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on Resource Economics |
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Issue of 2021‒05‒03
five papers chosen by |
| By: | Gert Bijnens (Economics and Research Department, NBB and KULeuven); John Hutchinson (European Central Bank); Jozef Konings (KULeuven, University of Liverpool and Nazarbayev University); Arthur Saint Guilhem (European Central Bank) |
| Abstract: | Increased investment in clean electricity generation or the introduction of a carbon tax will most likely lead to higher electricity prices. We examine the effect from changing electricity prices on manufacturing employment. Analyzing firm-level data, we find that rising electricity prices lead to a negative impact on labor demand and investment in sectors most reliant on electricity as an input factor. Since these sectors are unevenly spread across countries and regions, the labor impact will also be unevenly spread with the highest impact in Southern Germany and Northern Italy. We also identify an additional channel that leads to heterogeneous responses. When electricity prices rise, financially constrained firms reduce employment more than less constrained firms. This implies a potentially mitigating role for monetary policy. |
| Keywords: | environmental regulation, labor demand, employment, manufacturing industry, monetary policy |
| JEL: | E52 H23 J23 Q48 |
| Date: | 2021–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbb:reswpp:202104-399&r= |
| By: | Pierre Levasseur (SADAPT - Sciences pour l'Action et le Développement : Activités, Produits, Territoires - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Christelle Gramaglia (UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AgroParisTech - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Katrin Erdlenbruch (UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AgroParisTech - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement) |
| Abstract: | Aim: This article aims at providing a better understanding of the health and socioeconomic costs induced by soil pollution exposure. Subject: We conduct quantitative surveys in households living near mining and/or industrial sites in France, Spain, and Portugal, as well as those located in cleaner neighboring areas. Method: We employ a complementary estimation approach based on ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, and propensity score matching. Results: Our results confirm significant life-long health risks for residents of polluted areas compared to those in control areas. We find lower birth weight and lower childhood health status, as well as a higher risk of chronic disease in adulthood and higher premature mortality. Regarding the socioeconomic costs, we find higher rates of school absenteeism and health service demand among residents from polluted areas compared to control areas. Furthermore, we observe heterogeneous effects according to sociodemographic characteristics. As expected, children and the elderly are the most sensitive age groups; in addition, materially deprived and uneducated households are particularly vulnerable to pollution. More surprisingly, there is some evidence of higher vulnerability of educated households with regard to birth outcomes. Conclusion: Our results have important implications for public policy: they allow alerting about actually observed health risks in the exposed areas, but they also call for designing awareness campaigns and remedial strategies that are targeted towards the most vulnerable |
| Keywords: | Mining and industrial sites,Pollution,Absenteeism,Reported health outcomes,Southwestern Europe |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03205207&r= |
| By: | Ivan Faiella (Bank of Italy); Luciano Lavecchia (Bank of Italy) |
| Abstract: | This paper proposes a novel methodology to estimate the demand and elasticity of electricity, heating, and private transport fuels by aligning the microdata of the Italian Household Budget Survey with several external sources. These estimates are used to evaluate the effects of a set of one-off carbon taxes on energy demand and expenditure. According to our simulations, the increase in energy prices prompted by carbon taxation would decrease energy demand for all uses considered. Our simulations suggest that the effects of carbon taxation are generally regressive: expenditure would increase more for poorer households while their energy demand is compressed. The carbon tax could achieve a significant decrease in GHG emissions and raise revenues, which could be recycled to compensate vulnerable households or reinvested to support the energy transition. |
| Keywords: | household energy demand, Italy, climate change, carbon tax, energy poverty |
| JEL: | Q41 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2021–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_614_21&r= |
| By: | Jaime de Melo (University of Geneva [Switzerland], FERDI - Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International); Jean-Marc Solleder (University of Geneva [Switzerland]) |
| Abstract: | Ever since the creation of the WTO, attempts at bringing together the trade and climate regime have failed. This paper reviews attempts at reducing tariffs on products classified as Environmental Goods (EGs), causes of failure in past attempts, and suggests requirements for a meaningful agenda in future attempts. The start is the failure at the negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) negotiations started in 2014 and abandoned in 2016. Discussion on prospects is around elements that would enter 'EGA-STyle' (EGAST) negotiations among a small group of countries. The paper starts with new descriptive data on the inclusion of provisions in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) across the world encouraging trade in EGs. However, the presence of these provisions in RTAs has not been reflected in increased bilateral trade in EGs among RTA members, confirming the relevance of continuing to revive momentum to reduce barriers to trade in EGs. Discussion of reasons for failure at the EGA (and earlier at the Doha Round) follow. An EGAST agenda should go beyond the elimination of ‘nuisance tariffs' to include high energy-efficiency EGs and high-tariff products. The EG list should also include Environmentally Preferable Products. As to the difficult-to-detect Non-tariff Barriers (e.g. non-tariff measures), among which some are protectionist in intent, they should be included in the agenda up for mutual recognition. The paper concludes that EGAST negotiations to reduce barriers to trade in EGs would still be a promising avenue for rapprochement between the trade and climate regimes. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Goods,WTO,Climate Change |
| Date: | 2021–04–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-03201725&r= |
| By: | Darshana Rajapaksa (University of Sri Jayewardenepura); Robert Gifford (UVIC - University of Victoria [Canada]); Benno Torgler (Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA) - Partenaires INRAE); María A. García-Valiñas (University of Oviedo - University of Oviedo); Wasantha Athukorala (University of Peradeniya); Shunsuke Managi (Kyushu Universitydisabled, Fukuoka, Japan); Clevo Wilson (Queensland University of Technologydisabled) |
| Abstract: | There is a wide array of empirical work on the use of monetary and non-monetary measures to manage residential water consumption. However, there has been little focus on exploring the ability to change human attitudes and behavior through offering consumers sustainable resource management. This research helps bridge this gap, through an experimental trial in Brisbane, Australia. Choices of different monetary and non-monetary incentives for managing water demand are offered to survey participants. A structural behavioral model is then developed to identify direct and indirect impacts of attitudes and behavior and which can be compared between separate groups drawn from the survey's participants. Our results suggest that both monetary and non-monetary incentives offered to households significantly reduce water consumption, which is especially so for those holding pro-environmental attitudes/behavior. Importantly, the impact is higher for non-monetary incentives. The results therefore provide valuable insight for the development of long-term sustainable resource management policies. |
| Keywords: | pro-environmental behavior,environmental attitudes,water consumption |
| Date: | 2019–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03191523&r= |