Could resource rents finance universal access to infrastructure? A first exploration of needs and rents. (24th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fuss, Sabine; Chen, Claudine; Jakob, Michael; Marxen, Annika; Rao, Narasimha D.; Edenhofer, Ottmar
• Is Part Of: Environment and development economics. Volume 21:Number 6(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 691
• Page End: 712
• Publication Date: 2016-06-24
• Subjects: Economic development -- Environmental aspects; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1017/S1355770X16000139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-770X

Abstract

Abstract: It is often argued that, ethically, resource rents should accrue to all citizens. Yet, in reality, the rents from exploiting national resources are often concentrated in the hands of a few. If resource rents were to be taxed, on the other hand, substantial amounts of public money could be raised and used to cover the population's infrastructure needs, such as access to electricity, water, sanitation, communication technology and roads, which all play important roles in a nation's economic development process. Here, the authors examine to what extent existing resource rents could be used to provide universal access to these infrastructures.