Complementary taxation of carbon emissions and local air pollution

Abstract

Current decarbonization policies neglect damages from local air pollutants. We analyze the trade-off between complementary taxation of carbon emissions and local air pollution. We quantify results for the European power market until 2050. Taxing only air pollution results in system cost of 6,475 billion € and fosters nuclear deployment. Additional external cost accumulate to 5,890 billion €. Taxing only carbon yields system (external) cost of 8,263 (717) billion € and promotes carbon-capture-and-storage deployment. Taxing both yields (external) cost of 7,697 (1,118) billion €. Moderate carbon taxation can be complementary to a primary policy of air pollution abatement. On the contrary, a primary policy of decarbonization stands in trade-off with air pollution abatement in the long-term.