nep-env New Economics Papers
on Environmental Economics
Issue of 2015‒10‒10
43 papers chosen by
Francisco S. Ramos
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

  1. Could climate change affect government expenditures? Early evidence from the Russian regions By Leppänen , Simo; Solanko, Laura; Kosonen, Riitta
  2. Climate action beyond the Paris Accord By Stephane Dion; Eloi Laurent
  3. Nationally Self-Interested Climate Change Mitigation: A Unified Conceptual Framework By Fergus Green
  4. Economic development and multiple air pollutant emissions from the industrial sector By Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke
  5. An Economic Analysis of Climate Change and Wildlife Utilization on Private Land: Evidence from Wildlife Ranching in South Africa By Jackson Otieno and Edwin Muchapondwa
  6. Climate change and the geographical and institutional drivers of economic development By David Castells-Quintana; Maria del Pilar Lopez-Uribe; Tom McDermott
  7. Product level embodied carbon flows in bilateral trade By Misato Sato
  8. On the Social Value of Disclosed Information and Environmental Regulation By Jihad C. Elnaboulsi; W. Daher; Yigit Saglam
  9. Mapping the environmental impacts intensity that is caused from the forest roads network planning based on Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) By Stergios Tampekis; Fani Samara; Stavros Sakellariou; Athanassios Sfougaris; Olga Christopoulou
  10. Techno-Economic Assessment of Four CO2 Storage Sites By Jean-François Gruson; Sylvain Serbutoviez; Florence Delprat-Jannaud; Maxine Akhurst; C. Nielsen; F. Dalhoff; P. Bergmo; C. Bos; Valentina Volpi; S. Iacobellis
  11. Shifting towards Low Carbon Mobility Systems By Aimée Aguilar Jaber; Daniela Glocker
  12. Understanding Policy Change: Multiple-Streams Framework and Climate Change Negotiation By Yangki Suara
  13. Strategic environmental regulation of multiple pollutants By Ambec, Stefan; Coria, Jessica
  14. Should climate policy account for ambiguity? By Geoffrey Heal; Antony Millner
  15. Monetary Carbon Values in Policy Appraisal: An Overview of Current Practice and Key Issues By Stephen Smith; Nils Axel Braathen
  16. Reforming UK energy policy to live within its means By David Newbery
  17. Solving the clinker dilemma with hybrid output-based allocation By Frédéric Branger; Misato Sato
  18. Gender Differences in Climate Change Risk, Food Security and Adaptation: A Study of Rural Households’ Reliance on Agriculture and Natural Resources to Sustain Livelihoods By B. Tibesigwa, M. Visser, L. Hunter, M. Collinson and W. Twine
  19. In the Context of Energy Policy on Turkey; Evaluation of Environmental Impact of Hydroelectric Power Plants (HPP) By METIN DEMIR; MEHMET GUVEN
  20. Impact of touristic activities on environment and need's of sustainable tourism development. Shaqlawa City / study area By AZAD KAKASHEKH
  21. Change leadership styles and qualities necessary to drive environmental sustainability in South Africa By Sandra Perks; Jode May
  22. Environmental investment and firm performance: A network approach By Bostian, Moriah; Färe, Rolf; Grosskopf, Shawna; Lundgren, Tommy
  23. A minilateral solution for global climate change? On bargaining efficiency, club benefits and international legitimacy By Robert Falkner
  24. Environmental Disasters and Migration By Mbaye, Linguère Mously; Zimmermann, Klaus F.
  25. Does Environmental Connotation Affect Coordination Issues in Experimental Stag Hunt Game? By Dimitri Dubois; Mathieu Desole; Stefano Farolfi; Mabel Tidball; Annie Hofstetter
  26. The Long-Run Impact of Biofuel on Food Prices By Ujjayant Chakravorty; Marie-Hélène Hubert; Michel Moreaux; Linda Nostbakken
  27. Vulnerability to climatic variability: An assessment of drought prevalence on water resources availability and implications for the Ugandan economy By Nicholas Kilimani
  28. Decarbonizing electricity generation with intermittent sources of energy By Ambec, Stefan; Crampes, Claude
  29. Shipping Emissions in Ports By Olaf Merk
  30. Some implications of environmental regulation on social welfare under learning-by-doing of eco-products By Koji Kotani; Makoto Kakinaka
  31. Protection of soil and water resources in Mediterranean small islands: a Greek case By Olga Christopoulou; Stavros Sakellariou; Stergios Tampekis; Fani Samara; Athanassios Sfougaris; Aristotelis - Kosmas Doukas; Dirk Jaeger; Anastasia Stergiadou; Vassilios Giannoulas
  32. Reconnection Strategies of Physical Landscape: A Case Study in the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture By Shahida Mohd Sharif; Izyan Ayuni Mohamad Selamat; Siti Nurulhidayah Zakaria
  33. Beliefs, politics, and environmental policy By Antony Millner; Hélène Ollivier
  34. An Integration of Sustainable Design Strategies and Environmental Stewardship to Landscape Development Plan for the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture By Izyan Ayuni Mohamad Selamat; Shahida Mohd Sharif
  35. The Abnormal Returns of Corporate Environmental Initiatives in China: A Customer Awareness Perspective By Hugo Lam; Andy Yeung
  36. International Freight and Related CO2 Emissions by 2050: A New Modelling Tool By Luis Martinez; Jari Kauppila; Marie Castaing Gachassin
  37. Visual Quality Assessment in Landscape Architecture By Ahmet Tu Polat
  38. A review of the economics of adaptation and climate-resilient development By Paul Watkiss
  39. Targeted opportunities to address the climate-trade dilemma in China By Zhu Liu; Steven J. Davis; Kuishuang Feng; Klaus Hubacek; Sai Liang; Anadon, Laura Diaz; Bin Chen; Liu, Jingru; Yan, Jinyue; Dabo Guan
  40. ID-RECCO, A new collaborative work tool to improve knowledge on redd+ projects: sources, methodology and data. By Gabriela Simonet; Coline Seyller
  41. Comment répartir le budget carbone a la COP 21 ? By Eloi Laurent
  42. Should historic sites protection be targeted at the most famous? Evidence from a contingent valuation in Scotland. By Laure Kuhfuss; Nick Hanley; Russell Whyte
  43. Agir pour le climat après l'accord de Paris By Stephane Dion; Eloi Laurent

  1. By: Leppänen , Simo (BOFIT); Solanko, Laura (BOFIT); Kosonen, Riitta (BOFIT)
    Abstract: This paper explores the implications of climate change for government expenditures. Using a rich sub-national dataset for Russia covering 1995–2009, we estimate the impacts of changes in climatic conditions through short-term variation and medium-term changes in average regional temperatures and precipitation. We show a strong and robust negative (but non-linear) relation between regional budget expenditures and population-weighted temperature. The results indicate that an increase in temperature results in a decrease in public expenditures and that the magnitude of this effect diminishes the warmer the region. Further, our results suggest that the benefits from warming accumulate and that adaptation measures could help leverage those benefits. The estimated decreases in regional government expenditure are, however, quite small. It should be noted that our results are estimated for a scenario of mild temperature increase (1–2 °C). Larger temperature increases are likely to have dramatic consequences e.g. from loss of permafrost and methane release that are impossible to predict with available historical data.
    Keywords: climate change; public expenditures; adaptation; non-linearity; Russia
    JEL: C50 H72 P20 Q54 Q58 R59
    Date: 2015–09–22
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:bofitp:2015_027&r=all
  2. By: Stephane Dion; Eloi Laurent (OFCE)
    Abstract: in this paper we propose to shift climate negotiations from the current logic of quantity to a logic of price. Our proposal brings together the logic of science-based efficiency and the logic of ethics-based justice. A carbon budget set to the two-degree limit leads to the establishment of a differentiated trajectory of gradually converging global pricing of carbon, each country freely determining the mix of instruments used to raise its price. Furthermore, our carbon price system addresses inequalities between countries (through modulations and compensations) and inequalities within countries (accelerating adaptation of financing)
    Keywords: COP 21; Climate negotitions; carbon price; climate justice
    JEL: Q48 Q54 Q01
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/1m02m1aha29ov8ujggmj30mtfj&r=all
  3. By: Fergus Green
    Abstract: It has long been assumed that international cooperation on climate change has been slow because it is not in the interest of individual countries to act. This is based on the belief that climate change mitigation actions are net-costly for an individual state, despite the global, long-term benefit of avoiding dangerous climate change. Following this logic, individual countries all have the incentive to ‘free-ride’ on the efforts of others. This “individually rational†behaviour would result in climate change mitigation that is “collectively insufficient†to avoid dangerous climate change. However, this view is increasingly being challenged by theory and evidence. Recent research has suggested that much climate change mitigation action would actually be in states’ self-interest. This paper brings together that research into a single, coherent framework. It argues that there is a strong case that most of the emission reductions needed to avoid dangerous climate change can be achieved in ways that result in national economic benefits that outweigh the costs, even before climate-related benefits are taken into account.
    Date: 2015–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp199&r=all
  4. By: Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke
    Abstract: This study analyzed the relationship between economic growth and emissions of eight environmental air pollutants (CO2, CH4, N2O, NOx, SOx, CO, NMVOC, and NH3) in 39 countries from 1995 to 2009. We tested an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for 16 individual industry sectors and for the total industrial sector. The results clarified that at least ten individual industries do not have an EKC relationship in eight air pollutants even though this relationship was observed in the country and total industrial sector level data. We found that the key industries that dictated the EKC relationship in the country and the total industrial sector are existed in CO2, N2O, CO, and NMVOC emissions. Finally, the EKC turning point and the relationship between economic development and trends of air pollutant emissions differ among industries according to the pollution substances. These results suggest inducing new environmental policy design such as the sectoral crediting mechanism, which focuses on the industrial characteristics of emissions.
    Keywords: environmental Kuznets curve, air pollution, industrial sector, key industry, sectoral crediting mechanism, industrial characteristics
    JEL: L60 Q53 Q56
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:67027&r=all
  5. By: Jackson Otieno and Edwin Muchapondwa
    Abstract: Wildlife ranching is emerging as a new frontier for wildlife conservation and alternative land use to agriculture in Southern Africa marginal areas. But wildlife sector also faces climate related challenges. In this study, we investigated the effects of climate change on the revenues of wildlife ranchers in South Africa. This paper applied a median Ricardian modelling on net farm revenues using a sample of 506 wildlife ranches drawn from the latest version (2007) of Census of Commercial Agriculture data for South Africa. In order to predict the impact of climate change in future, the paper used three Atmospheric-Oceanic Global Circulation, which includes CSIRO2, Parallel Circulation Model, and Hadley Centre Coupled model, which have been used for South African agriculture modelling. The study confirms that current climate affects the net revenues of wildlife ranches across South Africa especially in cases where small scale wildlife ranches are involved. For example towards 2050, climate change could reduce net revenues from wildlife by up to 28 percent. In certain regions the models predict modest gains on revenues towards 2100. Revenues of specialized wildlife ranches would be more affected in the long run when compared to ranches that practice mixed wildlife and livestock ranching.
    Keywords: Wildlife Ranching; Climate change; Ricardian
    JEL: Q50 Q54 Q57 Q15
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rza:wpaper:553&r=all
  6. By: David Castells-Quintana; Maria del Pilar Lopez-Uribe; Tom McDermott
    Abstract: The links between climate change, economic development and poverty reduction have gained increasing attention over recent years in both the academic and policy literature. In this paper we review potential effects of climate change on the prospects for long-run economic development. These effects might operate directly, via the role of geography (including climate) as a fundamental determinant of relative prosperity, or indirectly by modifying the environmental context in which political and economic institutions evolve. In this regard, we consider potential mechanisms from climate change to long-run economic development that have been relatively neglected to date, including, for instance, effects on the distribution of income and power. We focus in particular on the effects in low-income, semi-arid countries, as they are anticipated to suffer disproportionately the most negative effects of climate change. They also tend to have relatively weak economic and political institutions, constraining their ability to cope with climate variability and shocks. Our review suggests that there are a potentially important set of dynamic interactions and feedback loops between institutions, climate (impacts and vulnerability) and development, which to date have been understudied. Understanding both the direct as well as the indirect effects of climate change is not only fundamental for the design of mitigation and adaptation strategies; whether by addressing the direct impacts of geographical factors, or by addressing their indirect effects on the socio-political environment, mitigation and adaptation strategies are also fundamental as key elements of broader development strategies. Moreover, as climate shocks disproportionally affect the poor, addressing climate-related risks is also a sound strategy in terms of addressing inequality and poverty reduction.
    Date: 2015–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp198&r=all
  7. By: Misato Sato
    Abstract: As increasingly complex modelling approaches to quantifying embodied carbon in trade have become popular, the lack of disaggregation has been identified as a key weakness. This paper quantifies embodied carbon in bilateral trade at the product level. This is done using the material balance approach, by collecting product carbon intensity factors from multiple data sources and combining with bilateral trade data in physical quantities. The dataset covers trades between 195 countries for 1080 products in 2006. The detailed mapping of trade embodied carbon provides detailed insights into the nature of the flows that were previously masked or under-reported. For example, it finds that the lion's share of global trade embodied emissions are concentrated in a relatively small number of product categories of traded goods, suggesting that focusing mitigation efforts and trade-measures on these products would be an effective strategy to address potential carbon leakage, and to decarbonise international supply chains. The results also highlight that embodied carbon is focused in regional trade, thus regional harmonisation of climate mitigation policy will be effective in mitigating leakage.
    Keywords: embodied carbon; International trade; carbon intensity; material balance approach
    JEL: N0
    Date: 2014–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:57232&r=all
  8. By: Jihad C. Elnaboulsi (CRESE, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté); W. Daher (Gulf University for Science and Technology, Department of Mathematics and Natural Science); Yigit Saglam (Victoria University of Wellington, School of Economics and Finance)
    Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of environmental policy in imperfectly competitive market with private information. We examine how environmental taxes should be optimally levied when the regulator faces asymmetric information about production and abatement costs in an irreversible observable policy commitment game. Under our setting, the paper investigates how information disclosure can improve the efficiency of the tax setting process and may o¤er an e¢ cient complement to conventional regulatory approaches. From a policy perspective, our ?ndings suggest that access to publicly disclosed information improves the ability of the regulator to levy ?rms? speci?c environmental taxes. Despite its advantages, however, informational disclosure may harm the environmental policy it purports to enhance since it facilitates collusive behavior. We show that information sharing may occur and thus leads to a superior outcome in terms of industry output and emissions. Disclosure may undermine market performance and environmental policy.
    Keywords: Environmental Regulation, Emissions Taxes, Collusion, Disclosed Information, Private Information, Information Sharing.
    JEL: D81 D82 H23 L51 Q58
    Date: 2015–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crb:wpaper:2015-14&r=all
  9. By: Stergios Tampekis (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Fani Samara (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Stavros Sakellariou (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Athanassios Sfougaris (Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly); Olga Christopoulou (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly)
    Abstract: Sustainable management of forest resources can only be achieved through a well-organized road network compatible with the natural environment. This paper describes a method for forest road network planning and the environmental impact assessment based on Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) at the Island of Thassos, Greece. Data analysis and its presentation are achieved through a spatial decision support system using multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) with the contribution of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In this paper we present the assessment of: the forest’s opening up percentage, the forest road density, the applied skidding means (with either the use of tractors or the cable logging systems in wood skidding), the timber skidding direction, the traffic load and truck type, the distance between forest roads and streams, the distance between forest roads and the forest boundaries and if the forest roads come through unstable soils. With the assessment of the above factors we can evaluate the intensity of forest roads’ environmental impacts. The Multi-Criteria Evaluation which is recommended and described at this study provides a powerful and easy to use implement in order to combine cartographic models and other image data and to define solutions to unstructured, as well as semi-structured, problems. It can also be used in order to minimize and evaluate the environmental impacts of forest roads planning.
    Keywords: forest road network planning, environmental impact assessment, spatial multi-criteria evaluation, GIS
    JEL: Q01 Q23 Q56
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805248&r=all
  10. By: Jean-François Gruson (IFPEN - IFP Energies Nouvelles - IFP Energies Nouvelles); Sylvain Serbutoviez (IFPEN - IFP Energies Nouvelles - IFP Energies Nouvelles); Florence Delprat-Jannaud (IFPEN - IFP Energies Nouvelles - IFP Energies Nouvelles); Maxine Akhurst (BGS - British Geological Survey - BGS); C. Nielsen (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) - Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS)); F. Dalhoff (Vattenfall); P. Bergmo (SINTEF); C. Bos (TNO [Pays-Bas] - TNO); Valentina Volpi (OGS - Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica sperimentale - OGS); S. Iacobellis (ENEL)
    Abstract: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) should be a key technology in order to achieve a decline in the CO2 emissions intensity of the power sector and other intensive industry, but this potential deployment could be restricted by cost issues as the International Energy Agency (IEA) in their last projections (World Energy Outlook 2013) has considered only around 1% of global fossil fuel-fired power plants could be equipped with CCS by 2035. The SiteChar project funded by 7th Framework Programme of European Commission gives the opportunity to evaluate the most influential parameters of techno-economic evaluations of four feasible European projects for CO2 geological storage located onshore and offshore and related to aquifer storage or oil and gas reservoirs, at different stages of characterization. Four potential CO2 storage sites have been assessed in terms of storage costs per tonne of CO2 permanently stored (equivalent cost based). They are located offshore UK, onshore Denmark, offshore Norway and offshore Italy. The four SiteChar techno-economic evaluations confirm it is not possible to derive any meaningful average cost for a CO2 storage site. The results demonstrate that the structure of costs for a project is heterogeneous and the storage cost is consequently site dependent. The strategy of the site development is fundamental, the technical choices such as the timing, rate and duration of injection are also important. The way monitoring is managed, using observation wells and logging has a strong impact on the estimated monitoring costs. Options to lower monitoring costs, such as permanent surveys, exist and should be further investigated. Table 1 below summarizes the cost range in Euro per tonne (Discount Rate (DR) at 8%) for the different sites, which illustrates the various orders of magnitude due to the specificities of each site. These figures have how to be considered with care. In particular the Italian and Norwegian sites present very specific features that explain the high estimated costs. For the Italian site, the short duration of CO2 injection associated with a low injection rate makes the CO2 project comparable to a demo project. The Norwegian site is an offshore site located in a virgin area with high infrastructure costs and a combination of injection duration and injection rate that makes the derived costs very sensitive to the discount rate. The results for both UK and Danish sites confirm therefore the value range calculated by the European Technology Platform for Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants (ZEP). The main uncertainties in the costs are linked both to the choice of economic parameters (e.g. injected quantities, contingencies) and to the technical choice of operations. This has been studied by sensitivity analyses: for example, if an injection rate is halved and the injection duration is doubled, the Equivalent Storage Cost (ESC) increases by 23% (UK case at 8% DR). Introducing a water production well and water treatment facilities also increases the ESC by 23%, at least on an onshore site. Techno-economic assessments were basically carried out using an 8% discount rate. For projects of long lifetime such a rate severely discounts the late cash flow, especially after 40 years, so that a discount rate of around 4% more in logic of public investment. Compared to other studies, it has to be noted that the scope of the SiteChar analysis does not consider compression and pumping cost, nor transportation cost. This simplifies the techno-economic evaluation but it may not adequately reflect the specific conditions of the individual developments and, hence, distort the comparison between different cases. Lastly, techno-economic evaluation poses questions to policy makers about the real lifetime of a CO2 storage project: what should be the abandon phase and the associated cost and what is the real value of the liability transfer after 20 years of storage? This issue is still an open question, which has been addressed in SiteChar assuming the same approach as ZEP (2011). To counterbalance these CO2 storage costs, policy makers have to set up incentives, either through ETS (Emission Trading System) credits, tax credits or public funding. To improve the commerciality of CCS, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) should be taken into account in the regulation of CCS, as it is one of the rare sources for revenue from a commodity with a real market value. CO2 storage in a saline aquifer close to oil and gas fields could also be considered as a source for CO2 EOR.
    Keywords: Techno-economic assessments,CO2 injection,Well monitoring,CCS,Carbon capture and storage,Site evaluation,CO2 Emissions,Cost evaluation,Lifetime of a CO2 storage project
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01206229&r=all
  11. By: Aimée Aguilar Jaber; Daniela Glocker
    Abstract: Private motorised vehicles account today for 90% of total surface transport1 CO2 emissions. Car fleets are growing rapidly in many cities in the developing world, where population and income growth will be concentrated in the coming decades. For example, whilst urban agglomerations with more than 500 000 inhabitants in Latin America, India and China currently account for only about 9% of total global CO2 emissions from motorised passenger surface transport, this share is likely to grow to 20% in the next 40 years. This means that 40% of the total global growth in CO2 emissions related to surface passenger transport will be generated in these cities (ITF, 2015).
    Date: 2015–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2015/17-en&r=all
  12. By: Yangki Suara (King's College London)
    Abstract: John Kingdon’s introduced “multiple streams framework” to explain the agenda-setting process in the context of public policy. This paper employ Kingdon’s multiple streams model to explain the climate change negotiation led by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC is clearly fitted with the criteria of an organised anarchy; unclear organisation processes, unclear preferences, and fluid participants. This paper presents an analysis of Kingdon’s three streams; problems streams, policies streams, and politics streams. A special emphasis is given to policy entrepreneurs who play a vital role over the last decade linking the solutions and problems in the global climate change conferences (policy window) and inviting head of states to attend and deliver their speech in the conferences. This paper also criticise Kingdon’s assumption on the relationship between these three streams.
    Keywords: climate change, agenda setting, multiple streams framework
    JEL: Q58 H41
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2804656&r=all
  13. By: Ambec, Stefan; Coria, Jessica
    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 different 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 efficiency 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.
    Keywords: Environmental regulation, multiple-pollutants, policy spillovers, emission tax, emission standard, emissions trading
    JEL: D62 Q50 Q53 Q54 Q58
    Date: 2015–09–21
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:29798&r=all
  14. By: Geoffrey Heal; Antony Millner
    Abstract: Climate change is fundamentally an `out-of-sample’ problem – our available information does not tightly constrain predictions of the consequences of rapid increases in greenhouse gas concentrations. Moreover, the fact that we haven’t observed much warming up to the present makes it very diffcult to validate scientifc and economic models of the medium to long-run consequences of climate change. We have many models, each based on roughly plausible assumptions about the dynamics of the climate-economy system, but we do not have confidence in our ability to select between them. Traditional approaches to decision under uncertainty do not permit a decision maker’s confidence in her information set to influence her choices. They require us to combine probability distributions from different models into a single summary distribution, even if we are not confident of our ability to discern which model captures reality best. Since all probabilities are created equal in this framework, this summary distribution is treated the same as a distribution that arises from a single well validated model. The decision framework forces us to make subjective probability judgments, but decision makers do not distinguish them from probabilities derived by constraining models with data. We suggest that approaches to decision under uncertainty that allow us to work with probabilities of different quality without combining them into a summary distribution may provide an attractive set of tools for analysis of climate policies. We set out the conceptual arguments for a departure from expected utility theory, give examples of alternative approaches to decision making under uncertainty, and discuss several common objections to them. We then suggest practical applications of these tools to integrated assessment models of climate policy, and investigate what difference they might make to policy recommendations.
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp202&r=all
  15. By: Stephen Smith; Nils Axel Braathen
    Abstract: Cost-benefit analyses and other quantitative appraisals are used in many countries to support decision-making in different areas of public policy, including many investment projects in sectors such as transport and energy. These decisions can have significant effects – either negative or positive – on future emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and it is important whether, and how, countries incorporate estimates of the marginal value of changes in carbon dioxide emissions into these analyses. This paper discusses the range of approaches which can be employed to value changes in carbon emissions in policy appraisals, setting out the key issues in the choice of valuation principles, and presents some case studies and a survey of current practice in OECD countries.<BR>Les analyses coûts-avantages et d’autres évaluations quantitatives sont utilisées dans de nombreux pays pour étayer la prise de décisions dans différents domaines d’action publique, par exemple dans nombre de projets d’investissement dans les transports ou l’énergie. Ce sont des décisions qui peuvent avoir une influence notable –défavorable ou favorable – sur les émissions futures de dioxyde de carbone et d’autres gaz à effet de serre, c’est pourquoi il importe de savoir si des pays introduisent dans ces analyses des estimations de la valeur marginale des variations des émissions de dioxyde de carbone et comment ils procèdent à cet effet. Ce rapport examine les différentes approches possibles pour attacher des valeurs aux variations des émissions de carbone dans le cadre de l’évaluation des politiques, en signalant les grands problèmes que pose le choix des principes d’évaluation, et il présente quelques études de cas ainsi qu’une enquête sur les pratiques actuelles en la matière dans les pays de l’OCDE.
    Keywords: cost-benefit analysis, climate change policy, évaluation des politiques, analyse coûts-avantages
    JEL: H43 Q51 Q54 Q58
    Date: 2015–09–23
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:envaaa:92-en&r=all
  16. By: David Newbery
    Abstract: Abstract The present pattern of taxation, charging, and providing support has accumulated over time in a haphazard way without the kind of strategic thinking that a long-term economic plan requires. This note sets out the sound economic and public finance principles that could guide the reform of energy taxes and supports primarily in the electricity sector. It argues for ending the RO and Feed-in Tariff schemes and replacing them by demonstrably successful CfD auctions which have dramatically lowered the cost of financing renewables. It argues for a state development bank to leverage cheap finance for low-carbon investments, reforming the form of the contracts, replacing the current alphabet soup of charges by the strandard rate of VAT on all energy and instead funding climate change policies from general taxation, thus exempting the productive sector from distortive charges, and allowing the Carbon Price Support to resume its trajectory, restoring fiscal sanity and balance. Ending all support for the cheapest renewable electricity (on-shore wind) makes no sense and it would be better to have a single auction for all renewables that create learning benefits – which would rule out any subsidies to tidal lagoons
    Keywords: Energy policy, renewables, support schemes, taxes
    JEL: H2 H41 Q42 Q48 Q54
    Date: 2015–09–14
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cam:camdae:1526&r=all
  17. By: Frédéric Branger; Misato Sato
    Abstract: This paper proposes an innovative solution to distribute free allowances to the cement sector under emissions trading systems, called hybrid output-based allocation (OBA). We demonstrate that unlike many of the allocation methods currently being used, our design provides incentives which are aligned with the mitigation options available to this sector in the short to medium term. Specifically, it increases the incentive to improve the carbon intensity of clinker production; reduces the incentive to import clinker to avoid carbon costs; increases the incentive to use more low-carbon clinker alternatives to produce cement; and finally it reduces excess allocation and reduces incentives to inflate production volumes to obtain more free allowances. The hybrid OBA does not, however, provide incentives to reduce the consumption of cement or to bring about break-through technologies, hence should be considered as a mid-term solution to aid the decarbonization of the cement sector in conjunction with other support mechanisms.
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp201&r=all
  18. By: B. Tibesigwa, M. Visser, L. Hunter, M. Collinson and W. Twine
    Abstract: Climate and weather variability in sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately leave female-headed households food insecure. However, the extent and reasons for these gender differences are, thus far, not well understood. This study examines gender-food-climate connections using longitudinal data from rural households in north-eastern South Africa. Results confirm gender distinctions in that male-headed households are more food secure. Importantly, however, female-headed households are not a homogenous group. Participation in agriculture and utilisation of natural resources narrows the male-female consumption gap to 10.3% amongst de jure female-headed households – those with female heads who are single, widowed, divorced, or separated. Yet, these land-based practices are associated with a greater male-female gap (27.4%) amongst de facto female-headed households – married female heads who are married, but whose husbands are away. Further, and contrary to expectation, weather-related crop failure threatens food security in both male- and female-headed households, but less so amongst de facto female-headed households, who remain more dependent on remittances.
    Keywords: Gender; climate change; subsistence farming; natural resources; food security; adaptation; livelihoods
    JEL: Q12 Q18 Q54
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rza:wpaper:545&r=all
  19. By: METIN DEMIR (Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Atatürk University); MEHMET GUVEN (Aegean Forestry Research Institute, Forest Ecology and Soil Department)
    Abstract: The way to become a powerful state in today’s world passes through having a robust economy and using of underground-overground resources efficient. In parallel with rapid population growth, urbanization and socio-economic development, need for electric energy of Turkey increases rapidly. Increasing of electricity need causes the growing importance of Hydroelectric Power Plants (HPP) in terms of being renewable and cheap.In the study, impacts of Hydroelectric power plants, which are brought state policy into overcoming energy deficit in Turkey, on flora and fauna,socio-economic structure and climate have been discussed. In addition, following the legal operation process of HPP, hydroelectric energy policy in Turkey has been examined HPP in private
    Keywords: Energy policy, Renewable energy, Hydroelectric power plant (HPP), Turkey
    JEL: Q25
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2804824&r=all
  20. By: AZAD KAKASHEKH (Salahaddin University – Erbil / Colleg of Art -Geography Department)
    Abstract: The role of sustainable tourism development to treatment environmental problems caused by tourist activity. Shaqlawa City / study areaThis study aims to:1 - Clarifying the role of sustainable tourism development to treatment environmental problems caused by tourist activity in general.2 - To clarify the role that sustainable tourism development can play to treating the environmental problems caused by tourist activity in the city (Shaqlawa).The foregoing, the paoer will take care of these following points:1 - Definition of sustainable tourism development.2 - Definition of tourism activities and environmental problems resulting from it.3 - Clarifying the role of sustainable tourism development to treatment environmental problems caused by tourist activity.4 - Definition of tourist activity in the city (Shaqlawa) and environmental problems resulting from it.5 - Clarify the role of sustainable tourism development to treating environmental problems caused by tourist activity in the city (Shaqlawa).
    Keywords: sustainable development, environmental problems, tourist activity, Shaqlawa
    JEL: Q56 Q56 Q56
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2804923&r=all
  21. By: Sandra Perks (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University); Jode May (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University)
    Abstract: Purpose of the study: The purpose of this paper was to investigate who should and can act as change leaders in South Africa to affect environmental sustainability. Research design and methodology: A qualitative research paradigm was used, in particular an exploratory and descriptive approach where the aim was to identify who should and can act as change leaders, and to describe their leadership styles and qualities necessary to increase organisational environmental sustainability. Purposive and snowball sampling was utilised. The criteria for inclusion in the sample required that the environmental sustainability leaders interviewed were on a senior environmental management level and actively involved in environmental sustainability issues in the workplace. A final sample of 13 leaders from different sectors, in both the private and public sectors in three provinces; Gauteng, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape in South Africa, were obtained. Data was collected by conducting face-to-face, email and telephonic interviews and analysed using content analysis and the constant comparison method. Trustworthiness was ensured as the participants were identified through an Internet search and their positions in the organisation could be confirmed on their website. Their environmental sustainability actions were outlined in their annual reports on their websites.Research findings: Most participants chose well-known leadership styles associated with change such as visionary, transformational or charismatic. Change leadership qualities could be related to the personality traits of the participants, relationship- or entrepreneurial orientated. No conclusive evidence was found whether females are a better choice in driving organisational environmental sustainability. Research limitations: The sample was only limited to large South African companies, which are obliged to report on their environmental sustainability actions. Other business forms and smaller organisations were not included in the sample as most of these organisations do not have to report on environmental sustainability actions. Practical implications: When choosing leaders to drive environmental sustainability, leaders that display a change leadership style should be chosen. The change leaders chosen to drive environmental sustainability, should have the desired personality traits, be relationship and entrepreneurial orientated, so to obtain commitment from subordinates. Contribution of paper: This paper contributes towards the body of knowledge with regards to which leadership qualities and styles could be utilised if organisations wish to implement environmental sustainability actions in South Africa or any other country for that matter.
    Keywords: Change leadership; environmental sustainability; Leadership qualities; Leadership stylea
    JEL: Q56
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805129&r=all
  22. By: Bostian, Moriah (Lewis & Clark College); Färe, Rolf (Oregon State University); Grosskopf, Shawna (Oregon State University and CERE); Lundgren, Tommy (CERE)
    Abstract: This study examines the role of investment in environmental production practices for both environmental performance and energy efficiency over time. We employ a network DEA approach that links successive production technologies through intertemporal investment decisions with a period by period estimation. This allows us to estimate energy efficiency and environmental performance separately, as well as productivity change and its associated decompositions into efficiency change and technology change. Incorporating a network model also allows us to account for both short-term environmental management practices and long-term environmental investments in each of our productivity measures. We apply this framework to a panel of detailed plant-level production data for Swedish manufacturing firms covering the years 2002 - 2008.
    Keywords: Energy Efficiency; Environmental Performance; Network DEA; Malmquist Index; Investment
    JEL: D22 D24 M14
    Date: 2015–09–19
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:slucer:2015_010&r=all
  23. By: Robert Falkner
    Abstract: Gridlock in the multilateral climate negotiations has created growing scholarly and practical interest in the use of minilateral forums. A large variety of climate club proposals have been developed in recent years, which promise more effective bargaining among the main climate powers, better incentives to encourage mitigation efforts and discourage free-riding, and new ways to align international power asymmetries with the interests of the global climate regime. This paper investigates the three dominant rationales that underpin minilateralist proposals. It offers a critical review of the their potential as well as limitations in promoting global climate action. It argues that minilateralism is unlikely to overcome the structural barriers to a comprehensive and ambitious international climate agreement. However, climate clubs can enhance political dialogue in the context multilateral negotiations and provide a more conducive environment for great power bargaining. They can create club benefits that strengthen mitigation strategies by so-called coalitions of the willing and help reduce the dangers of free-riding. And they can help re-legitimate the global climate regime against the background of profound power shifts that have slowed down progress in the multilateral negotiations.
    Date: 2015–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp197&r=all
  24. By: Mbaye, Linguère Mously (African Development Bank); Zimmermann, Klaus F. (IZA and University of Bonn)
    Abstract: This paper reviews the effect of environmental disasters on migration. Although there is an increase of environmental disasters and migration over the past years, the relationship is complex. While some authors find that environmental disasters increase migration, others show that they have only a marginal or no effect or are even negative. Migration appears to be an insurance mechanism against environmental shocks. Remittances help to decrease households' vulnerability to shocks but also dampen their adverse effects. Finally, we discuss policy implications and future research avenues.
    Keywords: environmental shocks, forced migration, remittances, migration as insurance, floods, earthquakes, droughts
    JEL: J61 O15 Q54 Q56
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9349&r=all
  25. By: Dimitri Dubois; Mathieu Desole; Stefano Farolfi; Mabel Tidball; Annie Hofstetter
    Abstract: We introduce illustration identifying environmental degradation or improvement into a 2x2 coordination game with two pareto-ranked equilibria. Our contribution focuses on the environmental nature of the information provided through the illustrations, and its effects on possible pro-environmental behaviour. Our findings have some important consequences in terms of public policies. Incentives based on sensitization campaigns for environmental issues can be an alternative to economic instruments for environmental management.
    Date: 2015–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lam:wpaper:15-12&r=all
  26. By: Ujjayant Chakravorty (Department of Economics, Tufts University (TSE, CESifo)); Marie-Hélène Hubert (CREM, Department of Economics, University of Rennes 1); Michel Moreaux (Toulouse School of Economics (IDEI, LERNA)); Linda Nostbakken (Department of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics)
    Abstract: More than 40% of US corn is now used to produce biofuels, which are used as substitutes for gasoline in transportation. Biofuels have been blamed universally for past increases in world food prices, and many studies have shown that these energy mandates in the US and EU may have a large (30-60%) impact on food prices. In this paper, we use a partial equilibrium framework to show that demand-side effects – in the form of population growth and income-driven preferences for meat and dairy products rather than cereals – may play as much of a role in raising food prices as biofuel policy. By specifying a Ricardian model with differential land quality, we find that a significant amount of new land will be converted to farming, which is likely to cause a modest increase in food prices. However, biofuels may increase aggregate world carbon emissions, due to leakage from lower oil prices and conversion of pasture and forest land for farming.
    Keywords: Clean Energy, Food Demand, Land Quality, Renewable Fuel Standards, Transportation
    JEL: Q24 Q32 Q42
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fae:wpaper:2015.16&r=all
  27. By: Nicholas Kilimani
    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
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rza:wpaper:542&r=all
  28. By: Ambec, Stefan; Crampes, Claude
    Abstract: We examine the impact of public policies that aim to decarbonate electricity production by replacing fossil fuel energy by intermittent renewable sources, namely wind and solar power. We consider a model of energy investment and production with two sources of energy: one is clean but intermittent (e.g. wind), whereas the other one is reliable but polluting (e.g. coal). A carbon tax decreases electricity production while simultaneously increasing investment in wind power. This tax may however increase total capacity because the retailing price of electricity does not depend on energy availability, which means that windmill capacity must be backed-up by thermal power plants. Feed-in tariffs and renewable portfolio standards enhance investment into intermittent sources of energy. However, both are likely to boost electricity production beyond the efficient level, in which case they must be complemented with a tax on electricity consumption. We also determine the social value of two technologies to accommodate intermittency: energy storage and smart meters. Lastly, we consider the case of a monopoly thermal power producer. The entry of a competitive fringe of wind power producers makes the thermal power producer reduce further its production capacity, which increases the electricity price.
    Keywords: Electricity, Intermittency, Tax, Feed-in-Tariff, Renewable Energy, Pollution
    JEL: D24 D61 Q41 Q42 Q48
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:29799&r=all
  29. By: Olaf Merk
    Abstract: Shipping could – in one way - be considered a relatively clean transport mode. This is particularly the case if one takes the angle of emissions per tonne-kilometre. Typical ranges of CO2 efficiencies of ships are between 0 and 60 grams per tonne-kilometre, this range is 20-120 for rail transport and 80-180 for road transport (IMO 2009). There is considerable variety between vessel types and CO2 efficiency generally increases with vessel size; e.g. CO2 emissions per tonne-km (in grams per year) for a container feeder ship (with capacity up to 500 TEU) were 31.6, three times higher than the emissions for Post Panamax container ships, with a capacity larger than 4,400 TEU (Psaraftis and Kontovas, 2008). This difference is even larger for dry bulk ships, with a difference of more than a factor 10 between the smallest vessels (up to 5000 dwt) and capsize vessels (> 120,000 dwt).
    Date: 2014–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2014/20-en&r=all
  30. By: Koji Kotani (School of Economics and Management, Kochi University of Technology); Makoto Kakinaka (International University of Japan)
    Abstract: This paper examines the significance of environmental regulation in an economy where an eco-product supplied by a single producer is differentiated from a conventional product generating negative externalities. We develop two types of the model: one is a static model without learning effect of eco-product planning, and the other is a dynamic model with learning effect. We show that the regulation should be adopted when the marginal cost of the eco-product production is high enough in a static setting. In a dynamic model, however, whether the regulation improves social welfare is dependent not only on current marginal costs of the eco-product but also on the degree of dynamic learning effect. Particularly, the regulation could improve social welfare when learning effect is either small or large enough, while it could deteriorate social welfare in an intermediate case. Although intuitions tell us that the value of the regulation appears to be monotonically increasing in learning effect, our results suggest that the value possesses a nonmonotone U-shaped feature with respect to learning effect. The optimal decision of the regulation in a dynamic setting could be converse to that of a static setting, providing important policy implications of learning potentials.
    Keywords: eco-product, environmental regulation, product differentiation, learning-by-doing
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kch:wpaper:sdes-2015-23&r=all
  31. By: Olga Christopoulou (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Stavros Sakellariou (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Stergios Tampekis (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Fani Samara (Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly); Athanassios Sfougaris (Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly); Aristotelis - Kosmas Doukas (Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki); Dirk Jaeger (University of Freiburg); Anastasia Stergiadou (Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki); Vassilios Giannoulas (Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
    Abstract: The natural environment in Mediterranean and, therefore, small and medium-sized Greek islands, definitively forms their landscape. Elements that make up this landscape are, naturally, the history of each island, the inhabitants activities, the fragility of its natural and built environment, as well as its sensitive ecosystems. Thus, the rational management of natural resources of small-medium sized islands coupled, of course, with appropriate policies that do not depend on the socio-economic structures of the mainland, could be an important factor of self-sufficiency, attractiveness and sustainable development in general.In this study, the island of Samothrace was examined, a 54% mountainous island, with 35.7% forest cover, whose inhabitants are employed mainly in the primary sector (farming, agriculture, fisheries) and in which the secondary sector has shrunk dramatically, while shrinking can also be observed at the tertiary sector.The occupation of large proportion of the residents with livestock, in combination with natural disasters (intense floods, forest fires), has led to significant soil erosion phenomena (soil leaching and dramatic reduction in its productivity) and degradation of existing forests. The mitigation of these phenomena, the protection and rational management of the island’s water resources, including wetlands, are imperative to safeguard the comparative advantage that is its natural environment.
    Keywords: Environmental protection, soil and water resources, islands, Greece
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805375&r=all
  32. By: Shahida Mohd Sharif (Universiti Malaysia Sabah); Izyan Ayuni Mohamad Selamat (Universiti Malaysia Sabah); Siti Nurulhidayah Zakaria (Universiti Malaysia Sabah)
    Abstract: The Landscape Development Plan of the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FSA) aims to adopt the sustainable design strategies and environmental stewardship which can initiate reconnection with nature as well as to improve the well-being of its community. A pilot study was conducted at the faculty’s farm administration building to evaluate the foundation towards the formulation of a landscape design featuring reconnection of the major systems of physical landscape; air, water and land. Application of sustainable landscape design strategies were pre-tested on the campus ground which include soil amelioration, rainwater harvesting and selection of drought-tolerant plants. The farm administration building was chosen as it is frequently visited by the faculty members and visitors. It reflects the faculty’s aim to demonstrate to the wider public the application of sustainable practices as well as to encourage collaborative monitoring and maintenance of the landscape. The envisioned design is in response to the opportunities and ideas to improvise functionality and aesthetic appeal of the site.
    Keywords: sustainable design strategies, reconnection with nature, physical landscape
    JEL: O29 Q01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805082&r=all
  33. By: Antony Millner; Hélène Ollivier
    Abstract: The public often perceives environmental problems differently from the experts who study them. The regulatory response to these problems also often does not coincide with experts’ recommendations. These two facts are mutually consistent – it is unlikely that regulations based on factual claims that are substantially different from voters’ opinions would be political feasible. Given that the public’s beliefs constrain policy choices, it is vital to understand how they come about, whether they will be biased, and how the inevitable heterogeneity in people’s beliefs filters through the political system to affect policy. We survey recent theoretical and empirical work on individual inference, social learning, and the supply of information by the media, and identify the potential for biased beliefs to arise. We then examine the interaction between beliefs and politics. We ask whether national elections and votes in legislatures can be expected to result in accurate collective decisions, how heterogeneous beliefs may induce strategic political actors to alter their policy choices, and how persuasion by experts and lobbies affects the information at policy-makers’ disposal. We conclude by suggesting that the relationship between beliefs and policy choices is a relatively neglected aspect of the theory of environmental regulation, and a fruitful area for further research.
    Date: 2015–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp203&r=all
  34. By: Izyan Ayuni Mohamad Selamat (Universiti Malaysia Sabah); Shahida Mohd Sharif (Universiti Malaysia Sabah)
    Abstract: Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FSA) is gearing towards the ‘Eco Campus’ movement which is in line with the university focus to foster sustainable practices in the campus. The lack of landscape elements and facilities in the newly established campus has inspired a landscape development plan equipped with sustainable strategies initiatives for multifunctional uses. Located in the city of Sandakan, the campus was established in 2011 and currently undergoing intensive infrastructure development for teaching and learning purposes. The strategies correspond to the challenges faced by the campus in terms of its rough microclimate and the deterioration of soil condition which could severely affect future landscape implementation if meticulous planning is overlooked. The strategies acknowledge the importance of engaging the stakeholders of the campus; especially the students and staff to create a multifunctional, adaptive, and resilient landscape plan. This is important to encourage more outdoor spaces utilisation and social interaction among community members. The future landscape-related development projects are envisioned to implement the strategies to reflect Universiti Malaysia Sabah ‘EcoCampus’ aspiration.
    Keywords: sustainable practices, landscape development plan, universities, sustainable strategies
    JEL: Q01 O29
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805080&r=all
  35. By: Hugo Lam (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University); Andy Yeung (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
    Abstract: The abnormal returns of corporate environmental initiatives (CEIs) in developed countries such as USA has been intensively studied, but there is a scarcity of related research in the context of developing countries such as China. This may be due to the belief that firms in China are unable to get any positive returns from their CEIs because of the relatively low environmental awareness of Chinese customers. While we agree that the abnormal returns of CEIs in China, on average, might be not statistically significant, we argue that the magnitude of the abnormal returns should vary across CEIs depending on the customer awareness of the specific CEIs concerned. As a result, we hypothesize that the abnormal returns will be more positive for those CEIs with higher customer awareness, such as recent (rather than early) CEIs, product-driven (rather than process-driven) CEIs, and third-party verified (rather than self-declared) CEIs. We will conduct an event study based on the CEIs announcements of public firms listed in China to test our hypotheses.
    Keywords: corporate environmental initiatives; abnormal returns; event study; China.
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2805041&r=all
  36. By: Luis Martinez; Jari Kauppila; Marie Castaing Gachassin
    Abstract: International trade has grown rapidly in the post-war era with trade volume growing twenty-seven fold between 1950 and 2007, three times faster than world GDP growth (WTO, 2007). Growth in trade is expected to outpace the GDP growth also over the next 50 years, according to recent OECD projections. The value of international trade is estimated to grow by a factor of four by 2050 in real terms (Fontagné et al., 2014). Trade patterns will however change due to fragmentation of production processes and integration of emerging markets into global markets. Trade liberalisation, either at global or regional level, will also have an impact on global patterns.
    Date: 2014–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:itfaab:2014/21-en&r=all
  37. By: Ahmet Tu Polat (Selcuk University)
    Abstract: Landscape is a ‘meta-structure of relations between different systems’ geomorphologic, ecological, environmental, historical-cultural, aesthetic, socio-economic, territorial that includes all genetic, biological and functional relations among the components of each part of the earth’s surface. The visual quality of landscape is one of the most important factors of the interaction between humans and nature. Its measurement and evaluation is very difficult. The changing structure of the environment effects the user perceptions constantly and improvement of this visual character gains importance to meet human’s aesthetic demands and expectations. The researchers from several disciplines have been making effort for 40 years in order to understand how the visual quality of the landscapes formed and to determine which variables are effective on the visual quality. In this study, the concepts related to visual quality and visual quality assessment approaches were described. By literature studies, Information about the research results of visual quality in landscape architecture was given.
    Keywords: Environmental Physiology, Landscape Architecture, User Perception, Visual Quality Assessment
    JEL: R11 Q50 Z10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:2804614&r=all
  38. By: Paul Watkiss
    Abstract: This working paper aims to inform the development community about the current state-of-knowledge and emerging thinking on the economics of adaptation and the application to development.
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp205&r=all
  39. By: Zhu Liu; Steven J. Davis; Kuishuang Feng; Klaus Hubacek; Sai Liang; Anadon, Laura Diaz; Bin Chen; Liu, Jingru; Yan, Jinyue; Dabo Guan
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:qsh:wpaper:336456&r=all
  40. By: Gabriela Simonet; Coline Seyller
    Abstract: This paper describes the methodology and data used for the construction of a collaborative work tool focused on REDD+ projects and called ID-RECCO, which stands for ‘International Database on REDD+ Projects linking Economic, Carbon and Communities data’. ID-RECCO links 110 variables informing on several aspects of REDD+ projects: carbon certification, sources of financing, socio-economic expected impacts, project proponents and general features of the project. As of October 2014, we have collected data on 410 projects, 57 countries and 362 project proponents. This database is innovative in the sense it is the first time such a large amount of information is collected on REDD+ projects globally, in a format adequate for research purpose and analysis.The database will be available online by the end of 2015 to serve the REDD+ community. It will be particularly useful for researchers who work on REDD+ issues, but it will also constitute a unique learning unit for project proponents and governments who are implementing REDD+ actions at different scales.
    Keywords: REDD+ projects, Worldide, Database, Knowledge representation, Climate Change, Forests
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cec:wpaper:1508&r=all
  41. By: Eloi Laurent (OFCE)
    Abstract: Cet article se propose de passer en revue différents critères d’équité pour mesurer les émissions de CO2 des principaux pays responsables du changement climatique en vue de répartir justement le budget carbone lors de la prochaine négociation de Paris, en décembre 2015 (COP 21). Il montre notammentqu’il est possible, dans cette perspective, de bâtir à partir de données fiables un critère hybride de justice climatique relativement simple tenant compte des émissions de consommation, de la responsabilité historique, du niveau de la population et du niveau de développement
    Keywords: Budget carbone; COP 21; negociations climatiques; justice climatique
    JEL: Q01 Q48 Q54
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/6cj9bbltrm9cvrdakm25m4pbkk&r=all
  42. By: Laure Kuhfuss (Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews); Nick Hanley (Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews); Russell Whyte (Historic Environment Scotland, Scotland, UK)
    Abstract: We used a contingent valuation survey of a random sample of the general public living in Scotland to estimate how willingness to pay (WTP) for the conservation of historic sites (such as castles and stone circles) varies with how well-known these sites are and whether people have visited them. Each respondent was asked to state a maximum WTP in terms of higher income taxes for the conservation of two sites, one of which was “famous” and one of which was less well-known. The hypothetical scenario involved payment to avoid future damage to each site. When observable differences in respondent characteristics are controlled for, we found no significant differences in mean WTP across sites. However, a significant effect was found for respondent familiarity with each site (in terms of recognising it on a photograph), with sites which respondents were more familiar with attracting higher WTP values. Distance effects on WTP were mixed: significant effects of distance of the site from respondents’ homes were only found for the less well-known sites, but not for famous sites. The main conclusions of the study were that (i) the Scottish general public are willing to pay for the conservation of historic sites and that (ii) such values exist as much for less-well known sites as for famous sites. This implies that public funds should not be allocated solely to conservation of the best-known sites.
    Keywords: contingent valuation; historic site; willingness to pay
    JEL: Q51 Q58
    Date: 2015–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sss:wpaper:2015-18&r=all
  43. By: Stephane Dion; Eloi Laurent (OFCE)
    Abstract: Nous proposons dans cet article de basculer les négociations climatiques de leur logique actuelle fondée sur les quantités vers une logique de prix. Notre proposition s’appuie d’une part sur un budget carbone axé sur le respect de la limite de deux degrés, menant à l'établissement d'une trajectoire différenciée, caractérisée par l'instauration de tarifs carbone progressivement convergents, chaque pays étant libre de déterminer la panoplie d'instruments qu'il désire employer pour augmenter son propre tarif. D’autre part, notre régime de prix du carbone apporte une solution à la question des inégalités entre pays (par un système de modulation et de compensations) et des inégalités internes chaque pays (en accélérant l'adaptation des modes de financement).
    Keywords: COP 21; negociations climatiques; prix du carbone; justcice climatique
    JEL: Q01 Q48 Q54
    Date: 2015–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/62c4i9p8g08t18vncntr0u8452&r=all

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