The cyclicality of government environmental expenditure : political pressure in economic upturns and in recessions

Abbott, Andrew and Jones, Philip (2023) The cyclicality of government environmental expenditure : political pressure in economic upturns and in recessions. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, 12 (2). pp. 209-228. ISSN 2160-6544

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

This is the first paper to explore the determinants of the cyclicality of government environmental protection expenditures. Attention focuses on political pressures to increase expenditure on public-sector programmes. These pressures change systematically over the economic cycle. In economic upturns, voters experience ‘fiscal illusion’. Governments can exercise discretion to increase environmental expenditures. In recessions, voters are far more aware. Vote maximising governments divert expenditures away from the environment, toward programmes that deliver more private-good benefits. Predictions are tested with reference to 28 OECD countries’ expenditures between 1992 and 2012. The cyclicality of expenditures depends on government sensitivity to systematic changes in voter awareness.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy
Subjects:
?? government expenditurenvoracity effectsenvironmental protectionfiscal illusionvoracity effects ??
Departments:
ID Code:
175606
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
07 Sep 2022 08:05
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2024 22:58