全球智库信息集成服务系统

Are tradable permits in water pollution control a useful instrument regarding the protection of the environment? In this book chapter, experts from the Ecologic Institute make recommendations on the strategies for introducing tradable water pollution rights. They point out opportunities and limitations and discuss the instrument’s compatibility in instrument "mixes".

The instrument of tradable discharge permits is one of several market-based instruments used in water management and pollution control. Tradable discharge permits are actually among the most challenging market-based instruments in terms of both their design and implementation. Experience to date with tradable discharge permits for water pollution control has been limited and mainly comes from several regions of the US and Australia.

The authors provide literature-based empirical evidence of the international experience with tradable water pollution rights (case studies from the US and Australia). The practical examples are presented according to different individual substances or parameters that have been the subject of trading systems (salinity, organic pollution and nutrient pollution). Lessons are drawn from the selected examples considering also the institutional and existing regulatory context of the countries in question.

The research leading to these results was conducted in the FP7-project Evaluating Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management in Europe (EPI-Water).

The book is available for 39€ at Les Editions Johanet.