Can Environmental Tax Reduce Dilapidated Motor Vehicles Importation and Pollution? Insights from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
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Date
2022-06-29
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The influence of tax regime in reducing dilapidated vehicles’ demand and
attendant pollution is puzzling global south cities. This article provides an
assessment on how environmental tax is or is not curbing down the
importation of the Dilapidated Motor Vehicles (DMVs) with a view to
reduce vehicular emissions in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A
multilevel perspective employing mixed methods of data collection was
used to collect qualitative and quantitative data through document review,
group discussions, in-depth interviews from selected Members of
Parliament, policymakers, government officials, and brand new as well as
DMVs dealers. Content, trend and discourse analysis enabled to interpret
qualitative data. Findings reveal that taxing importation of DMVs is not
significantly reducing air pollution. The side effects of the increased DMVs
import in polluting the environment are increasing due to the rise in income
levels, population increase and technical challenges of estimating marginal
social cost. As DMVs tax was not reflected in the exporter’s cost schedule,
the non-inclusion gives a market failure scenario a la Pigou Theorem.
Rethinking of an optimal environmental tax remains a complex sociopolitical issue calling for research and policy attention.
Description
The article provides an assessment environmental tax influence in curbing down the
importation of the Dilapidated Motor Vehicles (DMVs) with a view to
reduce vehicular emissions
Keywords
Dilapidated Motor Vehicle, environmental tax, demand, air pollution, Tanzania
Citation
Brown Gideon Mwangoka, Godwin Adiel Lema (2022) Can Environmental Tax Reduce Dilapidated Motor Vehicles Importation and Pollution? Insights from Dar-es-Salaam, TanzaniaTanzania Journal of Sociology Vol. 7, Issue, No.2, December 2021:42 - 67