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on Environmental Economics |
| By: | Nachtigall, Daniel; Rübbelke, Dirk |
| Abstract: | The green paradox conveys the idea that climate policies may have unintended side effects when taking into account the reaction of fossil fuel suppliers. In particular, carbon taxes that will be implemented in the future induce resource owners to extract more rapidly which increases present carbon dioxide emissions and accelerates global warming. Our results suggest that future carbon taxes may even decrease present emissions if resource owners face increasing marginal extraction costs and if there is a clean energy source that is a perfect substitute and exhibits learning-by-doing (LBD). If the marginal extraction cost curve is sufficiently at, resource owners respond to a future carbon tax with lowering total extraction and only slightly increase present extraction. Moreover, taxation leads to higher energy prices which induces the renewable energy firms to increase output not only in the future, but also in the present because of the anticipated benefits from LBD. This crowds out energy from the combustion of fossil fuels and may outweigh the initial increase in present extraction, leading to less emissions in the present. |
| Keywords: | climate change,exhaustible resources,learning-by-doing,green paradox |
| JEL: | Q38 Q54 Q28 H23 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fubsbe:201431&r=env |
| By: | Lucas Bretschger; Alexandra Vinogradova |
| Abstract: | Climate physics predicts that the intensity of natural disasters will increase in the future due to climate change. One of the biggest challenges for economic modeling is the inherent uncertainty of climate events, which crucially aects consumption, investment,and abatement decisions. We present a stochastic model of a growing economy where natural disasters are multiple and random, with damages driven by the economy's polluting activity. We provide a closed-form solution and show that the optimal path is characterized by a constant growth rate of consumption and the capital stock untila shock arrives, triggering a downward jump in both variables. Optimum mitigation policy consists of spending a constant fraction of output on emissions abatement. This fraction is an increasing function of the arrival rate, polluting intensity of output, and the damage intensity of emissions. A sharp response of the optimum growth rate and the abatement share to changes in the arrival rate and the damage intensity justies more stringent climate policies as compared to the expectation-based scenario. We subsequently extend the baseline model by adding climate-induced uctuations around the growth trend and stock-pollution eects, demonstrating robustness of our results. In a quantitative assessment of our model we show that the optimal abatement expenditure at the global level may represent 0.9% of output, which is equivalent to a tax of $71 per ton carbon. |
| Keywords: | Climate policy, uncertainty, natural disasters, endogenoous growth |
| JEL: | O10 Q52 Q54 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oxf:oxcrwp:145&r=env |
| By: | Vinicius Vale; Fernando Perobelli |
| Abstract: | Nowadays, an important debate in the international economies is the problem of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change related. Discussions begin to gain the world with the signature of the Kyoto Protocol (1997), where an international agreement was reached to reduce global emissions. However, in this context of mitigation, many controlling policies are based on reducing domestic emissions of GHG, which ignores, for example, CO2 emissions embodied in international trade. Moreover, given sudden expansion and globalization of world economies, pollution embodied in trade flows becomes important for measurement of responsibilities, because the use of final goods and production inputs that a country need not necessarily produced by itself, leading to a growing concern about the problem of carbon leakage. Thus, many studies have taken into consideration the estimated emissions embodied in international trade through, for example, the input-output analysis. In this context, this paper seeks to make an empirical investigation on the responsibility for emissions and international trade. We use data from WIOD, where the data structure consists of Input-Output Tables for 40 countries (27 EU countries and 13 other selected countries) plus the "Rest of the World" for the period 1995 to 2009. Furthermore, the production side is disaggregated into 35 productive sectors. Finally uses atmospheric emissions of CO2 for the same 40 countries selected and RoW. The overall aim is to measure emissions embodied in international trade and to analyze the interactions in terms of sectors and regional, from such countries. We propose the following specific aims: a) to observe, through CO2 emissions in international trade, if there is a concentration of emissions and if this behavior is maintained over the years (1995-2009), b) measure CO2 emissions embodied in production and consumption, c) measure the CO2 emissions embodied in exports and imports of each country and thus verify if the international trade has been used as a way to reduce emissions by countries, d) construction carbon balance for each country. The methodology used involves input-output techniques for calculating carbon emissions embodied in international trade. Thus, aggregate indicators for different countries are obtained, such as coefficients of intensity of CO2 emissions. Moreover, trade balances global CO2 emissions embodied in international trade are calculated and the major net exporters and net importers of CO2 emissions in the world economy are identified. Moreover, these indicators represent the empirical basis for the discussion on the responsibility for emissions, being possible, for example, to make a discussion of responsibilities between producer and consumer countries for environmental impacts. Finally, Miyazawa multipliers are calculated, a methodology that approach the issues of feedback loop between countries, through the decomposition of the Leontief inverse matrix in sub-matrices. |
| Keywords: | CO2 emissions; International trade; Multi-regional input-output model; |
| JEL: | C67 D57 Q53 Q54 Q56 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p855&r=env |
| By: | Andrea Mantovani (University of Bologna & IEB); Ornella Tarola (University of Rome "La Sapienza"); Cecilia Vergari (University of Bologna) |
| Abstract: | We analyse how market competition in a vertically differentiated polluting industry is affected by product variants that comply at different levels with "green" social norms. A green consumption behavior is considered as a byword of good citizenship. Consumer preferences depend on a combination of hedonic quality and compliance with social norms. Assuming that the high hedonic quality variant complies less with these norms than the low hedonic quality variant, we characterize different equilibrium configurations which appear as a result of both the intensity of such norms and the country-specific income dispersion. Then, we focus on the role that institutions may have in using these norms to reduce pollution emissions. |
| Keywords: | Hedonic quality, environmental quality, relative preferences, environmental campaign |
| JEL: | D62 L13 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ieb:wpaper:2013/6/doc2014-36&r=env |
| By: | Nyborg, Karine (Dept. of Economics, University of Oslo) |
| Abstract: | I explore possible impacts of reciprocal preferences on participation in international environmental agreements. Reciprocal countries condition their willingness to abate on others' abatement. No participation is always stable. A full or majority coalition can be stable, provided that reciprocity is sufficiently strong and widespread. In addition, a stable minority coalition can exist, even with weak reciprocity preferences. This latter coalition is weakly larger than the maximum stable coalition with standard preferences, but is characterized by mutually negative sentiments. |
| Keywords: | International Environmental Agreements; Reciprocity; Coalitions |
| JEL: | F53 H87 Q54 |
| Date: | 2014–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:osloec:2014_017&r=env |
| By: | Roberto Ponce; María Blanco; Carlo Giupponi (School of Business and Economics, Universidad del Desarrollo) |
| Abstract: | Agriculture could be one of the most vulnerable economic sectors to the impacts of climate change in the coming decades. Considering the critical role that water plays for agricultural production, any shock in water availability will have great implications for agricultural production, land allocation, and agricultural prices. In this paper, an Agricultural Multimarket model is developed to analyze climate change impacts in developing countries, accounting for the uncertainty associated with the impacts of climate change. The model has a structure flexible enough to represent local conditions, resource availability, and market conditions. The results suggest different economic consequences of climate change depending on the specific activity, with many distributional effects across regions. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Multimarket Model, Climate Change, Agriculture, Water Resources, Uncertainty. |
| JEL: | Q13 Q54 |
| Date: | 2014–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dsr:wpaper:02&r=env |
| By: | Langestraat, R. (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management) |
| Abstract: | In this thesis we model and analyze several environmental policies in an existing mathematical representation of a perfectly competitive electricity market. We contribute to the literature by theoretically and numerically establishing a number of effects of environmental policies on investment strategies and prices. We provide a theoretical benchmark for environmental regulators aiming to achieve certain policy goals, and present a way to use numerical tools in case a complete theoretical analysis cannot be obtained. Two policies that charge firms for their carbon emissions, namely cap-and-trade and carbon taxation, are modeled into both a stylized deterministic and a two-stage stochastic framework. In the former we characterize equilibria, leading to key results on the dispatching order of technologies and identification of unused technologies. The latter framework is analyzed through a sampling study and focuses on the effectiveness of the policies in the presence of network limitations. We successively study a renewable energy obligation, which indirectly subsidizes electricity production from renewable resources through green certificates. We additionally explore the effects of technology banding, meaning that different renewable technologies are eligible for a different number of certificates. To account for some of the drawbacks of the existing UK technology banding system, we introduce an alternative banding policy. Finally, a feed-in tariff (FIT) is a direct subsidy on electricity production from renewable resources. In a stochastic framework we derive analytically that under linear cost assumptions, this price based instrument cannot guarantee that quantity based policy targets are met. Assuming non-linear convex cost, we find that the opposite holds and that a regulator has the freedom to set FITs in such a way that any desired mixture of renewable technologies can be attained at equilibrium. These FITs are derived analytically or, when necessary, estimated using the numerical tools that we propose. |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tiu:tiutis:8c1d6907-e2ab-40ea-abcc-7b2e9d57ad7b&r=env |
| By: | Klara Zwickl (Department of Socio-Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business); Mathias Moser (Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes if neighborhood income inequality has an effect on informal regulation of environmental quality, using census tract-level data on industrial air pollution exposure from EPA’s Risk Screening Environmental Indicators and income and demographic variables from the American Community Survey and EPA’s Smart Location Database. Estimating a spatial lag model and controlling for formal regulation at the states level, we find evidence that overall neighborhood inequality – as measured by the ratio between the fourth and the second income quintile or the neighborhood Gini coefficient – increases local air pollution exposure, whereas a concentration of top incomes reduces local exposure. The positive coefficient of the general inequality measure is driven by urban neighborhoods, whereas the negative coefficient of top incomes is stronger in rural areas. We explain these findings by two contradicting effects of inequality: On the one hand, overall inequality reduces collective action and thus the organizing capacities for environmental improvements. On the other hand, a concentration of income at the top enhances the ability of rich residents to negotiate with regulators or polluting plants in their vicinity. |
| Keywords: | Informal Regulation, Income Inequality, Collective Action, Industrial Air Pollution Disparities, Risk–Screening Environmental Indicators, Spatial Lag Model |
| JEL: | D3 H4 Q5 R2 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwwuw:wuwp192&r=env |
| By: | Anastasios Xepapadeas |
| Abstract: | Sustainable development, environmental sustainability, green economies and green growth are issues which are of great importance for both the research and the policy agenda. The present paper clearly defines the concepts of sustainability and environmental sustainability and provides a conceptual framework for developing sustainability-founded cost benefit rules. It shows that a certain policy cannot necessarily simultaneously satisfy sustainable development and environmental sustainability objectives, the development of green economies, and the attainment of development or green growth.This is important for decision makers because it suggests using more than one criterion depending on the combination of the objectives to be pursued.The cost benefit rules presented in this paper could provide a basis for a clear distinction among objectives and for project selection mechanisms that promote single or multiple objectives. |
| Keywords: | Sustainable development, wellbeing, comprehensive investment, accounting prices, cost benefit analysis, environmental sustainability, green economies, green growth |
| Date: | 2014–12–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aue:wpaper:1413&r=env |
| By: | Guloba, Madina |
| Abstract: | This paper hypothesizes that adaptation to climate change is influenced by the gender of the decision maker of the household. Using a two-wave household panel survey dataset, choice of adaptation strategies employed by female- and male-headed households a |
| Keywords: | adaptation, climate change, covariate shocks, gender, multinomial logit |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp2014-107&r=env |
| By: | Nick Hanley (School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews); Stephen Hynes (Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit, National University of Ireland,Galway); Niels Jobstvogt (Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability, University of Aberdeen); David M. Paterson (Scottish Oceans Institute,School of Biology, University of St Andrews) |
| Abstract: | In Europe, as in many other parts of the world, an increasing number of coastal and marine policies require or encourage the use of environmental valuation and cost-benefit analysis. This means that policy-makers and regulators are placing increasing demands on economists to supply such values for use in policy analysis and management. There has also been a growing emphasis on basing environmental management and policy analysis on the ecosystem services approach (Fisher et al, 2008; UK NEA, 2011; Keeler et al, 2012). The consequence of this is a parallel requirement to link ecosystem function and service flows to environmental valuation. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether ec onomists are in a position to deliversuch evidence for use in policy analysis, in terms of the conceptual basis of valuation, the availability of the scientific evidence that is required to implement valuation methods, and the existing data base of economic values. The focus of the paper is on the European policy arena, but most of the issues discussed apply equally to other locations. We approach the question in three ways. First, by reviewing existing European legislative drivers for increased use of valuation in coastal and marine policy; second, by reviewing the existing body of evidence on ecosystem and biodiversity values related to the coastal and marine environment in the EU and third, by considering whether both the economic valuation framework itself, and the scientific evidence required for its implementation, is “fit for purpose” and capable of meeting the needs of regulators. |
| Keywords: | ecosystem values, marine values, deep sea, salt marsh, off-shore renewables, marine biodiversity. |
| JEL: | Q51 Q54 Q57 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sss:wpaper:2014-11&r=env |
| By: | Bettina Peters; Georg Licht |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the impact of environmental innovation on employment growth using firm-level data for 16 European countries and the period 2006-2008. It extends the model by Harrison et al (2008) in order to distinguish between employment effects of environmental and non-environmental product as well as process innovation. By looking at country and sector level differences, it also generates new insights into the heterogeneity of the environmental innovation-employment growth link along different dimensions. The results demonstrate that both environmental and non-environmental product innovations are conducive to employment growth in European firms. We estimate a gross employment effect of product innovation for both types of product innovators that is very similar in nearly all countries and sectors. That is, in most cases a one-percent increase in the sales due to new products for environmental product innovators also increases gross employment by one percent. This implies that there is no evidence that environmentally-friendly new products are produced with higher or lower efficiency than old products. Yet, we observe differences in the contribution of environmental and non-environmental product innovation to employment growth across countries or sectors that are the result of differences in the average innovation engagement and innovation success across countries or sectors. The absolute contribution to employment growth is positive for both types of new products. However, we find mixed evidence for the relative importance. In manufacturing the contribution of environmental product innovators was larger than that of non-environmental product innovators in half of the countries. In services, however, non-environmental product innovators matters more for growth in the vast majority of countries. In contrast, environmental and non-environmental process innovation plays only a little role for employment growth. |
| JEL: | O33 Q52 J23 C21 C23 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1542&r=env |
| By: | Silvia Albrizio; Tomasz Koźluk; Vera Zipperer |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the impact of changes in the stringency of environmental policies on productivity growth in OECD countries. Using a new environmental policy stringency (EPS) index, it estimates a reduced-form model of multi-factor productivity growth, where the effect of countries' environmental policies varies with pollution intensity of the industry and technological advancement. A multi-layer analysis provides insights at the aggregate economy, the industry and the firm level. At the aggregate economy level, a negative effect on productivity growth is found one year ahead of the policy change. This negative “announcement effect” is offset within three years after the implementation. At the industry level, a tightening of environmental policy is associated with a short-term increase in industry-level productivity growth, for the most technologically advanced country-industry pairs. This effect diminishes with the distance to the global productivity frontier, becoming insignificant at larger distances. At the firm level, only the technologically most advanced firms show a positive effect on productivity growth from a tightening of environmental policies, while a third of firms, the less productive ones, experience a productivity slowdown.<P>Données empiriques sur les effets de la sévérité des politiques environnementales sur la croissance de la productivité<BR>Ce document étudie l’impact qu’ont les modifications de la sévérité des politiques environnementales sur la croissance de la productivité dans les pays de l’OCDE. À l’aide d’un nouvel indice de sévérité des politiques environnementales (SPE), il estime un modèle en forme réduite de la croissance de la productivité multifactorielle, dans lequel l’effet des politiques environnementales des pays varie selon l’intensité de pollution de l’industrie et le degré d’avancement technologique. Une analyse multicouche donne des indications au niveau macro-économique, à celui de l’industrie et à celui des entreprises. Au niveau macro-économique, un effet négatif sur la croissance de la productivité est observé un an avant la modification des politiques. Cet « effet d’annonce » négatif est compensé dans un délai de trois ans après la mise en oeuvre. Au niveau de l’industrie, le durcissement des politiques environnementales est associé à une accélération à court terme de la croissance de la productivité pour les couples pays-industrie les plus avancés d’un point de vue technologique. Cet effet diminue jusqu’à devenir insignifiant à mesure qu’on s’éloigne de la frontière de productivité mondiale. Au niveau des entreprises, enfin, seules celles qui sont les plus en pointe du point de vue technologique voient la croissance de leur productivité influencée de façon positive par un durcissement des politiques environnementales, tandis qu’un tiers des entreprises, en l’occurrence les moins productives, accusent un ralentissement de leur productivité. |
| Keywords: | multifactor productivity, Porter hypothesis, environmental regulations, environmental policies, environmental policy stringency, sévérité des politiques environnementales, productivité multifactorielle, réglementation environnementale, hypothèse de Porter |
| JEL: | O44 O47 Q50 Q58 |
| Date: | 2014–12–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:1179-en&r=env |
| By: | Khaoua, Nadji; Boumghar, Mohamed Yazid; Kerrouk, Mohamed Said |
| Abstract: | Abstract This research, entitled “Eco-development in the light of the euro mediterranean partnership: application to the coastal territories of Algeria and Morocco” wants to focus on the economic and policy causes which conduct to move to the alternative of eco-development as a new growth policy for these southern countries, to preserve their natural resources and enhance a sustainable way for growth. Both Algeria and Morocco, despite their human, material and natural resources, have failed during the last years to attain significant results in their fight against underdevelopment and poverty. More than that, development policies applied by each of these countries are based on, in a major part, the exploitation of their coastal territories and natural resources, which are both limited. The growth level yearly attained during the last decade, have not been more than 3% to 3.5% for each of them, less than estimated growth level of 7%, considered by many researchers as necessary to stabilize poverty and satisfy job demands. The intensive exploitation of natural resources added to the growing pressures on coastal territories has conduct to the rise of environmental damages, which enhance the costs of growth. We can observe that claimed objectives to help these South Mediterranean countries to push growth level, fixed previously by the partnership agreements with E.U., are not in their way to be realized at the level where it have been announced. How can be thinked a global economic model, to enhance growth, preserve environment and coastal territories, in a renewed and more equitable partnership agreement with E.U.? Is it possible to clear such model, which tries to embrace all aspects of this problematic, which is not only economic, but also social, environmental and including also spatial planning? To analyze these aspects, common to the cited growth policy experiences, this work have been conducted simultaneously, in spite of different levels of intensity in research works, at three cities (Annaba, Algiers and Casablanca), and two countries, Algeria and Morocco. It is structured by three main parts: The first addresses a synthesis of major theoretical questions with participate to the comprehension of the “eco development”, as an alternative economic policy based on some chosen indicators like green G.D.P. and green saving supported by a new ecological fiscal policy. Our efforts have begun to deep analysis of these points, trying to find a way to adapt it to cases from coastal territories of Algeria and Morocco, without neglecting some important questions, in economic analysis, about the theoretical status of the concept of “territory”. At what level it can be adopted as concept by this economic and environmental analysis? The second part tries to present coastal territories of each country, underlining main characteristics, which demonstrate their weaknesses: 1, the concentration of the major part of population in each, as indicated by chosen data; 2, the concentration of economic activities, which is underlined by institutional and constructed data, and some indicators, like “regional G.D.P”. The third part is focusing on eco-development as an alternative way of growth for each of the two. It tries to underline, as results obtained by this research, some key elements to draw an alternative global model based on eco-development for the cases cited. The aim is not to focus on the global economic and environmental purpose, like for example climate change. More specifically, we try here to underline a socio-economic and environmental question, facing coastal territories of two neighbors’ South Mediterranean countries. The target is to demonstrate that current growth policies conducted, have not only failed to realize any significant economic change in these countries, but more than that, enhance environmental damages and natural resources loses, especially in the coastal territories, by intensifying exploitations of these weak territories. To attain a significant step of growth and most largely, development, it’s indicated to search a new alternative model for growth, based on conservation of natural resources and environment, especially in these fragile territories. Each of these countries have the possibility, taking into account the actual limits of the agreements signed with E.U., to try renewing mobilization of these agreements to turn their economic system to eco-development, in a renewed “Win - Win” strategy with E.U. Résumé Cette recherche a pour thème « L’Ecodéveloppement dans le cadre du Partenariat Euro-méditerranéen : Application au Littoral d’Algérie et du Maroc ». Elle s’appuie sur l’observation de la réalité économique et environnementale : d’une part les politiques économiques en cours ne réalisent que peu leurs objectifs proclamés de croissance et de développement. Depuis 2000, le taux de croissance économique pour chacun de ces pays, n’a pas dépassé les 3 à 3,5 %. Il n’atteint qu’incidemment 4 % certaines rares années exceptionnelles, alors que plusieurs chercheurs avancent un taux moyen de 7% par an sur une période d’au moins cinq années successives, pour espérer stabiliser la pauvreté et créer suffisamment d’emplois. Cependant, les impacts des échecs de la croissance ne sont pas seulement économiques. Ils sont aussi environnementaux, car les systèmes économiques en place, avec leurs crises et leurs limites et les spécificités propres à chaque pays, n’accordent qu’une faible attention à la préservation de l’environnement et des ressources naturelles. Les dommages environnementaux s’accumulent et se poursuivent, menaçant l’existence même d’une part de ces ressources, sous leurs diverses formes, comme en témoigne la situation de leurs territoires littoraux. De l’autre, ces politiques se sont insérées dans des accords de partenariat avec l’Union Européenne, depuis 2000 pour le Maroc et 2005 pour l’Algérie, sans que les retombées de leurs applications, en termes de croissance économique, ne se vérifient de manière significative, au contraire des objectifs attendus. Comment repenser une autre politique économique, impulsant la croissance interne en préservant l’environnement, dans le cadre d’accords de partenariat plus équitable avec l’U.E. ? Cette autre politique, alternative au modèle économique en cours, peut-elle être tracée dans ses grandes lignes macro-économiques, en vue d’orienter les systèmes économiques en place vers l’écodéveloppement ? Cette alternative doit selon nous, s’élargir aux aspects non strictement économiques (tels que les aspects liés à la localisation territoriale des concentrations urbaines et des activités économiques). Ces aspects relevant de l’intégration de la notion de « territoire » et de la définition d’une politique d’aménagement de ce dernier, surdéterminent les résultats de la croissance, en particulier en matière d’impacts environnementaux et des coûts qu’ils induisent. Ce rapport est le résultat d’une recherche multiple qui a nécessité plusieurs mois de travail, mobilisant différents chercheurs, bien qu’avec des intensités différentes en termes d’efforts. Cette mobilisation a eu lieu en trois sites (Annaba, Alger, Casablanca) et deux pays différents (Algérie et Maroc), nonobstant les difficultés de tous ordres auxquelles ce travail a dû faire face, et dont celles relevant des contacts avec diverses parties, et celles concernant les collectes de données, ne sont pas des moindres. Nous précisons en premier lieu le cadre théorique ainsi que les principales questions auxquelles nous essayons de trouver des réponses objectives. Nous présentons ensuite les territoires littoraux des deux pays, en adéquation avec le thème principal de ce travail. Cette présentation éclaire les champs de l’analyse sur l’opportunité d’un modèle d’écodéveloppement pour ces territoires, dans le cadre du partenariat qui lie ces pays avec l’Union Européenne. Nous tentons enfin de nous interroger sur les résultats économiques et sociaux de leurs accords respectifs avec l’Union Européenne, en vue de pouvoir souligner l’impulsion que produira un modèle d’écodéveloppement négocié jusqu’ici entre chacun de ces pays et l’U.E. Ce thème de recherche ne vise pas à soulever une problématique globale des dommages environnementaux qui touchent le monde dans son ensemble, comme le montre l’exemple du changement climatique et de ses effets. Il s’agit plus modestement de s’intéresser à une problématique spécifique de ces dommages, impactant les territoires littoraux de deux économies en développement partageant une frontière terrestre commune. Cette recherche, la première à notre connaissance sur ce thème appliqué aux territoires littoraux des pays Sud Méditerranéens, vise à montrer par une analyse économique et environnementale, la pertinence de l’opportunité économique, environnementale et sociale d’une alternative visant la transition vers l’écodéveloppement pour ces territoires vulnérables et les deux pays étudiés. |
| Keywords: | Algérie, Maroc, Territoire littoral, Croissance, Ecodéveloppement |
| JEL: | Q3 Q5 Q56 Q57 R1 R11 R12 |
| Date: | 2014–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:60128&r=env |
| By: | Yawe, Bruno Lule |
| Abstract: | The study examines the relationship between climatic factors and reported malaria cases using data from 12 districts in Uganda over the period 2000-2011. A panel dataset comprising temperature, temperature standard deviation; minimum humidity; maximum hum |
| Keywords: | climate change, malaria, health, ecological economics |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp2014-111&r=env |
| By: | Arguedas, Carmen (Departamento de Análisis Económico (Teoría e Historia Económica). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.); Cabo, Francisco (IMUVa: Departamento de Economía Aplicada (Matemáticas), Universidad de Valladolid); Martín-Herrán, Guiomar (IMUVa: Departamento de Economía Aplicada (Matemáticas), Universidad de Valladolid) |
| Abstract: | In this paper we present a Stackelberg differential game to study the dynamic interaction between a polluting firm and a regulator who sets pollution limits overtime. At each time, the firm settles emissions taking into account the fine for non-compliance, and balances current costs of investments in a capital stock which allows for future emission reductions. We show that the optimal effective pollution limit path, which is the pollution level above which the fine is truly imposed, decreases overtime, inducing a rise in capital stock and a decrease in both emissions and the level of non-compliance. If the effective pollution limit coincides with the pollution limit set by the regulator, we generally find a bounded value of the severity of the fine that maximizes social welfare. If the effective pollution limit is larger than the pollution limit set by the regulator due to fine discounts in exchange for firm’s investment in capital, the effect of a more severe fine depends on the magnitude of this discount. In the limiting scenario with a sufficiently large severity of the fine, emissions coincide with the effective pollution limit and no penalties are levied, since the firm shows adequate adaptation progress through capital investment. |
| Keywords: | non-compliance; fines; pollution standards; dynamic regulation; Stackelberg differential games. |
| JEL: | C61 C73 K32 K42 L51 Q28 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uam:wpaper:201408&r=env |
| By: | Kazi Iqbal; Paritosh K Roy |
| Abstract: | This paper studies how changes in climatic variables such as temperature and rainfall impact migration through agriculture. We use district level data (64 districts) for 3 inter-census periods (1974-1980, 1981-1990 and 1991-2000) to analyze historical migration related outcomes. We find that fluctuations in temperature and rainfall contributed to a decline in agricultural productivity as measured by revenues from agriculture. Fixed Effect and Instrumental Variable estimations show that about one standard deviation decrease in real per capita agricultural revenue increases the net out-migration rate by 1.4 to 2.4 percent, controlling for unobserved effects for districts and years. Using our estimates and available forecasts in the literature, we predict that the net out-migration rate will be about 22 percent higher in 2030 than in 1990, assuming the variability in temperature stays stable and there are no behavioural responses from the farmers. |
| Keywords: | Weather Variability, Agricultural Impacts, Internal Migration, Developing Countries Climate Change, Adaptation |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:snd:wpaper:84&r=env |
| By: | Johannes Schmidt (Institute for Sustainable Economic Development, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. Programa de Planejamento Energético / Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro); Rafael Cancella (Programa de Planejamento Energético / Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro); Amaro Olímpio Pereira Junior (Programa de Planejamento Energético / Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro) |
| Abstract: | Brazil has to quickly expand its power generation capacities due to significant growth of demand. Government plans aim at adding hydropower capacities in Northern Brazil, additional to wind and thermal power generation capacities. However, new hydropower may affect environmentally and socially sensitive areas in the Amazon region negatively while thermal power generation produces greenhouse gas emissions. We therefore assess how future greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production in Brazil can be minimized by optimizing the daily dispatch of photovoltaic, wind, thermal, and hydropower plants. Using a simulation model, we additionally assess the risk of loss of load. Results indicate that at doubled demand, only 2% of total power production has to be provided by thermal power plants. Existing reservoirs of hydropower plants are sufficient to balance variations in renewable electricity supply at an optimal mix of around 37% of PV, 9% of wind, and 50% of hydropower generation. In a hydro-thermal only scenario, the risk of deficit increases tenfold, and thermal power production four-fold. A sensitivity analysis shows that the choice of meteorological data sets used for simulating renewable production affects the choice of locations for PV and wind power plants, but does not significantly change the mix of technologies. |
| Keywords: | Brazil, greenhouse gas emissions, photovoltaic, wind, optimization |
| JEL: | Q42 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sed:wpaper:572014&r=env |
| By: | Daron Acemoglu (Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Economics); Ufuk Akcigit (Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania); Douglas Hanley (University of Pittsburgh); William R. Kerr (Harvard Business School, Entrepreneurial Management Unit) |
| Abstract: | We develop a microeconomic model of endogenous growth where clean and dirty technologies compete in production and innovation. in the sense that research can be directed to either clean or dirty technologies. If dirty technologies are more advanced to start with, the potential transition to clean technology can be di¢ cult both because clean research must climb several rungs to catch up with dirty technology and because this gap discourages research effort directed towards clean technologies. Carbon taxes and research subsidies may nonetheless encourage production and innovation in clean technologies, though the transition will typically be slow. We characterize certain general properties of the transition path from dirty to clean technology. We then estimate the model using a combination of regression analysis on the relationship between R&D and patents, and simulated method of moments using microdata on employment, production, R&D, firm growth, entry and exit from the US energy sector. The model's quantitative implications match a range of moments not targeted in the estimation quite well. We then characterize the optimal policy path implied by the model and our estimates. Optimal policy makes heavy use of research subsidies as well as carbon taxes. We use the model to evaluate the welfare consequences of a range of alternative policies. |
| Keywords: | carbon cycle, directed technological change, environment, innovation, optimal policy. |
| JEL: | O30 O31 O33 C65 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hbs:wpaper:15-045&r=env |
| By: | Igor Shevchuk; Evgeny Zhirnel |
| Abstract: | Spatial development in remote areas is associated with a number of problems and hindrances, the main ones being the difficult demographic situation and poor infrastructure. By introducing "green" technologies one can begin to overcome infrastructural limitations, develop the economy and the settlement system through efficient utilization of local resources. This approach is implemented in practice within the international project "Green cities and settlements: sustainable spatial development in remote border areas" of the Karelia Cross-border Cooperation Programme of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. "Green" cities and settlements are a model of communities that strive to live so as to reduce pollution, efficiently use local resources, convert wastes to energy, and thus minimize their input to climate change. The key is not only to develop the territory in a sustainable way, but also to eliminate infrastructural limitations and find new opportunities for local economic development. Land resources in many municipalities are now used very inefficiently because of the poor condition or absence of utility and power networks. Local administrations with their deficient budgets cannot handle the problem on their own, whereas businesses are not willing to invest at such scope. By reducing the dependence on centralized infrastructure, first of all energy infrastructure, one can expect the spatial hindrances to the development of settlements to be eliminated. The project pilot areas are the border municipalities in the north of the Republic of Karelia. The project outputs are proposals on how to actualize the potential of the territory, promote spatial development and business development. These proposals are concerned with the development of energy-efficient technologies, enterprise development, utilization of local resources for building the "green economy". Implementation of these plans requires a fundamentally new approach to the infrastructural development of municipalities. We believe "green" technologies today are an effective, if not the only, way to develop the energy, housing and utilities infrastructure in remote areas. These technologies can help maintain the settlement system by making the living in remote communities more comfortable. Many of such communities have the potential to become eco-settlements and focus on sustainable tourism. One of the project outputs is the Concept of establishing the cross-border cluster of energy-efficient technologies. The partnership network that has brought together Russian and Finnish entrepreneurs, scientific organizations that design and implement energy-efficient technologies can turn into a new arrangement for the development of northern border areas and formation of the "green economy". |
| Keywords: | green economy; entrepreneurship; northern border regions; clusters; energy-efficiency |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1237&r=env |
| By: | Andre Chagas |
| Abstract: | The production of ethanol has increased in United States and Brazil in recent years, because of incentives to reduce gas consumption. In Brazil, there is a big program to use ethanol both as a single fuel or an additive to gas. In US, the incentive is to use ethanol combined to gas in proportion that can reach to 85 percent of the mix. This situation has prompted the need to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of this process, both for the country as a whole and for the regions where this has occurred. Doubts that can be raised, for example, concerning the quality of employment, the environmental impacts (soil contamination, atmospheric pollution from burning fields, water use, etc.) and dislocation of other crops to native forests, among others. Even though the balance of costs and benefits is, in general, positive from an overall standpoint, this may not be so in specific producing regions, due to negative externalities. The producing regions may disproportionately bear the negative impacts of the sector's presence. Perhaps the most obvious aspect in this respect is the labor market, since many studies have analyzed the working conditions in the sector, particularly those encountered in manual harvesting, in Brazilian case. It is recognized that sugarcane is significantly more valuable by tilled area than many other crops, such as soybeans, for example. The objective of this paper is to estimate the effect of growing sugarcane on socio-economic indicators (like GDP, HDI or others) in ethanol producing regions, comparing differences in results of Brazilian regions with American ones. In the literature on matching effects, this is interpreted as the effect of the treatment on the treated. Location effects are controlled by spatial econometric techniques, giving rise to the spatial propensity score matching model. This work extends the results from Chagas, Toneto-Jr. and Azzoni (2011), analysing the producing regions in both countries according its social and economics characteristics, as well the producing characteristics. |
| Keywords: | Sugarcane; Spatial propensity score matching; Ethanol; |
| JEL: | C14 C21 Q18 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1587&r=env |
| By: | Daron Acemoglu; Ufuk Akcigit; Douglas Hanley; William Kerr |
| Abstract: | We develop a microeconomic model of endogenous growth where clean and dirty technologies compete in production and innovation—in the sense that research can be directed to either clean or dirty technologies. If dirty technologies are more advanced to start with, the potential transition to clean technology can be difficult both because clean research must climb several rungs to catch up with dirty technology and because this gap discourages research effort directed towards clean technologies. Carbon taxes and research subsidies may nonetheless encourage production and innovation in clean technologies, though the transition will typically be slow. We characterize certain general properties of the transition path from dirty to clean technology. We then estimate the model using a combination of regression analysis on the relationship between R&D and patents, and simulated method of moments using microdata on employment, production, R&D, firm growth, entry and exit from the US energy sector. The model's quantitative implications match a range of moments not targeted in the estimation quite well. We then characterize the optimal policy path implied by the model and our estimates. Optimal policy makes heavy use of research subsidies as well as carbon taxes. We use the model to evaluate the welfare consequences of a range of alternative policies. |
| JEL: | C65 O30 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:20743&r=env |
| By: | Pérez Blanco, Carlos Dionisio; Gómez, Carlos Mario |
| Abstract: | The Drought Management Plans (DMPs) are regulatory instruments that establish priorities among the different water uses and define more stringent constraints to access to publicly provided water during droughts, especially for non-priority uses such as agriculture. These plans have recently become widespread across EU southern basins. However, in some of these basins the plans were approved without an assessment of the potential impacts that they may have on the economic activities exposed to water restrictions. This paper develops a stochastic methodology to estimate the expected water availability in agriculture that results from the decision rules of the recently approved DMPs. The methodology is applied to the particular case of the Guadalquivir River Basin in southern Spain. Results show that if DMPs are successfully enforced, available water will satisfy in average 62.2% of current demand, and this figure may drop to 50.2% by the end of the century as a result of climate change. This is much below the minimum threshold of 90% that has been guaranteed to irrigators so far. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural economics, water economics, risk management |
| JEL: | D62 D81 Q2 Q25 Q54 R5 R52 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:60590&r=env |
| By: | Comerford, David |
| Abstract: | The standard approach to the economics of climate change, which has its best known implementation in Nordhaus's DICE and RICE models (well described in Nordhaus's 2008 book, A Question of Balance) is not well equipped to deal with the possibility of catastrophe, since we are unable to evaluate a risk averse representative agent's expected utility when there is any signi cant probability of zero consumption. Whilst other authors attempt to develop new tools with which to address these problems, the simple solution proposed in this paper is to ask a question that the currently available tools of climate change economics are capable of answering. Rather than having agents optimally choosing a path (that differs from the recommendations of climate scientists) within models which cannot capture the essential features of the problem, I argue that economic models should be used to determine the savings and investment paths which implement climate targets that have been suggested in the physical science literature. |
| Keywords: | Climate Change, Catastrophe, Optimal Policy, Alternative Energy Investment, |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:edn:sirdps:438&r=env |
| By: | Martin Falk |
| Abstract: | The relationship between weather and tourism demand has been widely investigated for different locations and for different seasons. Although weather and climate conditions are widely seen as an important factor for tourism, relative little is known about their effects over a longer time period. Given that about 50% of tourists come to Austria during summer months May to September, favourable summer weather can play a very important role in determining the number of visitor nights and arrivals. The relationship between weather and tourism is particularly important for regions with moderate climate conditions. It is expected that summer tourism in these location will benefit from global warming (Nicholls and Amelung 2008). The aim of the paper is to investigate the impact of weather on visitor nights using regional data for Austria at the level of provinces for the period 1974-2012. In particular, we distinguish between the capital region Vienna and eight other provinces. The econometric model is based on the seemingly unrelated regression method which makes it possible to account for the cross-regional correlations. We also allow for lagged effects of weather. We provide separate estimates of the relationship between visitor nights and weather for each province. Global warming has lead to new interest in the weather-tourism relationship. More and more is being published on the relationship between weather patterns and tourism demand (see Becken, 2013; Gössling et al., 2012; Kaján & Saarinen, 2013 for surveys). A general finding of the literature is that there is a significant relationship between domestic tourism demand and weather conditions, while foreign (inbound and outbound) tourism is only affected by weather conditions with a 1-year (or -season) lag. Few studies have investigated the impact of summer weather on tourism demand in regions with cooler climate conditions and moderate temperatures, which are likely to gain from climate change (Serquet & Rebetez, 2011 is an exception). Austria is an interesting country case to study with a long tradition in summer alpine tourism. However, summer tourism in the Alps has suffered from a steady decline starting from the 1970s and has now stabilized. Results using the seemingly unrelated regression model show that sunshine duration and temperatures have a significant and positive impact on both domestic and German tourism demand for most of the provinces. However, sunshine and temperatures affect German overnight stays only with a one year lag. Weather effects are larger in August and September than in June and July. Overall, the impact of weather is highest in Salzburg and Upper Austria where current and lagged sunshine or temperature can explain between 25 and 50 percent of the variation of overnight stays. In contrast, weather conditions are not relevant for visitor nights in Vienna. |
| Keywords: | tourism demand; weather factors; seemingly unrelated regression modelm; regions |
| JEL: | R11 L83 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1149&r=env |
| By: | Rambaud, Alexandre |
| Abstract: | The problem of inter-generational preservation and management of socio-environmental entities, like biodiversity, and so, the valuation of these entities for their own sake, is a central issue for sustainability. The ecocentric approach of Sustainable Development (SD) tackles this problematic by introducing the ethical concept of “intrinsic value” of an entity, which rests upon the question “should we treat this entity as an end in itself ?”. Besides, the orthodox conceptualization of SD, notably based on neoclassical economics, “translates” this intrinsic value into the economic notion of “existence value” of an entity. This value stems from the idea that individuals can have a benefit from “the mere knowledge that [this entity] is preserved or continues to exist” (in (Krutilla, 1967), independently of any use of it. Existence value is also a part of the Total Economic Value (cf (D. W. Pearce, Markandya, & Barbier, 1989) and, as notably argued by M. S. Common, R. K. Blamey and T. W. Norton, “existence value [...] is particularly [...] relevant to sustainability questions. [... Of the values of Total Economic Value], only existence value aligns directly with this concern”. (in (Common, Blamey, & Norton, 1993) In these conditions, in the first part of this talk, I will present the main arguments which make the existence value an essential ingredient of the orthodox approach of SD. I will then discuss the relevance to integrate this type of value into firms, notably into corporate accounting. I will stress the conceptual, economic and accounting issues raised by this incorporation, especially those related to the assessment of existence value. Indeed, existence value cannot be estimated on a market: only Contingent Valuations are able to reveal it, but this technique poses a problem of reliability. Now, SD is usually divided into three orientations (Gladwin, Kennelly, & Krause, 1995), (Stubbs& Cocklin, 2008) or (Clifton, 2010): an orthodox one, an ecocentric one and what we can call a Third Way, named the sustaincentric, reformist or ecological one, often described as the genuine sustainable approach. Thus, from the problematics raised in the first part, I will propose in a second part another approach to existence value and its integration into firms, in line with the third orientation of SD. In order to take the existence value seriously, this re-conceptualization will notably require a real ontological reflection in a Latourian way (Latour, 1999). |
| Keywords: | Développement durable; Valeur de l'existence; Valeur de la vie; |
| JEL: | M41 Q57 Q56 |
| Date: | 2013–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dau:papers:123456789/13032&r=env |
| By: | Arndt, Channing; Davies, Rob; Gabriel, Sherwin; Makrelov, Konstantin; Merven, Bruno |
| Abstract: | We link a bottom-up energy sector model to a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium model of South Africa in order to examine two of the country.s main energy policy considerations: (i) the introduction of a carbon tax and (ii) liberalization of |
| Keywords: | integrated bottom-up model, the integrated MARKAL-EFOM system, computable general equilibrium, carbon tax, South Africa |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp2014-135&r=env |
| By: | Ewa Axelsson |
| Abstract: | The Forest as a Resource. Conflicts in the Northern Sweden Wooded land in the 19th century The forest as a resource played an important role in the structural transformation process which would change Sweden from an agrarian to an industrial economy during the 19th century. This paper will analyze some of the conflicts regarding property rights by focusing on tensions between institutional change, small scale local landowners and forest corporations in Northern Sweden 1862-1906. An aim is to provide a basis for understanding the process of institutional change in general and more specifically how property rights of wooded land develop. The enclosure documents will be examined as source information about tensions between institutions, forest corporations and land in Northern Sweden 1862-1906. The enclosure reform in Sweden, regulated by the enclosure enactment from 1827, has been emphasized as an institutional factor of great importance in the transformation process since it determined and strengthened private property rights over land. Generally the reform is considered a solution to deal the problem of poorly managed forests, with the main argument that strengthened private property rights provided better management. For several reasons however the enclosure reforms created tensions in the local society which may challenge a one-sided positive view on the enclosure reform. Property rights include many dimensions and in comparison to e.g. arable land, property rights of the wooded land was often more complex and less defined. One source of conflict was therefore the uncertainties of ownership when land was to be redistributed as part of the reform. Another source of conflict was the diverging incentives among small scale local landowners as regards their respective benefits from the reform. Some researchers argue that landowners who applied for enclosure were in the forefront and consider them as "entrepreneurs". Others argue however that the enclosure reform was a way for landowners who had mismanaged their forest to benefit from a neighbor's saved forest thorough the redistribution of land. Yet another source of conflict was the industrial exploitation of forests. During the early 19th century forest corporations still acquired raw materials based on monopolized rights of property and for harvesting. Throughout the 19th century it was also common for corporations to purchase forest properties from private landowners, but in 1901 this business became legally prohibited. The issue of regional resource in Northern Sweden is still a today with controversies surrounding mining and river exploration. Keyword: Northern Sweden, enclosure, 19th century, industrial revolution, institution, conflicts, property right. JEL Code: N |
| Keywords: | Northern Sweden; enclosure; 19th century; industrial revolution; institution; conflicts; property right. Code: |
| JEL: | N |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p706&r=env |
| By: | Marta Antonelli; Martina Sartori |
| Abstract: | The concept of virtual water refers to the volume of water used in the production of a commodity or a service. The concept was identified by the geographer Tony Allan in the early 1990s, to draw attention on the global economic processes that ameliorate local water deficits in the MENA region and elsewhere. Since its inception, the virtual water concept has inspired a flourishing literature on how to address global water resource scarcity vis-à-vis commodity production and consumption in a variety of disciplines, but also has been the object of a number of critiques. Against this backdrop, the aim of the study is, first, to conduct a thorough review of the conceptual definition of the concept, its critics and applications. Secondly, to analyse its theoretical underpinnings and, in particular, its relationship with economic theory. The study argues that, despite not being a policy tool itself, the virtual water concept can reveal aspects related to production, consumption and trade in goods which monetary indicators do not capture. Its potential as an indicator for informing decision-making in water management and policy, as well as commodity trade policy, still has to be fully unfolded. |
| Keywords: | virtual water, water footprint, green and blue water, water scarcity and security, water policy, international trade. |
| JEL: | F18 Q25 Q56 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bcu:iefewp:iefewp74&r=env |
| By: | Kesternich, Martin; Löschel, Andreas; Römer, Daniel |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we investigate both short- and long-term impacts of financial stimuli on public goods provision when contributions are tied to individual harm-related behavior. We conduct a large-scaled field experiment to examine voluntary contributions to a carbon offsetting program during the online purchase of a bus ticket. We systematically vary the individual payoff structure by introducing different matching grants (1/3:1, 1:1, 3:1) and price rebates (r-25%, r-50%, r-75%). Our results show that price rebates are more effective than matching schemes in raising participation rates while matching grants induce higher contributions to the offsetting program. We suspect differences in the personal responsibility for the compensated emissions to drive this result. Analyzing repeated bookings, we find decreasing treatment effects for returning customers except for the case of 1:1 matching grants. The equal matching scheme is also the only intervention that increases net contributions of customers compared to the control group. |
| Keywords: | voluntary carbon offsets,randomized field experiment,public goods,rebate subsidy,matching subsidy |
| JEL: | H41 C93 D03 L92 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:14098&r=env |
| By: | Bachev, Hrabrin |
| Abstract: | On March 11, 2011 the strongest recorded in Japan earthquake occurred which triggered a powerful tsunami and caused a nuclear accident in the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Plant Station. The triple 2011 disaster has had immense impacts on people life, health and property, social infrastructure and economy, agri-food chains, natural and institutional environment, etc. in North-eastern Japan and beyond Due to the scale of the disasters and the number of affected agents, the effects’ multiplicities, spillovers, and long time horizon, the constant evolution of the nuclear crisis, the lack of “full” information and models of analysis, etc. the overall impacts of the 2011 disasters is far from being completely evaluated. Besides most information and publications are in Japanese. The goal of this paper is to assess the socio-economic and environmental impact of Match 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. Firstly, a short description of the three events is presented. Next, the overall impacts on population, health and displacement assessed. Third, the effects of economy are evaluated. After that, diverse impacts on agri-food chains are presented. Finally, the impact on natural environment is assessed. A wide range of official governmental, farmers, industry and international organisations, and Tokyo Electric Power Company data as well as information from publications in media, research and experts reports, etc. have been extensively used. |
| Keywords: | social, economic, agri-food chain, environmental impact, Great East Japan Earthquake, March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima nuclear accident, disaster risk managment, Japan |
| JEL: | D0 E0 F5 H0 I0 J0 L1 O1 Q1 Q13 Q16 Q17 Q18 Q4 Q5 R0 Z0 |
| Date: | 2014–12–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:60661&r=env |
| By: | Stefano Aragona |
| Abstract: | The starting point consists in considering city as common good as a whole characterized by a number of physical and social local resources that are not reproducible ones. Remembering that the mission of the modern town planners, from the Athena Chart 1931, is the wellbeing of the inhabitants. Renewable resources and interactive communications may help do design a better urbanization processes. But all that must be done having as goal to construct local communities and not only to reinforce individual power. As the European Union says for/in Horizon 2020 the scope has to build "Smart Cities" that are referred not only to technological aspects but they also constituted by an inclusive, social sustainable environment. Flows of energy and flows of communications characterize the contemporaneous city: the immaterial city (Aragona, 1993, 2000). Town planners have to face with this phenomenon but it is not easy because they are for the most, especially in some nation (e.g. Italy), not educated to do that. It requires to manage the networks of services - not visible service and product (some years ago called often "value added service") - beside the physical, built, town that means its spatial, economical structure? and the functional one that is changing (partly or totally) because the reasons before said. This philosophy regards also the energy and all the natural elements (water, wind, soil) contributing to increase the quality life. It seems that, for the most, in many countries town planners accept these changes without trying to address them. It seems that the countries where city as common good is less felt (e.g. many of the Mediterranean nations) these changes for bettering wellbeing and social sustainability are not caught or left to the "free market" alone? while Sustainable Copenhagen is one representative example of what can be done. All that is very related to the accessibility of information of people, technicians, administrative employees, politicians. Important is the formation of a "cultured technology" for avoiding technocratic "solutions" (Del Nord, 1991). All that is a relevant chance because inhabitants become citizens i.e. cum-cives of the polis: outcome of the art of managing the city. References Aragona S. (1993) La città virtuale. Trasformazioni urbane e nuove tecnologie dell'informazione, Gangemi, Roma. Aragona S. (2000) Ambiente urbano e innovazione. La città globale tra identità locale e sostenibilità , Gangemi, Roma. Cacciari M. (1991) "Aut civitas, aut polis" in (a cura di) Mucci E., Rizzoli P., L'immaginario tecnologico metropolitano, F.Angeli, Milano. Del Nord R. (1991) "Introduzione" in (a cura di) Mucci E., Rizzoli P., L'immaginario op.cit? Ue, (2012) Smart Cities e Communities, Asse II del Programma (azioni integrate per lo sviluppo sostenibile e lo sviluppo della società dell'informazione) e progetti di "innovazione sociale" Asse III www.Copenhagen.TheSustainableCity.it |
| Keywords: | urban sustainability; integrated planning; commons; Q01 Sustainable Development |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1223&r=env |
| By: | KAWAGUCHI, Daiji; YUKUTAKE, Norifumi |
| Abstract: | The cost of nuclear power generation critically depends on the damages caused by plant failure. We estimate the residential land damage caused by the failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as it forms a substantial part of the total damage, by observing the change in transaction prices before and after the accident with the degree of radioactive contamination. The estimates based on hedonic price equations, with the degree of radioactive contamination measured by airborne surveys, indicate that the contamination significantly decreased the price of residential land. The estimated total residential depreciation ranges from 2.19 to 2.65 trillion yen, approximately equivalent to 21.9-26.5 billion US dollars, or about 0.5% of Japan's GDP. |
| Keywords: | Fukushima, Nuclear Power Plant, Land Property Damage, Radioactive Contamination, Land Contamination |
| JEL: | Q51 Q53 R31 |
| Date: | 2014–11–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hit:econdp:2014-18&r=env |
| By: | Stefano Aragona |
| Abstract: | The current historical moment is a great opportunity for a new development model for rethinking forms and space on the one hand and, on the other hand, the factors of production - labor and materials - and social (Appold, Kasarda, 1990), which starts from the context, then it identifies the opportunities that it can allow. Specific areas include culture / cultural heritage, scientific research, the environment and the green economy while the Mezzogiorno in Italy can be great experimental laboratory (Aragona, 2012a) and Russia represent one of the largest territory for testing the new approach. An approach that triggers virtuous synergistic mechanisms to develop ecological strategies of planning, design and implementation (Leipzig Charter, 2007). So a model social, cultural, economic proposal that becomes proposal of local identity thank to the 'place-based' philosophy (Barca, 2009) also useful for the so-called BRIC emerging countries and not only (Aragona, 2012b). Starting the reversal of the basic philosophy of industrial society whose limits are increasingly emerging in terms of social harm - health, unemployment, misuse and risky territory - and economy. Complex approach based on the alliance between man and nature (Scandurra, 1995) and on 'cultured technology' that avoids unfair technocratic solutions (North, 1991). Construction of horizontal linkages (Dematteis 1985, 1986, 1990, 2005), spatial lattices, harbingers for synergy between local actors. These so strong in their cohesion and cooperation, they can open up to the global economy: it's the Think Global, Act Local that the Netherlands followed by the IV National Report of 1985 (Aragona, 1993, 2000). Proposition of social and economic multipliers to go beyond the only attitudes of savings. This slogan, now fashionable, was born with The Limits to Growth (Club of Rome - MIT, 1972) has become the slogan of globalization. Until reaching EU Smart Cities that combines communication flows with those of energy to build scenarios in Horizon 2020 Community inclusive and sustainable socially and physically (Aragona, 2012c). |
| Keywords: | Ecological approach; Sustainable development; Sense of the spaces; |
| JEL: | Q01 |
| Date: | 2014–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa14p1285&r=env |
| By: | Suneetha M. S. (Visiting Researcher, MSE and Adj. Senior Research Fellow, United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Japan) |
| Abstract: | Forward-looking RE models such as the popular New Keynesian (NK) model do not provide a unique prediction about how the model economy behaves. We need some mechanism that ensures determinacy. McCallum (2012) says it is not needed because models are learnable only with the determinate solution and so the NK model, once learnt in this way, will be determinate. We agree: the only learnable solution that has agents converge on the true NK model is the bubble-free one. But once they have converged they must then understand the model and its full solution therefore including the bubble. Hence the learnability criterion still fails to pick a unique RE solution in NK models. |
| Keywords: | Economic valuation of biodiversity, stakeholder preferences, multistakeholder valuation, interdisciplinary approaches, biodiversity policy |
| JEL: | Q51 Q57 |
| Date: | 2014–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mad:wpaper:2014-088&r=env |