Don't save lemons! The impact of older technology vehicles on environmental expenditure at regional level in Italy

This paper aims to investigate the impact of older technology vehicles on local environmental expenditures in Italy at regional level. Our research hypothesis states that the incidence of high emission technology vehicles, causing higher environmental damage, can increase the environmental expenditure in regions endowed with older fleets. Through a panel data analysis in the period 2004–2014, we show that technological obsolescence, by causing an increasing environmental impact, increases the local expenditure for the protection of the environment.