Patterns of taxes on energy use and changes from 2012 to 2015

This chapter describes similarities among and differences between countries’ profiles of taxes on energy use (energy and carbon taxes), by the main economic sectors and fuels used, for selected country groupings and on a country-by-country basis. The discussion focusses on tax rates expressed per tonne of CO2. A main finding is the continued very poor alignment of taxes with the environment and climate costs of energy use, across all countries and country groups, though at different levels. Progress towards better use of taxes to cut harmful emissions is slow and piecemeal at best, and largely limited to the road sector.