Economist Kurt van Dender has shaped the OECD’s work on the environment and tax for a decade. For his efforts, the OECD has made him acting head of the Tax Policy and Statistics Division which encompasses the environmental tax unit.
Most of van Dender’s work has been focused on the environment and tax, but his new responsibilities include how to maintain tax revenue as part of the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. But the question of climate change is not going away.
As the OECD’s tax centre turns its sights towards the environment, van Dender is well-placed to bring his expertise as an expert in carbon pricing. Carbon taxes are a natural pricing instrument, and trading systems can set a price floor alongside other regulatory measures.
Carbon prices may have doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but van Dender has warned that the variations in pricing are significant between different countries. So there is a real need for an international standard. This may be the next challenge for the OECD.
Going into 2023, Kurt van Dender is someone to watch as a tax policymaker who understands the importance of getting carbon taxation right.
