MEURISSE benedicte

This thesis focuses on public policy instruments to reduce CO2 emissions from the use of private vehicles. The implementation of these instruments is legitimate and necessary given the contribution of these vehicles to climate change (17% of CO2 emissions in France in 2010). Within the framework of a theoretical model in partial and static equilibrium of the automobile market, the work considers two levers of emission reduction: the improvement of the energy performance of vehicles and the reduction of the distances driven. In the first chapter, which is devoted to the analysis of the supply side of the automotive system, the research question is to determine whether, on the one hand, cooperation between actors in the automotive sector leads to the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles than in the absence of cooperation, and on the other hand, whether this cooperation is a substitute or not for public intervention. The impact of the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles on producers' investment and cooperation decisions is demonstrated, which justifies the implementation of public policy tools to stimulate demand. Thus, the second chapter is devoted to the analysis of vehicle demand and mileage. The focus is on the interdependence between these two demands, which is at the origin of the well-known phenomenon of the rebound effect. The impact of this rebound effect on the effectiveness of differentiated purchase taxes and vehicle use taxes is studied. Finally, the ambition of the last chapter is to consider the effects of these instruments on household utility and profit for the automobile industry. The broader objective is to determine whether policymakers are able to control vehicle CO2 emissions while increasing public welfare and economic growth.