Regressive Green Policies: Exaples from the Energy Sector in Bulgaria

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Pages: 87-94

Abstract:

Green policy is becoming a ‘registered trademark’ for economic activities, which are considered the most environmentally damaging: the energy sector, transport, construction and utilities. Widening the scope of green policy’s implementation has its social price since it is associated with (re)distribution of resources, benefits and costs among different income groups in society. This social price tends to be unequally distributed, imposing higher cost on and less benefit to low-income groups. The current paper deals with the regressive distribution of pecuniary benefits and costs of the green policy in Bulgaria. Its scope is narrowed down to the energy sector in this country, providing arguments for regressive distribution of benefits and costs regarding public subsidies for green electricity generation and emission trading allowances for conventional power plants.

Keywords:

green policy; regressivity; public subsidy; electricity from renewables; EU emission trading scheme.

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