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on Environmental Economics |
| By: | Minh Ha-Duong (CleanED - Clean Energy and Sustainable Development Lab - USTH - University of sciences and technologies of hanoi, CIRED - Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - AgroParisTech - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement); An Ha Truong (CleanED - Clean Energy and Sustainable Development Lab - USTH - University of sciences and technologies of hanoi); Hong Nam Nguyen (CleanED - Clean Energy and Sustainable Development Lab - USTH - University of sciences and technologies of hanoi); Hoang Anh Nguyen Trinh (CIRED - Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - AgroParisTech - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, CleanED - Clean Energy and Sustainable Development Lab - USTH - University of sciences and technologies of hanoi) |
| Abstract: | This report shows the impacts of coal mining and coal-based electricity generation on the Vietnamese society and environment. Five impacts categories were examined: water, air and soil pollution, local people's livelihood and health. We studied impacts now and extrapolated according to Vietnam's current Power Development Plan –namely PDP VII revised– which prescribes to expand the coal-fired power capacity from about 10 GW today in 2015 to 55 GW by 2030. Results show that coal mining and coal-based electricity generation have high, unsustainable, local impacts. Our studies found that levels of dust in the air systematically exceeded the legal safe standards. So did the level of heavy metals and other toxic pollutants in the water we studied. We observed resettlement issues which were not solved appropriately, and local job creation promises which were not followed up in action. We assess that by 2030, Vietnam's coal power plants would create 30 million tonnes of coal ash to be disposed. We estimate that the PDP VII entails importing at least 50 million tonnes of coal per year in 2030. This would compromise energy independence, creating national security risks. We argue further that a fivefold expansion of coal power generation capacity is incompatible with the humanity's goal of stabilizing climate change below 2°C of global warming. In conclusion, we propose engineering and public policy recommendations towards the green growth strategy of Vietnam, which would better integrate the country in the world's energy transition towards a low carbon society. |
| Keywords: | vietnam, impact, charbon |
| Date: | 2016–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01441680&r=env |
| By: | Manoussi, Vassiliki; Shayegh, Soheil; Tavoni, Massimo |
| Abstract: | Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is a potentially important climate strategy for attaining low climate stabilization objectives. However, climate analysis has indicated a possible weakening of the ocean carbon sinks -the largest in the world- in relation to CDR deployment. Here, we provide an economic appraisal to assess the sensitivity of CDR and conventional abatement to CO2 outgassing from the oceans. We develop a theoretical framework to study the impact of the ocean-to-atmosphere transfer on the optimal mitigation strategies under different regimes that control the relationship between CO2 outgassing and the amount of CDR. We show that the optimal levels of emissions and CDR are correlated to the effectiveness of CDR expressed as a linear function of atmospheric concentrations. We incorporate this effect into an integrated assessment model of climate and economy (DICE model) and confirm the theoretical findings with numerical simulations. Further, we perform a sensitivity analysis to find the range of optimal abatement and CDR actions under different values of the CDR effectiveness coefficient. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:266288&r=env |
| By: | Margaret Insley (Department of Economics, University of Waterloo); Tracy Snoddon (Department of Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University); Peter A. Forsyth (Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the strategic interactions of two large regions making choices about greenhouse gas emissions in the face of rising global temperatures. Optimal decisions are modelled in a fully dynamic, closed loop Stackelberg pollution game. Global average temperature is modelled as a mean reverting stochastic process. A numerical solution of a coupled system of HJB equations is implemented. We explore the impact of temperature volatility and regional asymmetries on emissions, contrasting the outcomes from the Stackelberg game with the choices made by a social planner. When players are identical, a classic tragedy of the commons is demonstrated in which players in the game choose higher carbon emissions and have lower utility as compared to the outcome with a social planner. Over certain values of state variables, the tragedy of the commons is shown to be exacerbated by increased temperature volatility and regional asymmetries in climate damages. Asymmetries in environmental preferences can, under certain conditions, result in a green paradox whereby green sentiments in one region cause the other region to increase emissions. Interestingly, we also found that a contrary "green bandwagon" effect is possible. At high levels of the carbon stock, green preferences in one region can cause the other region to reduce emissions. |
| JEL: | C73 Q52 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2018–01–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wat:wpaper:1805&r=env |
| By: | Benjamin Volland |
| Abstract: | This research addresses the role of perceived distance of climate change impacts as an antecedent of pro-environmental behaviour using data from a large, representative survey. Doing so, it complements existing research that has largely concentrated on environmental concerns, beliefs and behavioural intentions. Focusing on temporal and spatial distance dimensions, it finds that differences in perceptions are reflected in differences in self-reported pro-environmental behaviours but that the relevance of perceived distance rapidly vanishes as this distance increases. Little systematic evidence emerges that individuals take climate impacts into account when these impacts are not anticipated to produce personal consequences. Some implications for the promotion of pro-environmental behaviour relying on “proximising” climate change impacts are discussed. |
| Keywords: | Psychological distance, Discounting, Proenvironmental behaviour, UK |
| JEL: | D91 Q54 |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:irn:wpaper:18-05&r=env |
| By: | Alice Favero; Robert Mendelsohn; Brent Sohngen |
| Abstract: | It is well known that the forestry sector is sensitive to climate change but most studies have examined impacts only through 2100 and warming of less than 4°C. This is the first timber analysis to consider possible climate change impacts out to 2250 and warming up to 11°C above 1900 levels. The results suggest that large productivity gains through 2190 lead to a continued expansion of the global timber supply. However, as carbon fertilization effects diminish and continued warming causes forestland to continue to shrink, warming above 8°C is predicted to become harmful to the forest sector. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–09–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:263162&r=env |
| By: | Leitão, Nuno Carlos |
| Abstract: | The climate change has inspired the interest of the academic community in the most diverse areas of knowledge. This study tests and revisited the environmental Kuznets curve assumptions for Portugal. The econometric strategy used in this research is time series (ARIMA model, OLS estimator, ARCH regression, VAR model, and Granger causality) for the time period 1980-2013.The econometric results show that the income per capita and squared income per capita are according to the expected signs, i.e. a positive impact of income per capita on carbon dioxide emissions, and a negative effect of squared income per capita on carbon dioxide emissions. The empirical study also demonstrates that Portugal presents a dependence on energy consumption. The openness trade and foreign direct investment are negatively correlated with carbon dioxide emissions. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–05–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:273122&r=env |
| By: | Sara Aghakazemjourabbaf (Department of Economics, University of Waterloo); Margaret Insley (Economics Department, University of Waterloo) |
| Abstract: | Inadequate site clean-up and restoration by resource extraction firms leave a toxic legacy which must be dealt with by governments. This study compares the impacts of an environmental bond and a strict liability rule on a firm's incentives for cleaning up hazardous waste during resource extraction and upon termination. The firm's problem is modelled as a stochastic optimal control problem that results in a system of Hamilton Jacobi Bellman equations. The model is applied to a typical copper mine in Canada. The resource price is modelled as a stochastic differential equation, which is calibrated to copper futures prices using a Kalman filtering approach. A numerical solution is implemented to determine the optimal abatement and extraction rates as well as the critical levels of copper prices that would motivate a firm to clean up the accumulated waste under each policy. The paper demonstrates that an environmental bond provides stronger waste abatement incentives, implying that the waste is more likely to be cleaned up under the bond than the liability. The strict liability rule imposes sunk costs on a firm upon termination which would motivate it to remain inactive as a way to escape clean-up costs. However, the environmental bond raises funds ex ante for future clean-up costs and thus encourages site restoration. |
| JEL: | C61 D81 K32 Q52 Q58 |
| Date: | 2018–01–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wat:wpaper:1803&r=env |
| By: | Vinca, Adriano; Rottoli, Marianna; Marangoni, Giacomo; Tavoni, Massimo |
| Abstract: | The climate targets defined under the Paris agreement of limiting global temperature increase below 1.5 or 2°C require massive deployment of low-carbon options in the energy mix, which is currently dominated by fossil fuels. Scenarios suggest that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) might play a central role in this transformation, but CCS deployment is stagnating and doubts remain about its techno-economic feasibility. In this article, we carry out a throughout assessment of the role of CCS electricity for a variety of temperature targets, from 1.5 to above 4°C, with particular attention to the lower end of this range. We collect the latest data on CCS economic and technological future prospects to accurately represent several types of CCS plants in the WITCH energy-economy model, We capture uncertainties by means of extensive sensitivity analysis in parameters regarding plants technical aspects, as well as costs and technological progress. Our research suggests that stringent temperature scenarios constrain fossil fuel CCS based deployment, which is maximum for medium policy targets. On the other hand, Biomass CCS, along with renewables, increases with the temperature stringency. Moreover, the relative importance of cost and performance parameters change with the climate target. Cost uncertainty matters in less stringent policy cases, whereas performance matters for lower temperature targets. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:266285&r=env |
| By: | Margaret Insley (Department of Economics, University of Waterloo); Peter A. Forsyth (Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo) |
| Abstract: | We study three different climate change games and compare with the outcome of choices by a Social Planner. In a dynamic setting, two players choose levels of carbon emissions. Rising atmospheric carbon stocks increase average global temperature which damages player utilities. Temperature is modeled as a stochastic differential equation. We contrast the results of a Stackelberg game with a game in which both players as leaders (a Leader-Leader or Trumpian game). We also examine a game, called an Interleaved game, where there is a significant time interval between player decisions. One or both players may be better off in these alternative games compared to the Stackelberg game, depending on state variables. We conclude that it is important to consider alternate game structures in examining strategic interactions in pollution games. We also demonstrate that the Stackelberg game is the limit of the Interleaved game as the time between decisions goes to zero. |
| JEL: | C61 C73 Q52 Q54 |
| Date: | 2018–05–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wat:wpaper:1804&r=env |
| By: | Diamantoudi, Effrosyni; Sartzetakis, Eftichios; Strantza, Stefania |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the stability of International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) in an economy with trade. We extent the basic model of the IEAs by letting countries choose emission taxes and import tariffs as their policy instruments in order to manage climate change and control trade. We define the equilibrium of a three-stage emission game. In the first stage, each country decides whether or not to join the agreement. In the second stage, countries choose simultaneously - cooperatively or non-cooperatively - tariff and tax levels. In the third stage, taking countries’ decisions as given, firms compete a la Cournot in the product markets. Numerical analysis illustrates that the interaction between trade and environment policies is essential in enhancing cooperation. Contrary to the IEA model, stable agreements are larger and more efficient in reducing aggregate emissions and improving welfare. Moreover, the analysis shows that the size of a stable agreement increases in the number of countries affected by the externalities. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–07–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:274851&r=env |
| By: | Sood, Aditya; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Eriyagama, Nishadi; Villholth, Karen G.; Liyanage, Nirosha; Wada, Y.; Ebrahim, Girma; Dickens, Chris |
| Abstract: | Environmental flows (EF) are an important component of Goal 6 (the ‘water goal’) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, many countries still do not have well-defined criteria on how to define EF. In this study, we bring together the International Water Management Institute’s (IWMI’s) expertise and previous research in this area to develop a new methodology to quantify EF at a global scale. EF are developed for grids (0.1 degree spatial resolution) for different levels of health (defined as environmental management classes [EMCs]) of river sections. Additionally, EF have been separated into surface water and groundwater components, which also helps in developing sustainable groundwater abstraction (SGWA) limits. An online tool has been developed to calculate EF and SGWA in any area of interest. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iwmirp:257961&r=env |
| By: | Zugravu-Soilita, Natalia |
| Abstract: | Based on panel data covering 114 countries in the world, this study investigates the direct, indirect and total effects of trade flows in environmental goods (EG) on total CO2 and SO2 emissions. Our system-GMM estimations reveal positive direct scale – [between-industry] composition effects prevailing on the negative direct technique – [within-industry] composition effects (if any), as well as compensating the significant indirect technique effects channelled by the stringency of environmental regulations and per capita income. If the net importers of EGs (namely from the APEC54 and WTO26 lists) are recurrently found to face increased pollution (in particular CO2 emissions) due to direct scale-composition effects of trade in EGs, the EGs’ net exporters are more likely to see their local pollution to decrease, in particular thanks to income-induced effects. We show that the direct, indirect and total effects of trade in EGs depend on the country’s net trade status, the EGs’ classification and the pollutant considered. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:266287&r=env |
| By: | Morana, Claudio; Sbrana, Giacomo |
| Abstract: | Concurrent with the rapid development of the market for catastrophe (cat) bonds, a steady decline in their risk premia has been observed. Whether the latter trend is consistent with the evolution of natural disasters risk is an open question. Indeed, a large share of outstanding risk capital in the cat bonds market appears to be exposed to some climate change-related risk as, for instance, hurricane risk, which global warming is expected to enhance. This paper addresses the above issue by assessing the global warming evidence, its implications for the natural environment and the drivers of cat bonds risk premia. We find that radiative forcing, i.e. the net insolation absorbed by the Earth, drives the warming trend in temperature anomalies and the trend evolution of natural phenomena, such as ENSO and Atlantic hurricanes, enhancing their disruptive effects. Hence, in the light of the ongoing contributions of human activity to radiative forcing, i.e., greenhouse gases emissions, natural disasters risk appears to be on a raising trend. Yet, the latter does not appear to have been accurately priced in the cat bonds market so far. In fact, while we find that the falling trend in cat bonds multiples is accounted by the expansionary monetary stance pursued by the Fed, we do also find evidence of significant undervaluation of natural disasters risk. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–02–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:268728&r=env |
| By: | Olivier Deschenes; Kyle C. Meng |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the application of quasi-experimental methods in environmental economics. We begin with two observations: i) standard quasi-experimental methods, first applied in other microeconomic fields, typically assume unit-level treatments that do not spill over across units; (ii) because public goods, such as environmental attributes, exhibit externalities, treatment of one unit often affects other units. To explore the implications of applying standard quasi-experimental methods to public good problems, we extend the potential outcomes framework to explicitly distinguish between unit-level source and the resulting group-level exposure of a public good. This new framework serves as a foundation for reviewing and interpreting key papers from the recent empirical literature. We formally demonstrate that two common quasi-experimental estimators of the marginal social benefit of a public good can be biased due to externality spillovers, even when the source of the public good itself is quasi-randomly assigned. We propose an unbiased estimator for the valuation of local public goods and discuss how it can be implemented in future studies. Finally, we consider how to preserve the advantages of the quasi-experimental approach when valuing global public goods, such as climate change mitigation, for which no control units are available. |
| JEL: | C21 H23 H41 Q50 Q51 Q52 Q53 Q54 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24903&r=env |
| By: | Massimo Tavoni; Valentina Bosetti; Soheil Shayegh; Laurent Drouet; Johannes Emmerling; Sabine Fuss; Timo Goeschl; Celine Guivarch; Thomas S. Lontzek; Vassiliki Manoussi; Juan Moreno-Cruz; Helene Muri; Martin Quaas; Wilfried Rickels |
| Abstract: | The Paris Agreement has set stringent temperature targets to limit global warming to 2°C above preindustrial level, with efforts to stay well below 2°C. At the same time, its bottom-up approach with voluntary national contributions makes the implementation of these ambitious targets particularly challenging. Climate engineering – both through carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM) – is currently discussed to potentially complement mitigation and adaptation. Results from integrated assessment models already suggest a significant role for some forms of climate engineering in achieving stringent climate objectives1. However, these estimates and their underlying assumptions are uncertain and currently heavily debated2–4. By reviewing the existing literature and reporting the views of experts, we identify research gaps and priorities for improving the integrated assessment of climate engineering. Results point to differentiated roles of CDR and SRM as complementary strategies to the traditional ones, as well as diverse challenges for an adequate representation in integrated assessment models. We identify potential synergies for model development which can help better represent mitigation and adaptation challenges, as well as climate engineering. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–09–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:263160&r=env |
| By: | Martina Bozzola; Emanuele Massetti; Robert Mendelsohn; Fabian Capitanio |
| Abstract: | This research investigates the potential impact of warming on Italian agriculture. Using a detailed dataset of 16,000 farms across Italy, the study examines likely warming impacts in different regions and for different sectors of Italian agriculture. The study finds that farm net revenues are very sensitive to seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation. Livestock and crop farms have different responses to climate as do rain-fed farms and irrigated farms. The overall results suggest mild consequences from marginal changes in climate but increasingly harmful effects from more severe climate scenarios. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:257878&r=env |
| By: | Anthony Smith (Yale University) |
| Abstract: | This paper builds a highly-disaggregated global economy-climate model featuring variations in both weather (temperature) and climate (the probability distribution over weather). The model consists of approximately 19,000 1-degree-by-1-degree regions containing land. Carbon emissions from the use of energy in production increase the Earth's temperature and regional climates (average temperature) respond more or less sensitively to this increase. Regional temperatures, in turn, vary stochastically according to an empirical statistical downscaling model estimated using high-resolution panel data on temperature. Each region makes optimal consumption-savings and energy-use decisions as its productivity varies in response to changes in both weather and climate. Regions interact through global energy and financial markets and through the global carbon cycle and climate system. The relationship between climate and regional productivity has an inverse U-shape, calibrated so that the many-region model replicates estimates of aggregate global damages from global warming. Changes in productivity stemming from stochastic variations in regional temperature are calibrated to replicate relationships between temperature and regional GDP in the G-Econ database. The calibrated model serves as a laboratory in which to assess the ability of non-structural (reduced-form) methods to extract economic damages caused by variations in weather and climate from panel data on weather, climate, and GDP. The paper documents quantitatively their performance and investigates possible sources of bias. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:1223&r=env |
| By: | Gregor Schwerhoff; Johanna Wehkamp |
| Abstract: | The forest conservation policy instrument REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is designed to compensate governments of tropical countries for their efforts to conserve forests. Food insecure countries that are specialized in agriculture and have weak institutions, are likely to face difficulties to enforce forest conservation. This article explores how far export tariffs on agricultural goods combined with public investments, could be used as a forest conservation policy mix in such contexts. We first show empirically that structural constraints to forest conservation policies are particularly pronounced in one third of countries where REDD+ programs are planned to be rolled out. We then develop a two sector competing land use model with a domestic food producing and an exporting agricultural sector. We show that it is possible to combine export tariffs with public investments such that deforestation decreases, while agricultural production levels and food prices remain constant. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–04–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:256060&r=env |
| By: | Shayegh, Soheil; Bosetti, Valentina; Dietz, Simon; Emmerling, Johannes; Hambel, Christoph; Jensen, Svenn; Kraft, Holger; Tavoni, Massimo; Traeger, Christian; Van der Ploeg, Rick |
| Abstract: | Over the last few decades, integrated assessment models (IAM) have provided insight into the relationship between climate change, economy, and climate policies. The limitations of these models in capturing uncertainty in climate parameters, heterogeneity in damages and policies, have given rise to skepticism about the relevance of these models for policy making. IAM community needs to respond to these critics and to the new challenges posed by developments in the policy arena. New climate targets emerging from the Paris Agreement and the uncertainty about the signatories’ commitment to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are prime examples of challenges that need to be addressed in the next generation of IAMs. Given these challenges, calculating the social cost of carbon requires a new framework. This can be done by computing marginal abatement cost in cost-effective settings which provides different results than those calculated using constrained cost-benefit analysis. Here we focus on the areas where IAMs can be deployed to asses uncertainty and risk management, learning, and regional heterogeneity in climate change impacts. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–06–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:273369&r=env |
| By: | Maksud Bekchanov |
| Abstract: | Mismanagement of waste and wastewater is a key reason behind the continuing environmental pollution and degrading livelihoods across the developing countries of South Asia such as Sri Lanka. Recovering nutrients and energy from waste and wastewater streams can not only address the challenging waste and wastewater management problems but also considerably substitute the imports of chemical fertilizers and fossil fuels. Considering these environmental and economic benefits of waste and wastewater recycling, this study aims at assessing investment climate for a broader implementation of recycling technologies such as composting, biogas generation, and electricity production through incineration process. For this purpose, a wide range of methods were implemented including a detailed review of scientific literature, laws and reports by governmental agencies, as well as key informant interviews and focus group discussions. For assessing technical potential of recovering nutrients from waste streams a simulation model was applied. As results indicated, since waste generation and thus potential for nutrient recovery is high in urban areas, while demand for recovered nutrients is much higher in rural areas, interregional trade of the recovered nutrients would considerably contribute to reducing the shortage of fertilizers, improving food security, and increasing export incomes in Sri Lanka. Recovering nutrients from recycling only half of total organic waste and wastewater may allow for meeting agricultural demands for phosphorus and potassium, and supply 75% of nitrogen requirements at the national level. The government would need to be the main facilitator of the change through improving the accounting and planning in the system, establishing effective institutional and regulatory frameworks, providing financial incentives for the implementation of the recycling technologies, and supporting educational programs for raising the environmental consciousness. |
| Keywords: | Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–12–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubonwp:265903&r=env |
| By: | Campagnolo, Lorenza; Davide, Marinella |
| Abstract: | The paper analyses the synergies and trade-offs between emission reduction policies and sustainable development objectives. Specifically, it provides an ex-ante assessment that the impacts of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), submitted under the Paris Agreement, will have on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of poverty eradication (SDG1) and reduced income inequality (SDG10). By combining an empirical analysis with a modelling exercise, the paper estimates the future trends of poverty prevalence and inequality across countries in a reference scenario and under a climate mitigation policy with alternative revenue recycling schemes. Our results suggest that a full implementation of the emission reduction contributions, stated in the NDCs, is projected to slow down the effort to reduce poverty by 2030 (+2% of the population below the poverty line compared to the baseline scenario), especially in countries that have proposed relatively more stringent mitigation targets and suffer higher policy costs. Conversely, countries with a stringent mitigation policy experience a reduction of inequality compared to baseline scenario levels. If financial support for mitigation action in developing countries is provided through an international climate fund, the prevalence of poverty will be slightly reduced at the aggregate level (185,000fewer poor people with respect to the mitigation scenario), but the country-specific effect depends on the relative size of funds flowing to beneficiary countries and on their economic structure. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:263487&r=env |
| By: | Estifanos, Tafesse; Polyakov, Maksym; Pandit, Ram; Hailu, Atakelty; Burton, Michael |
| Abstract: | Ethiopian wolf, Canis simensis, is among the most threatened carnivore species in Africa. Habitat loss and disease transmission threaten its survival. Our understanding of the wolf’s contributions to ecosystem services and economic benefits of its preservation is limited because there has been insufficient research on economic valuation. This study uses choice experiments to investigate preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation programs among tourists travelling to the Bale Mountains National Park, one of the major habitats for the wolf. Program attributes valued include size of the protected area, size of the wolf population, tourist access to wolf habitat and recreational facilities. A random parameter logit model is fitted to the data to account for heterogeneity in preferences. The results show that tourists WTP is up to Ethiopian Birr 130.81 (US$ 5.82)/day/trip for enhancement of the wolf population from 200 to 250 wolves, but very little beyond that level. The visitors are willing to pay for the increase of protected area and the ease of access to the wolf habitat. Visitors WTP is significantly influenced by prior visitor experience in other protected areas in Ethiopia and interest in viewing other unique species in the park. The findings suggest that non-use values must be taken into account in decisions on the nature and magnitude of more appropriate Ethiopian wolf conservation programs. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–05–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uwauwp:272805&r=env |
| By: | Mistry, Malcolm N.; Wing, Ian Sue; De Cian, Enrica |
| Abstract: | Global gridded crop models (GGCMs) are the workhorse of assessments of the agricultural impacts of climate change. Yet the changes in crop yields projected by different models in response to the same meteorological forcing can differ substantially. Through an inter-method comparison, we provide a first glimpse into the origins and implications of this divergence—both among GGCMs and between GGCMs and historical observations. We examine yields of rainfed maize, wheat, and soybeans simulated by six GGCMs as part of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project-Fast Track (ISIMIP-FT) exercise, comparing 1981-2004 hindcast yields over the coterminous United States (U.S.) against U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) time series for about 1,000 counties. Leveraging the empirical climate change impacts literature, we estimate reduced-form econometric models of crop yield responses to temperature and precipitation exposures for both GGCMs and observations. We find that up to 60% of the variance in both simulated and observed yields is attributable to weather variation. Majority of the GGCMs have difficulty reproducing the observed distribution of percentage yield anomalies, and exhibit aggregate responses that show yields to be more weather-sensitive than in the observational record over the predominant range of temperature and precipitation conditions. This disparity is largely attributable to heterogeneity in GGCMs’ responses, as opposed to uncertainty in historical weather forcings, and is responsible for widely divergent impacts of climate on future crop yields. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:263480&r=env |
| By: | Laura Bakkensen; Lint Barrage |
| Abstract: | Empirical analyses of the impacts of climatic shocks on growth, while critical for policy, have found seemingly disparate results and are seldom incorporated into macroeconomic climate-economy models. This paper seeks to bridge this micro-macro gap through the case of tropical cyclones. We first present a stochastic endogenous growth model that can reconcile previous empirical findings. We then empirically estimate the impacts of cyclones on the structural determinants of growth (total factor productivity, depreciation, fatalities), instead of growth itself, facilitating direct inclusion into the seminal DICE climate-economy model. Cyclone damages are estimated to increase the social cost of carbon by 10-15%. |
| JEL: | O44 O47 Q54 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24893&r=env |
| By: | Bekchanov, Maksud; Evia, Pablo |
| Abstract: | Properly managed sanitation systems and improved wastewater treatment are important for safeguarding environment and enhancing sustainable livelihoods in vast areas of South and Southeast Asian countries. Recovering nutrients and energy from organic waste and wastewater is an effective option for improving environmental and health security, rehabilitating agricultural soils and improving energy and food access for the poor in these countries. This study addressed the technical potentials and investment climate for wider adoption of resources recovery and reuse (RRR) technologies in this region. Reviewing results and technical calculations indicated poor sanitation in India and Nepal in contrast to high levels of sanitation in Sri Lanka. However, despite comparatively higher levels of fecal sludge and wastewater treatment in Sri Lanka than the remaining countries, levels of waste treatment and recycling are much lower than their potential level in all countries of the region. Lack of financial resources, lack of awareness on hazardous impacts of poor sanitation, poor governance and high corruption levels in the system are pointed out as key barriers for wider implementation of waste and wastewater treatment and recycling technologies. Improving regulatory frameworks and governmental support through establishing subsidy programs, raising the awareness of population on environmental safeguarding, improving the skill capacity and technologies as well as ensuring quality standards can enhance wider implementation of RRR options. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–06–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubonwp:274732&r=env |
| By: | Rogers, Abbie A.; Burton, Michael P.; Cleland, Jonelle A.; Rolfe, John; Meeuwig, Jessica J.; Pannell, David J. |
| Abstract: | Western Australia’s Swan River is a complex asset providing environmental, recreational and commercial benefits. Agencies responsible for its management rely extensively on advice from experts, whose preferences may or may not align with those of the community. Using a choice experiment, we compared public and expert preferences for managing the river’s ecology. Modelling revealed heterogeneity in preferences, including within the experts sampled. Ecologists held similar preferences to the minority of public individuals who exhibited the strongest preferences for protecting river ecology. Planners were more similar to the public majority, whose preferences were moderated by the cost of ecological improvement. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2017–03–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uwauwp:254025&r=env |
| By: | Chowdhury, Nasif; Yasmin, Jarin |
| Abstract: | Sustainable manufacturing has obtained attention and been redefined due to the fast modifications inside the improvement of global problem at the environmental degradation and greening attempt as well as striving for competitiveness. Sustainable manufacturing used environmentally pleasant treatment and useful resource recovery are presently very vital problems for governments and industries globally. The paper additionally discusses the key troubles of sustainable production, what are the level of awareness of sustainability and initiatives taken with the aid of manufacturers to make certain sustainable manufacturing. A conceptual framework was created consistent with the existing literature and published reviews of sustainable production practices by using established overseas corporations, researchers and practitioners. The finding of the studies is divided into two part: focus on sustainable manufacturing and common sustainable practices of ready-made clothes industry in which the commonplace practices is shown on waste management practices, sustainable production technique and sustainable materials procurement practices the various geared up-garments producers. The findings indicate that numerous companies have taken initiative to run their manufacturing system on sustainable manners and take numerous global certificates after satisfying sustainable practice standards. |
| Keywords: | sustainable manufacturing, RMG industries, Bangladesh |
| JEL: | L6 M2 |
| Date: | 2018–05–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:87104&r=env |
| By: | Bošković, Branko; Chakravorty, Ujjayant; Pelli, Martino; Risch, Anna |
| Abstract: | Fuelwood collection is often cited as the most important cause of deforestation in developing countries. Use of fuelwood in cooking is a leading cause of indoor air pollution. Using household data from India, we show that households located farther away from the forest spend more time collecting. Distant households are likely to sell more fuelwood and buy less. That is, lower access to forests increases fuelwood collection and sale. This counter-intuitive behavior is triggered by two factors: lower access to forests (a) increases the fixed costs of collecting, which in turn leads to more collection; and (b) drives up local fuelwood prices, which makes collection and sale more profitable. We quantify both these effects. Using our estimates we show that a fifth of the fuelwood collected is consumed outside of rural areas, in nearby towns and cities. Our results imply that at the margin, fuelwood scarcity may lead to increased collection and sale, and exacerbate forest degradation. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–07–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:274849&r=env |
| By: | Diamantoudi, Effrosyni; Sartzetakis, Eftichios; Strantza, Stefania |
| Abstract: | The present paper examines the stability of self-enforcing International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) among heterogeneous countries in a twostage emission game. In the first stage each country decides whether or not to join the agreement, while in the second stage the quantity of emissions is chosen simultaneously by all countries. We use quadratic benefit and environmental damage functions and assume k types of countries that differ in their sensitivity to the global pollutant. We find that the introduction of heterogeneity does not yield larger stable coalitions. In particular, we show that, in the case of two types, when stable coalitions exist their size is very small, and, if the asymmetry is strong enough, they include only one type of countries. Moreover, heterogeneity can reduce the scope of cooperation relative to the homogeneous case. We demonstrated that introducing asymmetry into a stable, under symmetry, agreement can disturb stability. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–07–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:274850&r=env |
| By: | Alonzo, Ruperto |
| Abstract: | The Biofuels Act of 2006 (RA 9367) was legislated to reduce the Philippines’ dependence on imported fuels and to protect public health and the environment. Under the Act, the Department of Energy (DOE) is authorized to increase the proportion of biodiesel blend upon the recommendation of the National Biofuels Board (NBB) and upon consideration of the domestic supply and availability of the locally produced biodiesel component. Beginning at 1% blend, the mandate was raised to 2% in February 2009. In June 2013, the NBB recommended an increase in the biodiesel blend to 5%. Results of the numerical analysis indicate that the proposed policy will lead to a rise in the price of biodiesel, inducing users to reduce consumption. The total loss to consumers due to the price increase is estimated at P3,767.47 million for 2016. This negative economic impact far outweighs the positive environmental effects in terms of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and health benefits due to reduced morbidity and mortality, with the net loss amounting to P3.26 billion for 2016 alone. These projections, along with the observed upward trend in relative world prices for coconut oil and crude oil prices plus the bleak scenario for domestic coconut production scenario, augur well for a postponement of raising the blend, at least in the short run. |
| Keywords: | Philippines, biodiesel, biodiesel blend |
| JEL: | H5 Q4 |
| Date: | 2016–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:87717&r=env |
| By: | Mwangi, Magdalene Mutumi; Ritho, Cecilia Nyawira; Willy, Daniel Kyalo; Guthiga, Paul Maina |
| Abstract: | Wetlands are areas permanently or seasonally flooded by water where plants and animals have become adapted over time. They provide critical ecosystem services and contribute to the national economy both directly and indirectly. The Ewaso Narok Wetland is an important ecosystem providing water, farming land and pasture for the livestock. Despite its importance, the wetland is threatened by human activities such as over-cultivation and overgrazing. Therefore, there is a need for sustainable management of the wetland in order to increase its contribution to livelihoods of the current and future generations. The objective of this study was to characterize the major wetland users, to assess the determinants of the individual rate of time preference and resource use behavior among the users. Stratified simple random sampling technique was used to select 99 pastoralists, 95 commercial and 106 small scale farmers in Ewaso Narok Wetland, Kenya. A questionnaire was used to collect household level data. Descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD test were used to characterize the wetland users. Hyperbolic model was used in after the choice and matching tasks in calculating the individual rate of time preference while land use intensity index was used as a proxy for the resource use behaviour. Seemingly unrelated regression estimator (SURE) model was used to identify the factors influencing the individual rate of time preference and resource use behavior of the wetland users. Results show that the individual rate of time preference was influenced positively by the size of land area under crop, conflicts among the users, being a commercial farmer and the distance of a homestead to piped water. The resource use behavior was influenced positively by the individual rate of time preference, household size, the number of years of using the wetland and tropical livestock units and negatively by membership to credit lending groups, the level of education, and security of land tenure. The study concludes that the individual rate of time preference was the major contributor of the high intensity of land use and hence its determinants should be considered in sustainable management of the Ewaso Narok Wetland. Consequently, the study recommends that there should be a provision of title deeds to users in areas outside the wetland area to facilitate sustainable wetland use. Diversification into alternative income generating activities should be encouraged through groups and encourage infrastructural development like installation of piped water as an alternative source of resource to minimize dependency on the wetland. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–11–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:unaaed:269531&r=env |
| By: | Dasgupta, Shouro |
| Abstract: | In 2015, an estimated 429,000 deaths and 212 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide, while 70% of the deaths occurred in children under five years old. Changes in climatic exposure such as temperature and precipitation makes malaria one of the most climate sensitive outcomes. Using a global malaria mortality dataset for 105 countries between 1980 and 2010, we estimate that the global optimal temperature maximizing all-age malaria mortality is 20.6, lower than previously predicted in the literature. While in the case of child mortality, a significantly lower optimum temperature of 19.3° is estimated. Our results also suggest that in Africa and Asia, the continents where malaria is most prevalent malaria, mortality is maximized at 28.4 and 26.3, respectively. Furthermore, we estimate that child mortality (ages 0-4) is likely to increase by up to 20 percent in some areas due to climate change by the end of the 21st century. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:263483&r=env |
| By: | Nesta, Lionel; Verdolini, Elena; Vona, Francesco |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the effect of environmental policies on the direction of energy innovation across countries over the period 1990-2012. Our novelty is to use threshold regression models to allow for discontinuities in policy effectiveness depending on a country's relative competencies in renewable and fossil fuel technologies. We show that the dynamic incentives of environmental policies become effective just above the median level of relative competencies. In this critical second regime, market-based policies are moderately effective in promoting renewable innovation, while command-and-control policies depress fossil based innovation. Finally, market-based policies are more effective to consolidate a green comparative advantage in the last regime. We illustrate how our approach can be used for policy design in laggard countries. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2018–02–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:268731&r=env |
| By: | Leal, Mariel; Garcia, Arturo; Lee, Sang-Ho |
| Abstract: | This study examines environmental policy mix of tradable emission permits and emission taxes in a duopoly model with a consumer-friendly firm. In the presence of excess burden of taxation, we analyze the interplay of the two policies in the non-equivalent conditions for welfare consequences. We show that emission tax can be redundant and thus policy mix is degenerated when both the excess burden of taxation and the degree of consumer-friendliness are insignificant. However, when the excess burden of taxation is significant, tradable permits policy with tax treatment should be accompanied to enhance welfare in the presence of a consumer-friendly firm. Finally, under the tax revenue-neutral case where the excess burden of taxation does not matter, environmental policy mix is also efficient if the degree of consumer-friendliness is sufficiently high. |
| Keywords: | consumer-friendly firm; environmental policy mix; excess burden of taxation; tradable emission permits; emission tax |
| JEL: | L13 L31 Q5 |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:88256&r=env |
| By: | Gabriele Standardi; Yiyong Cai; Sonia Yeh |
| Abstract: | Model differences in technological and geographical scales are common, but their contributions to uncertainties have not been systematically quantified in the climate policy literature. This paper carries out a systematic assessment on the sensitivity of Computable General Equilibrium models to technological and geographical scales in evaluating the economic impacts of carbon mitigation policies. Taking Italy as an example, we find that the estimation for carbon price and the economic cost of a de-carbonization pathway by means of a model with technological and regional details can be lower than a model without such details by up to 40%. Additionally, the effect of representing regional details appears to be far more important than the effect of representing the details of electricity technology in both the estimated carbon prices and the estimated economic impacts. Our results for Italy highlight the importance of modeling uncertainties of these two key assumptions, which should be appropriately acknowledged when applying CGE models for policy impact assessment. Our conclusions can be generalized to different countries and policy scenarios not in terms of absolute numbers but in terms of economic explanations. In particular, intra-national trade and the sub-national sectoral/technological specialization are important variables for understanding the economic dynamics behind these outcomes. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–04–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:256059&r=env |
| By: | Doctorando: Napoleón Vicente Blanco Orozco |
| Abstract: | Este trabajo de investigación se centró en proponer un modelo que permite determinar la evaluación financiera, económica, social y ambiental de manera integral del recurso energético renovable biomasa como combustible sólido proveniente del bagazo de caña utilizado en la generación de energía eléctrica en Nicaragua. El modelo de evaluación integral del uso de bagazo de caña de azúcar en la generación de energía eléctrica se aplicó con el enfoque de la lógica difusa a través de componentes o subsistemas como elementos del modelo. En el componente de productividad se aplicó el enfoque de análisis de datos envolventes (DEA) con la metodología de los índices de Malmquist, en el componente ambiental se aplicó el enfoque de balance de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) utilizando las directrices del IPCC; en el componente de la evaluación financiera y económica se aplicó el análisis de flujo financiero y económico respectivamente, y finalmente, en el componente social se aplicó el análisis multicriterio. Con el modelo de evaluación propuesto, se logran integrar desde una nueva perspectiva teórica las evaluaciones de los proyectos energéticos que en la revisión de literatura se encontró se aplican de manera dispersa. Además, no se encontró un instrumento que las integrara hasta el desarrollo del modelo que en esta tesis doctoral se presenta. Por lo que, el modelo planteado se muestra como un nuevo aporte al conocimiento científico sobre la evaluación del uso del recurso energético bagazo de caña para la producción de energía eléctrica. La metodología utilizada para construir el modelo de evaluación integral se aplicó con el enfoque de la lógica difusa. Para la elaboración del modelo se utilizó un estudio no experimental, explicativo con orientación paradigmática de la economía ambiental y con enfoque integrado basado en el estudio de casos y la simulación en el proceso de investigación. Como parte de la estrategia metodológica se estudiaron y seleccionaron las metodologías de evaluación económica, social, ambiental, financiera y de productividad del empleo de recursos energéticos renovables y no renovables en proyectos de generación de energía eléctrica para determinar los elementos factibles a ser integrados. El proceso de selección de metodologías de evaluación se complementó con la herramienta de consulta a expertos. Cada uno de los elementos metodológicos de las evaluaciones seleccionadas y que son componentes del modelo fue aplicado usando el método de estudio de casos en Nicaragua. Luego, se integraron los resultados del proceso de selección de metodologías de evaluación de recursos energéticos renovables y no renovables en un modelo para la evaluación del uso bagazo de caña y de combustibles derivados del petróleo en la generación energía eléctrica. Finalmente, el modelo integral de evaluación fue aplicado usando el método de estudios de casos en Nicaragua. Como resultados de la aplicación del modelo de evaluación se encontró que de la evaluación de la productividad total de los factores de los ingenio San Antonio y Monte Rosa, que generan energía en base a bagazo, el ingenio Monte Rosa presento un ritmo de crecimiento mayor en el periodo 2002-2011. En relación a la evaluación de las centrales térmicas, que generan energía en base a derivados del petróleo, el índice de productividad total de los factores en promedio registró desmejora en el periodo de estudio; sin embargo, las centrales ALBANISA, GECSA, y TIPITAPA POWER COMPANY registraron un ritmo de crecimiento interanual entre el 2,6% y 0,6% para el periodo 2009 al 2011. En la evaluación ambiental de los ingenios San Antonio y Monte Rosa se valoraron los módulos de reforestación, cultivos anuales, insumos y otras inversiones y se encontró que ambos contribuyen a la reducción de CO2. El ingenio San Antonio resulta ser un sumidero de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GEI) de 18 032 tCO2 y el ingenio Monte Rosa resulta ser un sumidero de GEI de 10 096 tCO2 anuales. Además, se determinó que la generación de energía eléctrica empleando bagazo de caña es económicamente y financieramente rentable; no obstante, el empleo de derivados del petróleo es financieramente rentable, pero no es económicamente rentable para la generación de energía eléctrica. Así mismo, la evaluación social del uso de bagazo de caña en la generación de energía eléctrica mostró que este uso tiene impactos positivos. Sin embargo, las plantas térmicas que usan derivados del petróleo estudiadas tienen impactos sociales negativos por encarecer el precio de la energía eléctrica y producir en el proceso de generación de energía eléctrica gases contaminantes como el CO2. Finalmente, al realizar la evaluación integral del empleo del recurso energético bagazo de caña y de derivados del petróleo en la generación de energía empleando el modelo elaborado se determinó que el empleo del bagazo de caña es integralmente rentable y presenta más beneficios que el empleo de derivados del petróleo que no es integralmente rentable para la generación de energía eléctrica en Nicaragua. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2018–07–27 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nauntg:275421&r=env |
| By: | Forleo, Maria Bonaventura; Palmieri, Nadia; Suardi, Alessandro; Coaloa, Domenico; Pari, Luigi |
| Abstract: | Bioenergy crops production in Italy: environmental impacts and economic performances |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–07–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aiea17:261276&r=env |
| By: | Wei Zheng (School of Economics and Development, Wuhan University, China; School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland); Patrick Paul Walsh (School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland) |
| Abstract: | As the largest developing country in the world, with fast-paced urbanization development, China has achieved rapid economic growth since the “Reform and opening-up” policy implemented in 1978. This growth, however, has resulted in persistent and severe environmental problems. This paper evaluates urbanization, trade openness, energy consumption and PM2.5 in the Chinese economy using Fixed effect (FE), fixed effect instrumental (FE-IV), and system generalized method of moments (GMM-sys) estimation methods from 29 provinces over the period 2001–2012. Results demonstrated that PM2.5 is a continuous process that the previous period has positive effect on the current level of PM2.5; Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis was not supported by analyzing the relationship between economic growth and PM2.5 in China; temperature is not a crucial influencing factor in affecting the amount of PM2.5; urbanization is beneficial to the decrease of PM2.5. PM2.5 from neighboring regions is an important factor increasing the local PM2.5, and the influencing factors of international trade, heavy industry and private cars are contributors to PM2.5 level as well. |
| Keywords: | PM2.5, Energy consumption, Urbanization, Average temperature level |
| Date: | 2018–07–27 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ucd:wpaper:201818&r=env |
| By: | Byishimo, Patrick |
| Abstract: | Climate change, one of the challenges facing the world today, is increasingly affecting people‟s livelihood in Rwanda like in other developing countries. This research assesses the impacts of climate change on yields of major food crops and analyzes adaptation measures perceived and undertaken by smallholder farmers in Rwanda. Secondary data obtained from Ministry of Agricultural and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and 16 stations under Rwanda Meteorological Agency (RMA) were collected to describe the trends in climatic and non- climatic variables and assess the impact of climate change on crop yield. In addition, a household survey of 350 households was conducted in 4 districts (Bugesera, Gicumbi, Nyabihu and Nyamagabe) to examine socio-economic characteristics that influence the choice of actual adaptation measures. To assess the impacts of climate change on crop yields, regression model was used after obtaining lagged values of model variables. Heckman probit selection and outcome models were employed to analyze farmers‟ perception on climate change in the first stage and farmers‟ adaptation to climate change in the second stage. Moreover, multinomial logistic regression model was used to determine the factors that influence farmers‟ choice of climate change adaptation option in the study area. Results from the analysis of time series data show that area harvested and annual rainfall are positively and significantly related to yields of selected crops while maximum temperature have a negative impact on beans, maize and Irish potato yields. Climatic variable like minimum temperature found to have a negative effect only on maize yield. Micro-level findings substantiate that farming experience and access to information on climate change have a positive and significant influence on farmers‟ perceptions of climate change at 1% level of significance. Other variables such as education, farm size and livestock ownership are positively and significantly related to the choice of adaptation measures. Further interventions should focus on how the knowledge of farmers about climate change can be increased and the established adaptation measures by government can be owned and maintained by farmers through their different mechanisms such as farmer cooperatives and other social capital mechanisms. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cmpart:265578&r=env |
| By: | Berga, Helen; Ringler, Claudia; Bryan, Elizabeth; El Didi, Hagar; Elnasikh, Sara |
| Abstract: | The Nile is the lifeblood of northeastern Africa, and its roles for and interdependency with the national economies it traverses and binds together grow as it moves from source to sea. With rapid economic development—population growth, irrigation development, rural electrification, and overall economic growth—pressures on the Nile’s water resources are growing to unprecedented levels. These drivers of change have already contributed to stark changes in the hydropolitical regime, and new forms of cooperation and cross-sectoral collaboration are needed, particularly in the Eastern Nile Basin countries of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan. As direct sharing of water resources is hampered by unilateral developments, the need has increased for broader, cross-sectoral collaboration around the water, energy, and food sectors. This study is conducted to assess and understand the challenges of and opportunities for cooperation across the water-energy-food nexus nationally in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, as well as regionally across the Eastern Nile. To gather data, the paper uses an e-survey supplemented with key informant interviews geared toward national-level water, energy, and agriculture stakeholders, chiefly government staff and researchers. Findings from the survey tools suggest that most respondents strongly agree that collaboration across the water, energy, and agriculture sectors is essential to improve resource management in the region. At the same time, there is ample scope for improvement in collaboration across the water, energy, and food sectors nationally. Ministries of water, energy, and food were identified as the key nexus actors at national levels; these would also need to be engaged in regional cross-sectoral collaboration. Respondents also identified a wide range of desirable cross-sectoral actions and investments—both national and regional—chiefly, joint planning and operation of multipurpose infrastructure; investment in enhanced irrigation efficiency; joint rehabilitation of upstream catchments to reduce sedimentation and degradation; and investment in alternative renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar energy. |
| Keywords: | Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–11–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubonwp:264876&r=env |
| By: | Pettenella, Davide; Masiero, Mauro; Mammadova, Anyur; Sartorato, Caroline |
| Keywords: | Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing |
| Date: | 2017–07–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aiea17:261266&r=env |
| By: | Lemeilleur, Sylvaine; Subervie, Julie; Presoto, Anderson Edilson; de Castro Souza, Roberta; Macchione Saes, Maria Sylvia |
| Abstract: | We survey Brazilian coffee farmers’ preferences for attributes of voluntary sustainability standards using a choice experiment. We collected original data from 250 coffee farmers who live in the state of Minas Gerais who were asked to choose from several hypothetical buying contracts for eco-certified coffee. Our results suggest that both cash and non-cash payments may motivate farmers to participate in sustainability standard certification schemes that require improved agricultural practices. Preferences for non-cash rewards such as long-term formal contracts or technical assistance, however, appear highly heterogeneous. Results more-over show that the minimum willingness-to-accept for the adoption of composting is twice as high as the maximum price premium for certified coffee in the current context, which may partly explain why most coffee farmers continue to be reluctant to enter the most stringent eco-certification schemes such as the organic standard. French abstract : Dans cet article, nous étudions les préférences des producteurs de café brésiliens pour les attributs des standards volontaires de durabilité, par une méthode d’expérimentation des choix. Nous avons collecté des données originales auprès de 250 producteurs de café de l'État du Minas Gerais, invités à choisir parmi plusieurs contrats d'achat hypothétiques exigeant l'amélioration des pratiques agricoles. Nos résultats suggèrent que les paiements monétaires et non monétaires peuvent inciter les agriculteurs à participer à des standards de durabilité certifiés. Néanmoins, les préférences pour les récompenses non monétaires, tels que les contrats formels de long terme ou l’assistance technique, apparaissent très hétérogènes. De plus, les résultats montrent que la prime de consentement à adopter le compost comme moyen de fertilisation est deux fois plus élevé que la prime maximum actuelle pour le café certifié. Ceci peut expliquer en partie la raison pour laquelle la plupart des producteurs de café continuent d'être réticents à entrer dans des systèmes de certification exigeant comme le standard d’agriculture biologique. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2016–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:inramo:245867&r=env |
| By: | Diamantoudi, Effrosyni; Sartzetakis, Eftichios; Strantza, Stefania |
| Abstract: | The paper examines the stability of self-enforcing International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) among heterogeneous countries, allowing for transfers. We employ a two-stage, non-cooperative model of coalition formation. In the first stage each country decides whether or not to join the agreement, while in the second stage countries choose their emissions simultaneously. Coalition members agree also to share the gains from cooperation in the first stage. We use quadratic benefit and environmental damage functions and assume two types of countries differing in their sensitivity to the global pollutant. In examining the impact of transfers on the coalition size, we apply the notion of Potential Internal Stability (PIS). Results show that transfers can increase cooperation among heterogeneous countries. However, the increase in the coalition size, relative to the case without transfers, comes only from countries belonging to the type with the lower environmental damages, which are drawn into the coalition by the transfers offered. Furthermore, the level of cooperation increases with the degree of heterogeneity. However, the reduction in aggregate emissions achieved by the enlarged coalition is very small leading to dismal improvement in welfare, which confirms the "paradox of cooperation". |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–06–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:273370&r=env |
| By: | Vivien Sainte Fare Garnot (ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris); Andreas Groth (AOS - Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences [Los Angeles] - UCLA - University of California at Los Angeles [Los Angeles]); Michael Ghil (ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris, AOS - Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences [Los Angeles] - UCLA - University of California at Los Angeles [Los Angeles]) |
| Abstract: | We study the influence of interannual climate variability on the economy of several countries in the Sahel region. In the agricultural sector, we are able to identify coupled climate-economic modes that are statistically significant on interannual time scales. In particular, precipitation is a key climatic factor for agriculture in this semi-arid region. Locality and diversity characterize the Sahel's climatic and economic system, with the coupled climate-economic patterns exhibiting substantial differences from country to country. Large-scale atmospheric patterns — like the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and its quasi-biennial and quasi-quadrennial oscillatory modes — have quite limited influence on the economies, while more location-specific rainfall patterns play an important role. |
| Keywords: | Advanced spectral methods, Climate impacts on the economy, Business cycles, Climate cycles, Sahel climate |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01855370&r=env |
| By: | Worden, David; Hailu, Getu |
| Abstract: | Genomics has emerged as a promising biotechnology for its ability to predict and aid in selection of more productive livestock. More recently, the ability to use genomics to select for increased feed efficiency in dairy cattle has been developed. As feed represents the highest variable cost for Canadian dairy producers the potential benefit from on-farm adoption could be substantial. Furthermore, as methane emissions are highly correlated with feed intake, adoption has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of Canadian dairy operations. Despite this, little is known about the economic implications and if there are potential barriers to adoption. Using a dynamic multi-year enterprise budgeting model we will estimate the benefits from adoption and identify potential barriers. Preliminary results indicate an increase in NPV of roughly $140,000 over twenty-five years from an 8.4% reduction in feed intake due to genomic technology adoption. La génomique est apparue comme une biotechnologie prometteuse pour sa capacité à prédire et à aider lors de la sélection d'un cheptel plus productif. Plus récemment, la capacité d'utiliser la génomique pour sélectionner un indice de consommation supérieur pour les bovins laitiers a été développée. Puisque l'alimentation représente le coût variable le plus élevé pour les producteurs laitiers canadiens, le bénéfice potentiel de l'adoption dans la ferme peut s'avérer considérable. En outre, puisque les émissions de méthane sont hautement corrélées avec la quantité d'aliments ingérés, cette adoption a le potentiel de réduire significativement l'empreinte environnementale des exploitations laitières canadiennes. Malgré cela, les implications économiques sont peu connues et il existe de potentiels obstacles à son adoption. En utilisant un modèle pluriannuel dynamique de prévisions budgétaires d'entreprise, nous avons estimé les avantages de l'adoption et identifié les obstacles potentiels. Les résultats préliminaires indiquent une augmentation de la VAN d'environ 140 000 $ sur vingt-cinq ans provenant d'une diminution de 8,4 % des apports alimentaires due à l'adoption de la technologie génomique. |
| Keywords: | Livestock Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cafp17:253211&r=env |
| By: | International Monetary Fund |
| Abstract: | St. Lucia has been a leader among vulnerable Caribbean states in prioritizing a response to climate change, both nationally and in international fora. Its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submission to the Paris Agreement outlines a balanced mitigation strategy backed by costed investment plans, and a qualitative adaptation strategy with identified priority sectors. A National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process was launched in April 2018. This paper takes stock of St. Lucia’s plans to manage climate change, from the perspective of their macroeconomic implications. It suggests macro-relevant reforms that could strengthen the likelihood of success of the national strategy and identifies policy gaps and resource needs. |
| Keywords: | Asia and Pacific;Western Hemisphere;Saint Lucia; |
| Date: | 2018–06–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfscr:18/181&r=env |
| By: | Emmerling, Johannes; Tavoni, Massimo |
| Abstract: | The mismatch between actions to combat climate change, which are based on voluntary national initiatives of limited effort, and the recognition of the importance of global warming is growing. Climate engineering via solar radiation management has been proposed as a possible complement to traditional climate policies. However, climate engineering entails specific risks, including its governance. Free driving, the possibility of unilateral climate engineering to the detriment of other nations, has been recently proposed as a potentially powerful additional externality to the traditional free riding one (Weitzman, 2015). This paper provides the first quantitative evaluation of the risks of free driving. Our results indicate that in a strategic setting there is significant over-provision (by almost an order of magnitude) of climate engineering above what is socially optimal, resulting in a sub-optimal global climate. Regions with high climate change impacts, most notably India and developing Asia, deploy climate engineering at the expenses of other regions. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:266289&r=env |
| By: | d’Adda , Giovanna; Gao , Yu; Golman, Russell; Tavoni, Massimo |
| Abstract: | Environmental policies based on information provision are widespread, but have often proven ineffective. One possible explanation for information’s low effectiveness is that people actively avoid it. We conduct an online field experiment on air conditioning usage to test the theory of moral wiggle room, according to which people avoid information that would compel them to act morally, against the standard theory of information acquisition, and identify conditions under which each theory applies. In the experiment, we observe how exogenously imposing a feeling of moral obligation to reduce air conditioning usage and exploiting natural variation in the cost of doing so, given by outside temperature, influences subjects’ avoidance of information about their energy use impacts on the environment. Moral obligation increases information avoidance when it is hot outside, consistent with the moral wiggle room theory, but decreases it when outside temperature is low. Avoiding information positively correlates with air conditioning usage. These findings provide guidance about tailoring the use of nudges and informational tools to the decision environment. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–03–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cpaper:269535&r=env |
| By: | Jegnie, Alemken; Hailu, Atakelty; Burton, Michael P. |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the drivers of recreational fishing site choice and the effects of bag limits among boat-based and other fishers in Western Australia. A site choice model incorporating expected catch and other variables is estimated and used to assess the implications for angler welfare and fish harvest of different management strategies. The study reveals that site choice is determined by distance to fishing site, expected catch rate and coastal length. Fishing efforts (time spent and size of the party), fishing methods used (boat, target and bait), abundance of fish (stocks) and types of the fishing site are the most important factors determining catch rates. Site access values vary widely and for boat users the top four valuable fishing destinations are found to be Broom, Albany, West Kimberly and East Kimberly. The spill-over effects of bag limits on high value fish are found to be small while welfare losses associated with bag limits are highly skewed. The differences in site access values and the range of angler welfare loss estimates highlight the importance of empirical modelling to generate information valuable to policy-making. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–03–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uwauwp:257167&r=env |
| By: | Wang Lu; Hao Yu; Wei Yi-Ming |
| Abstract: | China is faced with the big challenge of maintaining a remarkable economic growth in an environmental friendly manner; that is why forecasting the turning point is of necessity. Traditional econometric approaches do not consider the spatial dependence that inevitably exists in the economic units, which probably risks misspecification and generating a biased estimation result. This paper firstly constructs Theil index to measure the intra-and inter regional inequality of CO2 emissions, we find that difference in emissions between regions is narrowed but gap within the Western China is sharply expanding. Then the Spatial Durbin model is employed to shape the relationship between mitigation and economic growth using the panel data of 29 provinces ranging from 1995 to 2011. Results show that the peak of per capita carbon dioxide emissions in China would be seen when GDP per capita reaches between $USD 21594 to 24737 (at 2000 constant price), much smaller when compared with the estimations of models which ignore the spatial dependence. This implies that territorial policy and industry transfer, on one hand would favor those underdeveloped regions with investment, technology and labors transfer; on the other hand enables developed regions more potential to mitigation, thus, chances are that China achieves the emissions peak of carbon dioxide earlier than conventional wisdom. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:257876&r=env |
| By: | Mehling, Michael A.; Metcalf, Gilbert E.; Stavins, Robert N. |
| Abstract: | The Paris Agreement has achieved one of two key necessary conditions for ultimate success – a broad base of participation among the countries of the world. But another key necessary condition has yet to be achieved – adequate collective ambition of the individual nationally determined contributions. How can the climate negotiators provide a structure that will include incentives to increase ambition over time? An important part of the answer can be international linkage of regional, national, and subnational policies, that is, formal recognition of emission reductions undertaken in another jurisdiction for the purpose of meeting a Party’s own mitigation objectives. A central challenge is how to facilitate such linkage in the context of the very great heterogeneity that characterizes climate policies along five dimensions – type of policy instrument; level of government jurisdiction; status of that jurisdiction under the Paris Agreement; nature of the policy instrument’s target; and the nature along several dimensions of each Party’s Nationally Determined Contribution. We consider such heterogeneity among policies, and identify which linkages of various combinations of characteristics are feasible; of these, which are most promising; and what accounting mechanisms would make the operation of respective linkages consistent with the Paris Agreement. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:266282&r=env |
| By: | Maksud Bekchanov |
| Abstract: | Under increasing demand for water, fertilizer and energy, waste and wastewater treatment can be potential options for considerably enhancing not only the supply of these valuable economic assets but also for improving sanitation and ecological conditions. Effluents and treated wastewater are important for meeting water demands for agricultural irrigation, landscape irrigation, and environmental system enhancement. Fertilizer and nutrients recovered though recycling organic waste and filtering wastewater, or embedded in effluents can be essential inputs for increasing crop biomass, timber output, and production of aquatic crops and marine species such as fish. Similarly, energy recovered from waste and wastewater recycling (including dry manure for cooking and heating) is important for enhanced energy supply especially in remote rural areas of the developing countries. Yet, the utilization of the waste and wastewater resources for additional gains should consider the accepted safety measures in order to prevent environmental and health risks. Focusing on potential benefits from resources recycling and recovery yet being cautious on their external effects, this review critically assesses the available waste and wastewater treatment options, and their economic, environmental and health benefits and risks. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2017–05–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubonwp:257517&r=env |
| By: | Athanasoglou, Stergios; Bosetti, Valentina; Drouet, Laurent |
| Abstract: | We propose a novel framework for the economic assessment of climate-change policy. Our main point of departure from existing work is the adoption of a "satisficing", as opposed to optimizing, modeling approach. Along these lines, we place primary emphasis on the extent to which different policies meet a set of goals at a specific future date instead of their performance vis-à-vis some intertemporal objective function. Consistent to the nature of climate-change policy making, our model takes explicit account of model uncertainty. To this end, the value function we propose is an analogue of the well-known success-probability criterion adapted to settings characterized by model uncertainty. We apply this decision criterion to probability distributions constructed by Drouet et al. (2015) linking carbon budgets to future consumption. The main result that emerges is the superiority of "medium" carbon budgets in line with a 3°C target (i.e., 2000-3000 GtCO2) in preventing large future consumption losses with high probability. Insights from computational geometry facilitate computations considerably, and allow for the efficient application of the model in high-dimensional settings. |
| Keywords: | Research Methods/ Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2017–03–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:254043&r=env |
| By: | Sauthoff, Saramena; Danne, Michael; Mußhoff, Oliver |
| Abstract: | In order to achieve an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy supply, it is necessary that this goal is supported by society. In different countries worldwide it has been shown that one way consumers want to support the energy transition is by purchasing green electricity. However, few people make the leap from their intention to a buying decision. This study explores parameters that influence whether German consumers decide to switch to a green electricity tariff. We conducted a quota-representative online survey including a discrete choice experiment with 371 private households in Germany in 2016. For the econometric analysis, a generalized multinomial logit model in willingness to pay (WTP) space was employed, enabling the estimation of WTP values to be as realistic as possible. The results show that consumers’ decision regarding whether or not to make the switch to green energy is influenced by many underlying drivers, such as the source of green energy, whether a person can outsource the switching process, and a person’s attitude towards the renewable energy sources levy that currently exists in Germany. Implications for policy makers and recommendations for the marketing of green energy tariffs are provided. |
| Keywords: | Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gadadp:260771&r=env |
| By: | Shayegh, Soheil; Casey, Greg P. |
| Abstract: | We examine the effect of climate change on fertility rates and human capital accumulation in developing countries, focusing on the instrumental role of migration. In particular, we investigate how climate-induced migration in developing countries will affect those who do not migrate. Holding all else constant, climate shocks raise the return to acquiring skills, because skilled individuals compared to unskilled ones have greater opportunity to migrate after the shock. In response to this change in incentives, parents choose to invest more in education and have less children, a process known as the ‘quantity-quality’ trade-off. These effects partially offset the damages of climate change, even for those who do not migrate. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–12–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:266286&r=env |
| By: | Gunther Capelle-Blancard (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Patricia Crifo (UPN - Université Paris Nanterre, X - École polytechnique, CIRANO - Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations - UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal); Marc-Arthur Diaye (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Rim Oueghlissi (Université de Carthage, EPEE - Centre d'Etudes des Politiques Economiques - UEVE - Université d'Évry-Val-d'Essonne); Bert Scholtens (University of Saint Andrews, Faculty of Economics and Business - University of Groningen [Groningen]) |
| Abstract: | What are the determinants of borrowing cost in international capital markets? Apart from macroeconomic fundamentals, are there any qualitative factors that might capture sovereign bond spreads? In this paper we consider to what extent Environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance can affect sovereign bond spreads. First, countries with good ESG performance tend to have less default risk and thus lower bond spreads. Moreover, the economic impact is stronger in the long-run, suggesting that ESG performance is a long-lasting phenomenon. Second, we examine the financial impact of separate ESG dimensions, and find that the environmental dimension appears to have no financial impact whereas governance weighs more than social factors. Third, we examine cross-countries differences and show that ESG performance has a more significant and stronger impact in the Eurozone than elsewhere in OECD countries. Fourth, we include evidence from the global financial crisis and find stronger influence of country sustainability performance during crisis period. |
| Keywords: | ESG performance, sovereign bond yield spreads |
| Date: | 2016–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01401718&r=env |
| By: | UNDP Africa |
| Abstract: | Le Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030 (ODD) apporte des améliorations majeures aux objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement (OMD). Les ODD adoptent une vision holistique et équilibrée du développement en s’attelant aux trois dimensions du développement durable (économique, sociale et environnementale). Ils relèvent de manière significative le niveau d’ambition indispensable pour atteindre ces objectifs et aplanir les principaux obstacles systémiques au développement durable, tels que les inégalités et les exclusions, les modes de production et de consommation non durables, les capacités institutionnelles insuffisantes ainsi que le changement climatique et la dégradation de l’environnement, autant d’aspects qui n’ont pas été pris en compte de manière adéquate par les OMD. Les 17 objectifs et les 169 cibles liés aux ODD démontrent l’ampleur et l’ambition de ce nouveau programme universel. La pertinence de chaque objectif varie toutefois selon le pays et la région, en fonction des domaines d’intervention prioritaires et des problèmes de développement qui se posent. L’Agenda 2063 de l’Union africaine et le programme des « Cinq grandes priorités » de la Banque africaine de développement (BAD) définissent le contexte régional des ODD. L’Agenda 2063, le programme de développement dont l’Afrique s’est elle-même dotée, offre un discours convaincant en faveur du développement du continent. L’Afrique a bénéficié du fait que l’articulation de la Position commune africaine sur le programme de développement pour l’après-2015 (PCA) ait coïncidé avec la formulation de l’Agenda 2063. Cela s’est traduit par un alignement étroit sur les priorités régionales, d’une part, et d’autre part, sur le cadre du développement mondial2. L’Agenda 2063 ambitionne la transformation majeure des trois dimensions de la durabilité, notamment le pilier de la gouvernance, de la paix et de la sécurité, envisagée comme un vecteur déterminant et stimulant, dont les contours ont été définis dans les sept aspirations du cadre spécifique à l’Afrique3. La première aspiration qui appelle à « une Afrique prospère fondée sur la croissance inclusive et le développement durable » constitue l’objectif primordial de la transformation structurelle. Dans l’exposé de ses objectifs et cibles, l’Agenda 2063 insiste sur les obstacles systémiques et structurels qui entravent le changement et sur les éléments susceptibles de le favoriser en privilégiant la croissance inclusive, le développement des infrastructures, l’avancement technologique, la durabilité environnementale, la paix et la sécurité et une Afrique politiquement unie. Son premier plan décennal de mise en oeuvre comprend 20 objectifs et non moins de 171 cibles4. Le niveau de congruence de l’Agenda 2063 et du Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030 est de 90 pour cent (figure 1). Dans une large mesure, cette adéquation sous-tend un cadre de suivi harmonisé de ces deux programmes pour l’Afrique. Les seuls objectifs de l’Agenda 2063 non-inscrits au titre du programme mondial sont les objectifs 8 et 16 portant sur les priorités liées, d’une part, à l’Afrique unie et à ses valeurs culturelles, et d’autre part, à l’établissement d’institutions financières clés à l’échelle du continent. Par ailleurs, le pilier de l’Agenda 2063 relatif à la durabilité environnementale n’est pas aussi solide que celui du Programme 2030. Pour assurer une mise en oeuvre efficace du programme mondial et des programmes continentaux, la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA), la Banque africaine de développement (BAD), le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PNUD) et la Commission économique pour l'Afrique (CEA) travaillent d’ores et déjà en étroite collaboration pour élaborer des programmes continentaux et des cadres de suivi destinés à appuyer la mise en oeuvre de ces programmes. La BAD appuie la mise en oeuvre des deux programmes par le biais de sa Stratégie décennale (2013- 2022), qui a pour double objectif d’atteindre une croissance inclusive et d’assurer la transition vers une croissance verte5. Sur le plan opérationnel, ces deux objectifs seront atteints grâce aux cinq priorités suivantes : développement des infrastructures ; intégration économique régionale ; développement du secteur privé ; gouvernance et responsabilisation ; et qualifications et technologies. La Stratégie décennale met l’accent sur trois domaines d’intérêt particulier, à savoir le genre, les États fragiles, et l’agriculture et la sécurité alimentaire, qui seront mis en oeuvre dans cinq domaines clés, appelés les « Cinq grandes priorités » (« High-Five » en anglais), comme suit : éclairer l’Afrique et lui fournir de l’électricité ; nourrir l’Afrique ; industrialiser l’Afrique ; intégrer l’Afrique ; et améliorer la qualité de vie des Africains. Placées au coeur du Plan décennal de mise en oeuvre de la BAD, ces « Cinq grandes priorités » sont également étroitement liées aux ODD et au cadre continental que constitue l’Agenda 2063. |
| Keywords: | International Development |
| Date: | 2017–01–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:undpar:267619&r=env |
| By: | Emeline Bezin (PSE - Paris School of Economics, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Grégory Ponthière (ERUDITE - Equipe de Recherche sur l’Utilisation des Données Individuelles en lien avec la Théorie Economique - UPEM - Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée - UPEC UP12 - Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12, PSE - Paris School of Economics, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | We revisit the Tragedy of the Commons in an dynamic overlapping generations economy peopled of shepherds who decide how many sheep they let graze on a common parcel of land, while relying on di fferent forms of rationality (Nash players, Pure or Impure Kantian players). We examine the dynamics of heterogeneity and land congestion when the prevalance of those di fferent forms of rationality evolves over time follow- ing a vertical/oblique socialization process a la Bisin and Verdier (2001). We study the impacts of a quota and of a tax on the congestion of land, and we show that introducing a quota may, in some cases, reduce the proportion of Kantians (Pure and Impure), and worsen the Tragedy of Commons with respect to the laissez-faire. Finally, we examine whether a government should promote either a Pure or an Impure Kantian morality, by comparing the relative fi tness of Pure/Impure Kantians, and their interactions with the congestion of land. |
| Keywords: | fitness,overlapping generations,Tragedy of the Commons,heterogeneity,Kantian rationality,socialization |
| Date: | 2016–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-01403244&r=env |
| By: | Massetti, Emanuele; Mendelsohn, Robert |
| Abstract: | Estimated Ricardian models have been criticized because they rely on mean temperatures and do not explicitly include extreme temperatures. This paper uses a cross sectional approach to compare a standard quadratic Ricardian model of mean temperature with a fully flexible daily temperature bin model of farmland values in the Eastern United States. The flexible bin model leads to smaller damages from warming than the quadratic mean specification, but the difference is not statistically significant. Although weather panel studies find high temperature events lead to large annual damage, high temperature events have no harmful effect on farmland values. The results are robust to alternative model specifications and data sets. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–09–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:263482&r=env |
| By: | Giacomo Marangoni; Gauthier De Maere; Valentina Bosetti |
| Abstract: | The availability of technology plays a major role in the feasibility and costs of climate policy. Nonetheless, technological change is highly uncertain and capital intensive, requiring risky efforts in research and development of clean energy technologies. In this paper, we introduce a two-track method that makes it possible to maintain the rich set of information produced by climate-economy models while introducing the dimension of uncertainty in innovation ef- forts, without succumbing to computation complexity. In particular, we solve the problem of an optimal R&D portfolio by employing Approximate Dynamic Programming, through multiple runs of an integrated assessment model (IAM) for the purpose of computing the value function, and expert elicitation data to quantify the relevant uncertainties. We exemplify the methodology with the problem of evaluating optimal near-term innovation investment portfolios in four key clean energy technologies (solar, biofuels, bioelectricity and personal electric vehicle batteries), taking into account the uncertainty surrounding the effectiveness of innovation to improve the performance of these technologies. We employ an IAM (WITCH) which has a fairly rich description of the energy technologies and experts’ beliefs on future costs for the above-mentioned technologies. Focusing on Europe and its short-term climate policy commitments, we find that batteries in personal transportation dominate the optimal public R&D portfolio. The resulting ranking across technologies is robust to changes in risk-aversion, R&D budget limitation and assump- tions on crowding out of other investments. These results suggest an important upscaling of R&D efforts compared to the recent past. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–04–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:256056&r=env |
| By: | Yao, Richard; Scarpa, Riccardo; Harrison, Duncan; Burns, Rhys |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Financial Economics |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nzar17:269529&r=env |
| By: | Miravo Rakotovao (ICD - Institut Charles Delaunay - UTT - Université de Technologie de Troyes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Julie Gobert (LEESU - Laboratoire Eau Environnement et Systèmes Urbains - UPEC UP12 - Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - AgroParisTech, INSA Strasbourg - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - Strasbourg - INSA - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées); Sabrina Brullot (CREIDD - Centre de Recherches et d'Etudes Interdisciplinaires sur le Développement Durable - ICD - Institut Charles Delaunay - UTT - Université de Technologie de Troyes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | Les bioraffineries sont des complexes industriels ayant pour vocation la transformation de la biomasse en une vaste gamme de produits bio-sourcés (alimentation humaine, alimentation animale, produits chimiques, matériaux) et d'énergie (carburants, chaleur et électricité) commercialisables (International Energy Agency, 2009). Ces installations semblent être en mesure d'apporter une contribution à la résolution des enjeux climatiques actuels, notamment la raréfaction des énergies fossiles ainsi que les émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Leur implantation en milieu rural nous amène cependant à nous interroger quant à leurs impacts économiques et sociaux sur le territoire de production. En effet, avant de produire les effets escomptés à l'échelle globale, il est une évidence que leurs retombées se font avant tout ressentir au niveau local. Dans cette perspective, l'objet de cet article consiste à appréhender les modalités de l'ancrage territorial de ce type de projet, et ce, dans le but de déduire les différents enjeux territoriaux qui en découlent. Pour éclairer le concept du bioraffinage, une description des bioraffineries est donnée au préalable, suivie d'une délimitation du territoire d'étude. Finalement, une revue de la littérature sur l'ancrage territorial en milieu rural a été effectuée dans le but d'inventorier les dynamiques de l'ancrage d'un projet agro-industriel de type bioraffinerie. |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01841379&r=env |
| By: | Bailey, Alison; Perrier, Thomas |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Financial Economics |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nzar17:269527&r=env |
| By: | Brulhart, Franck; Gherra, Sandrine; Quelin, Bertrand V. |
| Abstract: | The impact of socially responsible corporate behavior on economic performance is a major preoccupation of managers today. This article explores the links between narrowly defined constructs: stakeholder orientation, environmental proactivity and profitability, from the perspectives of stakeholder theory and resource-based theory. We collected data on the food and beverage, and household and personal products, industries. Using structural equation modeling, this paper makes two contributions. We found a negative link between companies simply having a higher stakeholder orientation and profitability. Importantly, however, environmental proactivity not only had a positive impact on profitability, but also appeared to mediate the relationship between stakeholder orientation and profitability. In other words, if a company is more environmentally proactive, it will be more attentive to a broad array of stakeholders, and this will in turn contribute positively to profitability. |
| Keywords: | environmental proactivity; firm profitability; resource-based theory; stakeholder theory; stakeholder orientation |
| JEL: | L10 |
| Date: | 2017–11–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ebg:heccah:1241&r=env |
| By: | Bell, Kendon |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Security and Poverty |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nzar17:269521&r=env |
| By: | Römer, Ulf; Mußhoff, Oliver |
| Abstract: | In recent years, the application of credit scoring in urban microfinance institutions became popular, while rural microfinance institutions, which mainly lend to agricultural clients, are hesitating to adopt credit scoring. The present study aims to explore whether microfinance credit scoring models are suitable for agricultural clients, and if such models can be improved for agricultural clients by accounting for precipitation. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Farm Management |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gadadp:260766&r=env |
| By: | Moranga, Lawrence Ongwae; Otieno, David Jakinda; Oluoch-Kosura, Willis |
| Abstract: | Climate change poses serious economic challenges including low quality and yield of produce and high post-harvest losses leading to low incomes among smallholder tomato farmers. Recent literature shows possible ways of managing climate change, including innovatively altering the timing of farming operations to avoid adverse weather conditions and or taking advantage of favorable conditions. However, available literature on farmers’ decision-making behaviour and the main factors that influence their willingness to adopt innovative management strategies is scanty. The current study addressed this knowledge gap by analyzing factors affecting smallholder tomato farmers’ willingness to adopt innovative timing approaches to manage climate change effects in Taita Taveta County. Three innovative timing approaches, namely, off-season production, transportation of produce during cool periods of the day and processing of tomatoes to extend shelf life were identified at three nodes of the tomato value chain. A twostage sampling technique was used to randomly select 196 smallholder tomato farmers who were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model were applied in data analysis. Results from the study show that farmers are coping with climate change through practices such as early preparation of land, changing planting dates, increasing the frequency and timeliness of weeding and using early maturing crop varieties. The MNL analysis showed that gender, access to credit, group membership, age and income are the main factors that determine farmers’ willingness to adopt innovative timing approaches. These findings offer useful insights for improving the planning of investments in the tomato value chain, for enhanced stability of farm incomes among farmers. In particular, interventions that would help to boost farmers’ uptake of off-season production include improving farmers’ access to credit through lowering interest rates and simplifying application and disbursement procedures of financial service providers, as well as formation of farmer groups to enhance processing of their produce. |
| Date: | 2016–08–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:unaaed:269270&r=env |
| By: | Ceren Baysan; Marshall Burke; Felipe González; Solomon Hsiang; Edward Miguel |
| Abstract: | Organized intergroup violence is almost universally modeled as a calculated act motivated by economic factors. In contrast, it is generally assumed that non-economic factors, such as an individual's emotional state, play a role in many types of interpersonal violence, such as "crimes of passion." We ask whether economic or non-economic factors better explain the well-established relationship between temperature and violence in a unique context where intergroup killings by drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs) and "normal" interpersonal homicides are separately documented. A constellation of evidence, including the limited influence of a cash transfer program as well as comparison with both non-violent DTO crime and suicides, indicate that economic factors only partially explain the observed relationship between temperature and violence. We argue that non-economic psychological and physiological factors that are affected by temperature, modeled here as a "taste for violence," likely play an important role in causing both interpersonal and intergroup violence. |
| JEL: | O1 Q51 Q54 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24897&r=env |
| By: | Goodarzi, Shadi; Masini, Andrea; Aflaki, Sam |
| Abstract: | We examine empirically how different information types and information channels affect both the intention and the decision to adopt photovoltaic (PV) technology as affected by adoption stage. Analyzing data on a large European utility’s current and potential clients reveals how the effects of various drivers of adoption can change across phases of the adoption process. Our results challenge the common wisdom that information necessarily and homogeneously supports innovation adoption; instead, they strongly support the hypothesis that information types and channels have distinct effects on adoption rates. These results also highlight that, throughout the adoption process, the value of information changes. In addition, we clarify the effects of economic incentives on both the intention to adopt PV technology and actual adoption behavior. Our findings have critical implications for policy makers and for any technology manufacturing company that must optimize its marketing strategy and distribution channels to promote renewable energy systems. |
| Keywords: | innovation adoption; renewable energy; information characteristics; empirical studies |
| JEL: | D83 |
| Date: | 2018–04–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ebg:heccah:1279&r=env |
| By: | Douglas Gollin; Casper Worm Hansen; Asger Wingender |
| Abstract: | We examine the economic impact of high-yielding crop varieties (HYVs) in developing countries 1960-2000. We use time variation in the development and diffusion of HYVs of 10 major crops, spatial variation in agro-climatically suitability for growing them, and a differences-in-differences strategy to identify the causal effects of adoption. In a sample of 84 counties, we estimate that a 10 percentage points increase in HYV adoption increases GDP per capita by about 15 percent. This effect is fully accounted for by the direct effect on crop yields, factor adjustment, and structural transformation. We also find that HYV adoption reduced both fertility and mortality. |
| JEL: | N50 O11 O13 O50 Q16 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24744&r=env |
| By: | Robin Burgess; Francisco J.M. Costa; Benjamin A. Olken |
| Abstract: | Preserving wilderness ecosystems in developing countries is challenging because their remote location places them far from state control. We investigate this using 30x30 meter satellite data to determine how Amazonian deforestation changes discretely at the Brazilian international border. In 2000, Brazilian pixels were 30 percent more likely to be deforested, and between 2001 and 2005 annual Brazilian deforestation was more than 3 times the rate observed across the border. In 2006, just after Brazil introduces policies to reduce illegal deforestation, these differences disappear. These results demonstrate the power of the state to affect whether wilderness ecosystems are conserved or exploited. |
| JEL: | O13 Q23 |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24861&r=env |
| By: | Mbowa, Swaibu; Nakazi, Florence; Nkandu, Joseph |
| Abstract: | Predictions demonstrate that climate change is likely to stifle the coffee development program in Uganda at three levels: (i) by reducing survival rate of coffee seedlings to expand coffee acreage; (ii) exacerbate productivity challenges in an inherently constrained rain-fed low input coffee production system; and (iii) contributing to reduction in quality of coffee beans (specifically bean size) produced leading to losses in absolute value in export earnings. This is likely to slow down the low middle-income status by 2020 target of exporting 20 million (60 Kg bags) annually. The farmers’ ownership model piloted by the National Union of Coffee Agribusinesses and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE), where a smallholder farmer is guaranteed premium prices for value addition, offers a strategy to sustainably invest in climate smart agriculture 1 (involving use of irrigation and fertilizer)1in coffee production. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–09–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:eprcpb:265772&r=env |
| By: | Doctorando: Napoleón Vicente Blanco Orozco |
| Abstract: | Este trabajo de investigación se centró en proponer un modelo que permite determinar la evaluación financiera, económica, social y ambiental de manera integral del recurso energético renovable biomasa como combustible sólido proveniente del bagazo de caña utilizado en la generación de energía eléctrica en Nicaragua. El modelo de evaluación integral del uso de bagazo de caña de azúcar en la generación de energía eléctrica se aplicó con el enfoque de la lógica difusa a través de componentes o subsistemas como elementos del modelo. En el componente de productividad se aplicó el enfoque de análisis de datos envolventes (DEA) con la metodología de los índices de Malmquist, en el componente ambiental se aplicó el enfoque de balance de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) utilizando las directrices del IPCC; en el componente de la evaluación financiera y económica se aplicó el análisis de flujo financiero y económico respectivamente, y finalmente, en el componente social se aplicó el análisis multicriterio. Con el modelo de evaluación propuesto, se logran integrar desde una nueva perspectiva teórica las evaluaciones de los proyectos energéticos que en la revisión de literatura se encontró se aplican de manera dispersa. Además, no se encontró un instrumento que las integrara hasta el desarrollo del modelo que en esta tesis doctoral se presenta. Por lo que, el modelo planteado se muestra como un nuevo aporte al conocimiento científico sobre la evaluación del uso del recurso energético bagazo de caña para la producción de energía eléctrica. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2018–07–27 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nauntg:275424&r=env |
| By: | Morteza Chalak; Veronique Florec; Atakelty Hailu; Fiona Gibson; David Pannell |
| Abstract: | This study undertakes an economic analysis of flood mitigation options for a high flood risk catchment in Adelaide, South Australia: the Brown Hill and Keswick creeks catchment. Several proposals for flood mitigation investments have been presented, including creek capacity upgrades, high flow bypass culverts and detention dams. For flood managers to know which option or options provide the best value for money, it is necessary to compare the costs and the benefits of all available options. To date, economic analyses have focused primarily on estimating the tangible (market) costs and benefits of mitigation strategies, but have largely ignored the intangible (non-market) costs and benefits. This analysis improves upon previous studies by conducting a cost benefit analysis that incorporates the intangible costs and benefits of mitigation. We used the benefit transfer method to include eight different intangible values that can be affected by floods or by the implementation of the proposed mitigation options. We found that for this particular case study in the Brown Hill and Keswick creeks catchment, the inclusion of intangible values does not change the results of the analysis significantly; the results with and without intangibles are relatively similar. This is because intangible values are relatively small compared to the potential tangible flood damages as intangible value losses represent only between 6 and 21% of total damages. In order to better understand people's preferences and the trade-offs they make, a survey based nonmarket valuation research would need to be conducted amongst the residents at risk of flooding. Such a study would provide values that are specific to the catchment and could be compared with the intangible values from the literature that have been assembled for this study. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Public Economics, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–04–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uwauwp:256513&r=env |
| By: | Molle, Francois; Al Karablieh, E.; Al Naber, M.; Closas, Alvar; Salman, A. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–11–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iwmirp:273350&r=env |
| By: | Nansambu, D.; Sugden, Fraser |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iwmirp:265661&r=env |
| By: | Lööf, Hans (CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies, Royal Institute of Technology); Perez, Luis (CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies, Royal Institute of Technology); Baum, Christopher F (Department of Economics, Boston College and Department of Macroeconomics) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies directed technical change and innovation in renewable energy. We construct panel data with micro- and macro observations from nearly 200 countries over a 20-year period and estimate how energy prices, government subsidies, financial markets, spillovers, and path dependence affect patenting in solar thermal and solar cells. Carbon taxes, R&D subsidies to solar technology and own-knowledge stocks have strong, significant positive effects on solar innovations. Subsidies to fossil energy have the adverse effect. We find no compelling evidence that the quality of financial markets and institutions has any consistent impact on the patenting activities of innovators in solar energy. |
| Keywords: | Directed Technical Change; Climate Change; Innovation; Patents; Solar Energy. |
| JEL: | O13 O30 P28 P47 |
| Date: | 2018–08–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0470&r=env |
| By: | Slama, Samuel |
| Abstract: | Les assureurs français, qui disposent de 2 543 milliards d’euros de placements en valeur de marché à fin 2016, constituent le premier marché de la zone euro en termes d’actifs détenus. Utilisant les données sur les placements des assureurs transmis dans le cadre des premières remises annuelles Solvabilité II, cette analyse présente les niveaux d’exposition de leurs portefeuilles de placements au risque de changement climatique. L’étude évalue à la fois la valeur des placements des assureurs dans des pays jugés vulnérables à des risques physiques, et dans des secteurs jugés sensibles aux risques de transition, après mise en transparence des organismes de placement collectif français. Les expositions des portefeuilles des assureurs français au risque de transition semblent, selon cette approche et au regard des données disponibles, significatives : entre 240 milliards (estimation basse) et 450 milliards (estimation haute) d’euros des titres détenus (soit entre 10% et 20% de l’ensemble des titres détenus) seraient ainsi émis par des entités issues de secteurs exposés ou potentiellement exposés à des politiques de transition. Les placements des assureurs exposés à des pays présentant un risque physique qualifiable de moyen ou de fort sont, en revanche, pratiquement négligeables, puisqu’ils représentent moins de 1% des portefeuilles des assureurs (mais 6% si l’on inclut les titres néerlandais, jugés moyennement vulnérables par l’agence de notation Standard & Poor’s). Cette proportion relativement limitée s’explique sans doute par le fait que les expositions aux titres émis dans des pays développés (EEE et OCDE), pays généralement moins exposés au risque climatique à quelques exceptions près (Pays-Bas notamment), sont jugés peu risqués d’un point de vue prudentiel. Cette analyse nécessiterait toutefois d’être approfondie, avec des données plus granulaires permettant de mieux cibler (i) les zones géographiques à risque, y compris en Europe, notamment pour l’évaluation des titres immobiliers et (ii) les secteurs producteurs ou fortement utilisateurs d’énergies fossiles, notamment pour les titres émis par des sociétés non financières. |
| Keywords: | assurance vie, assurance non-vie, risque climatique, placements. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfr:analys:91&r=env |
| By: | De Francesco, Edi; Perito, Maria Angela; Bozzolan, Irene; Stefani, Gianluca; Cei, Leonardo Cei |
| Abstract: | Paper explores Italian consumer appreciation for health-related and environmental friendly attributes of whole-wheat pasta and compares two approaches in the information provision: a “holistic” approach (inform consumer on the overall product characteristics) with an “attribute-specific” one. A modified version of the attribute-based referenda model (ABR) has been estimated on sequence of two dichotomous choice questions randomly administered to a sample of households, starting only with a one attribute version (“adding” treatment) or the complete product one (“subtracting”). Results suggest that taste and habits are great barriers to overcome, since only whole-wheat pasta consumers are willing to pay for the health-related attribute. It gets worse for the environmental attribute for which people are not willing to pay even if informed on the environmental-friendly method of production. However, the way in which information is provided, holistically or attribute-based, is important, with higher value attached to attributes when evaluated in the subtracting context, supporting prospect theory and endowment effect. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2017–07–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aiea17:261258&r=env |
| By: | Charity, Nabwire Ephamia Juma |
| Abstract: | Geographical indication (GI) identifies a product as originating from a given territory, region or country. This form of product-labelling signifies reputation for quality, safety and authenticity. It is a form of value-based label that can curb honey adulteration through enabling product traceability. This study analyzed honey consumers’ awareness of GI and their willingness to pay for quality attributes of honey in Kenya. A quantitative experimental research design; choice experiment (CE) based on a D-optimal design was used. Primary data was collected through consumer surveys using structured questionnaires. Respondents were drawn from three urban centres: Nairobi, Nakuru and Kitui. In addition, consumers’ awareness and preferences for geographical and quality honey attributes were analyzed using probit and random parameter logit models, respectively. Results reveal that consumers have limited knowledge of GI. Factors that influence GI awareness are consumers’ perceptions, trust, gender, education level and information. Therefore, there is need to increase the spread of GI knowledge and its benefits through consumer education forums. Furthermore, consumers prefer local honey that is organic, with specific origin labels and produced in semi-arid areas. The study therefore recommends stringent labelling of honey with its specific region of origin and organic certification. Consequently, consumers are willing to pay a premium to improve the authenticity of current honey labels: origin and botanical labels for traceability and organic for food safety. Consumers also prefer a joint public-private regulation. There is a niche market for thick honey labelled with its GI, organic, botanical source and certified by both public and private body. This consumer segment would pay up to 430% premium. This study recommends for consumer education across gender and age and implementation of GI labelling for food products trusted by consumers. Stakeholders should be enabled to implement GI labels in Kenya because of high consumer preferences. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2016–11–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cmpart:265574&r=env |