Carbon energy taxation and revenue recycling : an applied general equilibrium analysis for the Irish economy

Abstract

The rapid changing of the climate globally is a pressing problem. In Ireland, the average annual temperature has increased by 0.5 degrees Celsius over the course of the twentieth century, most significantly in the last decade. Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases cause the 'enhanced greenhouse effect' leading to global warming. The focus in this thesis is on carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions, which arise mostly from the combustion of fossil fuels in transport, heating and electricity generation.