Politics & Governance / Public Policy / Environmental & Climate Policy

When Do Firms Go Green? India's Supreme Court vs. Coal Tax – Which Works Better?

Ann Harrison

Pollution is choking India's cities, but can tough regulations actually work without killing the economy? This video breaks down a groundbreaking study by Ann Harrison and colleagues, comparing India's Supreme Court-ordered 'command and control' regulations with price incentives like coal taxes. Discover how the court's intervention forced big polluters to clean up, slashed coal use by 14.5%, and improved air quality—all with almost no harm to productivity. But there's a twist: it also blocked new polluting firms from entering cities. We'll explain why this matters for developing countries and how a 15-30% coal tax could match these results. Watch to learn which policy truly makes firms go green.