University of Gothenburg

Thomas Sterner

Thomas Sterner is professor of environmental economics, focused on the design of environmental policy instruments. Recent research focuses on issues like: • Does refunding or earmarking make carbon taxes more acceptable? • How should we update biodiversity values over time? • How should we deal with methane compared to carbon in climate economics? • Policies for aviation (particularly contrails) His current teaching is on policy instrument design and modeling climate.

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Thomas Sterner is professor of environmental economics focused on the design of environmental policy instruments. On this subject, he has written a standard textbook that has appeared in several language editions (link to textbook).

He teaches three courses in environmental economics at Chalmers: Course 1, Course 2, and Course 3Recent research focuses on issues of acceptability of policy instruments, their distributional effects and ways of making efficient instruments such as taxes more acceptable by refunding or using revenues constructively.

Although he still works on the economic theory of policy design and such overarching issues as fiscal reform, corporate environmental responsibility, circular economy, green growth, more and more attention is turned to actual interdisciplinary, empirical work. Currently he works on a range of issues from biodiversity protection and climate economics to green bonds and green finance, chemicals management. The largest focus is policy instruments to deal with climate change.

During the last two decades he has built up the Environmental Economics Unit (EEU) at the University of Gothenburg. This research group works both on environmental valuation, policy design and natural resource issues. For about two decades we gave a unique PhD program (with a large participation of graduate students from developing countries financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida). After graduating most of the PhDs joined the Environment for Development initiative (EfD) which does policy relevant research in developing countries.

Our research group is thus closely connected to several others with which we collaborate closely. This applies in particular to EfD but also Mistra Biopath and BECC on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services, FRAM on chemicals, CECAR, the Centre for Collective Action Research and the Mistra Carbon Exit research programme. Moreover, we have close research and teaching links to Physical Resource Theory at Chalmers.

Recent highlights:

  • Fellow of the Society for Benefit Cost Analysis, inducted 2023.
  • Honorary member of the French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (FAERE), appointed 2021.
  • Chevalier (Knight) in the French Légion d’Honneur, appointed 2021.

Boards

Honors & Prizes

  • Honorary member of the French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (FAERE), appointed  2021
  • Chevalier (Knight) in the French Légion d’Honneur, appointed 2020
  • Doctor of Science Honoris Causa, University Collage Dublin 2019
  • Pro Studio et Scientia Award, University of Gothenburg, October 2019
  • EAERE Fellow 2019
  • Elected Guest Professor at the Collège de France 2015-16
  • Honorary Guest professor University of Cape Town
  • University Fellow Resources for the Future, USA.
  • Member of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences
  • Beijer Fellow at the Beijer Institute of the Swedish Royal Academy, 2007-
  • Environmental Fiscal Reformer of the Year Award 2014, Green Budget Europe
  • Myrdal Prize 2008

Publications

Selected publications

Research in progress

 

The pandemic has implied much suffering, but it has also been a time for concentration and many publications. Most of Thomas’ current work is focused on policy design. Much of it focuses on climate, where he has been exploring both issues of refunding of emissions payments and other issues related to the income distribution effects of policy and the perceived fairness effects.

Another area of work is related to the finance sector and effects of events, such as the Paris agreement or US elections on financial markets for fossil and renewable stock.  

Finally, he also works in a number of other sectors, such as on biodiversity and on decontamination after major nuclear reactors.

Books

First of all my major textbook on the design of environmental policy:

In this book I set out to study the often repeated allegation that gasoline taxes are a burden to the poor. It turns out to be true only in special circumstances. Generally, in most countries, gasoline taxes are actually neutral or progressive:

Presentations, speeches & lectures

  1. Speaker at Climate and Biodiversity Crises: What is the Role of Economics?, on the topic What can economics contribute to biodiversity protection?, at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands. 2024-05-16

  2. Invited to hold a seminar on the topic of “Climate policy and carbon pricing” for DG CLIMA. 2024-05-14.

  3. Panelist discussing the distributional impact of environmental taxation at the 2024 ATI General Assembly. 2024-06-20.

  4. Panelist discussing the question: “Based on your experience and research is it possible to combine environmental conservation and economic development and if so, how?“ at EUTOPIA Day – Special Joint Session. 2024-05-13.

  5. Moderator of the seminar “Congestion pricing in New York: What insights can Gothenburg offer?” at the University of Gothenburg. 2024-05-07.

  6. Speaker at ”Chalmers Styrkeområde Energi” (Chalmers area of strength – Energy”) on the subject of a fair climate capacity. 2024-03-20.

  7. Plenary at ”TNFD workshop Mistra BIOPATH and ORKLA” on the subject of biodiversity and finance. 2024-03-19.

  8. Expert commentator in the panel ”Klimat- och miljöminister Romina Pourmokhtari samtalar om klimathandlingsplanen” (“A conversation with the climate and environmental minister Romina Pourmokhtari about the governments climate action plan”). Organized by SNS. Available here. 2024-03-11.

  9. Hosted the research seminar “Aviation Contrail Cirrus and CO2: Trade-Offs and Social Cost Estimates”. Organized by the environmental economics unit at the University of Gothenburg. 2024-02-12.

  10. Panelist in ”AW with researchers: Capitalists for the environment”(“AW med forskare: Kapitalister för klimatet” in swedish) organized by Pustervik. 2023-12-06.

In media

  1. ”Forskare sågar slopad flygskatt: ”Väldigt olyckligt”. (Researchers criticize the removal of the flight tax: “Very unfortunate.") Debate article published in Göteborgs Posten. 24-09-04

  2. Utan biologisk mångfald har människan ingen framtid – inför en naturlag”. (Without biodiversity, humanity has no future – implement a nature law). Debate article published in Göteborgs Posten. 24-07-07.

  3. Interviewed in the Vera Podden podcast Sterner om: Bränsleuppror, elbilsstöd och kurser i miljöpolitik. (Sterner on: The Fuel Rebellion, Electric Car Support, and Courses in Environmental Politics). Produced by Chalmers tekniska högskola. 24-06-19.

  4. Forskare: Skapa inte mer polarisering mellan människa och natur, Moderaterna.
    (Researchers: Do not create more polarization between humans and nature, Moderaterna).Debate article published in Altinget Miljö och Energi. 2004-06-11.

  5. Interviewed in the podcast 03. Nyfiken: Thomas Sterner (03. Curious: Thomas Sterner). By Lina Persson, produced by the University of Gothenburg. 2024-05-08.

  6. Expert: Regeringen håller flyget under armarna. (Expert: The Government is supporting the aviation industry). Interviewd by Hanna Odelfors and Petra Hedbom from TT. Article published in SvD, Aftonbladet, Norra Skåne and VK. 2024-04-27.

  7. Medelklassen behandlas som världens känsligaste grupp. (The middle class is treated as the world’s most sensitive group). Opinion piece highlighting Thomas Sterner participation. By DN:s editorial board. Published in Dagens Nyheter. 2024-03-16.

  8. Nytt sätt att räkna på naturvärlden. (New method of calculating the value of nature). Article about the Science article (A203) written by Karin Montgomery. Published in Extrakt. 2024-03-11.

  9. Forskare: Därför kan det bli dyrare att exploatera natur. (Scientist: Why it can become more expensive to exploit nature). Interviewed by Anna Liljemalm. Published in Forskning & Framsteg. 2024-03-08.

  10. GU-forskare kommenterar klimatavtalet i Dubai. (GU Researchers comment on the climate agreement in Dubai). Interviewed by the University of Gothenburg. 2023-12-13.

Policy

This section contains interesting reports (not written by me) that I recommend on the current state of our climate, environmental economics, emissions, natural resources and much more.

  • “We talk and talk about taxing carbon. Meanwhile lobbyists secure enormous subsidies instead.” IMF Working paper
  • Carbon markets around the world are continuing to expand and gather momentum, according to a series of case studies released by IETA, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and CDC Climat Research today, despite diverse challenges. The World's Carbon Markets
  • Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace has released a retrospective report of transaction activity on the global voluntary carbon markets over the last decade, up to and including information on 2014 transactions. The report finds that companies, governments, and individuals voluntarily spent just under $4.5 billion to transact nearly one billion carbon offsets from projects that halt deforestation, install renewable energy, promote energy efficiency, distribute cleaner-burning cookstoves, and more. Ahead of the Curve: State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2015.
     

Lectures/videos

Below follows a number of interviews and lectures presented by Thomas Sterner related to current topics in environmental economics.

US President Joe Biden reiterates support for climate goals | Money Talks

Comment by Thomas Sterner after 1 min.

Navigate to video: US President Joe Biden reiterates support for climate goals | Money Talks
Video (07:29)
US President Joe Biden reiterates support for climate goals | Money Talks

Two Degrees of Difference

Thomas Sterner discusses global climate goals at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Navigate to video: 2 Degrees of Difference - A Discussion of Global Climate Goals
Video (1:00:21)
2 Degrees of Difference - A Discussion of Global Climate Goals

#MeetTopEnvEcon

Ingmat Schumacher meets Thomas Sterner for an interview. (November 2018).

Navigate to video: #MeetTopEnvEcon - Thomas Sterner
Video (12:09)
#MeetTopEnvEcon - Thomas Sterner

 


The International Science Festival Gothenburg

Karin Gyllenklev meets Thomas Sterner at Vetenskapsfestivalen (Gothenburg, 2018-09-14)

Navigate to video: 72. THOMAS STERNER
Video (4:39)
72. THOMAS STERNER

 


Fossil free – but how?

Thomas Sterner plenary speech at Fossilfritt Sverige (Stockholm, 2018-09-06).

 


The Risk of Climate Change

Thomas Sterner discuss the most efficient tools to mitigate those risks from the perspective of policymakers, corporates and the (re)insurance industry (SCOR, 2018-07-11).

Navigate to video: The Risk of Climate Change
Video (21:35)
The Risk of Climate Change

Hur kan politiken, tekniken och individen bidra till en smart klimatpolitik?

Thomas Sterner participates in a debate with Isabella Lövin, Minister for Climate and Vice Prime minister in Sweden. (Handelshögskolan Göteborg, 2018-01-31

Navigate to video: Paneldebatt: Hur kan politiken, tekniken och individen bidra till en smart klimatpolitik?
Video (16:36)
Paneldebatt: Hur kan politiken, tekniken och individen bidra till en smart klimatpolitik?

 



Did Paris Solve the Climate Problem?

In a plenary talk at 13th Annual Conference on Economic Growth and Development Thomas Sterner asks “Did Paris Solve the Climate Problem?” (Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi, 2017-12-20).

Navigate to video: Plenary Talk by Thomas Sterner 20th Dec, 2017, ISI Delhi
Video (1:13:32)
Plenary Talk by Thomas Sterner 20th Dec, 2017, ISI Delhi

 


Åtgärder för att begränsa klimatförändringar - IPCC:s tredje delrapport

At this seminar you will hear Thomas Sterner present the results of the Third Interim Report of the IPCC, which deals with measures to limit climate change. (Seminar at the University of Gothenburg, 2015-03-23)

Navigate to video: Thomas Sterner om IPCC:s tredje delrapport -- åtgärder för klimatförändringar
Video (2:03:10)
Thomas Sterner om IPCC:s tredje delrapport -- åtgärder för klimatförändringar

 


Explaining Ramsey

Thomas Sterner's web lecture on the Ramsey Rule: What is discounting and how much do we care about the future?

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Video (15:53)
Explaining Ramsey

 


Pathways to Paris

In this lecture you will hear Thomas Sterner talk about the climate negotiations leading up to Paris. (Lecture recorded in May 2015).

Navigate to video: Pathway to Paris
Video (22:48)
Pathway to Paris

 


The Menu of Environmental Policy Instruments

Thomas Sterner discusses the policies available to mitigate environmental damages at his inaugural lecture at Collège de France. More lectures with Thomas Sterner at Collège de France can be found here(Lecture recorded in October 2015).

Navigate to video: The Menu of Environmental Policy Instruments
Video (1:08:28)
The Menu of Environmental Policy Instruments