Effectiveness of Economic Instruments for Environmental Protection

Ing. Mathy Sane

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

ABSTRACT The main aim of this thesis is to examine the use of environmental taxes together with other variables in effectively protecting forest areas among 17 African countries during the period 2001 to 2018. The thesis achieved this goal by applying the Random effects model. The empirical results show that more deforestation and urbanization continue to be a problem to forestry and can lead to the depletion of forest areas, while an increase in environment taxes and improvements in institutions results in forest area conservation. These results vary across different levels of significance. The study also found that an increase in population density results in loss of forest cover and is significant at all levels. Meanwhile, an increase in agriculture land use negatively affects forest cover. Furthermore, the impact of environmental taxes on forest cover is positive and statistically significant. In view of the results, the study recommends that African countries should focus on implementing policies that mitigate deforestation and promote sustainable urbanization and consumption of clean energy. Additionally, they should focus on finding ways to control population growth and agriculture land use so that more forest areas can be preserved. The study further recommends that African countries should use both protection policies such as environmental taxes, fines, enforcement of property rights, laws and regulations, and promotion policies such as good agricultural practices, environmental education, birth control mechanisms, and use of clean, efficient and environmentally friendly energy sources to mitigate deforestation.

Keywords

Environmental taxes, Effectiveness, Deforestation, Conservation, Random effects model

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 1. 2023

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Miroslav Hájek, Ph.D.
• Reader: Vilém Jarský, prof. Ing., Ph.D., Vladimíra Nováková, Ing., externi, Jarmila Zimmermannová, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences

Doctoral programme / field:
Economics and Management / Economics and Management of an Enterprise