[Seminaire CREM] Présentation de Mathilde AUBOUIN, GAEL - Faculté Des Sciences Economiques

Abstract:
Digital production and consumption represent 4.4% of the French greenhouse gas emissions. This paper investigates and compares the distributional effects an environmental tax and quota on mobile data subscriptions. We develop a theoretical model of a monopolist offering mobile data subscriptions to two type of consumers. The analysis shows that, under price competition, the monopolist responds to environmental regulation by reducing both prices and data allowances. Moreover, for an equivalent reduction in emissions, a quota leads to a smaller loss in consumer surplus than a tax. The model is then extended to include competition and a continuum of consumer types. Finally, using French household data, we assess the distributional effects across income deciles, demonstrating that such environmental policy instruments are not necessarily regressive in this market.
Co-écrit avec Paolo Melinda-Ghidi et Jean-Philippe Nicolaï