Governments around the world are struggling to meet their commitments to achieve targets relating to reductions in greenhouse gases. Many writers advocating ways to achieve these targets offer radical but often impractical approaches that do not offer a way forward within the existing economic model. In contrast, Towards Ecological Taxation is a pragmatic consideration of realistic possibilities by an author from the world of accounting. Based on his research into the implications of changes in the UK motor taxation regime for company cars, David Russell considers the broader efficacy of taxation policy as a mechanism for reducing demand for fossil fuels and encouraging a shift towards carbon-neutral energy production. He incorporates the findings of a number of studies into his analysis, along with a wider consideration of tax regimes. Dr Russell suggests a way forward that will attract the interest of researchers, policy makers and decision makers wanting a better understanding of how taxation could be used innovatively, but within the existing economic status quo, to deliver specific and measurable reductions in CO2. Such a distinctive approach makes this book a valuable addition to the literature on environmental issues and the always thought provoking titles in the Corporate Social Responsibility Series.

ÔIngeniously organized in a life cycle format, the Handbook covers environmental taxation concepts, design, acceptance, implementation, and impact. The universal themes discussed in each area will appeal to a broad range of readers.Õ Ð Larry Kreiser, Cleveland State University, US ÔThis book is a smart and useful readerÕs guide providing analytical tools for a full comprehension of environmental taxes, with an interdisciplinary approach that looks at all the different phases of environmental taxation: from the design to the implementation, the political acceptance and the impact on the economy. The authorsÕ effort is very successful in endowing academicians, policy makers and the general public with an excellent proof of the effectiveness of environmental taxes and green tax reforms.Õ Ð Alberto Majocchi, University of Pavia, Italy ÔPutting the words ÒenvironmentÓ next to ÒtaxationÓ might not always be the flavour of the month, but no modern society can ignore the value of the natural environment and the need to maintain its good quality and no competitive economy can prosper without the necessary tax revenues to function. Environmental taxation offers the prospect of moving towards a more resource-efficient economy, where preference is given to tax more what we burn, less what we earn. I welcome this contribution to the literature.Õ Ð Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, European Commission ÔThe Milne and Andersen volume provides a splendid treatment of environmental taxation that encompasses the basic conceptual issues, problems of tax design and implementation, and several insightful case studies that show how environmental taxes actually work in practice. It is the best overall treatment of environmental taxation available: comprehensive, rigorous, and readable.Õ Ð Wallace Oates, University of Maryland, US The Handbook of Research on Environmental Taxation captures the state of the art of research on environmental taxation. Written by 36 specialists in environmental taxation from 16 countries, it takes an interdisciplinary and international approach, focusing on issues that are universal to using taxation to achieve environmental goals. The Handbook explores the conceptual foundations of environmental taxation, essential elements for designing environmental tax measures, factors that influence the acceptance of environmental taxation, the variety of ways to implement environmental taxes, their environmental and economic impact and, finally, the larger question of the role of taxation among other policy approaches to environmental protection. Intermixing theory with case studies, the Handbook offers readers lessons that can be applied around the world. It identifies key bodies of research for people who are already working in the field or entering the field and highlights issues that call for more research in the future. With systematic analysis of key issues in environmental taxation, this book will appeal to researchers, governments, think tanks, NGOs, and academics in law, economics, political science and public finance, as well as students specializing in environmental taxation and other market-based instruments.

This report analyses the isues that arise before and during the introduction of environmental taxes and draws on the experiences of OECD Member countries implementing them.

Gould (American history, U. of Texas-Austin) has dusted off, updated, and thinned his 1988 Lady Bird Johnson and the Environment to kick off the new series on the wives of US presidents. He draws on Johnson's White House papers and interviews with her and her close associates to argue that she was one of the most politically active First Ladies though her concern with the environment was overshadowed by protests against the Vietnam War. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR