The 19 chapters in this book collect the observations, made at the 2019 GREIT conference in Lund, on the question of whether tax systems are capable of contributing to sustainable development. Against the background of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, researchers in European and international tax law, public finance and business administration tackled the question of what the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could entail for tax policy design, both at the national and the EU level.

How can we ensure the revenue-generating capacity of our tax systems? Should they help achieve the SDGs mainly by raising revenue, or should tax systems have a more proactive Pigouvian role? Do the SDGs require progressive taxes and redistribution to help eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and increase social inclusion? Do they commend tax incentives to promote sustainable production and the reduction of waste and pollution? Do they require the introduction of a CO2 tax? Or do they perhaps require all these together and more?

The multidisciplinary analysis in this book of a wide variety of questions on how tax systems can jeopardize or help achieve the SDGs will help the reader to better understand the effects of taxes on sustainable development in the European Union and worldwide. It is a must-read for public finance experts, tax experts and sustainable development experts alike.