Estudo de condições necessárias para a eficácia da cobrança na gestão dos recursos hídricos

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

This essay deals with two relevant conditions to the effectiveness of charges in the water resources management. The former concerns the establishment and the charge of the water economic price, and the latter deals with the allocation of the revenues raised with the water charge in the river basin where it was generated. The literature revision shows the importance of the incorporation, by the economic agents, of the social costs related to the shortage and/or pollution of water. It has also made evident the tax as an instrument in the environment management. To induce the users to adopt a more cautious behavior in water use, it is important to set up a value that actually reflects both its conditions of scarcity and the pollution, or in other words, reflects the externalities caused by the water use. The question is to know: how the State must calculate the exact value to be charged to cause the economic agent to change his behavior in relation to the use of water? How much is to be charged for not transforming this instrument into a mere means of collecting? This work shows the main methods for pricing the water and, among them; it makes evident the pricing by the marginal cost, where the price of water is the marginal price of the water supply. This is regarded as economically efficient or socially optimum. However, it is difficult to put into practice, due to the great number of information about the marginal costs and benefits. And, the analyzed experiences have demonstrated that, in the practice, this pricing by the marginal cost does not occur. It has been made evident that the estimate of how much must be paid is elaborated in function of how much is going to be spent, that is, the system is mainly aimed to the generation of income, giving lesser emphasis to the economic efficiency. About the second condition studied, the revision of the literature demonstrates that an environmental tax presents two characteristics: the fiscal and the extra-fiscal (aiming to change the behavior of the economical agent in relation to the environment). It also emphasizes that there will always be an income for the State, since the agent pays taxes for the whole consume of the natural resource and not only for the damage caused. Thus, in order to the expected happening of change in behavior of the user, it is imperative that the revenues raised with the water charge return to the point of origin and, for that, the resources must be entailed. However, our Federal Constitution forbids the binding of taxes revenues, except the destination for education and health. Therefore, it is necessary an inflexible and permanent definition about the lawful charge and the possibility of its binding.

ASSUNTO(S)

economia uso eficiente do recurso tributo ambiental valor econômico da cobrança environmental tax economic value of the charge efficient use of the resource

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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