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on Environmental Economics |
| By: | Mads Greaker, Per Espen Stoknes, Knut H. Alfsen and Torgeir Ericson (Statistics Norway) |
| Abstract: | Agenda 21 required countries to develop and regularly update a national set of indicators for sustainable development. Several countries now have such sets also including separate indicators for climate change. Some of these indicators typically report global concentration of green house gases in the atmosphere or time series for global temperatures. While such indicators may give the public information about the state of the global climate, they do not provide a benchmark which makes it possible for the public to evaluate the climate policy of their government. With Kantian ethics as our point of departure, we propose a benchmark for national climate policy. The benchmark is that each nation state should act as if a global treaty on climate change were in place. This would require each nation state to carry out all green house gas mitigation projects below a certain cost. Furthermore, it would require each nation to keep their national green house gas emissions including acquisitions of emission permits from other countries within a certain limit. Both measures are relatively easy to track and can thus serve as indicators. |
| Keywords: | Sustainable development indicators; Climate Policy; Climate Agreements |
| JEL: | Q54 Q56 Q57 |
| Date: | 2012–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssb:dispap:718&r=env |
| By: | Corrado Di Maria; Ian A. Lange; Edwin van der Werf |
| Abstract: | This paper presents the first empirical test of the green paradox hypothesis, according to which well-intended but imperfectly implemented policies may lead to detrimental environmental outcomes due to supply side responses. We use the introduction of the Acid Rain Program in the U.S. as a case study. The theory predicts that owners of coal deposits, expecting future sales to decline, would supply more of their resource between the announcement of the Acid Rain Program and its implementation; moreover, the incentive to increase supply would be stronger for owners of high-sulfur coal. This would, all else equal, induce an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions. Using data on prices, heat input and sulfur content of coal delivered to U.S. power plants, we find strong evidence of a price decrease, some indication that the amount of coal used might have increased, and no evidence that the announcement of the Acid Rain Program lead the use of higher sulfur coal. Overall, our evidence suggests that while the mechanism indicated by the theory might be at work, market conditions and concurrent regulation prevented a green paradox from arising. These results have implications for the design of climate policies. |
| Keywords: | Green Paradox, implementation lags, announcement effects, climate policy, acid rain policy |
| JEL: | Q31 Q38 Q53 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_3829&r=env |
| By: | Andreas A. Renz; Christoph Weber (Chair for Management Sciences and Energy Economics, University of Duisburg-Essen) |
| Abstract: | This paper links Hotelling's theory, in recent literature applied to an emissionâ€constraint environment, with the classical capacity planning framework to describe portfolio timeâ€paths in electricity production. Emission targets are considered by a ceiling on the stock of pollution. We propose conditions for an efficient production portfolio as a subset of available technologies. We then derive potential production portfolio timeâ€paths for a renewable, a fossil and a carbon capturing technology that differ according to their fixed and variable costs, their efficiency and their polluting characteristics. We conclude that the share of the fossil technology will continuously decrease, the scarce resource will be fully exploited. On each constraint path, the stock of pollution will remain at the ceiling for a nonâ€zero time period. Emission targets push down scarcity rents, an option for carbon capturing would decrease societal costs and uphold scarcity rents. |
| Keywords: | Scarce resources, Optimal control theory, Hotelling, Valuation, Nonâ€renewable resource, Pollution target, Climate change, Peakâ€loadâ€pricing |
| JEL: | C61 Q23 Q41 L94 |
| Date: | 2012–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dui:wpaper:1206&r=env |
| By: | Thomas H. Klier; Joshua Linn |
| Abstract: | France, Germany, and Sweden have recently linked vehicle taxes to the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rates of passenger vehicles. France has introduced a system of CO2-based purchase taxes and subsidies, whereas Germany and Sweden impose annual circulation (i.e., registration) taxes that are linear functions of CO2 emissions rates. This paper (a) compares the effects of vehicle taxes on registrations and average emissions rates across countries and (b) estimates the effect of reducing CO2 emissions rates on manufacturers’ profits. The taxes have had a significant negative short-run effect on new vehicle registrations in all three countries, although the effect is somewhat stronger in France than in Germany and Sweden. We find little evidence that the French tax caused manufacturers to change the emissions rates of individual vehicles, however. The second part of the paper takes advantage of the theoretical equivalence between an emissions rate standard and a CO2-based emissions rate tax. We use the results from the first part to estimate the effect on manufacturers’ profits of reducing emissions rates. Focusing on France, a decrease of 5 grams of CO2 per kilometer (about 3 percent) reduces short-run profits by 10–50 euros per vehicle, depending on the manufacturer. We find considerable heterogeneity across manufactures in these costs. |
| Keywords: | Carbon dioxide ; Emissions trading ; Euro |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedhwp:wp-2012-09&r=env |
| By: | Håkansson, Cecilia (Division for Environmental Strategies Research); Östberg, Katarina (CERE, Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics); Bostedt, Göran (CERE, Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies distributional effects of environmental policies in Swedish coastal environments, in monetary and environmental quality terms, for different socio-economic groups. The study area is widely used for different recreational activities and has a mix of different visitors. Data comes from a choice experiment study. Some results confirm limited existing knowledge from previous research, although the ethnical dimension to a certain extent contradicts conventional perceptions. Based on previous research from other countries, the hypothesis would be that native Swedes would benefit more from environmental improvements than respondents with a non-Swedish background. Interestingly results differ, depending on the environmental amenity. For example, respondents with a non-Swedish origin benefit more, both in monetary and environmental quality terms, from reduced noise and littering compared to respondents with a Swedish origin. Also, independent of ethnical background, people use the area in a similar manner. |
| Keywords: | Distributional effects in monetary and environmental quality terms; Non-market valuation; Marine policy; Ethnicity |
| JEL: | Q51 Q52 Q53 |
| Date: | 2012–12–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:slucer:2012_018&r=env |
| By: | Howard Kunreuther; Geoffrey Heal; Myles Allen; Ottmar Edenhofer; Christopher B. Field; Gary Yohe |
| Abstract: | The selection of climate policies should be an exercise in risk management reflecting the many relevant sources of uncertainty. Studies of climate change and its impacts rarely yield consensus on the distribution of exposure, vulnerability, or possible outcomes. Hence policy analysis cannot effectively evaluate alternatives using standard approaches such as expected utility theory and benefit-cost analysis. This Perspective highlights the value of robust decision-making tools designed for situations, such as evaluating climate policies, where generally agreed-upon probability distributions are not available and stakeholders differ in their degree of risk tolerance. This broader risk management approach enables one to examine a range of possible outcomes and the uncertainty surrounding their likelihoods. |
| JEL: | Q54 |
| Date: | 2012–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18607&r=env |
| By: | Natacha Raffin; Thomas Seegmuller |
| Abstract: | We analyze the interplay between longevity, pollution and growth. We develop an OLG model where longevity, pollution and growth are endogenous. The authorities may provide two types of public services, public health and environmental maintenance, that participate to increase agents’ life expectancy and to sustain growth in the long term. We show that global dynamics might be featured by a high growth rate equilibrium, associated with longer life expectancy and a environmental poverty trap. We examine changes in public policies: increasing public intervention on health or environmental maintenance display opposite effects on global dynamics, i.e. on the size of the trap and on the level of the stable balanced growth path. On the contrary, each type of public policy induces a negative leverage on the long run rate of growth. |
| Keywords: | Life expectancy; Pollution; Health; Growth |
| JEL: | I15 O44 Q56 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:drm:wpaper:2012-47&r=env |
| By: | Michele Baggio (Chair of Environmental Policy and Economics, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the optimal management of a natural resource that can shift between different dynamics at random times. Using a classical linear control model I investigate how the switching behavior influences the optimal extraction of the resource. I use exogenous sea-surface temperature anomalies to study how future climate change affects the optimal management of the resource. The model is applied to the Peruvian anchoveta fishery, which has shown evidence of structural differences in the biological relationship over time. Results indicate that a management policy that adapts to a changing dynamic leads to mean biomass and resource rents that are 2 and 2.5 times higher than a non-adaptive policy. This analysis provides a framework that can be used to quantitatively address the effects of adaptation in the context of a natural resource. Specifically, it gives important indications for the management of a natural resource with alternating dynamics, which can be used to design policies that adapt to the variability of the physical environment. |
| Keywords: | Bioeconomic modeling, Climate change, Peruvian anchoveta, Real option, Regime switching |
| JEL: | C61 Q22 Q54 Q57 |
| Date: | 2012–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ied:wpsied:12-19&r=env |
| By: | Philippe Aghion; Antoine Dechezleprêtre; David Hemous; Ralf Martin; John Van Reenen |
| Abstract: | Can directed technical change be used to combat climate change? We construct new firm-level panel data on auto industry innovation distinguishing between "dirty" (internal combustion engine) and "clean" (e.g. electric and hybrid) patents across 80 countries over several decades. We show that firms tend to innovate relatively more in clean technologies when they face higher tax-inclusive fuel prices. Furthermore, there is path dependence in the type of innovation both from aggregate spillovers and from the firm's own innovation history. Using our model we simulate the increases in carbon taxes needed to allow clean to overtake dirty technologies. |
| JEL: | L62 O13 O3 |
| Date: | 2012–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18596&r=env |
| By: | Boukary OUEDRAOGO (CEDRES - Université de Ouaga II); Sylvie FERRARI (GREThA, CNRS, UMR5113) |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to analyse closely the role and the incidence of forest income on reducing poverty and income inequalities among forest fringe households who are located in joint forest management (JFM) areas in Burkina Faso. Poverty indexes (Foster et al., 1984) and Gini coefficient are used to examine how forestry can reduce poverty and income inequalities in these JFM sites. Furthermore, a first attempt to analyse interactions between wealth and environmental resources is discussed through the ecological inequality concept. A specific environmental variable, \"rainfall\", is introduced into the analysis to simulate the relationship that may exist between forest households’ well-being and rainwater collected in these JFM sites. The study outcomes show a higher dependency of forest fringe households to forest resources and how forest incomes have a great contribution to poverty and income inequalities reduction among these households. Moreover, rainfall variability in these JFM villages affects significantly both forest income sources (positively) and these households’ poverty level (negatively). |
| Keywords: | joint forest management, poverty, income inequalities, ecological inequalities. |
| JEL: | Q56 D63 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2012-28&r=env |
| By: | Marco Battaglini; Bård Harstad |
| Abstract: | We analyze participation in international environmental agreements (IEAs) in a dynamic game where countries pollute and invest in green technologies. If complete contracts are feasible, participants eliminate the hold-up problem associated with their investments; however, most countries prefer to free-ride rather than participate. If investments are non-contractible, countries face a hold-up problem every time they negotiate; but the free-rider problem can be mitigated and significant participation is feasible. Participation becomes attractive because only large coalitions commit to long-term agreements that circumvent the hold-up problem. Under well-specified conditions even the first-best outcome is possible when the contract is incomplete. Since real-world IEAs fit in the incomplete contracting environment, our theory may help explaining the rising importance of IEAs and how they should be designed. |
| JEL: | D86 F53 H87 Q54 |
| Date: | 2012–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18585&r=env |
| By: | Sébastien MARCHAND (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International); Huanxiu GUO |
| Abstract: | In this case study, we attempt to re-evaluate the performance of organic farming in developing countries using the indicator of Environmental Efficiency (EE) within the framework of Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). A set of plot-season level panel data was collected from an NGO-led organic paddy rice project in southern China. This original dataset is used to calculate EE scores across both the organic and conventional plots. Our two-stage analysis reveals two essential points. First, in poor rural areas, organic farming doesn't systematically reduce the pure nitrogen input for paddy rice production. In order to maintain the yield, organic farmers may apply the same, or an even greater quantity of pure nitrogen than conventional farmers. Second, organic farming loses its environmental efficiency in the scaling up period due to the excessive pure nitrogen input. Therefore, we argue that beyond the simple substitution of chemical fertilizer by organic fertilizer, more sustainable organic farming necessitates additional e fforts on the control of nutrient input. |
| Keywords: | Organic farming, Environmental efficiency, Stochastic frontier analysis, China |
| JEL: | D71 O53 R15 Q57 Q12 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdi:wpaper:1410&r=env |
| By: | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| Abstract: | The year 2011 highlighted ongoing challenges to global food security, from food price volatility, extreme weather shocks, and famine to unrest and conflicts. On the policy front, major developments at the global and national levels both offered grounds for encouragement and pointed to areas where further action is needed. |
| Keywords: | Food prices, Climate change, Biofuels, Land degradation, food security, Famine, Nutrition, health, Food policy, Local governance, Rio20, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2011globalfoodpolicyreport&r=env |
| By: | Dorothée Brécard (LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - Université de Nantes : EA4272) |
| Abstract: | How are eco-label strategies affected by consumer confusion arising from the profusion of eco-labels? This article provides a theoretical insight into this issue using a double differentiation framework. We assume that consumers perceive a label as a sign of quality compared to an unlabeled product, but that they can't distinguish the environmental quality associated with each label. They only perceive each label as a particular variety of the product. We deduce preferences for two types of label: a health label and an eco-label. We analyze pricing strategies of three firms each providing one product: a health labeled, eco-labeled or an unlabeled product. We infer lessons for eco-labeling policies, through effects of ecolabeling on welfare components, according to the identity of the certifying organization: the regulator, who aims at enhancing welfare, an NGO, which attempts to enhance the quality of the environment, and the firms, which seek to maximize their profits. We show that the firm supplying the eco-labeled product is weakened by consumer confusion while the firms selling the unlabeled product suffers from strict labels, to the benefit of the firm supplying the health labeled product. All label policies imply, whatever the certifying organization, high identical environmental quality of the labeled products, which leads to a reduction in the market share of the unlabeled product or even to its extinction. |
| Keywords: | Eco-label; environmental quality; green consumer; product differentiation. |
| Date: | 2012–11–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00759260&r=env |
| By: | Masha Maslianskaia-Pautrel (LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - Université de Nantes : EA4272); Marc Baudry (EconomiX - CNRS : UMR7166 - Université Paris X - Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense) |
| Abstract: | The article highlights the role of heterogeneity in the formation of hedonic prices. The article distinguishes between continuous and groupwise heterogeneity. The distinction helps understanding two important points. First, the analysis of market equilibrium with group wise heterogeneity makes explicit the role of participation and incentives compatibility constraints for groups of buyers. The case of continuous heterogeneity may be thought of as a limit case of groupwise heterogeneity when the number of groups goes to infinity and their masses go to zero. The hedonic price curve is then obtained as the solution of a differential equation resulting from a market clearing condition. Second, the article outlines that submarkets emerge from market equilibrium only in the case of groupwise heterogeneity. The existence of submarkets means that the hedonic price function is continuous but the implicit price of characteristics is discontinuous at endogenous threshold values separating submarkets. Major implications for the valuation of environmental quality follow on. Based on numerical simulations, the article gives some insights into the way significant biases and drawbacks in the estimation of the implicit price of environmental quality can arise if the usual two steps procedure is implemented. |
| Keywords: | environmental valuation ; discrete heterogeneity ; hedonic modeling ; vertical differentiation. |
| Date: | 2012–10–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00759247&r=env |
| By: | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| Abstract: | Depuis 2007, deux séries successives d’envolée des prix des denrées alimentaires ont causé la faim ou la malnutrition pour des millions de personnes dans le monde. Les mêmes facteurs qui avaient contribué à la hausse des prix en 2007-2008 ont refait surface en 2011 et ont pour nom : la baisse du taux de croissance de la productivité agricole, le niveau élevé du coût de l’énergie favorisant l’expansion de la production de biocarburants, la dépréciation du dollar américain, une forte demande des pays émergents en matière de produits agricoles et les bouleversements climatiques. Avec autant de facteurs en jeu, il est clair que les politiques alimentaires nécessaires pour assurer de façon durable l’accès à une alimentation saine, en quantité et en qualité suffisantes pour des millions de personnes, doivent transcender la production agricole traditionnelle. En conséquence, la demande de recherches fondées sur des données probantes susceptibles de soutenir ces politiques est plus forte que jamais. A cet effet, L’Institut international de recherche sur les politiques alimentaires (IFPRI) a mis à la disposition de la communauté internationale un grand nombre de résultats analytiques et autres produits de connaissance pour contribuer à répondre à cette demande. |
| Keywords: | Food prices, Climate change, Biofuels, Land degradation, food security, Famine, Nutrition, health, Food policy, Local governance, Rio20, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2011globalfoodpolicyreportfrench&r=env |
| By: | Gaetano Lisi |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to provide a thorough theoretical formalisation of the ‘slippery slope’ framework in order to highlight the effects and the macroeconomic implications of the dynamics between power and trust. In particular, the proposed model is able to differentiate between coercive and legitimate power, thus elucidating the dynamics between power and trust and its influence on tax climate and tax compliance. Also, by introducing trust in tax authorities as a determinant of tax compliance, the decision to under-report income is no longer based on expected profits maximisation and thus the tax compliance problem can not be explained by a pure economic approach. The main results of the model are the following: (i) trust-building actions are better than deterring measures for overall tax compliance, since they establish a cooperative tax climate and lead to a legitimate power, while too much power corrodes trust; (ii) in a society where trust is maximised and tax authority benefits from a legitimate power, both employment and economic growth are higher since tax evasion and shadow economy are lower and the level of taxation can be reduced. |
| Keywords: | trust (in) and power (of) tax authorities, tax compliance, tax evasion macroeconomics variables. |
| JEL: | A12 A13 E26 H26 K34 K42 |
| Date: | 2012–11–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eei:rpaper:eeri_rp_2012_21&r=env |
| By: | von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph |
| Keywords: | Children, Data, Developing countries, Energy, Food availability, food crises, food crisis, food security, Global Hunger Index (GHI), Gross income, Hunger, indicators, Land, Malnutrition, Mortality, Natural resources, OECD countries, Policies, Poverty, property rights, smallholders, Sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods, transition economies, Undernutrition, Underweight, Water, Nutrition, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2012ghienglish&r=env |
| By: | Gireesh Shrimali; Steffen Jenner; Felix Groba; Gabriel Chan; Joe Indvik |
| Abstract: | Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) are the most popular U.S. state-level policies for promoting deployment of renewable electricity (RES-E). While several econometric studies have estimated the effect of RPS on in-state RES-E deployment, results are contradictory. We reconcile these studies and move toward a definitive answer to the question of RPS effectiveness. We conduct an analysis using time series cross sectional regressions - including the most nuanced controls for policy design features to date - and nonparametric matching analysis. We find that higher RPS stringency does not necessarily drive more RES-E deployment. We examine several RPS design features and market characteristics (including REC unbundling, RPS in neighboring states, out-of-state renewable energy purchases) that may explain the gap between effective and ineffective policies. We also investigate other RES-E policies and technology-specific effects. Ultimately, we show that RPS effectiveness is largely explained by a combination of policy design, market context, and inter-state trading effects. |
| Keywords: | Renewable energy, Renewable portfolio standards, Panel data models, Matching analysis |
| JEL: | C23 H23 Q42 Q48 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1258&r=env |
| By: | von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph |
| Keywords: | Children, Data, Developing countries, Energy, Food availability, food crises, food crisis, food security, Global Hunger Index (GHI), Gross income, Hunger, indicators, Land, Malnutrition, Mortality, Natural resources, OECD countries, Policies, Poverty, property rights, smallholders, Sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods, transition economies, Undernutrition, Underweight, Water, Nutrition, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2012ghigerman&r=env |
| By: | von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph |
| Keywords: | Children, Data, Developing countries, Energy, Food availability, food crises, food crisis, food security, Global Hunger Index (GHI), Gross income, Hunger, indicators, Land, Malnutrition, Mortality, Natural resources, OECD countries, Policies, Poverty, property rights, smallholders, Sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods, transition economies, Undernutrition, Underweight, Water, Nutrition, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2012ghiitalian&r=env |
| By: | Hélène Le Cadre (CMA - Centre de Mathématiques Appliquées - Mines ParisTech); David Mercier (CEA, LIST - CEA) |
| Abstract: | In this article, we consider houses belonging to an eco-neighborhood which inhabitants have the capacity to optimize dynamically the energy demand and the energy storage level so as to maximize their utility. The inhabitants' preferences are characterized by their sensitivity toward comfort versus price, the optimal expected temperature in the house, thermal loss and heating efficiency of their house. At his level, the eco-neighborhood manager shares the resource produced by the eco-neighborhood according to two schemes: an equal allocation between the houses and a priority based one. The problem is modeled as a stochastic game and solved using stochastic dynamic programming. We simulate the energy consumption of the eco-neighborhood under various pricing mechanisms: flat rate, peak and off-peak hour, blue/white/red day, peak day clearing and a dynamic update of the price based on the consumption of the eco-neighborhood. We observe that economic incentives for houses to store energy depends deeply on the implemented pricing mechanism and on the homogeneity in the houses' characteristics. Furthermore, when prices are based on the consumption of the eco-neighborhood, storage appears as a compensation for the errors made by the service provider in the prediction of the consumption of the eco-neighborhood. |
| Keywords: | Eco-Neighborhood; Planning; Stochastic game theory; Energy storage; Pricing |
| Date: | 2012–10–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00758916&r=env |
| By: | Dey, Madan M.; Spielman David J.; Haque, A.B.M. Mahfuzul; Rahman, Md. Saidur; Valmonte-Santos, Rowena |
| Abstract: | Efforts to unlock the genetic potential of both rice and fish, when combined with efforts to improve the management of rice–fish systems, have considerable proven potential for increasing agricultural productivity and food security. In Bangladesh, estimates suggest that the country’s potential rice–fish production system encompasses between two and three million hectares of land. Despite three decades of research on biophysical and technical aspects of rice–fish systems, this potential has not been realized fully due to insufficient attention given to the social, economic, and policy dimensions of system improvement. This paper provides a characterization of the diverse and changing nature of rice–fish systems in Bangladesh by combining data from a novel upazilla-level (sub-district-level) survey of fishery officers with household surveys, focus group discussions, and a meta-review of the literature on aquaculture in the country. The resulting analysis sheds new light on the economic viability of different rice–fish systems and recommends policy and investment options to further improve the development and delivery of rice–fish technologies. Findings indicate that in addition to concurrent rice–fish systems, alternating rice–fish systems and collectively managed systems offer considerable potential for increasing productivity and farm incomes in Bangladesh. Findings also suggest that although the emergent innovation system around these rice–fish systems is fairly dynamic, there is a need for more supportive policies and investments—and analysis of the intended and unintended impacts of these policies and investments. |
| Keywords: | productivity, income, Policies, rice-fish systems, aquaculture, Household survey, Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1220&r=env |
| By: | Sylvie Démurger (GATE Lyon Saint-Etienne - Groupe d'analyse et de théorie économique - CNRS : UMR5824 - Université Lumière - Lyon II - École Normale Supérieure - Lyon); Haiyuan Wan (Department of Social Development, National Development and Reform Commission - National development and reform commission) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the impact of the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) on rural labor migration in China. We use recent survey data from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and a difference-in-difference approach to assess the impact of the policy on labor migration decision. We find a significant effect of the policy : the migration probability increase due to the SLCP policy amounts to 17.5 percentage points in 2008. Furthermore, we highlight the role of policy duration in strengthening the impact of the program on migration. We also find that young, male and Hui nationality individuals are more likely to be impacted by the policy. |
| Keywords: | Sloping Land Conversion Program; Labor migration; Policy evaluation, China |
| Date: | 2012–12–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00761163&r=env |
| By: | Buehler, B.; Schuett, F. (Tilburg University, Tilburg Law and Economics Center) |
| Abstract: | Abstract: We compare certification to a minimum quality standard (MQS) policy in a duopolistic industry where firms incur quality-dependent fixed costs and only a fraction of consumers observes the quality of the offered goods. Compared to the unregulated outcome, both profits and social welfare would increase if firms could commit to producing a higher quality. An MQS restricts the firms' quality choice and leads to less differentiated goods. This fuels competition and may therefore deter entry. A certification policy, which awards firms with a certificate if the quality of their products exceeds some threshold, does not restrict the firms' quality choice. In contrast to an MQS, certification may lead to more differentiated goods and higher profits. We find that firms are willing to comply with an ambitious certification standard if the share of informed consumers is small. In that case, certification is more effective from a welfare perspective than a minimum quality standard because it is less detrimental to entry. |
| Keywords: | Certification;minimum quality standard;unobservable quality;policy intervention. |
| JEL: | L15 L13 L51 D82 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:kubtil:2012040&r=env |
| By: | von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph |
| Abstract: | Selon l’Indice de la faim dans le monde 2012 (GHI), la faim dans le monde a quelque peu diminué depuis 1990 mais reste « grave ». La moyenne mondiale masque des écarts importants entre les régions et les pays. A l’échelle régionale, ce sont l’Asie du Sud et l’Afrique subsaharienne qui obtiennent les scores GHI les plus élevés. L’Asie du Sud a considérablement diminué son score GHI entre 1990 et 1996, notamment en réduisant le nombre d’enfants souffrant d’insuffisance pondérale, mais n’a pas pu maintenir un tel rythme de progrès. Bien que l’Afrique subsaharienne ait accompli moins de progrès que l’Asie du Sud dans les années 1990, elle a rattrapé son retard depuis le début du millénaire ; désormais son score GHI est inférieur à celui de l’Asie du Sud. Entre le GHI de 1990 et celui de 2012, 15 pays ont réduit leur score d’au moins 50%. En termes de progrès absolus, entre les GHI de 1990 et de 2012, les pays qui ont le plus amélioré leur score sont l’Angola, le Bangladesh, l’Ethiopie, le Malawi, le Nicaragua, le Niger et le Vietnam. Vingt pays continuent d’afficher un niveau de faim « extrêmement alarmant » ou « alarmant ». La plupart des pays ayant un score GHI alarmant sont en Afrique subsaharienne et en Asie du Sud (cependant, le GHI 2012 ne reflète pas la récente crise qui a frappé la Corne de l’Afrique et qui s’est intensifiée en 2011, ni la situation d’insécurité alimentaire au Sahel). Deux des trois pays ayant obtenu un score GHI 2012 extrêmement alarmant, le Burundi et l’Erythrée, se situent en Afrique subsaharienne ; le troisième pays concerné est Haïti. Le score GHI d’Haïti a chuté d’environ 25% entre 1990 et 2001, mais cette amélioration a connu un revers dans les années postérieures. Bien que le séisme dévastateur de janvier 2010 ne soit pas entièrement reflété dans le GHI 2012 à cause d’un manque de données récentes, il a replongé Haïti dans la catégorie « extrêmement alarmant ». Contrairement aux dernières années, la République démocratique du Congo n’est pas classée dans la catégorie « extrêmement alarmant ». Cela est dû à des données insuffisantes pour calculer le score GHI du pays. Il est urgent de disposer de données actualisées et fiables afin d’évaluer la situation du pays. |
| Keywords: | Children, Data, Developing countries, Energy, Food availability, food crises, food crisis, food security, Global Hunger Index (GHI), Gross income, Hunger, indicators, Land, Malnutrition, Mortality, Natural resources, OECD countries, Policies, Poverty, property rights, smallholders, Sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods, transition economies, Undernutrition, Underweight, Water, Nutrition, |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2012ghifrench&r=env |