A New Estimation of User Costs for Non-Renewable Energy Resources
非再生能源资源使用者成本:一个新的估计

Accurate estimates and compensation of user costs is critical for the sustainable use of renewable energy resources,resource tax reform,and China's industrial transition. Here,we modify the traditional approach of calculating resource user costs,first put forward by EI Serafy in 1981,by taking into account resource waste factors and the impact of inflation. In addition,we further improve deficits in existing research into index selection and data processing. We produce new estimates of the user costs of coal,oil,and gas extraction in China from 1985 to 2010. The results show that the user cost of coal resources is higher than previous results. After comparing estimated user costs with actual resource taxes on coal,oil,and gas exploitation,we found that current resource taxes only partially compensate for user costs. Under the 1% and 3% discount rate,user cost compensation rates are 3.02% and 21.5% respectively,and the rates for oil and gas are 3.81% and 7.88%. In order to fully internalize resource user costs,it is necessary to increase the total resource tax on coal mining from the current 9.2 CNY per ton to 42.7 CNY per ton,and to raise the total ad valorem resource tax on oil and gas to 21.06%. Chinese resource tax reform requires comprehensive coordinated reform of the tax and fee systems for mineral resources. Policymakers need to consider structural adjustment of the tax system and mining resources. The government should improve resource taxes in order to fully compensate user costs and realize inter-generational justice and reduce the general tax of mining resources.