Sustainable Development Research

Vehicle taxation should be reconsidered

Omer Wagner — 2022-08-08

Vehicle taxation is a global issue. When considering the appropriate tax regime for vehicles, states consider a variety of factors. Among others, vehicle taxation takes into consideration traffic congestion (loss of time), environmental issues such as air pollution, accidents, noise, land use for roads and parking lots, costs of control and enforcement system, damage to the natural environment, and much more.

Israel imposes purchase tax on vehicles, which is a tax quite equivalent to GST or excise duty.

As will be presented below, in 2022, apparently, Israel's vehicle taxation, imposes 83% purchase tax on vehicles, is probably the highest in the world.

Vehicles are a daily, routine product that exists in almost every home worldwide. A vehicle isn't a luxury product anymore, but Israel, according to the tax rate, still considers it a luxury.

The high tax rate has not achieved its goal, to discourage the usage of personal vehicles and shift to public transport.

The high tax regime encourages repetitive debates between importers and that customs authority, concerning the vehicles value, for customs purposes.

A reform in this field is needed. Maybe it's time for Israel to reinvent to wheel in this area, and impose a fixed tax, ignoring the vehicle's price.

Community Empowerment Program Based on Green Economy in Preserving Herbs as Local Wisdom

Adhi Iman Sulaiman — 2022-08-30

Rural communities have ways to maintain the health of their families, and the community environment by processing plants and herbal products during the Corona Virus Disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The study aims to design a community empowerment program base on the green economy in preserving herbs as local wisdom. The study used Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is relevant to the design of empowerment by collecting data through interview dialogue, observation, documentation, and focus group discussions. Research informants were determined through purposive sampling, namely stakeholders in the government of Tegal Regency, Central Java Province in Indonesia, such as the head of the health department and regional technical implementing unit for the Herbal Medicine Tourism (HMT) area in Kalibakung, the Headman of the Kalibakung Village, herbal practitioners, and empowerment groups. Participatory research analysis was used to identify, and categorize problems, prepare action plans, evaluate the entire process, and implement actions. The results of the study showed: (1) The community around the HMT area has not been empowered to cultivate plants and herbal products, so mutually beneficial partnerships have not been established. (2) HMT area in Kalibakung and the surrounding community land have the potential for cultivating herbal plants that can realize health independence for families, and communities, so there need to be empowerment programs. (3) The empowerment programs for the cultivation of plants and herbal products could be started by increasing the motivation and inspiration for the benefits of herbs, knowledge, understanding, and skills of products, and the cultivation of herbal plants in a sustainable manner.

Planning for Eco-City in China: Policy Mobility in Path Creation of Eco-Zhuhai

Lingyue Li — 2022-09-19

Idea of eco-city booms in China’s planning practices under central state’s envisioned transition towards “ecological civilization” wherein Zhuhai stands out as an example well fitted the eco-livable paradigm. To disentangle how Zhuhai has achieved such fame, this article identifies two interlocked and nested forms of policy mobility: policy reformulation towards pro-environment and policy circulation of advanced eco-experiences, and reviews key process of eco-city planning in the city since 1980s. Rather than an explicit, long-term vision, the review suggests that Zhuhai’s reputation as an eco-city model results from cumulative effects of early policy formulation towards environmental protection upon its geographical location, its natural assets, and essentially early hysteresis in the growth race. Though subsequent development has been path-dependently locked in, it is benefitted from the planning regime wherein knowledge and experiences related to eco-city are instantly shared.