
where
Following our assumptions we can simplify the above matrix to
We have F′ < 0 and G′ < 0. We calculate the determinant of I:
After simplification, we obtain:
Thus, the welfare function is concave because the determinant is positive while
Equation (10) sets Ω1(s, t) and equation (11) sets Ω2(s, t). We must establish that at least one pair (s, t) satisfies Ω1(s, t) = 0 and Ω2(s, t) = 0. We use Brouwer’s fixed-point theorem. X 1(t, s) and X 2(s) are defined on [s min, s max] and [t min, t max]. Ω1(s, t) and Ω2(s, t) are continuous in s and t due to the regularity of the functions P 1(X 1), P 2(X 2), c 1(X 1), c 2(X 2), B(Y) and D(X 1). The convexity and increasing nature of the functions c 1(X 1), c 2(X 2) and D(X 1) and concavity of B(Y) guarantee that the equations are well-defined and do not diverge. Thus according to Brouwer’s fixed-point theorem, the solution (s, t) exists.
Because the welfare function is concave, the solution given by equations (10) and (11) is so unique.
If ψ > 0, (17) sets a function h(t). We obtain:
Under our assumptions, we have:
The limit h(t) when t → 0 is positive and the limit h(t) when t → +∞ is −∞ because
Appendix B: Welfare Function Concavity and Existence of the Solution with MCF
If ψ = 0, we use (20) and (21) to create the Hessian matrix:
where
and
Thanks to our assumptions, we can simplify the Hessian to:
So the determinant is:
Simplifying, we find:
With A′ < 0 and B′ < 0, we find a positive determinant. And, because
Equation (20) sets ϒ1(s, t) and equation (21) sets ϒ2(s, t). We must establish that at least one pair (s, t) satisfies ϒ1(s, t) = 0 and ϒ2(s, t) = 0. We use Brouwer’s fixed-point theorem. X 1(t, s) and X 2(s) are defined on [s min, s max] and [t min, t max]. ϒ1(s, t) and ϒ2(s, t) are continuous in s and t due to the regularity of the functions P 1(X 1), P 2(X 2), c 1(X 1), c 2(X 2), B(Y) and D(X 1). The convexity and increasing nature of the functions c 1(X 1), c 2(X 2) and D(X 1) and concavity of B(Y) guarantee that the equations are well-defined and do not diverge. Thus according to Brouwer’s fixed-point theorem, the solution (s, t) exists.
As the welfare function is concave, the solution given by equations (20) and (21) is unique.
If ψ > 0, equation (23) sets g(t):
where
With our assumptions we can simplify this to:
The limit g(t) when t → 0 is positive and the limit g(t) when t → +∞ is −∞ because
Appendix C: Tax and PES Changes with MCF if ψ > 0
According to (22), t and s depend on ϵ. Moreover t and s must satisfy conditions (20) and (21). We set:
Additionally, we know:
We differentiate (20) and (21) with respect to ϵ and rearrange the equations into the following matrix form:
where
We multiply each side of the equation by K
−1 to isolate
where
We calculate det K:
because q < 0 and z < 0,
We calculate
i.e. if
So
We calculate
We know that
Appendix D: Tax and PES Changes with MCF if ψ = 0
We use (23) and we set:
We know that the denominator of the above expression is negative. So we obtain
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