nep-env New Economics Papers
on Environmental Economics
Issue of 2015‒09‒18
fifty-nine papers chosen by
Francisco S. Ramos
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

  1. The Economic and Environmental Effects of Taxing Air Pollutants and CO2: Lessons from a Study of the Czech Republic By Kiula, Olga; Markandya, Anil; Ščasný, Milan; Menkyna Tsuchimoto, Fusako
  2. Climate damages on production or on growth: what impact on the social cost of carbon By Céline Guivarch; Antonin Pottier
  3. Climate Change, Water Scarcity on Agriculture and the Economy-Wide: impacts in the LAC Region By Roberto Ponce; Ramiro Parrado
  4. The long-run relationship between CO2 emissions and economic activity in a small open economy: Uruguay 1882 - 2010. By Matias Piaggio; Emilio Padilla; Carolina Roman
  5. The role of urban parks in cities' quality of life By S.Vieira Gomes; T. Florentino
  6. An Integrated Optimization Model For Capital Allocation Of Energy Efficiency Measures Of Existing Buildings: A Case Study Of Bogazici University Kilyos Campus By B.(Tony) Ciochetti; M.Emre Camlibel
  7. Adaptive reuse of offices:Residential conversions in Sydney By H. Remøy; S. Wilkinson
  8. Will adaptation delay the transition to clean energy systems? By Bahn, O; de Bruin, Kelly; Fertel, C
  9. The attitudes of buyers, vendors, tenants, and landlords concerning environmental questions - an analysis based on different national empirical surveys By S. Kippes
  10. Climate Sensitivity of Groundwater Systems Critical for Agricultural Incomes in South India By R. Balasubramanian
  11. Marine Ecosystems and Climate Change: Economic Issues By Tisdell, Clem
  12. Understanding the revised land use changes and greenhouse gas emissions induced by biofuels By Alexandre Gohin
  13. Sustainability in Retail Developments: Case of Singapore By L. Chin
  14. The Crucial Role of Policy Surveillance in International Climate Policy By Aldy, Joseph Edgar
  15. Can Land Use Regulations and Taxes Help Mitigate Vehicular CO2 emissions?: An Empirical Study of Japanese Cities By Iwata, Kazuyuki; Managi, Shunsuke
  16. Trends in corporate environmental management studies and databases By Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke
  17. Discrepancies on comunity-level GHG Emissions Inventories By R. Santovito; A. Abiko; S. Bienert
  18. The Energy Efficiency of Corporate Real Estate Assets: The Role of Professional Management for Corporate Environmental Performance By M. Surmann; W.A. Brunauer; S. Bienert
  19. Strategic environmental regulation of multiple pollutants By Ambec, Stefan; Coria, Jessica
  20. An Alternative Reference Scenario for Global CO2Emissions from Fuel Consumption: An ARFIMA Approach By José M. Belbute; Alfredo Marvão Pereira
  21. Residental energy efficiency and European carbon policies A CGE-analysis with bottom-up information on energy efficiency technologies By Brita Bye; Taran Fæhn; Orvika Rosnes
  22. Environemental perils of climate change in India:Future concerns and strategies By K P VIPIN, CHANDRAN; SANDHYA, P
  23. Sustainability and food & nutrition security: A vulnerability assessment framework for the Mediterranean region By Paolo Prosperi; Thomas Allen; Martine Padilla; Luri Peri; Bruce Cogill
  24. Essays in infrastructure and environmental policies By Grégoire Garsous
  25. The Influence of Green Condominium Purchase Attitude toward Intention to Purchase: Generation Y Consumers By P. Kongkajaroen
  26. Impact Of Indoor Environmental Quality And Innovation Features On Residential Property Price And Rent In Malaysia: A Review By M.Mohd Ghaza Rahman; M.Mohd Raid; A.'Che Kasim; K. Hussin
  27. Simulating Brazilian Electricity Demand Under Climate Change Scenarios By Trotter, Ian Michael; Féres, José Gustavo; Bolkesjø, Torjus Folsland; de Hollanda, Lavínia Rocha
  28. Sraffa and the environment By Yoann Verger
  29. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions from Electricity: The Influence of The North Atlantic Oscillation By Di Cosmo, Valeria
  30. Procedural Environmental Rights and Environmental Justice: Assessing the Impact of Environmental Constitutionalism By Joshua C. Gellers; Christopher Jeffords
  31. Environmental Regulations and Compliance in the Textile Processing Sector in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence By Ghulam Samad; Waseem Gulzar; Vaqar Ahmed
  32. Political Selection Tournament and Environmental Policy in China By Eiji SAWADA; Xu Yirui
  33. Vulnerability to Climatic Variability: An Assessment of Drought Prevalence on Water Resources Availability and Implications for the Ugandan Economy By Nicholas Kilimani
  34. Ecosystem functions of oil palm plantations - a review By Dislich, Claudia; Keyel, Alexander C.; Salecker, Jan; Kisel, Yael; Meyer, Katrin M.; Corre, Marife D.; Faust, Heiko; Hess, Bastian; Knohl, Alexander; Kreft, Holger; Meijide, Ana; Nurdiansyah, Fuad; Otten, Fenna; Pe'er, Guy; Steinebach, Stefanie; Tarigan, Suria; Tscharntke, Teja; Tölle, Merja; Wiegand, Kerstin
  35. Agrarumweltmaßnahmen in Deutschland - Förderung in den ländlichen Entwicklungsprogrammen im Jahr 2013 By Grajewski, Regina; Schmidt, Thomas G.
  36. Towards an integrated ecological-economic land-use change model By Dislich, Claudia; Hettig, Elisabeth; Heinonen, Johannes; Lay, Jann; Meyer, Katrin M.; Tarigan, Suria; Wiegand, Kerstin
  37. Proceedings of the Workshop on Flood-based Farming for Food Security and Adaption to Climate Change in Ethiopia: Potential and Challenges, Adama, Ethiopia, 30-31 October 2013 By Erkossa, Teklu; Hagos, Fitsum; Lefore, Nicole
  38. Service innovation for sustainability: paths for greening through service innovation By Faridah Djellal; Faïz Gallouj
  39. London: A Multi-Century Struggle for Sustainable Development in an Urban Environment By Clark, William C.
  40. The impact of energy performance certificates on the prices of dwellings By N.Hana Adi Maimun; J. Berry; S. McGreal; M. McCord
  41. Temporal displacement of environmental crime. Evidence from marine oil pollution By Vollaard, Ben
  42. Discovering user recreational values for local public services: Attitudes and perspectives regarding a country park’s facilities By Michael Brock; Charles Lester
  43. The Price Effect of EEWH Certification By F.Y. Chen; J.H. Liang
  44. Sraffa and ecological economics By Yoann Verger
  45. Understanding determinants of farmers’ investments in, and impacts of, soil and water conservation in Ethiopia: review and synthesis [Abstract only] By Adimassu, Zenebe; Langan, Simon; Johnston, Robyn
  46. Land Expectation Value Calculation in Pinus pinaster forestry By P. Castanheira; J. Oliveira
  47. Regional emerging hubs - catalysts, drivers and constraints By S. Huston
  48. Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals: Priorities for a Global Evaluation Agenda By Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga; Ana Rosa Soares; Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira
  49. Summarizing doctoral thesis: Hunt for the green value By A. Laitala
  50. From Green Buildings to a Sustainable Real Estate Industry - Assessing five years of Â…GNI By G. Maier; S. Sedlacek; P. Kaufmann
  51. Innovation and Access to Technologies for Sustainable Development: A Global Systems Perspective By Chan, Gabriel Angelo Sherak; Matus, Kira Jen Mendelsohn; Moon, Suerie; Timmer, Vanessa Joanna; Clark, William C.; Murthy, Sharmila L.; Diaz Anadon, Laura; Harley, Alicia Grace
  52. Klima- und Energiepolitik in Deutschland: Dissens und Konsens By Andor, Mark A.; Frondel, Manuel; Schmidt, Christoph M.; Simora, Michael; Sommer, Stephan
  53. Do emerging land markets promote forestland appropriation? Evidence from Indonesia By Krishna, Vijesh V.; Pascual, Unai; Qaim, Matin
  54. Measuring Instrument Constructs for Green Office Building Investments Variables Using Rasch Measurement Model By M.Mohd Ghaza Rahman
  55. Polluted River Problems and Games with a Permission Structure By René van den Brink; Simin He; Jia-Ping Huang
  56. Location, Location, Green. A spatial analysis of green buildings in Europe? By C. Ciora; G. Maier; I. Anghel
  57. Vers les Objectifs du développement durable: définir les priorités d'un Programme mondial pour l'évaluation By Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga; Ana Rosa Soares; Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira
  58. Promoción de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible: prioridades para un Programa Global de Evaluación By Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga; Ana Rosa Soares; Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira
  59. Apoiando os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável: Prioridades para uma Agenda Global de Avaliação By Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga; Ana Rosa Soares; Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira

  1. By: Kiula, Olga; Markandya, Anil; Ščasný, Milan; Menkyna Tsuchimoto, Fusako
    Abstract: This paper analyzes the impacts of local emissions charges as well as a tax on CO2 for a small open economy. We do this to see the separate and collective impacts of these taxes so as to understand the effects of a system of environmental taxes that reflects something close to the full internalization of external effects in the case of air emissions. The analysis was carried out using a static CGE model, with unemployment, bottom-up abatement technologies and with sector- and fuel-specific emission coefficients. The model imposes environmental charges on several pollutants, as a result of which emissions can fall through three channels: reduced output of the polluting good, substitution between production factors, and increased end-of-pipe abatement activity. Such CGE modeling of both local and global pollutants, with a wide range of abatement options is one of the first of its kind. The analysis shows that a full internalization of air pollution externalities can result in modest overall welfare gains and the combination of local pollution taxes and CO2 taxes should be feasible. There are, however, differences in terms of employment and output impacts, depending on what combination of taxes are applied, which sectors are covered and how fiscal revenues are redistributed.
    Keywords: CGE modelling; Internalisation of external costs; Ancillary benefits; Carbon taxation; Air pollution charging
    JEL: D58 D62 H22 H23 Q52
    Date: 2014–09–21
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:66599&r=all
  2. By: Céline Guivarch (CIRED); Antonin Pottier (Mines ParisTech)
    Abstract: Recent papers have investigated with Integrated Assessment Models the possibility that climate damages bear on productivity growth and not on production, the traditional route that follows Nordhaus's work. According to these papers, damages on growth lead to a higher social cost of carbon (SCC). Here, we reconsider the evidence with the introduction of a measure of the amount of damages, to allow the comparison between alternative representations of damages. We build a simple climate-economy model and compare three damages specifications: quadratic damages on production, linear damages on growth and quadratic damages on growth. We show that when total damages are the same, the ranking of SCC between a model with damages on production and a model with damages on growth is not unequivocal. It depends on welfare parameters such as the utility discount rate or the elasticity of marginal social utility of consumption. The difference in SCC comes both from when damages occur and from their total amount.
    Keywords: Climate change, damages, social cost of carbon, growth
    JEL: Q54 Q51
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fae:wpaper:2015.15&r=all
  3. By: Roberto Ponce; Ramiro Parrado (School of Business and Economics, Universidad del Desarrollo)
    Abstract: Water resources are facing several stresses in terms of quantity and quality. These pressures are closely related to the human interventions in fields like: agriculture, land-use/land use change, and pollutant emissions, among others. Within this context, the expected changes in climate pattern will exacerbate the challenges faced by water resources. Considering the critical role that water plays for agricultural production, any shock in water availability will have great implications for agricultural production, and through agricultural markets these impacts will reach the whole economy with economy-wide consequences. In this paper a new modeling approach is developed aiming to include water explicitly within the ICES CGE model. In order to reach this objective a new database was built considering explicitly the water endowment, precipitation changes, and unitary irrigation costs. The results suggest different economic consequences of climate change on the LAC economy. The impacts are related to change in crop production, endowment demands, and international trade.
    Keywords: CGE Models, Climate Change, Agriculture, Water Resources, Irrigation
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dsr:wpaper:16&r=all
  4. By: Matias Piaggio (Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración. Instituto de Economía); Emilio Padilla (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (España). Department of Applied Economics); Carolina Roman (Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración. Instituto de Economía)
    Abstract: The long-run relationship between carbon dioxide emissions from energy use and economic activity level is estimated for Uruguay between 1882 and 2010. We apply cointegration techniques and estimate a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) for testing whether these variables are endogenous over the long-rung while also considering the short-run dynamics. The economic productive structure, the degree of openness, and the share of clean sources on total energy supply are also considered as explanatory variables. The results show that there exists a linear relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and per capita economic activity level. Moreover, emissions increase jointly with the industrial sector participation in total output, as a consequence of the intensity of this activity in the consumption of energy from fossil fuels sources. The degree of openness is inversely related with carbon dioxide emissions. This is so because the periods of major opening were based on primary inputs exports, lower in energy intensity than industrial products. The changes in carbon dioxide emission are inversely related to the variation in the share of clean sources on total energy supply. Finally, all the variables included in the cointegration vector are endogenous, adjusting together to the deviations from the long-run relationship. As a consequence of the above, economic growth appears to be not enough for diminishing Uruguayan emissions in the long-run. Changes in the energy matrix should be encouraged, and emissions reduction should come not by energy constraints but by the development of clean sources or energy use efficiency improvements, given the impact of energy on economic activity level.
    Keywords: carbon dioxide emissions, cointegration techniques, Uruguay, Environmental Kuznets Curve
    JEL: Q43 C32 Q56
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulr:wpaper:dt-11-15&r=all
  5. By: S.Vieira Gomes; T. Florentino
    Abstract: The concerns on the preservation of the natural environment have focus mainly on large ecosystems protection. These areas are usually distant from the urban environment, where only relatively smaller natural spaces can survive. These small-scale green areas are often disregarded, when compared with the large ones, and many of their benefits are diminished. However, the urban nature provides important social and psychological benefits to human societies, which enrich human life. They provide spaces for social interaction, enhancing the community cohesion, while contributing for a healthier lifestyle. Another advantage is related to the air quality improvement and climate protection due to their ability to store carbon. Although public preferences for environmental attributes may vary among individual citizens according to their socio-economics characteristics and daily activities, these benefits are well recognized by most citizens, having clear consequences on housing choices. Furthermore, green spaces may be used as factors to increase the attractiveness of a city, by making the city green and pleasant. The main concern of this paper is to address the importance of green areas for the urban citizens, and to analyze their distribution in consolidated cities. A case study for the city of Lisbon, Portugal is presented, where spatial distribution, distance from residential areas and population satisfaction is analyzed, amongst other indicators.
    Keywords: Air Quality; Quality of Life; Urban Parks
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_183&r=all
  6. By: B.(Tony) Ciochetti; M.Emre Camlibel
    Abstract: Buildings are responsible for more than a third of global energy consumption, and emit nearly 40% of all CO2 emissions. A small, but growing body of literature seeks to identify and isolate methods which may be employed in order to reduce the energy consumed in the operation of these structures. In this study, we develop a decision-making algorithm to mitigate the uncertainty of financial and environmental factors related to energy improvements of existing buildings, and how to efficiently allocate available funds in order to undertake such improvements. We develop a case study, in which forty two energy efficiency measures (EEM) are identified within the existing buildings of a University campus in Turkey. The operations of the buildings are analyzed, and energy consumption, energy costs and carbon emissions are measured. Costs and savings of these specific EEMs are calculated as are a number of their possible combinations. Of the more than four trillion possible combinations of energy improvement packages, the ones providing the greatest savings per unit of investment are computed for a range of limited investment budgets. This optimization problem is solved through the uses of both a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP), and a custom developed heuristics model. Our findings suggest that over the optimized investment curve, the most efficient use of EEM capital occurs withing a very tight range of allocation, providing the greatest returns in terms of energy savings, energy costs and carbon emission. Retrofitting of existing buildings with an optimized investment budget appears to be a viable investment strategy, providing yearly savings of 33% in energy use, 22% in energy cost and 23% in carbon emission. Our results show that a decision-maker can comfortably use a less sophisticated heuristics approach, which only minimally deviates from an exact MIP solution. Finally, we compare optimized solutions for retrofitting existing buildings against alternative investments of building new energy production plants and demolishing and re-constructing new buildings. In both cases retrofitting proved to be significantly more efficient in terms of investment cost, energy savings and CO2 reduction.
    Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Energy Efficiency Measures; Mixed Integer Programming; Sustainability
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_237&r=all
  7. By: H. Remøy; S. Wilkinson
    Abstract: The built environment contributes 40% to total global greenhouse gas emissions and 87% of the buildings we will have in 2050 are already built. If predicted climate changes are correct we need to adapt existing stock sustainably. Reuse is an inherently sustainable option, which reduces the amount of waste going to landfill. Inevitably settlements and areas undergo change, whereby land uses become obsolete and buildings vacant. At this stage, the options are either to demolish or to convert to another use. In central business districts (CBDs) outside of Australia there is a long history of office to residential conversion. Although these types of conversions are few in number in the Sydney CBD, a trend is emerging in conversion. Some 102,000m2 of office space is earmarked for residential conversion in Sydney as demand for central residential property grows and low interest rates create good conditions. Coupled with this, is a stock of ageing offices and a population projected to increase by 4% to 2031 requiring 45000 new homes. With the Sydney market about to be flooded with the Barangaroo office supply in 2017, the conditions for residential conversion are better than ever. _Based on the foregoing, this paper aims at answering the questions: which drivers drive residential conversions in Sydney? And what are the barriers for successful conversions? This paper investigates the nature and extent of residential conversion in Sydney, as well as the drivers and barriers to successful conversion. Through an extensive literature study, the paper identifies the key lessons from international residential conversion projects. Subsequently, expert interviews are held with developers in the Sydney market. This paper explores the potential of delivering sustainability to the Sydney CBD through residential conversion.
    Keywords: Building Adaptation; Land Use; Residential Conversion; Sustainability; Vacancy
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_138&r=all
  8. By: Bahn, O (GERAD and Department of Decision Sciences, HEC Montreal); de Bruin, Kelly (CERE, Umeå University); Fertel, C (GERAD, HEC Montreal)
    Abstract: Climate change is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet in the foreseeable future, yet, despite international environmental agreements, global GHG emissions are still increasing. In this context, adaptation measures are an alternative to mitigation efforts. These measures involve adjustments to economic or social structures to limit the impact of climate change without limiting climate change itself. To assess the interplay of adaptation and mitigation, we propose AD-MERGE, an integrated assessment model that includes both reactive ("flow") and proactive ("stock") adaptation strategies as well as several mitigation (energy) technologies. We find that adaptation delays but does not prevent the transition to clean energy systems (carbon capture and sequestration systems, nuclear, and renewables). Moreover, applying both strategies is more effective than using just one.
    Keywords: Climate change; Climate policy mix; Adaptation; Mitigation; Integrated assessment
    JEL: Q50 Q52
    Date: 2015–09–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:slucer:2015_008&r=all
  9. By: S. Kippes
    Abstract: The climate change and an increased awareness of environmental questions have led to much tougher environmental laws globally. In accordance with the Kyoto treaty is striving hard to fulfil its environmental obligations. Increasingly stringent environmental laws and soaring energy prices are therefore forcing the Real Estate sector to respond. While new buildings must comply with the new regulations, older buildings need to be upgraded as well; that means Ã’greeningÓ existing properties becomes a political and commercial priority. When improvements are necessitated in existing properties, the new regulations force the owners to upgrade the building to the higher standards. This paper researches and analyses these environmental issues relevant to the house buyers, vendors, tenants, and landlords to determine the importance of sustainable housing to the general public. The paper is based on a national empirical survey from spring 2005; the paper also compares and analyses data from six different surveys (from 2009 to 2015) carried out by the author.
    Keywords: Awareness of Environmental Questions; Ecology and Real Estate; Energy Performance Of Buildings; Green Building; Sustainbility
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_17&r=all
  10. By: R. Balasubramanian
    Abstract: There are few economic studies that have estimated the impact of climate variables on agriculture by identifying their impacts on irrigation sources, even though irrigation serves as a critical adaptation strategy for farmers' in water-deficit countries such as India. In this study, we examine the implications of variations in climate variables on ground water sources of irrigation and agricultural income in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Our findings, based on a panel of 11 districts observed over a 40-year period, suggest that while increases in rainfall positively influence the water table, increases in maximum temperature significantly reduce ground water availability. There is also significant spatial correlation in water levels across districts. In terms of impacts on farm income, groundwater availability and free electricity have a positive effect, while increases in well density have a negative effect on income. Significantly, temperature has an inverted U-shaped relationship with income, with income decreasing at temperatures higher than a threshold temperature of 34.31°C. In our panel dataset, this threshold temperature has already been breached 61 times or in 14 % of the total number of observations. As temperatures increase as a result of climate change, our findings raise two important practical concerns for agricultural management: a) ground water reductions are likely and alternate sources of irrigation may need to be identified; and, b) because richer farmers are able to dig deeper wells, electricity subsidies will benefit the rich more and small land holders are likely to see lower returns to agriculture with increases in well density.
    Keywords: Climate change, groundwater table, farm income, spatial dynamic panel data, Tamil Nadu
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:snd:wpaper:95&r=all
  11. By: Tisdell, Clem
    Abstract: Marine ecosystems, and the services they provide, are predicted to alter considerably as a result of climate change. This paper outlines important expected alterations in these ecosystems, considers their economic consequences, and examines economic policies that may be adopted in response to these changes. In doing so, it focuses on two main cases, namely findings about the impact of ocean acidification (and climate change generally) on the Norwegian fisheries and predictions about alterations in coral reef systems. A number of theoretical issues are raised. These include the possibility that if economic impact analysis is used to measure economic value, the global economic value of coral reefs could rise as their area is reduced. This, however, is not necessarily an appropriate measure of economic value, even though it is often used for this purpose. Also the importance of taking into account the opportunity costs involved in conserving marine ecosystems is stressed. Furthermore, several dynamic aspects of variations in marine ecosystems are shown to be important for valuation purposes as well as for economic policy. Both the economics of mitigation and adjustment policies are discussed. Optimal economic policies for responding to climate change are shown to be sensitive to the dynamics of ecosystem change and are likely to vary regionally.
    Keywords: climate change, climate adjustment strategies, climate mitigation strategies, coral reefs, economic valuation, ecosystem services, marine ecosystems., Environmental Economics and Policy, Q51, Q54, Q57, Q58.,
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uqseee:208358&r=all
  12. By: Alexandre Gohin
    Abstract: We analyze two puzzling results released by the California Air Resource Board who recently revises its land use changes and greenhouse gas emissions induced by biofuels. First the absolute reduction in the US average soya biodiesel estimate is much greater than the reduction in the US average corn ethanol one. Second the EU canola biodiesel estimate is twice the US canola biodiesel one. We find that these two puzzling results are mostly explained by some weak initial economic data. In both cases, the underestimation of the oilmeal production values biases upwards the carbon emission estimates. We then recall that any economic analysis is only worth the quality of the supporting data. The current focus on unobserved elasticity values to assess biofuel impacts is not sufficient.
    Keywords: biofuels, land use changes, models, data
    JEL: Q11 Q57 C68
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rae:wpaper:201508&r=all
  13. By: L. Chin
    Abstract: In Singapore, the retail sector is one of the highest consumers of energy per floor area, with tenants within a retail mall accounting for approximately 50 per cent of the building’s total energy consumption (BCA, 2013). This reflects the need to reduce the energy consumption of retail tenants to enhance the mall’s sustainability, and to lower the carbon footprint of the retail sector in Singapore. Going green has been adopted in many developed countries such as Australia, Europe, Canada, and USA. The aim is to encourage both landlords and tenants to minimize adverse environmental impact, and is widely known as a powerful mechanism to drive carbon dioxide savings in commercial properties. However, sustainable developments are a relatively new phenomenon in Singapore. This study examines how the implementation of sustainability practices and approaches can contribute to an increase in overall patronage to a mall, and if shopper characteristics such as their education levels and ethnicities will influence their perceptions on the need and benefits of sustainability in retail malls. The results obtained a sample of two malls found that most shoppers are more incentivized to increase patronage to malls with sustainability practices including the introduction of green leases.
    Keywords: Energy Conservation; Green Leases; Retail Malls; Singapore; Sustainable Developments
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_5&r=all
  14. By: Aldy, Joseph Edgar
    Abstract: An extensive literature shows that information-creating mechanisms enhance the transparency of and can support participation and compliance in international agreements. This paper draws from game theory, international relations, and legal scholarship to make the case for how transparency through policy surveillance can facilitate more effective international climate change policy architecture. I draw lessons from policy surveillance in multilateral economic, environmental, and national security contexts to inform a critical evaluation of the historic practice of monitoring and reporting under the global climate regime. This assessment focuses on how surveillance produces evidence to inform policy design, enables comparisons of mitigation effort, and illustrates the adequacy of the global effort in climate agreements. I also describe how the institution of policy surveillance can facilitate a variety of climate policy architectures. This evaluation of policy surveillance suggests that transparency is necessary for global climate policy architecture.
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:22509395&r=all
  15. By: Iwata, Kazuyuki; Managi, Shunsuke
    Abstract: This study advocates a multi-dimensional urban planning strategy to help combat climate change under local—and not national—policies. However, the literature does not provide adequate guidance to local governments seeking to enhance urbanization and in turn reduce vehicular carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Therefore, this study sheds light on the effects of the following four urban planning instruments on vehicular CO2 emissions: urbanization promoting areas, urbanization control areas, urban planning taxes and property taxes. Using Japanese city-level data from 1990 to 2010, we find that the two urbanization area planning instruments and the urban planning taxes help lower emissions by increasing population density in low-density cities and that property taxes help reduce emissions in high-density cities. However, the increased population density associated with these instruments can lead to other negative outcomes, including increased traffic accidents, increased crime and a decrease in the facility condition index. City governments should consider complementary policies to mitigate such negative outcomes when employing planning instruments aiming to increase population density.
    Keywords: urbanization, population density, land use taxes, land use regulations, carbon dioxide emissions, multiple outcome
    JEL: Q58 R52 R58
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:66435&r=all
  16. By: Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke
    Abstract: To explain why and how corporate environmental management is beneficial, it is important to provide incentives to private companies to encourage such environmental activities. This study proposes a new corporate financial and environmental dataset called the World Resource Table (WRT), which uses open data sources published by the Japanese government. Environmental data include Greenhouse gas emissions and toxic chemical release data. With more than 1,000 annual samples, the WRT will allow empirical analyses that use productivity measures and econometric approaches. WRT will also include corporate patent data, with linkages to analytical software packages such as GAMS and R.
    Keywords: orporate Environmental Management; Financial data, CO2 emissions, toxic chemical substances, Open data, World Resource Table
    JEL: M21 Q50
    Date: 2015–09–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:66531&r=all
  17. By: R. Santovito; A. Abiko; S. Bienert
    Abstract: Over the last decades, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have grown at an increasing rate, which is likely to continue on the long-term trend. These emissions must be significantly reduced to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. As the world becomes more urbanized, cities stand at the forefront of efforts to achieve this goal. GHG emissions flow in and out of the administrative and geographical limits of a city, and interdisciplinary information is needed to pursue low-emission urban development strategies. Existing GHG inventory tools and procedures favor scaled-down estimations and direct emission sources. Policy makers cannot rely on scaled-down data from national GHG inventories to take action on a neighborhood level. As the geographic coverage of a GHG inventory gets smaller, emission activities that occur within the defined boundaries are intrinsically interconnected with ‘out-of-bound’ areas. In this case, accounting for emissions occurring outside a neighborhood is not an option, but a requirement. This paper presents a comparison among existing GHG emissions tools and methodologies, focusing on the problems that arise when using top-down Emissions factors to calculate indirect emissions.
    Keywords: Greehouse Gases; Inventory; Neighbourhood; Urban Sustainability
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_282&r=all
  18. By: M. Surmann; W.A. Brunauer; S. Bienert
    Abstract: Despite the rising information about the ecological footprint and greenhouse gas externalities of corporates' activities only little is known about the energy efficiency of corporate real estate assets. When considering achievements from the past, such as significant reduction of carbon emissions and towards carbon accounting, the energy consumption of corporate real estate assets is of emerging interest within the sustainability strategy of corporations. On the contrary to residential and commercial buildings within the real estate industry accessibility to profound datasets for corporate assets in terms of energy performance is rather difficult. When employing a unique multi-national dataset of big-box wholesale buildings obtained from METRO Cash & Carry (MCC) the authors investigate the relationship between energy consumption, physical building characteristics and the potential impact of corporate management. The study analyzes the dataset with electricity and heat consumption in a panel regression to investigate expected higher levels of energy savings over time. All above insights about energy efficiency measures of corporate real estate assets within a special asset class we analyze the contribution of professional management towards a more efficient corporate environmental performance.
    Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Corporate real estate management; Energy Efficiency; Hedonic Effects; Sustainable Real Estate
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_147&r=all
  19. By: Ambec, Stefan (Toulouse School of Economics (INRA-LERNA) and University of Gothenburg.); Coria, Jessica (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University)
    Abstract: We analyze the interplay between policies aimed to control global and local pollution such as greenhouse gases and particulate matter. The two types of pollution interact in the abatement cost function of the polluting firms through economies or diseconomies of scope. They are regulated by distinct entities (global versus local), potentially with di¤erent instruments that are designed according to some specific agenda. We show that the choice of regulatory instrument and the timing of the regulations matter for efficiency. Emissions of local pollution are distorted if the local regulators anticipate that global pollution will later be regulated through emission caps. The regulation is too (not enough) stringent when abatement efforts exhibit economies (diseconomies) of scope. In contrast, we obtain e¢ ciency if the global pollutant is regulated by tax provided that the revenues from taxing emissions are redistributed to the local communities in a lump-sum way.<p>
    Keywords: environmental regulation; multiple-pollutants; policy spillovers; emission tax; emission standard; emissions trading
    JEL: D62 Q50 Q53 Q54 Q58
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0626&r=all
  20. By: José M. Belbute (Department of Economics, University of Évora, Portugal); Alfredo Marvão Pereira (Department of Economics, The College of William and Mary)
    Abstract: We provide alternative reference forecasts for global CO2 emissions based on an ARFIMA model estimated with annual data from 1750 to 2013. These forecasts are free from additional assumptions on demographic and economic variables that are commonly used in reference forecasts, as they only rely on the properties of the underlying stochastic process for CO2emissions, as well as on all the observed information it incorporates. In this sense, these forecasts are more based on fundamentals. Our reference forecast suggests that in 2030, 2040 and 2050, in the absence of any structural changes of any type, CO2 would likely be at about 25%, 34% and 39.9% above 2010 emission levels, respectively. These values are clearly below the levels proposed by other reference scenarios available in the literature. This is important, as it suggests that the ongoing policy goals are actually within much closer reach than what is implied by the standard CO2reference emission scenarios. Having lower and more realistic reference emissions projections not only gives a truer assessment of the policy efforts that are needed, but also highlights the lower costs involved in mitigation efforts, thereby maximizing the likelihood of more widespread energy and environmental policy efforts.
    Keywords: Forecasting, reference scenario, CO2 emissions, long memory, ARFIMA
    JEL: C22 C53 O13 Q47 Q54
    Date: 2015–08–31
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cwm:wpaper:164&r=all
  21. By: Brita Bye; Taran Fæhn; Orvika Rosnes (Statistics Norway)
    Abstract: While the introduction and reformation of climate policy instruments take place rapidly in Europe, the knowledge on how the instruments interact lags behind. In this paper we analyse different interpretations of the 2030 climate policy goals for residential energy efficiency and how they interact with targets for restricting CO2 emissions. We focus on Norway, whose climate and energy policies are integrated with those of the EU. As we account for investment costs of improving energy efficiency we find substantial welfare costs of energy efficiency policies, particularly when interacting with carbon pricing. Rebound effects within households are small, but economy-wide indirect rebound is significant because energy-intensive, trade-exposed (EITE) industries expand. As residential energy use consists mainly of carbon-free electricity, this expansion of EITE-industries leads to increased total CO2 emissions.
    Keywords: Carbon policies; Energy efficiency policies; General Equilibrium analysis; Rebound effects
    JEL: D58 Q43 Q48
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssb:dispap:817&r=all
  22. By: K P VIPIN, CHANDRAN; SANDHYA, P
    Abstract: Climate change is a global environmental problem which has been receiving intense political attention both at domestic and international levels. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines ‘climate change’ as a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. India is committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, which represent the international consensus on the way to deal with climate change. India believes that uncompensated climate change mitigation by developing countries may hamper the speed of their economic growth. India has a very comprehensive framework of legal and institutional mechanisms in the region to respond to the tremendous challenges to the environment it is facing, owing to population growth, poverty and illiteracy augmented by urbanization and industrial development. Climate change is inextricably linked to the broader sustainable development agenda to reduce poverty, child mortality and morbidity, and to ensure universal primary education for all children. Hence climate change is threatening the capacity of the country like India to attain the Millennium development goals by 2015. The study is mainly based on secondary data. The various sources include human development reports, UNDP reports, ADB reports, published and unpublished documents including journals, books, occasional publications, working papers, popular magazine and annual publications of social development organizations. India has initiated several climate-friendly measures, particularly in the area of renewable energy. India had adopted the National Environment Policy 2006, and has also taken many other measures and policy initiatives. Climate change is the net result of several factors and many sectors of the economy are climate sensitive. Therefore, it is essential to have assessments of impacts of climate change to various sectors of the economy directly or indirectly to enable devising the adaptation and mitigation strategies to respond to the changes immediately. Efforts to be address climate change adaptation and mitigation needs should not take resources away from the core development needs and growth objectives of the developing countries. The present paper is an attempt in this regard.
    Keywords: climate change, human development, mitigation, adaptation, MDG
    JEL: Q54
    Date: 2015–09–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:66590&r=all
  23. By: Paolo Prosperi (MOISA - Marchés, Organisations, Institutions et Stratégies d'Acteurs - Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) - Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] - CIRAD - Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement - IAMM, IAMM - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier, UniCT - Università degli Studi di Catania); Thomas Allen (Bioversity International); Martine Padilla (IAMM - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier); Luri Peri (UniCT - Università degli Studi di Catania); Bruce Cogill (Bioversity International)
    Abstract: Recurrent food crises and climate change, along with habitat loss and micronutrient deficiencies, are global issues of critical importance that have pushed food security and environmental sustainability to the top of the political agenda. Analyses of the dynamic linkages between food consumption patterns and environmental concerns have recently received considerable attention from the international and scientific community. Using the lens of a broad sustainability approach, this conceptual article aims at developing a multidimensional framework to evaluate the sustainability of food systems and diets, applicable to countries of the Mediterranean region. Derived from natural disaster and sustainability sciences, a vulnerability approach, enhanced by inputs from the resilience literature, has been adapted to analyze the main issues related to food and nutrition security. Through causal factor analysis, the resulting conceptual framework improves the design of information systems or metrics assessing the interrelated environmental, economic, social, and health dynamics of food systems.
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01189996&r=all
  24. By: Grégoire Garsous
    Abstract: In the first chapter, "Does the Stage of Development Matter for Infrastructure Payoffs?”, I consider infrastructure as a channel for economic development. I address the question of whether the impact of infrastructure varies according to the stage of development of a country. I answer this question through an innovative methodology exploiting the information included in papers that provide estimates of infrastructure payoffs. I use a logit model whose dependent variable indicates whether these estimates are positively significant. To account for the variation of this dependent variable, I consider the sample characteristics of estimates. One of these characteristics is the stage of development of the countries included in the samples. Specifically, I use the weight of each of four income categories in the sample as an explanatory variable.<p><p>The second chapter, "Climate Change Mitigation in the Presence of Technology Spillovers", explores the implications of an increase in clean technology spillovers between developed and developing countries. I build a 2-stage 2-country game of abatements in which players are linked with technology spillovers. The two countries are asymmetric in their technology endowment. Country 1 - the developed country - is the only one able to invest in technology that lowers abatement costs. Country 2 - the developing country - captures only part of the technology provided by country 1.<p><p>The third chapter, "Threshold Effects in Self-Enforcing International Environmental Agreements" is co-written with Renaud Foucart. In this chapter, we address the stability of self-enforcing International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) with the presence of a threshold of irreversible climate change. Climate scientists recognize the existence of human-induced abrupt climate changes that are likely to occur when the climate system crosses some threshold. We show that taking into account these threshold effects - when identified with enough accuracy - allows for the existence of more ambitious agreements than those predicted by the traditional literature on IEAs. When considering abrupt irreversible damage, the contribution of any country that helps prevent the world from such a catastrophe is very large. Consequently, a high number of signatories that could potentially prevent the climate system from crossing the threshold could form a self-enforcing agreement.
    Keywords: Environmental policy -- Economic aspects; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Aspect économique; Infrastructure policy; Environmental Policy
    Date: 2013–10–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/209391&r=all
  25. By: P. Kongkajaroen
    Abstract: In the world today, qualities of lives among humans are decreasing at a rapid stage. This is caused by our never-ending wants and needs. In order to satisfy our greed, our mother-earth are being destroyed at a rapid stage. More natural resources have to be harvested and of course more pollution are being created inevitably. With this rising concerns, organizations around the world are creating awareness of this phenomenon as part of their corporate social responsibilities.The real estate industry too, is on this trends. No doubt that this industry contributed most to the environmental impacts. They can cause both direct and indirect impacts on the environment. Even the first step in planning, developing to even managing the estates cause an environmental impacts. In recent years, both developers and consumers are being aware of these negative circumstances, in response to this, they are now more concerned when buying and/or developing the real estates.This study have emphasized on the relationships between purchasing attitudes and intentions to purchase green condominiums on Generation Y. Why Gen Y? Research conducted found that this generation of people are more aware of this environmental issues and willing to act accordingly. This research is conducted based on the quantitative method and the questionnaires used to reach the respondents will be online-administered. The target group will be between 18-35 years old and live in Bangkok. After filtering the questionnaire collected, 220 sets were used in analyzing. There are 2 steps in the process when analyzing the data. The descriptive statistic were used on the first step to obtain the demographic characteristics of the respondents. While on the second ,regressions were employed respectively. The results obtained from this study found that “Intentions to Purchaseâ€green Condominium on generation Y has a positive relationship on “purchase attitudeâ€. While “environmental knowledgeâ€, “Perceived Benefitsâ€, “Environment Concernâ€, “health conscious†and “subjective norms†also have a relationship on “purchase attitude†and indirect effect with “intention to purchaseâ€.After knowing all these relationships developers can apply this knowledge to their business in advertising and analyzing consumers’ targets.
    Keywords: Environment; Green; Intention To Purchase; Purchase Attitude; Real Estate
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2014–01–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2014_123&r=all
  26. By: M.Mohd Ghaza Rahman; M.Mohd Raid; A.'Che Kasim; K. Hussin
    Abstract: Green building concept, a trend in developed nations, has spread to Malaysia. The green features improve the functions of buildings and promises higher returns. Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and Innovation (IN) are among six criteria of Green Building Index (GBI) that building owner needs to attain for its building to be certified as â€green" in Malaysia. The benefit of IEQ is to create conducive indoor environment for building occupants for living and working. While IN is to meet the objectives of GBI through green building design initiatives and sustainable construction practices. The research question is does IEQ and IN features give direct impact to residential property price? Therefore, this paper will review the broad literature regarding the impacts of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and innovation (IN) for residential property and its implication to market price and rent. The early hypothesis of this paper anticipate that innovation (IN) and indoor environmetal quality (IEQ) features will indirectly increase residential property market price and rent in spite of the lack of comparative financial data. From this paper, it is hope that the positive impacts of these features will encourage building owners, developers and other main development actors to put these criteria into the same consideration as other criteria in GBI as one of the way to compensate the impact of the building towards economic, environment and social features.
    Keywords: Green Building Features; Green Building Index (GBI); Indoor Environmental Quality; Innovation; Property Price And Rental
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_133&r=all
  27. By: Trotter, Ian Michael; Féres, José Gustavo; Bolkesjø, Torjus Folsland; de Hollanda, Lavínia Rocha
    Abstract: Long-term load forecasts are important for planning the development of the electric power infrastructure. We present a methodology for simulating ensembles of daily long-term load forecasts for Brazil under climate change scenarios. For certain applications, it is important to choose an ensemble approach in order to estimate the (conditional) probability distribution of the load. High temporal resolution is necessary in order to preserve key features of the electricity demand that are particularly important in the face of increasing penetration of intermittent renewable power generation.
    Keywords: long-term load forecast, electricity demand, climate change, Demand and Price Analysis, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Risk and Uncertainty,
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ufvdwp:208689&r=all
  28. By: Yoann Verger (REEDS - REEDS - Centre international de Recherches en Economie écologique, Eco-innovation et ingénierie du Développement Soutenable - UVSQ - Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines)
    Abstract: In one draft note, Sraffa states that: “The difference between the ‘Physical real costs’ and the Ricardo–Marxian theory of ‘labour costs’ is that the first does, and the latter does not, include in them the natural resources that are used up in the course of production (such as coal, iron, exhaustion of land) [Air, water, etc. are not used up: as there is an unlimited supply, no subtraction can be made from [infinity ]. This is fundamental because it does away with ‘human energy’ and such metaphysical things. ... But how are we going to replace these natural things? There are three cases: a) they can be reproduced by labour (land properties, with manures etc.); b) they can be substituted by labour (coal by hydroelectric plant: or by spending in research and discovery of new sources and new methods of economising); c) they cannot be either reproduced nor substituted - and in this case they cannot find a place in a theory of continuous production and consumption: they are dynamical facts, i.e. a stock that is being gradually exhausted and cannot be renewed, and must ultimately lead to destruction of the society. But this case does not satisfy our conditions of a society that just manages to keep continuously alive” (Sraffa’s Unpublished Papers and Correspondence, Trinity College Library, Cambridge, UK, as catalogued by Jonathan Smith, D3:12:42: 33, dated 25 March 1946; Sraffa’s emphasis, quoted in Kurz et al., 2000). Thus Sraffa states that his theory, the “Physical real costs” theory, is taking into account the natural resources. I argue that this is not true: my position is that Sraffa is not dealing with natural resources, but with commodities produced by industries and exchanged in the market. Thus all resources which are not produced by industries or which are not exchanged in the market (for instance, wastes) are not encompassed by its model, and can not receive a price. And we have a confirmation of this when, in chapter Ⅺ of his book, Sraffa explicitly introduces natural resources: “natural resources which are used in production, such as land and mineral deposits, and which being in short supply enable their owners to obtain a rent, can be said to occupy among means of production a position equivalent to that of 'non-basics' among products. Being employed in production, but not themselves produced, they are the converse of commodities which, although produced, are not used in production” (Sraffa, 1960, § 85). In this chapter, we will see how Sraffa deals with natural resources in his book, through the problematic of the rent, in section [1] (after a short introduction about the introduction of the rent in Quesnay and Ricardo's theories). Then we will see how the neo-Ricardians manage to introduce these resources in their models and how they deals with general environmental problems. First we will see the case of exhaustible resources in section [2] and then we will study the introduction of waste, the management of pollution control and the exploitation of renewable resources in section [3].
    Keywords: Sraffa,Rent,Hotelling,Exhaustible resources,Renewable Resources,Waste,Pollution,Environment
    Date: 2015–08–21
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01186009&r=all
  29. By: Di Cosmo, Valeria
    Abstract: This paper investigates the determinants of the Italian electricity price (PUN) in order to determine the major challenges this market is currently facing. The results suggest that the policy maker should be aware that the importance of market expectations is increasing (captured in the model by the forward electricity price) and this may be used to understand and forecast the dynamics of spot prices. Second, the positive link between fuel prices and the Italian electricity price may lead to a greater exposure of the Italian electricity price to fluctuations in the international fuel markets. However the results show that the risks associated with higher fuel prices are partially mitigated by the presence of wind generation installed in the system.
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp511&r=all
  30. By: Joshua C. Gellers (University of North Florida); Christopher Jeffords (Indiana University of Pennsylvania)
    Abstract: The global trend toward the adoption of environmental rights within national constitutions has been largely regarded as a positive development for both human rights and the natural environment. The impact of constitutional environmental rights, however, has yet to be systematically assessed using empirical data. In particular, the expansion of procedural environmental rights—legal provisions relating to access to information, participation, and justice in environmental matters—provides fertile ground for analyzing how environmental rights directly interface with conditions necessary for a functioning democracy. In order to understand the extent to which these provisions deliver on their lofty aspirations, the authors conduct a quantitative analysis designed to evaluate the relationship between procedural environmental rights and environmental justice. The results demonstrate that states with procedural environmental rights are more likely than non-adopting states to facilitate the attainment of environmental justice, especially as it relates to access to information.
    Keywords: environmental rights, constitutionalism, environmental justice, human rights, democracy, sustainable development
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uct:ecriwp:hri25&r=all
  31. By: Ghulam Samad; Waseem Gulzar; Vaqar Ahmed
    Abstract: The textile industry is the largest manufacturing industry and the second largest employment generating sector in Pakistan. In this paper, we seek to understand why firms in the garment and textile sector choose to comply with or ignore Pakistan's environmental regulations and effluent standards. Based on survey of 60 firms, we find that there are nine different environmental management practices adopted in the textile sector. While only 12% of our sample adopted all nine practices, 50% embraced more than five practices and some 87% of firms adopted at least two environmental management practices. The most common environmental practice adopted is evaluation of any chemical hazards. We find that institutional deficiencies in implementation such as inadequate monitoring and fines hinder enforcement and compliance. However, non-regulatory pressures from international customers and competitors act as a major un-official source of influence. Local factors such as community and local media stressors seem to have limited impacts. As expected, larger firms are more likely to adopt environmental management practices relative to medium sized firms. We propose three strategies to improve environmental compliance - installation of effluent treatment technology matched with improved monitoring, creating a rating system to trigger competition among firms and offering firms training and information services at the district-level.
    Keywords: Pakistan, textile production, environmental regulations, compliance, pollution, firm survey
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:snd:wpaper:97&r=all
  32. By: Eiji SAWADA (Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering); Xu Yirui (Kaetsu University Faculty of Management and Economics)
    Abstract: As a means to give local governments a strong incentive for economic development, Chinese government has been used "political selection tournament." This control resulted in encouraging economic growth on one hand; it still remains some arguments about converting to green growth in China. We therefore examined that point by analytical approach using the framework of "elimination tournament model" proposed by Rosen (1986). We found that putting much weight on environmental improving as a promotion criterion does not always make local governments eager to address the improvement of natural environment. We also found that such a situation can be avoided by combining budget control with personnel control.
    Keywords: Elimination tournament, personnel control, budget control, veto power, Green growth in China
    JEL: H11 H7 Q50
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:keo:dpaper:2014-001&r=all
  33. By: Nicholas Kilimani (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria)
    Abstract: The volatile changes in climate are increasingly becoming a threat to many economies globally. This study assesses Uganda’s vulnerability to climatic variability in the context of how these volatile changes in climate are likely to affect long-run water resources availability. This is done by using household survey data, rainfall data as well as findings from a water resource accounting study on Uganda. First, we use the results from the water accounts to establish the current level of demand for available water resources. Second, these findings are mirrored to the drought prevalence results with a view to highlight the potential adverse affects on water availability, and ultimately economic activity in Uganda. Whereas the country’s water resource accounting position shows that the current level of water resources is still adequate to meet current demand, drought is affecting economic activity primarily in the agricultural sector since it is rain-fed. It is also affecting the water recharge system as a big proportion of precipitation is lost through evapo-transpiration. This has implications for long-run water availability for the country. The findings point to the need for policy interventions that can ensure optimal water use in the economy. These may include improved hydrological planning and the development of water supply infrastructure.
    Keywords: Water accounting, Drought, Standardized Precipitation Index, Economic activity, Uganda
    JEL: E01 Q56
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pre:wpaper:201562&r=all
  34. By: Dislich, Claudia; Keyel, Alexander C.; Salecker, Jan; Kisel, Yael; Meyer, Katrin M.; Corre, Marife D.; Faust, Heiko; Hess, Bastian; Knohl, Alexander; Kreft, Holger; Meijide, Ana; Nurdiansyah, Fuad; Otten, Fenna; Pe'er, Guy; Steinebach, Stefanie; Tarigan, Suria; Tscharntke, Teja; Tölle, Merja; Wiegand, Kerstin
    Abstract: Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in the last decades. This large-scale land-use change has had great impacts on both the areas converted to oil palm and their surroundings. Howev-er, research on the impacts of oil palm agriculture is scattered and patchy, and no clear overview ex-ists. Here, we address this gap through a systematic and comprehensive literature review of all ecosys-tem functions in oil palm plantations. We compare ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations to those in forests as forests are often cleared for the establishment of oil palm. We find that oil palm planta-tions generally have reduced ecosystem functioning compared to forests. Some of these functions are lost globally, such as those to gas and climate regulation and to habitat and nursery functions. The most serious impacts occur when land is cleared to establish new plantations, and immediately after-wards, especially on peat soils. To variable degrees, plantation management can prevent or reduce losses of some ecosystem functions. The only ecosystem function which increased in oil palm planta-tions is, unsurprisingly, the production of marketable goods. Our review highlights numerous research gaps. In particular, there are significant gaps with respect to information functions (socio-cultural functions). There is a need for empirical data on the importance of spatial and temporal scales, such as the differences between plantations in different environments, of different sizes, and of different ages. Finally, more research is needed on developing management practices that can off-set the losses of ecosystem functions.
    Keywords: ecosystem functions,ecosystem services,biodiversity,oil palm,land-use change,Elaeis guineensis,review
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:crc990:16&r=all
  35. By: Grajewski, Regina; Schmidt, Thomas G.
    Abstract: Dieses Working Paper beschreibt die Förderung der Agrarumweltmaßnahmen im Rahmen der Programme des Europäischen Landwirtschaftsfonds für die ländliche Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums (ELER) der Bundesländer. Auf der Grundlage der programmbezogenen Jahresberichte 2013 wurden Angaben zu ausgezahlten Mitteln und Flächenumfängen ausgewertet, teilweise ergänzt bzw. neu kategorisiert: Maßnahmen der Gemeinschaftsaufgabe zur Verbesserung der Agrarstruktur und des Küstenschutzes (GAK-A 'Förderung extensiver Produktionsverfahren im Ackerbau oder bei Dauerkulturen', GAK-B 'Förderung extensiver Grünlandnutzung' und GAK-C 'Förderung ökologischer Anbauverfahren'), Maßnahmen des Vertragsnaturschutzes (VN), Landesmaßnahmen (LM) und spezifische Wasserschutzmaßnahmen (WS). Alle Maßnahmen wurden entsprechend ihrer Zielflächen (Ackerland, Grünland, Dauerkulturen) und Ressourcenschutzziele (Biodiversität, Wasserschutz, Bodenschutz, multiple Zielsetzung) kategorisiert. Zahlreiche Grafiken und Tabellen zeigen länderspezifische Förderschwerpunkte auf und vergleichen teilweise Verhältniszahlen mit dem bundesdeutschen Durchschnittswert.
    Abstract: This working paper describes the support of the agri-environmental measures in the framework of the Programme of the European Agricultural Fund for the Development of Rural Areas of the German federal states. On the basis of the programme related annual reports 2013, information on funds expended and the land areas used is evaluated, partially supplemented or rather re-categorized: Measures for the Joint Task for the Improvement of Agricultural Structures and Coastal Protection (GAK-A - 'Support of extensive production practices in arable or permanent crops'; GAK-B - Support of extensive grassland use, and GAK-C - Support of organic farming practices, measures for contractual natural Protection (VN), Länder (federal state) measures (LM) and specific water protection measures (WS). All measures are categorized in accordance with their land area targets (arable land, grassland, permanent crops) and resource protection aims (biodiversity, water protection, soil protection, multiple targets). Numerous graphics and tables show state specific promotional emphases and compare partial relationship statistics with German national averages.
    Keywords: Agrarumweltmaßnahmen,ELER,Förderprogramme,ländliche Räume,agri-environmental measures,EAFRD,funding programme,rural areas
    JEL: Q10
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:jhtiwp:44&r=all
  36. By: Dislich, Claudia; Hettig, Elisabeth; Heinonen, Johannes; Lay, Jann; Meyer, Katrin M.; Tarigan, Suria; Wiegand, Kerstin
    Abstract: Land-use changes have transformed tropical landscapes throughout the past decades dramatically. We describe here an ecologicaleconomic land-use change model to provide an integrated,exploratory tool to analyze how tropical land use and land-use change affect ecological and socio- conomic functions. The guiding question of the model is what kind of landscape mosaic can improve the ensemble of ecosystem functioning, biodiversity and economic benefit based on the synergies and trade-offs that we have to account for. The economic submodel simulates smallholder land-use management decisions based on a profit maximization assumption and a Leontief production function. Each household determines factor inputs for all household fields and decides about land-use change based on available wealth. The ecological submodel includes a simple account of carbon sequestration in above- and belowground vegetation. Initialized with realistic or artificial land use maps, the ecological-economic model will advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the trade-offs and synergies of ecological and economic functions in tropical landscapes.
    Keywords: ecological-economic model,land-use change,smallholder,oil palm,rubber,Indonesia,simulation model,NetLogo
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:crc990:17&r=all
  37. By: Erkossa, Teklu; Hagos, Fitsum; Lefore, Nicole
    Keywords: Flood water, Flood irrigation, Food security, Climate change, Adaptation, Irrigation schemes, Irrigation systems, Spate irrigation, Livestock products, Crop production, Siltation, Arid zones, Semiarid zones, Community involvement, Water rights, Water resources, Water harvesting, Water use, Land rights, Poverty, Households, Living standards, Nutrition, Malnutrition, Drought, Farmers, Indicators, Sedimentation, Canals, Discharges, Models, Surface runoff, Calibration, Rainfed farming, Agriculture, Technology transfer, Africa, Ethiopia, Africa South of Sahara, Oromia Region, Tigray Region, Keleta River, Boru River, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Financial Economics, Land Economics/Use, Livestock Production/Industries, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iwmicp:208911&r=all
  38. By: Faridah Djellal (CLERSE - Centre lillois d'études et de recherches sociologiques et économiques - CNRS - Université Lille 1 - Sciences et technologies); Faïz Gallouj (CLERSE - Centre lillois d'études et de recherches sociologiques et économiques - CNRS - Université Lille 1 - Sciences et technologies)
    Abstract: The purpose of this work is to examine the extent to which services and service innovation can contribute to sustainable development in its environmental dimension. The supposed immateriality of services seems to argue in favour of their natural sustainability. This is actually just a myth – one we examine the roots of, and which we refute. This calling into question of the naturally-green-servicesmyth does not, however, mean that the greening of the economy cannot rely on services. On the contrary, greening also fundamentally depends on innovation dynamics being implemented in or by services.
    Date: 2015–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-01188530&r=all
  39. By: Clark, William C.
    Abstract: In this paper I sketch key episodes in the two thousand year history of interactions between society and environment that have shaped the City of London and its hinterlands. My purpose in writing it has been to provide an empirical puzzle for use in teaching and theorizing about the long term coevolution of social-environmental systems and the potential role of policy interventions in guiding that coevolution toward sustainability. I undertook it because while a lively body of theory has begun to emerge seeking to explain such coevolution, rich descriptive characterizations of how specific social-environmental systems have in fact changed over the long time periods (multi-decade to multi-century) relevant to sustainable development remain relatively rare. One result is that the field of sustainability science lacks a sufficient number of the rich empirical puzzles that any field of science needs to challenge its theorizing, modeling and predictions. This paper reflects the beginning of an effort to provide one such characterization on a topic central to sustainability: the long term development of cities and their hinterlands.
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:22356529&r=all
  40. By: N.Hana Adi Maimun; J. Berry; S. McGreal; M. McCord
    Abstract: Following the Kyoto Protocol, energy efficiency in the property sector has become a growing concern and there has been an increasing policy focus on improving the environmental performance of dwellings. Whilst an emerging body of empirical research has identified price premiums associated with improved building energy efficiency, the relationship between energy performance and residential property remains under-researched, geographically diverse, and inhibited by a paucity of data. By developing a database and applying a hedonic pricing model, this research aims to establish whether there is a green premium associated with dwellings within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. The findings will contribute new knowledge for policy makers and practitioners in the property sector.
    Keywords: Belfast Metropolitan Area; Energy Efficiency; Hedonic Model; Housing Market; Sustainability
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_258&r=all
  41. By: Vollaard, Ben (Tilburg University, TILEC)
    Abstract: The probability of conviction commonly varies across different circumstances due to imperfect monitoring. Evidence of whether and how offenders exploit gaps in monitoring provides insight into the process by which deterrence is produced. We present an empirical test of temporal displacement of illegal discharges of oil from shipping, a major source of ocean pollution, in response to a monitoring technology that features variation in the probability of conviction by time of day. After sunset and before sunrise, evidence collected using airborne radar day-round becomes contestable in court because the nature of an identified spot cannot be verified visually. Using data from surveillance flights<br/>above the Dutch part of the North Sea during 1992-2011, we only find evidence for temporal displacement after 1999, with further tightening of the regulations. By that time, the overall level of discharges had been reduced considerably, making the observed temporal displacement relatively small in absolute levels.
    Keywords: deterrence; pollution; environmentel crime
    JEL: K32 K42
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tiu:tiutil:6bbaaff7-4d6f-4c9e-987b-fd89aea7c235&r=all
  42. By: Michael Brock (University of East Anglia); Charles Lester
    Abstract: This paper provides a snapshot of people's attitudes regarding the facilities housed at Brandon Country Park, a local amenity located in Thetford Forest, Suffolk. Using both short answer face-to-face surveys and a computer-based 'management task', this project invited respondents to indicate whether they felt the park managers were maximising this public amenity and, if not, where alterations could be made to more efficiently utilise this space. Our results indicate that people are reasonably content with the services provided, yet some small improvements could be made to raise the park's appeal and/or efficiency. Alterations could include raising car parking charges and considering more carefully how to target the accessibility of the Park. For the latter, this concerns both the type of activities held and the respective transportation links. The objective of the project was to investigate how Brandon Country Park can operate more effectively. However, it is our belief that these surveys can serve as useful tools for a much wider spectrum of environmental public amenity managers creating some first insights regarding they could perform and take forward key investment and planning decisions.
    Keywords: collective decision-making, local public goods, forest management, environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation
    JEL: D71 H4 Q23 Q26 Q28 Q57
    Date: 2015–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uea:wcbess:15-07&r=all
  43. By: F.Y. Chen; J.H. Liang
    Abstract: Energy depletion and Ecological sustainability are two global-wide issues that most countries seriously concern about, and construction industry takes a big share of energy consumption and ecological damage. Therefore, the promotion of the green building gradually becomes the trend and leads the direction of national policy. The EEWH (Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction, Health),the Taiwanese green building labeling system, was established in 1999. This article exams the price effect of the green label with hedonic regression model in New Taipei City, and the result shows that the building certificated with EEWH gets 8% premium on average. Price premium varies at different levels of labels, and they are 14.3%, 2.7%, 4.8% and 8% for qualified, bronze, silver and gold levels. Low-priced areas have significantly higher premium of 16.8% comparing to the High-priced areas of 4.5%. In terms of space and location, the buildings in CBD obtain lower green premium than those in outskirts. We believe higher premium is seen in low-price outskirt area due to the extra marketing green labels have for these buildings.
    Keywords: Eewh Green Building Labeling System; Green Building; Hedonic Pricing Model; Taiwan
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_45&r=all
  44. By: Yoann Verger (REEDS - REEDS - Centre international de Recherches en Economie écologique, Eco-innovation et ingénierie du Développement Soutenable - UVSQ - Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines)
    Abstract: References to Sraffa and to the neo-Ricardian school is something quite customary in ecological economics. By looking at contributions in this area since the beginning of ecological economics and at contributions on environmental problem from the neo-Ricardian school, we see that a connection between both school still has to be made. This connection should be articulated around the initial aim of Sraffa: to develop a new paradigm, competing against the neoclassical one. Only then it will be possible to develop a real eco-Sraffian approach able to pursue the analysis of the sustainability of the economic system.
    Keywords: Sraffa,neo-Ricardian,ecological economics,value,natural resources,political economy
    Date: 2015–09–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01193070&r=all
  45. By: Adimassu, Zenebe; Langan, Simon; Johnston, Robyn
    Abstract: Although there has been a considerable effort to reduce soil erosion and improve land productivity in Ethiopia, farmers’ investments in SWC remain limited. There is a long and rich tradition of empirical research that seeks to identify the determinants that affect farmers’ investments in SWC practices. Nevertheless, the results regarding these determinants have been inconsistent and scattered. Moreover, the impacts of different SWC practices have not been reviewed and synthesized. Thus, this paper reviews and synthesizes past research in order to dentify determinants that affect farmers’ investments in SWC practices, and to also assess the impact of SWC practices within the framework of ecosystem services, particularly in relation to provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. The review identified several determinants that affect farmers’ investments in SWC practices, which are categorized into two groups: (i) factors that are related to farmers’ capacity to invest in SWC practices, and (ii) farmers’ incentives to invest in such practices. Farmers’ investments in SWC are limited by both the capacity to invest and incentives from their investments related to land improvement. The review also showed that farmers’ capacities to invest in SWC practices and their incentives for making such investments have been influenced by external factors, such as institutional support and policies. This suggests that creating enabling conditions for enhancing farmers’ investment capacities in SWC practices, and increasing their incentives for making such investments, is crucial. The review and synthesis showed that the impact of most SWC practices on provisioning ecosystem services (e.g., crop yield) is negative, which is mainly due to the reduction of effective cultivable area due to soil/stone bunds. However, these practices were very effective in regulating ecosystem services, such as soil erosion control, soil fertility improvement and surface runoff reduction.
    Keywords: Water conservation, Soil conservation, Farmers, Investment, Ecosystem services, Incentives, Erosion, Land productivity, Ethiopia, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iwmicp:208416&r=all
  46. By: P. Castanheira; J. Oliveira
    Abstract: Appraisers often use discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques to value timber and timberland. Land expectation value (LEV) is a standard DCF technique applied to many timberland situations. LEV calculates the value of bare land in perpetual timber production and is often used to value even- aged pine plantations. However, it is also useful in the valuation of immature timber stands and uneven-aged timber stands cut periodically. These models have wide applicability in timberland appraisal situations. LEV as used to estimate the oportunity costs or varoius management regimes for pinnus pinaster forestry in several locations in Portugal. We made modelation to estimate present value of costs and revenues from an infinite series of identical even-aged forest rotations starting from bare land and take a Forest Value (a generalization of LEV): the present value of a property with an existing stand of trees plus the present value of a LEV for all future rotations of timber that will be grown on the property after harvesting the current stand. So we determine when a given stand should be cut; separate the management of the current stand from that of future stands and account for price changes that might occur during the life of the current stand. We will still assume that the rotations and prices associated with the future stands (i.e., the stands that are established after the current stand is cut) will be the same. We show some exemples os land value and timber value for the pinnus pinaster forestry.
    Keywords: Land Expectation Value
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2014–01–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2014_109&r=all
  47. By: S. Huston
    Abstract: Most economic development over the next fifty years is likely to be centred on regional towns. Many of regional conurbations are ill prepared to cope with growth pressures. Others are more geared up for 'smart growth'. Some regional settlements have aspirations to become 'knowledge hubs' to attract investment and generate prestigious local jobs. University status or expansion is one promising regional development catalyst. Urban beautification projects can also help to attract foreign talent or retain local skills and avoid the stigma associated with 'dormitory suburbs' or cultural deserts. However, the metamorphosis of conservative regional market towns into vibrant knowledge Arcadias confronts philosophical, forecasting, institutional, housing and funding constraints. The research outlines the contested urban renewal backdrop and applies an environmental scanning and systems framework to it. In its empirical phase, the research investigates how catalysts, drivers and development constraints manifest at the local level in the case of two expanding regional English conurbations - Hereford and Cirencester.
    Keywords: Environmental Scanning; Knowledge Hubs; Partnerships; Regional Development; Smart Growth
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_42&r=all
  48. By: Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga (IPC-IG); Ana Rosa Soares (IPC-IG); Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira (IPC-IG)
    Abstract: "From 27 April to 22 May 2015 the National Evaluation Capacities (NEC) Community of Practice (COP), with support from the UNDP International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) and the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), promoted an online discussion linked to the upcoming NEC conference in Bangkok, on 'How the 2015 NEC Conference in Bangkok: 'Blending Evaluation Principles with Development Practices' can enhance national evaluation capacities and help to develop and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals'. The following is a series of key ideas shared by participants regarding what the priorities for a Global Evaluation Agenda to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) might be."(…)
    Keywords: Supporting, Sustainable Development Goals, Priorities, Global Evaluation, Agenda
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipc:opager:304&r=all
  49. By: A. Laitala
    Abstract: Nowadays relatively wide body of literature in the field of real estate handles the value of sustainability àand as a part of it, the value of energy efficiency. Most of this literature seems to be focusing on the issues of what kind of green value there possibly exists in the different real estate submarkets. Drivers of the green value have also been discussed and many factors have been argued like energy savings, rent premiums, enhanced brand images and decreased risk level. However, conceptualization of the green value has been discussed less and connection to value theory has been almost slurred. Hereby, questions like how subjective and objective nature of green value can be characterized, how they are interweaved and how subjective value perceptions drive the objective value in the market are paid less attention. Empirical part of the research is focusing on the value perceptions of energy efficiency benefits by different property market actors, like real estate owners and energy efficiency service providers. Opinions of the real estate valuers related to market functioning and regularities in this relation are mapped as well. Also the role of energy efficiency and energy performance certificates in the valuation practice is studied. Focus on the study is on commercial property market but also some notifications related to housing market are done. Research clarifies the elements of green value and decision making criteria for energy efficiency investments. Finally there is an attempt to model how green value in conceptual level have an impact on prices. As a summary paper clarifies the questions of what the green value is, why it is there and what is the impact mechanism on price. Practical implications of the results are related to value engineering highlighting investment analysis and possibly some contributions to enhanced valuation considerations can be provided as well.
    Keywords: Energy Efficiency; Green Value; Real Estate Valuation
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_196&r=all
  50. By: G. Maier; S. Sedlacek; P. Kaufmann
    Abstract: In this paper we assess five years of activity of ÖGNI, the Austrian Green Building Council. About five years ago the organization started off as an activity of two individuals. In the meantime it has developed into an important actor of the Austrian real estate industry. The organization has certified over 100 buildings according to the DGNB system not only in Austria but also in some other European countries. In addition to that it has developed instruments for supporting a transition toward sustainability for the real estate sector and related sectors by taking a more holistic perspective that looks at products, processes and people. After five years of development, ÖGNI can be considered a success story that justifies a closer investigation. The analysis of our paper is based upon information from documents and stakeholders about the historical development of ÖGNI and of sustainable real estate in Austria and upon a survey of members of the organization. The paper will investigate, to what extent and in what respects the five year development of ÖGNI can be considered successful and will identify the main lessons that can be drawn from this example.
    Keywords: Certification; Green Buildings; Organization; Sustainability
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_129&r=all
  51. By: Chan, Gabriel Angelo Sherak; Matus, Kira Jen Mendelsohn; Moon, Suerie; Timmer, Vanessa Joanna; Clark, William C.; Murthy, Sharmila L.; Diaz Anadon, Laura; Harley, Alicia Grace
    Abstract: This workshop report is a summary of themes discussed by five panels during a daylong workshop on “Innovation and Access to Technologies for Sustainable Development: A Global Perspective†at Harvard University on April 24,2014. The workshop brought together a diverse group of scholars to explore how the technological innovation needed for sustainable development can be promoted in ways that assure equitable access in current and future generations. Three key themes that emerged from the workshop include:(1) The central role of power, politics and agency in analyzing technological innovation and sustainable development -an important aspect of this includes the articulation of the roles of actors and organizations within frameworks and models of innovation systems.(2) The importance of focusing both on supply-push and demand-pull mechanisms in innovation scholarship and innovation policy.(3) The need to focus on more innovation scholarship around the goals of sustainable development.
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hrv:hksfac:22404124&r=all
  52. By: Andor, Mark A.; Frondel, Manuel; Schmidt, Christoph M.; Simora, Michael; Sommer, Stephan
    Abstract: Öffentlichkeit und Politik müssen häufig den Eindruck gewinnen, dass Wirtschaftswissenschaftler bei zentralen wirtschaftspolitischen Fragen keine Einigkeit erzielen können. Dies gilt nicht zuletzt für die Umsetzung der Energiewende. Dieser Beitrag nutzt die öff entlich zugänglichen Stellungnahmen einschlägiger Forschungsinstitute, um durch die Identifikation von Bereichen des Konsens und Dissens unter Energieökonomen einen Kontrapunkt zu setzen. Wider Erwarten wird offenbar, dass auf wesentlichen Handlungsfeldern weitgehende Einigkeit besteht und somit klare Handlungsempfehlungen ausgesprochen werden können.
    Keywords: Strommarkt,Fördermodelle,Emissionshandel,Erneuerbare Energien,Verteilungseffekte,Netzausbau
    JEL: Q28 Q40 Q42 Q48 Q58
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwimat:91&r=all
  53. By: Krishna, Vijesh V.; Pascual, Unai; Qaim, Matin
    Abstract: This paper empirically examines the emergence and functioning of land markets and their impacts on deforestation in Sumatra, Indonesia. While the evolution of land markets is expected to promote deforestation activities by rural households, we find no sizeable impact, due to two major reasons. First, land transactions occur in cultural and spatial isolation from forest encroachment. Second, the emergence of speculative land markets, which could accelerate deforestation, is evaded through institutional constraints, primarily weak property rights on land. However, while land markets do not promote deforestation, they also do not deter forestland appropriation, because of ambiguous legal frameworks.
    Keywords: Forest conservation,Indonesia,Land resources,Plantation crops,Property rights,Open access
    JEL: O13 Q12 Q15 Q23 R14
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:crc990:7&r=all
  54. By: M.Mohd Ghaza Rahman
    Abstract: The aim of this paper is attempt to introduce the application of Rasch measurement model analysis to determine the validity and reliability of each construct in the questionnaire. In achieving this objective, a questionnaire survey was developed consists of 6 sections and a total of 106 responses were received from various investors who owned and rent office buildings in Kuala Lumpur. The Rasch Measurement analysis is used to measure the quality control of item constructs in the instrument by measuring the specific objectivity within the same dimension, to reduce ambiguous measures, and a realistic estimation of precision and implicit quality. The Rasch analysis consists of the summary statistics, item unidimensionality and item measures. A result shows the items and respondent (person) reliability is at 0.91 and 0.95 respectively.
    Keywords: Green Office Building Investment; Instrument Constructs; Rasch Measurement Model; Validity And Reliability
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_231&r=all
  55. By: René van den Brink (VU University, the Netherlands); Simin He (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands); Jia-Ping Huang (VU University, the Netherlands)
    Abstract: Polluted rivers are harmful to human, animals and plants living along it. To reduce the harm, cleaning costs are generated. However, when the river passes through several different countries or regions, a relevant question is how should the costs be shared among the agents. Ni and Wang (2007) first consider this problem as cost sharing problems on a river network, shortly called polluted river problems. They consider rivers with one spring which was generalized by Dong, Ni, and Wang (2012) to rivers with multiple springs. They introduce and axiomatize three cost sharing methods: the Local Responsibility Sharing (LRS) method, the Upstream Equal Sharing (UES) method and the Downstream Equal Sharing (DES) method. In this paper, we show that the UES and DES methods can also be obtained as the conjunctive permission value of an associated game with a permission structure, where the permission structure corresponds to the river structure and the game is determined by the cleaning costs. Then, we show that several axiomatizations of the conjunctive permission value also give axiomatizations of the UES and DES methods, of which one is comparable with the one from Dong, Ni, and Wang (2012). Besides, by applying another solution, the disjunctive permission value, to polluted river games with a permission structure we obtain a new cost allocation method for polluted river problems. We axiomatize this solution and compare it with the UES method.
    Keywords: Polluted river; cost sharing; axiomatization; permission values
    JEL: C71 D61 D62
    Date: 2015–09–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20150108&r=all
  56. By: C. Ciora; G. Maier; I. Anghel
    Abstract: The high spread of green building certification across Europe has become more visible with the new projects that have been built in the last five years. Our main research focus is on the location of green buildings within European cities. We argue that green buildings should cluster in a specific distance from the Central Business District (CBD). Taking into consideration the urban development of cities and specific characteristics of the CBD, our aim is to analyze empirically whether or not this hypothesis is supported by data from European cities. We will use publicly available data for various green building certificates (LEED, BREEAM, DGNB) which give addresses or coordinates for certified buildings and will combine this information with GIS-based information for the respective cities. We will use point pattern analysis in order to find spatial clusters of project in the various cities and relate these results to distance from CBD as well as some basic city characteristics.
    Keywords: Green Buildings; Location
    JEL: R3
    Date: 2015–07–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2015_154&r=all
  57. By: Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga (IPC-IG); Ana Rosa Soares (IPC-IG); Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira (IPC-IG)
    Abstract: " Du 27 avril au 22 mai 2015, la Communauté de pratique (COP) sur les Capacités nationales d'évaluation (CNE) a organisé avec le soutien du Centre international de politiques pour la croissance inclusive (IPC-IG) du PNUD et du Bureau indépendant de l'évaluation (BIE) du PNUD une discussion en ligne portant sur la tenue prochaine à Bangkok de la conférence sur les CNE intitulée " Comment la conférence CNE 2015 de Bangkok ('conjuguer les principes de l'évaluation à des pratiques de développement') peut-elle contribuer à renforcer les capacités nationales et à développer et atteindre les Objectifs de développement durable ? ". Les paragraphes suivants exposent une série d'idées clés partagées à cette occasion par les participants." (...)
    Keywords: Objectifs du développement durable, priorités d’un Programme mondial, pour l’évaluation
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipc:opfran:304&r=all
  58. By: Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga (IPC-IG); Ana Rosa Soares (IPC-IG); Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira (IPC-IG)
    Abstract: "Entre el 27 de abril y el 22 de mayo de 2015, la Comunidad de Intercambio de Prácticas (CIP) de Capacidades Nacionales de Evaluación (CNE), con el respaldo del Centro Internacional de Políticas para Crecimiento Inclusivo (IPC-IG) del PNUD y de la Oficina de Evaluación Independiente (OEI), organizó una discusión en línea en torno a la futura conferencia sobre CNE que se celebrará en Bangkok, titulada "Cómo la Conferencia de 2015 sobre CNE de Bangkok, "Combinando principios de evaluación con prácticas de desarrollo", puede mejorar las capacidades nacionales de evaluación y ayudar a desarrollar y alcanzar los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible".
    Keywords: Desarrollo Sostenible, prioridades, Programa Global de Evaluación
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipc:opespa:304&r=all
  59. By: Ariane Cassoli Alvarenga (IPC-IG); Ana Rosa Soares (IPC-IG); Lívia Maria da Costa Nogueira (IPC-IG)
    Abstract: "Entre 27 de abril e 22 de maio de 2015, a Comunidade de Prática (CoP) para promover Capacidades Nacionais de Avaliação (NEC – National Evaluation Capacities) gerenciada pelo Centro Internacional de Políticas para o Crescimento Inclusivo (IPC-IG) e o Escritório de Avaliação Independente do PNUD (IEO), promoveu uma discussão online acerca de "Como a Conferência NEC 2015 em Bangkok: 'Unindo Princípios de Avaliação com Práticas de Desenvolvimento' pode ampliar as capacidades nacionais de avaliação e ajudar a desenvolver e atingir os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável". Seguem as principais ideias compartilhadas pelos participantes a respeito de quais devem ser as prioridades de uma Agenda Mundial de Avaliação em apoio aos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODSs)."(...)
    Keywords: Objetivos, Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Prioridades, Agenda Global de Avaliação
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipc:opport:304&r=all

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