Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers Creation-Date: 2017-09-22 Number: 17-086/VIII Author-Name: Raymond (R.H.J.M.) Gradus Author-Email: r.h.j.m.gradus@vu.nl Author-Workplace-Name: School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Tinbergen Institute, The Netherlands Author-Name: Elbert (E.) Dijkgraaf Author-Email: e.dijkgraaf@ese.eur.nl Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus Title: Dutch Municipalities are Becoming Greener: Some Political and Institutional Explanations Abstract: This paper analyzes whether Dutch municipalities became greener between 1999 and 2014 by investigating whether they implement different unit-based pricing systems. Based on their incentive, systems are ranged from green ('weight') to less green ('volume'), or not green ('flat rate'). In one-third of the municipalities, shifts took place, with 83 percent becoming greener and 17 percent less green. Political fragmentation (measured in three ways) plays a key role in explaining these shifts. There is less evidence for political motivation. Particularly, Conservative Liberals are not in favor of unit-based pricing, whereas Social Liberals are in favor. In addition, municipalities in rural and shrinking areas are more in favor of unit-based pricing. Classification-JEL: D72, H76,H79 Keywords: local government, unit-based waste pricing, greener, less green, ideological motivation File-Url: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/17086.pdf File-Format: application/pdf File-Size: 1004433 bytes Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20170086