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COVID-19 Updates: Taking steps to return to normal.
General information and applications for using this environmental tool.
Market based instruments and fiscal mechanisms provide financial incentives and disincentives to guide behaviour towards environmentally responsible activity, and mitigate undesirable activities, in an effort to reduce damage to the environment. If properly designed, these tools can effectively integrate environmental management into economic decision-making. Fiscal instruments depend on regulators setting clear direction and rules, and then allowing markets to achieve desired environmental outcomes through price signals.
Fact Sheets | Description |
---|---|
Emissions/Effluent Trading (PDF, 25 KB) | Allows regulated parties to trade emission responsibilities. |
Resource Allocation Trading (PDF, 23 KB) | Allows regulated parties to trade resource allocations. |
Product Fees and Taxes (PDF, 27 KB) | Sets levies on potentially harmful products to influence purchasing habits and can provide funds for recycling programs. |
Pollution Fees and Taxes (PDF, 26 KB) | Requires regulated parties to pay for each unit of pollution emitted, discharged or disposed. |
Resource Use Fees and Charges (PDF, 24 KB) | Require resource users to pay for each unit of resources used. |
Ecological Fiscal Reform (PDF, 582 KB) | A government strategy that shifts fiscal policy from supporting undesired environmental outcomes to supporting positive environmental outcomes. |
Deposit-Refund Systems (PDF, 21 KB) | Requires deposits on a product or packaging at time of sale, which are refunded on return. |
Purchase of Development Rights (PDF, 92 KB) | Provides a mechanism to financially compensate willing landowners to protect the natural heritage of their land versus undertaking a development project. |
Transfer of Development Rights (PDF, 142 KB) | Encourages high-density clusters of development on less sensitive lands within a defined region, while minimizing development on ecologically sensitive lands. |
Environmental Subsidies (PDF, 562 KB) | Provides grants, low interest loans, loan guarantees or favorable tax treatment to promote specific activities and behaviour. |
Legal Liability (PDF, 26 KB) | Requires parties causing environmental damage to compensate those harmed. |
Financial Security (PDF, 24 KB) | Requires regulated parties to place financial assurance with a regulator to ensure performance. |
Qualifying Environmental Trusts (PDF, 23 KB) | One of several mechanisms to demonstrate, secure and assure appropriate finances are available for the reclamation of a site when operations cease. |
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