|
on Environmental Economics |
|
Issue of 2019‒05‒13
forty-two papers chosen by Francisco S. Ramos Universidade Federal de Pernambuco |
| By: | Clement A. Tisdell |
| Abstract: | India has drawn up plans for it to contribute to the fulfilment of the UN’s Global Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. This chapter focuses on India’s plans for fostering biodiversity conservation in relation to sustainable development goal 15 of this agenda. The aim of SDG15 is to conserve natural ecosystems and life (biodiversity) on land. As noted in this chapter, there is a lack of clarity in Global Agenda 2030 about what ecosystems and components of biodiversity are worthy of preservation. Also the concept of sustainable development is not well defined. Therefore, Global Agenda 2030 gives individual nations considerable leeway in applying these objectives. Furthermore, the targets associated with the UN’s SD goals are ‘fuzzy’ and individual nations are at liberty to decide which targets to pursue. India has selected only three of the twelve UN targets as a part of its contribution to satisfying SDG15, and these are only partly covered by its planning specifications. The reasons for India’s choice and the limitations of its choice are discussed. Also the implications for biodiversity conservation of India’s other SD targets (e.g. those pertaining to water and food supplies) are analyzed and deficiencies are noted. It is contended that India’s SD responses to Global Agenda 2030 reflect the ‘fuzziness’ of the agenda itself. There is a real risk that India will not meet its conservation targets and significantly improve the state of its environment by 2030. It is predicted that India is unlikely to follow a ‘green’ path policy in order to achieve sustainable development by 2030 given that a pro-economic growth climate is likely to prevail politically for some time yet in India. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2019–05–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uqseee:288283&r=all |
| By: | Philipp M. Richter; Marco Runkel; Robert C. Schmidt |
| Abstract: | The loss of international competitiveness of domestic industries remains a key obstacle to the implementation of effective carbon prices in a world without harmonized climate policies. We analyze countries' non-cooperative choices of emissions taxes under imperfect competition and mobile polluting firms. In our general equilibrium setup with trade, wage effects prevent all firms from locating in the same country. While under local or no pollution countries achieve the first-best, under transboundary pollution taxes are inefficiently low and lower than under autarky where only the `standard' free-riding incentive distorts emissions taxes. This effect is more pronounced when polluting firms are mobile. |
| Keywords: | Strategic environmental policy, firm location, carbon leakage, general equilibrium |
| JEL: | F12 F18 H23 |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1801&r=all |
| By: | Julien Chevallier (LED - Université Paris 8, IPAG Business School); Stéphane Goutte (LED - Université Paris 8, PSB - Paris School of Business); Khaled Guesmi (IPAG Business School, École de gestion Telfer / Université d'Ottawa - Université d'Ottawa) |
| Abstract: | Oil-gas-coal companies are particularly concerned by the notion of stranded assets, i.e., the fact that known fossil reserves cannot be burnt should limitations on greenhouse gas emissions become more stringent. Those assets can suffer from unanticipated or premature write-downs, devaluations or conversion to liabilities. This paper simulates the impacts of carbon stranded assets for 17 major oil-gas-coal firms' value until the horizon 2050. The core of the paper is a stochastic model with stopping times that determines by initial conditions (reserves and extraction rates) which companies are left with 'stranded assets.' In the business-as-usual scenario, one-quarter of the Earth's capacity for absorbing emissions will be depleted by 2050. With stringent emissions-curbing policies, an environmental gain of 80% can be achieved. Without a restructuring of their business model, many oil-gas-coal companies stand out from our simulations as being particularly vulnerable to the financial risks of bankruptcies and default events. |
| Keywords: | Stranded asset,Stochastic process,Monte-Carlo simulations,Climate finance |
| Date: | 2019–04–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02106113&r=all |
| By: | Yoro Diallo (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - Clermont Auvergne - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Sébastien Marchand (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - Clermont Auvergne - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Etienne Espagne (CIRED - Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AgroParisTech, AFD - Agence française de développement, CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - Clermont Auvergne - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to examine farm household-level impacts of weather extreme events on Vietnamese rice technical efficiency. Vietnam is considered among the most vulnerable countries to climate change, and the Vietnamese economy is highly dependent on rice production that is strongly affected by climate change. A stochastic frontier analysis is applied with census panel data and weather data from 2010 to 2014 to estimate these impacts while controlling for both adaptation strategy and household characteristics. Also, this study combines these estimated marginal effects with future climate scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5) to project the potential impact of hot temperatures in 2050 on rice technical efficiency. We find that weather shocks measured by the occurrence of floods, typhoons and droughts negatively affect technical efficiency. Also, additional days with a temperature above 31°C dampen technical efficiency and the negative effect is increasing with temperature. For instance, a one day increase in the bin [33°C-34°C] ([35°C and more]) lessen technical efficiency between 6.84 (2.82) and 8.05 (3.42) percentage points during the dry (wet) season. |
| Keywords: | Weather shocks,Technical efficiency,Rice farming,Vietnam |
| Date: | 2019–03–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02080285&r=all |
| By: | Olijslager, Stan; van Wijnbergen, Sweder |
| Abstract: | We focus on the effect of preference specifications on the current day valuation of future outcomes. Specifically, we analyze the effect of risk aversion, ambiguity aversion and the elasticity of intertemporal substitution on the willingness to pay to avoid climate change risk. The first part of the paper analyzes a general disaster (jump) risk model with a constant arrival rate of disasters. This provides useful intuition in how preferences influence valuation of long-term risk. The second part of the paper extends this model with a climate model and a temperature dependent arrival rate. Since the model yields closed form solutions up to solving an integral, our model does not suffer from the curse of dimensionality of numerical IAMs with several state variables. Introducing Epstein-Zin preferences with an elasticity of substitution higher than one and ambiguity aversion leads to much larger estimates of the social cost of carbon than obtained under power utility. The dominant parameters are the risk aversion coefficient and the elasticity of intertemporal substitution. Ambiguity aversion is of second order importance. |
| Keywords: | ambiguity aversion; climate change; Epstein-Zin Preferences; Social cost of carbon; Stochastic Differential Utility |
| JEL: | G12 G13 Q51 Q54 |
| Date: | 2019–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13708&r=all |
| By: | Kono Daniel; Montinola Gabriella |
| Abstract: | Climate-related foreign aid is on the rise, with signatories to the Paris Climate agreement pledging US$100 billion annually to promote mitigation and adaptation in recipient countries. While this seems like a welcome development, we have little evidence that climate aid actually encourages recipients to adopt climate legislation.In this paper, we examine the relationship between climate aid and recipient climate policy. Using multiple measures of each, we find no evidence that the former is systematically related to the latter. Although this suggests that climate aid is ineffective, this conclusion must be qualified due to the poor quality of both climate aid and climate policy data.More definitive conclusions will require more accurate coding of climate aid as well as better climate policy measures that distinguish truly consequential policies from less consequential ones. |
| Keywords: | Official development assistance,Adaptation,Climate change,Climate change mitigation,Environmental policy |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2019-15&r=all |
| By: | Branko Bošković; Ujjayant Chakravorty (TSE - Toulouse School of Economics - UT1 - Université Toulouse 1 Capitole - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales); Martino Pelli; Anna Risch (GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes) |
| 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: | fuelwood collection,forest cover,energy access,cooking fuels,deforestation |
| Date: | 2019–04–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02089687&r=all |
| By: | Kounetas, Konstantinos; Polemis, Michael; Tzeremes, Nickolaos |
| Abstract: | This study applies a nonparametric time dependent conditional frontier model to estimate and evaluate the convergence in eco-efficiency of a group of 51 US states over the period 1990-2017. Specifically, we utilize a mixture of global and local pollutants (carbon dioxide CO2, sulphur dioxide SO2 and nitrogen oxides NOx) to capture the environmental damage caused by the anthropogenic activities. The empirical findings indicate divergence for the whole sample, while specific groups of convergence club regions are formulated dividing the US states into worst and best performers. Moreover, Our findings reveal significant convergence patterns between the US regions over the sample period. |
| Keywords: | Eco-efficiency; Convergence clubs; Order-m estimators; Non parametric frontier analysis; US regions |
| JEL: | C15 Q40 Q53 Q57 |
| Date: | 2019–05–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:93686&r=all |
| By: | Pei, Jiansuo; Sturm, Bodo; Yu, Anqi |
| Abstract: | Is a firm's ability to export an important determinant of environmental performance? To answer this question, we construct a unique micro dataset that merged two rich firm-level datasets for China for 2007. When combining this new dataset with well-received empirical specifications, we found that both export status and export intensity are associated with lower sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions intensity. In addition to the traditional OLS estimation, we verified this association by using the propensity score matching method. Our findings show that the baseline result still holds. In short, exporters are more environmentally friendly than non-exporters,which is in line with previous evidence reported for developed economies. We further discuss mechanisms that explain the observed pattern and show that exporters realize higher abatement efforts compared to non-exporters. This study complements the literature in terms of providing China's micro evidence on SO2 abatement efforts. It also serves as a first step toward a better understanding of the impact of trade on the environment, especially in developing countries. |
| Keywords: | Exporters and the environment,firm heterogeneity,SO2 emissions,abatement |
| JEL: | F18 Q53 Q56 |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:19014&r=all |
| By: | Isabelle Tritsch (UMR ECOFOG - Ecologie des forêts de Guyane - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - AgroParisTech - UG - Université de Guyane - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UA - Université des Antilles); Gwenolé Le Velly (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Benoit Mertens (ATILF - Analyse et Traitement Informatique de la Langue Française - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Patrick Meyfroidt (Earth and Life Institute [Louvain-La-Neuve] - UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain); Christophe Sannier (SIRS - Systèmes d'Information à Référence Spatiale - Systèmes d'Information à Référence Spatiale); Jean-Sylvestre Makak (Geospatial Company); Kenneth Houngbedji (AFD - Agence française de développement) |
| Abstract: | To allow for the production of timber while preserving conservation values, forestry regulations in the Congo Basin have made Forest Management Plans (FMPs) mandatory in logging concessions. This paper uses original highresolution maps of forest-cover changes and official records on the activities of logging concessions to analyze the impact of FMPs on deforestation in this region. We apply quasi-experimental and difference-in-difference approaches to evaluate the change in deforestation in concessions that implemented an FMP. We find that between 2000 and 2010, deforestation was 74% lower in concessions with an FMP compared to others. Building on a theory of change, further analyses revealed that this decrease in deforestation takes at least five years to occur, and is highest around communities located in and nearby logging concessions and in areas close to previous deforestation. These findings suggest that FMPs reduce deforestation by allowing concessions to rotate cycles of timber extraction, thereby avoiding the overexploitation of areas that were previously logged, and by the better regulation of access to concessions by closing former logging roads to limit illegal activities such as slash and burn agriculture, hunting and the illegal harvest of timber or fuelwood. |
| Keywords: | forest management plan,FSC certification,deforestation,quasi-experimental matching,causal mechanisms,Congo Basin |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02103836&r=all |
| By: | Stefano Gagliarducci (Tor Vergata University, EIEF and IZA); M. Daniele Paserman (Boston University, EIEF, CEPR and IZA); Eleonora Patacchini (Cornell University, EIEF, CEPR and IZA) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies how politicians and voters respond to new information on the threats of climate change. Using data on the universe of federal disaster declarations between 1989 and 2014, we document that congress members from districts hit by a hurricane are more likely to support bills promoting more environmental regulation and control in the year after the disaster. The response to hurricanes does not seem to be driven by logrolling behavior or lobbysts’ pressure. The change in legislative agenda is persistent over time, and it is associated with an electoral penalty in the following elections. The response is mainly promoted by representatives in safe districts, those with more experience, and those with strong pro-environment records. Our evidence thus reveals that natural disasters may trigger a permanent change in politicians’ beliefs, but only those with a sufficient electoral strength or with strong ideologies are willing to engage in promoting policies with short-run costs and long-run benefits. |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eie:wpaper:1907&r=all |
| By: | Camille Dezécache (UMR ECOFOG - Ecologie des forêts de Guyane - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - AgroParisTech - UG - Université de Guyane - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UA - Université des Antilles); Jean-Michel Salles (LAMETA - Laboratoire Montpelliérain d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - UM1 - Université Montpellier 1 - UM3 - Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 - Montpellier SupAgro - Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques - INRA Montpellier - Institut national de la recherche agronomique [Montpellier] - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Bruno Herault (UMR ECOFOG - Ecologie des forêts de Guyane - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - AgroParisTech - UG - Université de Guyane - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UA - Université des Antilles) |
| Abstract: | Background: REDD+ is being questioned by the particular status of High Forest/Low Deforestation countries. Indeed, the formulation of reference levels is made difficult by the confrontation of low historical deforestation records with the forest transition theory on the one hand. On the other hand, those countries might formulate incredibly high deforestation scenarios to ensure large payments even in case of inaction. Results: Using a wide range of scenarios within the Guiana Shield, from methods involving basic assumptions made from past deforestation, to explicit modelling of deforestation using relevant socioeconomic variables at the regional scale, we show that the most common methodologies predict huge increases in deforestation, unlikely to happen given the existing socioeconomic situation. More importantly, it is unlikely that funds provided under most of these scenarios could compensate for the total cost of avoided deforestation in the region, including social and economic costs. Conclusion: This study suggests that a useful and efficient international mechanism should really focus on removing the underlying political and socioeconomic forces of deforestation rather than on hypothetical result-based payments estimated from very questionable reference levels. |
| Keywords: | Baseline,REDD+,Reference level,Spatial modelling,Deforestation,Guiana Shield,HFLD countries |
| Date: | 2018–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02100172&r=all |
| By: | Jean-Claude Berthelemy (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, FERDI - Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International); Arnaud Millien (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, FERDI - Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International) |
| Abstract: | This paper is the first product of a project which aims to build a Collaborative Smart Mapping of Mini-grid Action (CoSMMA), whose principal objective is to identify best practice in decentralized electrification projects. Using evaluations of 421 projects, from published research papers, we built a pilot CoSMMA which proves its feasibility. Its relevance is demonstrated by a meta-analysis, which reveals the principal characteristics of decentralized electrification projects which have positive impacts on sustainable development. Four main characteristics were considered: technology (source or energy), system size (power), decision level (from local to country level) geographic location. When searching for best practices, technology and system size must be considered together, because the chosen technology may constrain the power, which is provided by the system. We find that the most popular projects, which are based on Solar Home Systems (SHS) are not the most effective. The problem with SHS is not the use of solar energy, but the small system size often chosen for SHS. Mini-grids, of larger size, especially those which use hybrid renewable sources of energy, have more positive impacts, because these systems combine the benefits of sustainability and flexibility. In terms of decision level, we find that both top-down and bottom-up approaches have advantages, with the observation of a U-shaped curve for the influence of the decision level on the probability of obtaining positive impacts. Geographical location matters, as it is very often the key to system feasibility. We find that DEPs are more effective in Latin America than in Asia, and more effective in Asia than in Africa. We also attempted to study the type of effects resulting from DEPs. Descriptive data suggest that for some types of effects, positive impacts are more likely than for others. Decentralized electrification projects have a more positive impact on Lifestyle & NICT or Household agenda than on Economic transformation or Community life. However, this pilot CoSMMA does not contain enough information to study precisely the types of effects, because some types of effects have not been studied frequently in the existing literature. This is the case, for instance, for environmental effects, which have been rarely measured scientifically. Finally, we attempted to broaden our information set by including expert data, which was entered into the CoSMMA meta-analysis. We define expert data as data that are not supported by statistical tests with measures of significance, whereas the evaluations based on scientific data were supported by statistical tests of significance. The expert data may be valid, but our attempt to include it in the analysis failed at this stage. The determinants of unproven effects appear to be quite different from the determinants of proven effects in our meta-analysis, and using expert data would imply merging proven and unproven effects, which would totally blur the conclusions. |
| Keywords: | decentralized electrification,sustainable developement,impact assessment,meta-analysis,méta-analyse,électrification décentralisée,développement durable,évaluation d'impact |
| Date: | 2018–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01965653&r=all |
| By: | Théo Benonnier (ENS Cachan - École normale supérieure - Cachan); Katrin Millock (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, PSE - Paris School of Economics); Vis Taraz (Smith College) |
| Abstract: | Climate change will affect both international and internal migration. Earlier work finds evidence of a climate-migration poverty trap: higher temperatures reduce agri- cultural yields, which in turn reduce emigration rates in low-income countries, due to liquidity constraints. We test whether access to irrigation modulates the climate- migration poverty trap, since irrigation protects crops from heat. We regress measures of international and internal migration on decadal averages of temperature and rain- fall, interacted with country-level data on irrigation and income. We find that irri- gation access significantly weakens the climate-migration poverty trap, demonstrating the importance of considering alternative adaptation strategies when analyzing climate migration. |
| Keywords: | International migration,Rural-urban migration,Climate change,Agriculture,Irrigation |
| Date: | 2019–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02107098&r=all |
| By: | Théo Benonnier (ENS Cachan - École normale supérieure - Cachan); Katrin Millock (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, PSE - Paris School of Economics); Vis Taraz (Smith College) |
| Abstract: | Climate change will affect both international and internal migration. Earlier work finds evidence of a climate-migration poverty trap: higher temperatures reduce agri- cultural yields, which in turn reduce emigration rates in low-income countries, due to liquidity constraints. We test whether access to irrigation modulates the climate- migration poverty trap, since irrigation protects crops from heat. We regress measures of international and internal migration on decadal averages of temperature and rain- fall, interacted with country-level data on irrigation and income. We find that irri- gation access significantly weakens the climate-migration poverty trap, demonstrating the importance of considering alternative adaptation strategies when analyzing climate migration. |
| Keywords: | International migration,Rural-urban migration,Climate change,Agriculture,Irrigation |
| Date: | 2019–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:psewpa:halshs-02107098&r=all |
| By: | Asongu, Simplice; Odhiambo, Nicholas |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the relevance of government quality in moderating the incidence of environmental degradation on inclusive human development in 44 sub-Saharan African countries for the period 2000-2012. Environmental degradation is measured with CO2 emissions and the governance dynamics include: political stability, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, regulation quality, the rule of law and corruption-control. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalised Method of Moments. Regulation quality modulates CO2 emissions to exert a net negative effect on inclusive development. Institutional governance (consisting of corruption-control and the rule of law) modulates CO2 emissions to also exert a net negative effect on inclusive human development. Fortunately, the corresponding interactive effects are positive, which indicates that good governance needs to be enhanced to achieve positive net effects. A policy threshold of institutional governance at which institutional governance completely dampens the unfavourable effect of CO2 emissions on inclusive human development is established. Other policy implications are discussed. |
| Keywords: | CO2 emissions; Economic development; Africa |
| JEL: | C52 O38 O40 O55 P37 |
| Date: | 2019–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:93660&r=all |
| By: | Mich\`ele Friend |
| Abstract: | A policy compass indicates the direction in which an institution is going in terms of three general qualities. The three qualities are: suppression, harmony and passion. Any formal institution can develop a policy compass to examine the discrepancy between what the institution would like to do (suggested in its mandate) and the actual performance and situation it finds itself in. The latter is determined through an aggregation of statistical data and facts. These are made robust and stable using meta-requirements of convergence. Here, I present a version of the compass adapted to embed the central ideas of ecological economics: that society is dependent on the environment, and that economic activity is dependent on society; that we live in a world subject to at least the first two laws of thermodynamics; that the planet we live on is limited in space and resources; that some of our practices have harmful and irreversible consequences on the natural environment; that there are values other than value in exchange, such as intrinsic value and use value. In this paper, I explain how to construct a policy compass in general. This is followed by the adaptation for ecological economics. The policy compass is original, and so is the adaptation. The compass is inspired by the work of Anthony Friend, Rob Hoffman, Satish Kumar, Georgescu-Roegen, Stanislav Schmelev, Peter S\"oderbaum and Arild Vatn. In the conclusion, I discuss the accompanying conception of sustainability. |
| Date: | 2019–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:1905.03338&r=all |
| By: | Ewan Trégarot; Thibault Catry (UMR 228 Espace-Dev, Espace pour le développement - UA - Université des Antilles - UG - Université de Guyane - UM - Université de Montpellier - UR - Université de La Réunion - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AU - Université d'Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse, IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement); Aurea Pottier (UMR 228 Espace-Dev, Espace pour le développement - UA - Université des Antilles - UG - Université de Guyane - UM - Université de Montpellier - UR - Université de La Réunion - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AU - Université d'Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse, IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement); Cindy Cornet; Jean-Philippe Maréchal; Vincent Fayad; Mohamed Ahmed Sidi Cheick; Gilbert David (UMR 228 Espace-Dev, Espace pour le développement - UA - Université des Antilles - UG - Université de Guyane - UM - Université de Montpellier - UR - Université de La Réunion - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AU - Université d'Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse, IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement); Abdou Daïm Dia; Assane Deda Fall; Ousmane Sarr; Yeslim El Valy; Oumar Hamet Wagne; Beyah Meisse; Elimane Abou Kane; Abou Ciré Ball; Mohamed Saleck Haidallah; C.B. Braham; M. Dia; Mohamed Lemine Abdel Hamid (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Hélène Rey-Valette (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Jean-Michel Salles (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); D. Ly; C.B. Cissé; Pierre Failler |
| Abstract: | Cette étude est la première du genre portant sur cette vaste aire protégée, à la fois marine et terrestre. Elle a été réalisée par un consortium de consultants et financée par le FFEM, l'AFD et le BaCoMab pour le Parc national du Banc d'Arguin (PNBA). Selon cette étude, la valeur annuelle des principaux services de régulation et d'approvisionnement est estimée à 8,1 milliards MRU par an soit 198,8 millions €/an. Les deux services les plus importants sont ceux relatifs à la séquestration du carbone fournie par les herbiers (3,3 milliards MRU) et à la contribution du PNBA aux pêcheries de la ZEE de la Mauritanie (3 milliards MRU). Parmi les autres services de support et de régulation évalués, ceux de nurserie et de bioremédiation affichent des valeurs monétaires respectives de 92 et 49 millions MRU/an. Le service de prélèvement par la flotte de pêche artisanale atteint 52 millions MRU/an. La valeur de non usage du PNBA se situe a 1,6 milliard MRU d'après la perception de l'importance accordée aux différents services écosystèmiques par les Mauritaniens. Les services évalués concernent essentiellement la partie maritime du PNBA qui couvre 5400 km2. L'étude met aussi en avant le rôle fondamental du PNBA pour la pêche opérant dans la ZEE de la Mauritanie, pour la séquestration du carbone atmosphérique et dissous, pour les populations d'oiseaux et les services qu'ils apportent et pour l'identité Imraguen. Outre la valeur économique des principaux services rendus par les écosystèmes du Banc d'Arguin, la préservation des milieux naturels et de la faune associée au PNBA est favorable a l'atteinte des objectifs des différentes conventions et traites internationaux dont la Mauritanie est signataire. La part de CO2 séquestre annuellement par les écosystèmes marins du Parc national du Banc d'Arguin atteint 732 057 tCO2eq soit 11 % des émissions de GES du pays. |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02091352&r=all |
| By: | Adrien Fabre (PSE - Paris School of Economics); Mouez Fodhaz (PSE - Paris School of Economics); Francesco Ricci (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier) |
| Abstract: | The production of energy from renewable sources is much more intensive in minerals than that from fossil resources. The scarcity of certain minerals limits the potential for substituting renewable energy for scarce fossil resources. However, minerals can be recycled, while fossils cannot. We develop an intertemporal model to study the dynamics of the optimal energy mix in the presence of mineral intensive renewable energy and fossil energy. We analyze energy production when both mineral and fossil resources are scarce, but minerals are recyclable. We show that the greater the recycling rate of minerals, the more the energy mix should rely on renewable energy, and the sooner should investment in renewable capacity take place. We confirm these results even in the presence of other better known factors that a ect the optimal schedule of resource use: growth in the productivity in the renewable sector, imperfect substitution between the two sources of energy, convex extraction costs for mineral resources and pollution from the use of fossil resources. |
| Keywords: | energy transition,mineral resources,renewable and non-renewable natural resources,recycling |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02056348&r=all |
| By: | Serrano Caballero, Enriqueta; Ojo, Marianne |
| Abstract: | The EU's development policy seeks to eradicate poverty, promote the sustainable development of developing countries, defend human rights and democracy and promote gender equality and overcome environmental and climate challenges. Development aid is a limited resource. For this reason, the Union is committed to the effectiveness of aid and promotes close relations with partner countries in terms of programming and implementing development actions. With this perspective, the "EU Code of Conduct on the division of labor in the field of development policy" was adopted in 2007, and the "Operational framework on the effectiveness of development aid" was adopted in 2011. These measures are consistent with the international measures undertaken in response to the 2005 Paris Declaration of the OECD, which promotes ownership, harmonization, alignment, results and mutual responsibility in development assistance. Amidst highly anticipated outcomes from ongoing trade talks between US and China, Brexit negotiations outcomes, as well recently concluded NAFTA negotiations, the atmosphere surrounding global trade relations could not be more highly charged. This volume not only illustrates how the changing face, landscape and scene of political economy and international trade relations are significantly impacting financial stability, regulatory, legal and financial related actors; but also highlights and explains how certain actors are contributing in addressing those instabilities which are threatening current global spheres as a result of recent developments. |
| Keywords: | international organizations; regional policies of cooperation and integration; trade relations; Sustainable Development; Financial Markets; Integration and Stability; Brexit; NAFTA; European Union; non governmental organisations; actors; international relations |
| JEL: | F1 F13 F18 F2 F23 F3 K2 |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:92105&r=all |
| By: | Christoph Deuster |
| Abstract: | What is the relationship between climate change and human capital ac- cumulation? Through which mechanisms do weather changes affect tertiary educational attainment in African economies? This paper investigates the potential link between climate change and high-skilled human capital formation in Africa. In order to do so, a two-sector, world economy model that endogenizes education decisions and internal migration decisions is developed. This stylized model predicts that negative climatic conditions increase the share of people moving internally from rural to urban areas. This in turn leads to a larger future share of individuals investing in tertiary education, because the access and returns to education are higher in urban areas. These theoretical predictions are empirically validated by a panel data analysis at the country level, and a cross-sectional data analysis at the province level. The panel data set includes 37 African countries and covers the time period between 1960 and 2010. The cross-sectional data set includes 111 provinces in 17 African economies. A linear regression analysis shows that weather changes and educational attainment are correlated. A Two-Stage least squares regression analysis indicates that this effect results from the impact of climatic variation on internal migration. The research leads to the conclusion that adverse weather changes may have the unexpected effect of increasing high-skilled educational attainment in African economies. |
| Keywords: | Human capital, Migration, Climate change |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unl:novafr:wp1904&r=all |
| By: | Horbach, Jens; Rammer, Christian |
| Abstract: | Circular economy (CE) describes an economic concept that aims at saving resources by minimizing the use of material and energy over the entire life-cycle or products, including repair, reuse and recycling. CE innovations help to realize the goals of a sustainable development and target both the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. This paper looks at the economic and social dimensions by investigating the performance and employment effects of CE innovations at the firm level. CE innovations such as the reduction of energy and material consumption or the recycling of waste, water or material may lead to cost savings which in turn can increase the competitiveness of the firm and raise demand for a firm's products. Our econometric analysis uses data of two waves of the German part of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS). The performance effects of CE innovations measured by the financial standing of a firm and by turnover growth tend to be positive. The results of quantile regressions show that this is also the case for employment effects. |
| Keywords: | circular economy,Community Innovation Survey,eco-innovation,quantile regression |
| JEL: | C21 Q01 Q55 |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:19016&r=all |
| By: | Ben Henderson (OECD); Jussi Lankoski (OECD) |
| Abstract: | The relationship between agricultural support policies (adapted from the OECD Producer Support Estimate (PSE) classification) and a selection of environmental impacts are analysed in a range of country settings, using a farm-level and a market-level model. Based on the methods and environmental indicators used, market price support and payments based on unconstrained variable input use were the most environmentally harmful among the various PSE measures. Decoupled support payments based on non-current crop area were the least harmful, even when considering their impacts on the behaviour of risk averse farmers. The impacts of support policies that clearly change the competitiveness of one production activity in relation to another, such as payments based on current crop area or on animal numbers, were more equivocal. Support payments subject to environmental constraints can improve environmental outcomes compared to coupled support without restrictions, however, they can also have unintended environmental impacts. |
| Keywords: | biodiversity, GHG, nitrogen runoff, nutrient balance, producer support |
| JEL: | Q12 Q15 Q18 |
| Date: | 2019–05–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:agraaa:130-en&r=all |
| By: | Andreas Karpf (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Antoine Mandel (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics); Stefano Battiston (CAMS - Centre d'analyse et de mathématique sociale - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents an analysis of the European Emission Trading System as a transaction network. It is shown that, given the lack of well-identified trading institutions, industrial actors had to resort to local connections and financial intermediaries to participate in the market. This gave rise to a hierarchical structure in the transaction network. It is then shown that the asymmetries in the network induced market inefficiencies (e.g., increased bid-ask spread) and informational asymmetries, that have been exploited by central agents at the expense of less central ones. Albeit the efficiency of the market has improved from the beginning of Phase II, the asymmetry persists, imposing unnecessary additional costs on agents and reducing the effectiveness of the market as a mitigation instrument. |
| Keywords: | Network,Carbon market,Climate change,Microstructure |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01905985&r=all |
| By: | Kenneth A. Castellanos; Garth Heutel |
| Abstract: | We develop a computable general equilibrium model of the United States economy to study the unemployment effects of climate policy and the importance of cross-sectoral labor mobility. We consider two alternate extreme assumptions about labor mobility: either perfect mobility, as is assumed in much previous work, or perfect immobility. The effect of a $35 per ton carbon tax on aggregate unemployment is small and similar across the two labor mobility assumptions (0.2–0.3 percentage points). The effect on unemployment in fossil fuel sectors is much larger under the immobility assumption – a 30 percentage-point increase in the coal sector – suggesting that models omitting labor mobility frictions may greatly under-predict sectoral unemployment effects. Returning carbon tax revenue through labor tax cuts can dampen or even reverse negative impacts on unemployment, while command-and-control policies yield larger unemployment effects. |
| JEL: | C68 H23 J62 Q52 |
| Date: | 2019–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25797&r=all |
| By: | Francesca Marchetta (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UdA - Université d'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand I - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); David Sahn (Cornell University); Luca Tiberti (Université Laval) |
| Abstract: | We examine the impact of rainfall variability and cyclones on schooling and work among a cohort of teens and young adults in Madagascar. We estimate a bivariate probit model using a panel survey conducted in 2004 and 2011 in this poor island nation, which is frequently affected by extreme weather events. Our results show that negative rainfall deviations and cyclones reduce the probability of attending school and encourage young men and, to a greater extent, women to enter the work force, and they reduce their French and math test scores. Less wealthy households are most likely to experience this school-to-work transition in the face of rainfall shocks. The finding is consistent with poorer households having less savings and more limited access to credit and insurance, which reduces their ability to cope with rainfall shortages. We also find that there are both contemporaneous and lagged effects of the weather shocks, and that they are of a similar magnitude. Our findings are robust to the use of a linear probability model, as well as a wide range of definitions of rainfall variations. |
| Keywords: | Africa,agricultural labor,climate shocks,employment |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02089749&r=all |
| By: | Hellerstein, Daniel; Vilorio, Dennis |
| Abstract: | Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2019, describes trends in economic, resource, and environmental indicators in the agriculture sector. Agriculture is dynamic, changing in response to economic, technological, environmental, and policy factors. The indicators covered in this report provide assessments of important changes in U.S. agriculture—the industry’s development, its environmental effects, and the implications for economic and environmental sustainability. The individual chapters track key natural, produced, and management resources that are used in or are affected by agricultural production, as well as structural changes in farm production and the economic conditions and policies that influence agricultural resource use and its environmental impacts. The chapters also direct interested readers to ERS research and data that provide more detailed description and analysis. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use, Productivity Analysis |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersib:288293&r=all |
| By: | John C. Whitehead |
| Abstract: | Desvousges, Mathews and Train (2015) find that their contingent valuation method (CVM) survey does not pass the adding up test. Another interpretation is that the authors do not conduct an adding up test following the required economic theory. DMT make incorrect claims about economic theory and the cognitive burden of fielding the adding up test that result in a flawed implementation of the adding up test. A correct interpretation of the survey leads to results that support the validity of the contingent valuation method. Key Words: Contingent valuation, Adding up test, Cognitive burden, Scope test |
| JEL: | Q51 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:apl:wpaper:17-01_r&r=all |
| By: | Gabriela Demarchi (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Subervie Julie (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Fernando Palha Leite (CENIBRA - Celulose Nipo-Brasileira SA); Jean-Paul Laclau (UMR Eco&Sols - Ecologie fonctionnelle et biogéochimie des sols et des agro-écosystèmes - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - Montpellier SupAgro - Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement) |
| Abstract: | In a climate change context, changing temperature and precipitation pattern are expected to have strong impacts on Brazilian eucalyptus plantations. Implementing adaptive water-efficient management practices is thus becoming necessary to maintain high levels of productivity while preserving the water resources. This paper investigates the ability of eucalyptus farmers to modify their current silvicultural practices in order to adapt to drought in the near future. We ran a choice experiment in the state of Minas Gerais, among 80 eucalyptus producers, who were asked to choose from several management options associated with various financial supports. The results show that adaptation by reducing the length of the eucalyptus rotation proves to be by far the preferred option, despite the associated costs. On the contrary, reducing density appears to be the least chosen option by the respondents, which may suggest that they underestimate the benefits of this strategy. We moreover find a clear and relevant segmentation of farmers'choice behavior, the general preference for reducing the length of the eucalyptus rotation being driven by themost vulnerable farmers of the sample. |
| Keywords: | Brazil,water resources,drought,choice experiment,eucalyptus |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpceem:hal-02086526&r=all |
| By: | Iyad Dhaoui (Tunisian Institute for Competitiveness and Quantitative Studies) |
| Abstract: | This paper assesses the achievements and disparties toward SDGs in MENA countries in two-stage performance analysis. First, we use a descriptive approach and then a composite indicator 'SDG achievement index' (SDGI) for the social develoment in the the region through Principle Component Analysis weighting. After that, the analysis examines the coherence between this index and income per capita. The descriptive analysis and the composite indicator confirm the existence of disparties between the countries of the region in all components of social development. Furthermore, the results reveal consistency between the SDGI and GDP per capita for some countries and inconsistency for others. |
| Date: | 2019–04–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02075484&r=all |
| By: | Olivier Petit (CLERSE - Centre Lillois d’Études et de Recherches Sociologiques et Économiques - UMR 8019 - Université de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | L'économie écologique est un champ qui a émergé, il y a une trentaine d'années, du rapprochement de travaux d'économistes et d'écologues. Il a connu depuis un formidable essor sur le plan du volume de publications et de sa notoriété. Dans un premier texte qui présente une recension de trois ouvrages parus en 2015 et 2017, Olivier Petit nous montre que ce champ est traversé d'importantes controverses sur la manière de traiter des enjeux de soutenabilité et des rapports entre science et société. Parmi les différents courants de pensée qui le structurent, la socioéconomie écologique apparaît comme la tentative la plus poussée d'instaurer un dialogue entre les sciences de l'environnement, l'économie et les autres sciences sociales. Encore que..., nous laisse entendre Gildas Renou. Dans un second texte, il interpelle, en effet, les auteurs d'un de ces ouvrages promoteurs de cette socioéconomie écologique. Tout en soulignant les grandes qualités pédagogiques de ce livre, il dénonce le « Yalta épistémologique » entre économie et sociologie qui y est tracé à travers une division du travail qui conduirait à ce que l'économie traite de la valeur et les sciences sociales des valeurs. Il appelle à battre en brèche cette partition scientifique afin que la socioéconomie écologique puisse jouer pleinement son rôle en matière de compréhension des rapports que tissent les sociétés avec leur environnement. La Rédaction Résumé-L'objectif de ce texte est de proposer, à partir d'une lecture croisée de trois ouvrages récents relevant de la socioéconomie écologique, une analyse des fondements et des thématiques principales de ce champ d'étude en cours d'émergence. Après avoir brièvement présenté l'architecture générale de chacun de ces trois livres, nous revenons sur la distinction opérée entre les nouveaux économistes des ressources, les nouveaux pragmatistes de l'environnement et les tenants de la socioéconomie écologique, pour en relever les clivages principaux. Nous développons ensuite la perspective empruntée par ce dernier courant, en exposant ses fondements ontologiques, épistémologiques et méthodologiques, puis en déclinant, à partir d'un certain nombre de thèmes structurants, les principaux enjeux et débats actuellement à l'oeuvre dans ce domaine. Mots-clés : économie écologique / économistes socioécologiques / nouveaux économistes des ressources / nouveaux pragmatistes de l'environnement / enjeux théoriques / débats méthodologiques Abstract-An emerging field: social ecological economics. Cross-comparison of three recent books. This paper is based on the critical reading and cross-comparison of three recent books published in the field of social ecological economics. We first start by briefly presenting the general architecture and main goals of the three books. We then highlight the main differences in the approaches developed by new resource economists, new environmental pragmatists and social ecological economists. Finally, we present in greater detail the perspective developed by social ecological economists, from an ontological, epistemological and methodological viewpoint. This perspective involves several topics that structure the debates and currently ongoing controversies in the field of ecological economics. |
| Date: | 2018–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02099237&r=all |
| By: | McFadden, Jonathan; Smith, David; Wechsler, Seth; Wallander, Steven |
| Abstract: | Drought, a recurring source of crop yield losses and crop failure, often prompts Federal natural disaster and crop insurance payments to U.S. farmers. Few ways exist to substantially reduce yield losses due to drought, although a new tool has recently become available. Drought tolerance produced using conventional breeding methods was first commercially introduced in U.S. corn hybrids in 2011. Genetically engineered (GE) drought tolerance was introduced in hybrids in 2012 but did not become broadly available until 2013. However, the vast majority of drought-tolerant (DT) corn planted in 2016 had one or more GE traits (e.g., herbicide tolerance and/or insect resistance). By 2016, 22 percent of total U.S. planted corn acreage was drought tolerant. Adoption is more concentrated in drought-prone regions of the United States, despite the hybrids’ limited abilities to protect against extreme-or-worse droughts. Significant DT corn acreage is also located in non-drought-prone regions and the broader Corn Belt. This report documents the development, adoption, and management of DT corn in the United States, emphasizing the roles of recent and frequent exposure to drought; moisture-conservation practices; GE seed traits and pricing; and irrigation. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, International Development, Land Economics/Use, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Risk and Uncertainty |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersib:288289&r=all |
| By: | Lunn, Pete; Lyons, Seán; Murphy, Martin |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp609&r=all |
| By: | Michel Pech (SMART - Structures et Marché Agricoles, Ressources et Territoires - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - AGROCAMPUS OUEST); Kristell Jegou (SMART - Structures et Marché Agricoles, Ressources et Territoires - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - AGROCAMPUS OUEST) |
| Abstract: | Facing budgetary restrictions, public environmental policies are turning to innovative schemes that meet objectives of results, a better adequacy of actions in the territories will allow access to new sources of financing, especially private ones. This is reflected at European level by a desire to move towards more contractualisation (CAP 2020). It is in this context that the payments for environmental services (PES) appear in France as an attempt to modernize the agri-environmental policy, aiming at looking for a "fairer" payment for the farmers but also seeking a greater efficiency environmental. At the same time, many innovative financing tools are being developed (crowdfunding platforms, local complementary currencies, etc.) to respond to a growing desire of local actors to become involved in environmental decisions and to reclaim the use of their investments in a more equitable economy. From this observation, we have been able to draw an empirical model of PES implementation based on a concrete case (Breton agribusiness) that works. On the other hand, if contract law allows a simple and flexible implementation of adequate agri-environmental actions, it implies: i) An upward collective logic around a territorial project ii) A match between explicit local supply and demand for environmental services (ES) iii) A regulator to organize the marketing of ES (place of negotiation, communication and information) iv) To assess the compatibility between private and public payments (WTO rules) |
| Abstract: | Face à des restrictions budgétaires, les politiques publiques environnementales se tournent vers des dispositifs innovants répondant à des objectifs de résultat ; une meilleure adéquation des actions dans les territoires permettra l'accès à de nouvelles sources de financements notamment privés. Cela se traduit au niveau européen par une volonté d'aller vers plus de contractualisation (PAC 2020). C'est dans ce contexte que les paiements pour services environnementaux (PSE) apparaissent en France comme une tentative de modernisation de la politique agroenvironnementale, visant la recherche d'un paiement plus « juste » pour les agriculteurs mais aussi d'une plus grande efficacité environnementale. Parallèlement, de nombreux outils de financements innovants se développent (plateformes de financement participatif, monnaies complémentaires locales…) pour répondre à une volonté croissante des acteurs locaux de s'impliquer dans les décisions environnementales et se réapproprier l'utilisation de leurs investissements dans une économie plus solidaire. A partir de ce constat, nous avons pu dégager un modèle empirique de mise en œuvre de PSE à partir d'un cas concret (entreprise agroalimentaire bretonne) qui fonctionne. En revanche, si le droit des contrats permet une mise en œuvre simple et flexible d'actions agroenvironnementales adéquates, il implique : i) Une logique collective ascendante autour d'un projet territorial ii) Une adéquation entre une offre et une demande locales explicite de services environnementaux (SE) iii) Un régulateur pour organiser la mise en marché des SE (lieu de négociation, de communication et d'information) iv) D'évaluer la compatibilité entre des paiements d'origine privée et publique (règles OMC) |
| Keywords: | agroenvironnement,financement innovant,paiement pour services environnementaux,droit des contrats,économie de l’environnement,payment for environmental services,agri-environment,innovative financing,contract law,environmental economics |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02098703&r=all |
| By: | Congressional Budget Office |
| Abstract: | Damage from hurricane winds, storm surges, and heavy rain imposes costs on private entities, such as households and businesses, and on all levels of government. By CBO’s estimate, the expected economic losses (average losses over the long run) from most types of such damage total $54 billion per year: $34 billion to the residential sector, $9 billion to commercial businesses, and $12 billion to the public sector. |
| JEL: | H50 H84 Q50 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2019–04–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbo:report:55019&r=all |
| By: | Hein, Yarzar; Vijitsrikamol, Kampanat; Attavanich, Witsanu; Janekarnkij, Penporn |
| Abstract: | Agriculture is highly sensitive to climate change and understandings how the adaptation options improve the farming household’s adaptive capacity are critical to the agricultural policies. The study was carried out for the economic assessment of climate adaption options in rice-based farming system of Myanmar. The propensity score matching approach was applied to explore the existing adaptation options and its contribution on the farm income. In addition, the binary probit model was used to analyse the factors influencing those adaptation decisions. The erratic rainfall, especially dry spell period and unexpected rain during the critical crop growth, was the critical challenge of rice-based farming in the study. The timely operation of farm machineries was one of the major adaptation options for the farmers, followed by other options such as use of more agrochemicals and changing rice varieties including early maturity, high yielding and stress tolerant varieties. The combination of those adaptations gave additional 0.86-0.89 ton/ha yield, 152-158 USD/ha total return and 108-124 USD/ha profit to the adapter farmers. The institutional factors such as irrigation access, access to credit, access to weekly weather information and participation to agricultural training were critically important to the adaptation decision. Moreover, the social capital factors like farming experience, farm size and farm income share were also major influencing variables. |
| Keywords: | climate adaptation, economic impact, Myanmar, propensity score matching, rice-based farming |
| JEL: | C52 O13 Q12 Q54 |
| Date: | 2019–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:93587&r=all |
| By: | Michaël Tropé; Marcus Kieslich (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Jean-Michel Salles (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - FRE2010 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier) |
| Date: | 2018–08–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02091518&r=all |
| By: | Hu, Xi; Pant, Raghav; Hall, Jim W.; Surminski, Swenja; Huang, Jiashun |
| Abstract: | We present an empirical study to systemically estimate flooding impacts, linking across scales from individual firms through to the macro levels in China. To this end, we combine a detailed firm-level econometric analysis of 399,356 firms with a macroeconomic input-output model to estimate flood impacts on China's manufacturing sector over the period 2003-2010. We find that large flooding events on average reduce firm outputs (measured by labor productivity) by about 28.3% per year. Using an input-output analysis, we estimate the potential macroeconomic impact to be a 12.3% annual loss in total output, which amounts to 15,416 RMB billion. Impacts can propagate from manufacturing firms, which are the focus of our empirical analysis, through to other economic sectors that may not actually be located in floodplains but can still be affected by economic disruptions. Lagged flood effects over the following two years are estimated to be a further 5.4% at the firm level and their associated potential effects are at a 2.3% loss in total output or 2,486 RMB billion at the macro-level. These results indicate that the scale of economic impacts from flooding is much larger than microanalyses of direct damage indicate, thus justifying greater action, at a policy level and by individual firms, to manage flood risk. |
| Keywords: | China; flooding; indirect economic impact; manufacturing firms; natural disasters; ES/K006576/1 |
| JEL: | N0 |
| Date: | 2019–04–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:100534&r=all |
| By: | Pirttilä Jukka; Barnes Helen; Wright Gemma; Noble Michael; Masekesa Faith; Gcabo Rebone; Moche Boitumelo; Steyn Wynnona; Moahlodi Boikhutso |
| Abstract: | Using SAMOD, a tax-benefit microsimulation model for South Africa, this paper examines the joint distributional impact of the increase in the value-added tax (VAT) rate and increases in benefit amounts in 2018. Although poverty and inequality did not increase overall, the poorest still saw a reduction in their purchasing power, as many of those in the lowest decile do not receive any social benefits.The paper then explores the consequences of eliminating zero-rating in VAT and using the generated revenues to finance new social benefits. The results suggest that a policy package of a uniform VAT and an expanded set of social benefits would lead to reduced poverty and inequality in comparison to the current practice of zero rating of some consumption goods in the VAT.The findings demonstrate the superiority of using direct taxes and benefits as opposed to provisions in indirect taxes in achieving redistribution. |
| Keywords: | microsimulation,Redistribution,value-added tax,Poverty |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2019-13&r=all |
| By: | Seydou Coulibaly (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - Clermont Auvergne - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, BAD - Banque africaine de développement / African Development Bank) |
| Abstract: | This paper estimates the impact of natural resources rents on non-resource tax revenue mobilization. Regressions are carried out using the Panel Smooth Transition Regression model for 29 African countries over the period 1995-2012. The empirical results indicate that while natural resource rents alone have direct negative impact on non-resource tax revenue, the quality of institutions and the level of economic diversification modulate this impact. Natural resource rents enhance non-resource tax revenue collection in more diversified economies and in economies with favorable institutional environment. These findings urge African governments to allocate natural resources revenues towards diversifying the economy and strengthening the quality of institutions for enhancing non-resource tax revenue mobilization. |
| Keywords: | Natural resource rents,Non-resource tax revenue,Institutions,Economic diversification,Africa |
| Date: | 2019–04–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-02108128&r=all |
| By: | Abhinash Bora (Department of Economics, Ashoka University); Christopher Kops (Department of Economics, Ashoka University) |
| Abstract: | We address the oft-repeated criticism that the demands which the rational choice approach makes on the knowledge and cognition of a decision maker (DM) are way beyond the capabilities of typical human intelligence. Our key finding is that it may be possible to arrive at this ideal of rationality by means of cognitively less demanding, heuristic-based ecological reasoning that draws on information about others' choices in the DM's environment. Formally, we propose a choice procedure under which, in any choice problem, the DM, first, uses this information to shortlist a set of alternatives. The DM does this shortlisting by a mental process of categorization whereby she draws similarities with certain societal members-the ingroup—and distinctions from others-the outgroup-and considers those alternatives that are similar (dissimilar) to ingroup (outgroup) members' choices. Then, she chooses from this shortlisted set by applying her preferences, which may be incomplete owing to limitations of knowledge. We show that if a certain homophily condition connecting the DM's preferences with her ingroup-outgroup categorization holds, then the procedure never leads the DM to making bad choices. If, in addition, a certain shortlisting consistency condition holds vis-a-vis non-comparable alternatives under the DM's preferences, then the procedure results in rational choices. |
| Keywords: | Rational choice, ecological rationality, ingroup-outgroup categorization, fast and frugal heuristics, homophily |
| Date: | 2019–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ash:wpaper:1011&r=all |
| By: | Grilli, Gianluca; Curtis, John; Hynes, Stephen |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp600&r=all |