Arbeitspapier

Something from Nothing: Estimating Consumption Rates Using Propensity Scores, with Application to Emissions Reduction Policies

Consumption surveys often record zero purchases of a good because of a short observation window. Only mean consumption rates can then be inferred. We show that propensity scores can be used to estimate each unit's consumption rate, revealing the distribution. We demonstrate the method using the UK National Travel Survey, in which c.40% of motorist households purchase no fuel. Estimated consumption rates are plausible judging by households' annual mileages, and highly skewed. We apply the same approach to estimate CO2 emissions and direct outcomes of a carbon cap or tax. Analysis of such policies based solely on means appears to have a negative bias, because of skewness of the underlying distributions. The regressiveness of a simple tax or cap is overstated, and redistributive features of a revenue-neutral policy are understated.

Sprache
Englisch

Erschienen in
Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 9707

Klassifikation
Wirtschaft
Estimation: General
Microeconomic Policy: Formulation, Implementation, and Evaluation
Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
Taxation and Subsidies: Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
Thema
emissions reduction
fuel consumption
infrequent purchase
propensity score matching
surveys

Ereignis
Geistige Schöpfung
(wer)
Bardsley, Nicholas
Büchs, Milena
Schnepf, Sylke V.
Ereignis
Veröffentlichung
(wer)
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
(wo)
Bonn
(wann)
2016

Handle
Letzte Aktualisierung
10.03.2025, 11:43 MEZ

Datenpartner

Dieses Objekt wird bereitgestellt von:
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. Bei Fragen zum Objekt wenden Sie sich bitte an den Datenpartner.

Objekttyp

  • Arbeitspapier

Beteiligte

  • Bardsley, Nicholas
  • Büchs, Milena
  • Schnepf, Sylke V.
  • Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Entstanden

  • 2016

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