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on Project, Program and Portfolio Management |
| By: | Achilles, Catrina; Limbach, Peter; Wolff, Michael; Yoon, Aaron |
| Abstract: | Using project-level data from the Carbon Disclosure Project, we demonstrate how firms actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most firms mainly pursue projects with small investments (median $127, 000) and short payback periods (maximum three years). Firms experiencing shortterm performance pressure, smaller in size, and with shorter decarbonization horizons are more likely to implement such projects. Short-term projects focus on energy efficiency (e.g., LED upgrades) rather than involving transformative technology. They yield more expected annual carbon dioxide (CO2) and monetary savings and have greater NPVs than the average longer-term project, but exhibit lower total CO2 savings over the projects' lifetime. Firms with a greater share of short-term projects exhibit higher future environmental ratings, but it is a combination of shortand long-term projects that generates the most expected CO2 savings. Our evidence suggests that typical firm climate engagements are neither costly nor long-term oriented. In sum, firms tend to mitigate rather than adapt to climate change. |
| Keywords: | Climate change, Corporate greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives, Environmental investment decisions, ESG ratings, Financial incentives, Investment horizon |
| JEL: | D25 D62 G30 M41 Q54 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:cfrwps:300682 |
| By: | Mantey, Vida; Bosch, Christine; Missiame, Arnold; Birner, Regina; Birkenberg, Athena; Yameogo, Viviane Guesbeogo; Mburu, John |
| Abstract: | Dairy production is an important contributor to food security and poverty reduction, but it is also a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The development of smallholder agricultural carbon projects, such as the Mt. Elgon project, provides an opportunity for farmers to receive benefits for adopting sustainable practices that not only potentially increase farm productivity but also reduce GHG emissions. While there is growing evidence that agricultural cooperatives in conventional development projects improve the adoption of agricultural technologies and the economic performance of smallholder farms, there is a research gap on the role that dairy cooperatives can play in smallholder agricultural carbon projects. This study examines the role of dairy cooperatives in smallholder agricultural carbon projects and assesses the impact of cooperative membership on the technical efficiency of smallholder dairy carbon farmers in Western Kenya. The study used a mixed methods approach. A participatory and visual mapping tool, Net-Map, was used to identify key actors and their linkages. Stochastic frontier and endogenous switching regression models were used to estimate technical efficiency and assess the impact of cooperative membership on the technical efficiency of smallholder dairy carbon farmers, respectively. The results show that dairy cooperatives in carbon projects play an important role in project design and implementation, as well as in carbon monitoring and reporting. On average, smallholder farmers are 35.3 percent technically efficient, and cooperative members have lower technical efficiency than non-members. This finding can be attributed to the way these dairy cooperatives were set up and the fact that some farmers joined the cooperatives to participate in the project. Furthermore, an average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) and an average treatment effect on the untreated (ATU) of 0.311 and 0.251 respectively was observed. In general, the study concludes that without critical sources of heterogeneity, dairy cooperatives can support smallholder carbon farmers not only to improve their efficiency but also to promote sustainable dairy farming. |
| Keywords: | Livestock Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024–08–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cfcp15:344343 |
| By: | Kaifang Luo; Yueming Lucy Qiu; Pengfei Liu; Yingdan Mei |
| Abstract: | Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) techniques are vital to decarbonization goals. A CCUS supply chain captures CO₂ and delivers it to a suitable location where CO₂ can either be used or injected deep underground for long-term storage. CCUS projects reduce carbon emissions but also pose certain risks to local communities. Using nationwide CCUS data combined with property-level transaction records from 1990 to 2021 in the U.S., we quantify the net impact of proximity to CCUS projects on nearby housing prices in light of their positive and negative externalities. The results show that proximity to CCUS projects leads to a price premium on nearby house sales prices, but such effects disappear beyond the 4.2-km buffer. Compared to homes without CCUS projects nearby, houses with CCUS projects within 4.2 km typically command a price premium of 3.90% (or $8, 582). CCUS deployment could be facilitated with a more detailed explanation of the housing price premium. The observed increase in property values near CCUS operations in the U.S. provides insights that could inform CCUS project development in other regions, though local regulatory and socio-economic factors must be carefully considered. |
| JEL: | Q4 Q51 |
| Date: | 2024–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32713 |
| By: | Aadil Belhaj (Université Hassan 1er [Settat]); Jamal Zahi (Université Hassan 1er [Settat]) |
| Abstract: | Over the last two decades, Morocco has undertaken flagship and structuring projects aimed at the digitalization of its public administrations and organizations. This endeavor has assisted public organizations in adequately addressing the new requirements of their environment and keeping pace with the continuous evolutions of IT. Furthermore, it has enabled them to capitalize on the extensive possibilities for information analysis and processing among individuals and functions within the organization. Moreover, the substantial costs incurred by public organizations due to the proliferation of IT investments have underscored the importance of implementing effective IT governance. This ensures alignment between IT strategy and the overall organizational strategy, as well as the creation of value from IT investments. This paper aims to identify the enablers and inhibitors of successful IT governance implementation in Moroccan public sector organizations. To achieve this objective, we conducted a multiple case study involving in-depth analysis of six Moroccan public organizations. Data were collected from documentary sources related to each case and through semi-structured interviews with IT function managers. The findings of this research enabled us to identify the facilitating practices and mechanisms (catalysts) that IT managers deem crucial for effective IT governance, as well as the barriers (inhibitors) that hinder its adoption. |
| Keywords: | Catalysts, Inhibitors, IT Governance, Public Organizations, Barriers to IT Governance |
| Date: | 2024–07–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04637479 |
| By: | Kitchaicharoen, J.; Suebpongsang, P.; Singvejsakul, J.; Pradit, O. |
| Abstract: | The Center for Agricultural Resource Systems Research at the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University initiated a project for producing pesticide-free vegetable in the urban agro-ecosystem of Chiang Mai, aiming to serve as a model for promoting pesticide-free vegetable production in urban areas, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The project funded by the Program Management Unit on Area Based Development (PMU A) for a one-year duration starting from May 2021 and ended in April 2022. This study investigates the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of the project. The analysis aims to elucidates the project’s multifaceted outcomes and offer valuable insights for policymakers to encourage investments in safe vegetable production within urban domains. The SROI evaluation demonstrated the project’s success in achieving economic, social, and environmental objectives, particularly in establishing a sustainable source of safe food through a community of pesticide-free vegetable producers in urban areas. This initiative fostered community interaction, economic development, and improved health through pesticide-free vegetable consumption, showcasing a potential model for green urban communities. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project yielded significant benefits over ten years period, with a net present value of $66, 831 and an SROI of 2.99, indicating that every $1 invested generated a social return of $2.99 – a favorable rate for agricultural projects. The project’s success underscores the importance of continued support from the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, or relevant research funding agencies to sustain such impactful endeavors. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries, Production Economics, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–04–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:asea24:344451 |
| By: | Groh, Arnold; Langthaler, Margarita; Siebel, Werner; Wolf, Stefan; Kabbeck, Oskar; Hohenauer, Sofia |
| Abstract: | ÖFSE was commissioned by the BOKU to undertake an impact assessment of the "Education and Research Hub for the Sustainable Management of Aquatic Ecosystems in Eastern Africa (AQUAHUB)" project. The assessment was supposed to cover the whole project period from 1975 to 2021, when AQUAHUB was known as "International Post-Graduate Training Programmes in Limnology (IPGL)". The AQUAHUB project serves two main purposes: supporting natural resource preservation and fostering Higher Education Science and Technology (HEST) systems in the Eastern African region. AQUAHUB intends to strengthen individual and institutional research capacities to allow for long-term independent and context-relevant knowledge production in the region. The purpose of the impact assessment is to support the further development of the AQUAHUB project through the promotion of organisational learning and support to decision making at the strategic and the operational level. The assessment aims at enhancing the understanding of change processes induced by the project over time and the project's impact mechanisms, in particular in relation to the given societal context. The project team has mainly used qualitative methods (alumni workshops, interviews), complemented by quantitative tools (alumni survey, publication analysis). The assessment has included extensive data collection phases in Vienna, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:oefser:300694 |
| By: | Ben Groom; Frank Venmans |
| Abstract: | An economic approach to calculating the Social Value of Temporary Reductions (SVTR) in atmospheric carbon is discussed. The SVTR allows different carbon removals projects to be prioritised in a way that maximises welfare and establishes equivalence between temporary, risky removals with permanent ones in terms of avoided welfare losses from climate damages. The approach is compared to previous attempts in the physical and natural sciences and economics to price temporary emissions reductions, none of which successfully integrate economics and climate science. Applications of the SVTR exist in public project appraisal, Life Cycle Analysis, pricing carbon debts and determining short term carbon credit and offset contracts. Potential criticisms of equivalence measures and tonne-year accounting stemming from concerns that temporary removals do not impact long-term temperatures are shown to be special cases of our integrated economic approach. Temporary removals provide transitory cooling benefits and if repeated are equivalent to permanent solutions. They also can have permanent effects via learning by doing or reducing the likelihood of tipping points. The SVTR helps determine how temporary removals can fit into an efficient response to climate. Ruling out temporary removals and equivalence, and the intertemporal transfers that they imply, could unnecessarily tie the hands of policy makers. |
| JEL: | Q54 Q57 |
| Date: | 2024–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32734 |
| By: | Tröster, Bernhard; Papatheophilou, Simela; Küblböck, Karin |
| Abstract: | The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) is a key EU legislation aimed at securing critical raw materials (CRMs) for green, digital, and defense sectors by enhancing extraction, processing, and recycling within the EU. It introduces measures to expedite permitting for strategic projects focused on strategic raw materials (SRMs), granting them "public interest" status and imposing stricter timelines. Our assessment indicates that while the CRMA could shorten permit processes, it will not significantly reduce overall project lead times. Concerns include reduced public participation in environmental impact assessments, as well as political influence and transparency deficiencies in the tasks of the European Commission. Despite introducing obligations for recycling and exploration, challenges such as low social acceptance, high costs, and administrative and budgetary burdens hinder the CRMA's goals. Crucially, the CRMA lacks a focus on reducing resource use, which is necessary to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of raw material projects. |
| Keywords: | Critical Raw Materials Act, Strategic Raw Materials, Mineral policies |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:oefser:300693 |
| By: | Benami, Elinor; Bell, Anne; Messer, Kent D.; Zhang, Wei; Cecil, Michael |
| Abstract: | In 2022, the U.S. authorized one of the single largest investments in the history of agri- environmental programs worldwide. Among its provisions, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 directed $3billion (bn) in funding for the new Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) to promote climate-smart agricultural practices and markets across the country. Additionally, the IRA directed another $11bn to the historically oversubscribed Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and nearly $5bn to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This manuscript evaluates the PCSC’s added value compared to these existing programs and extracts lessons from their implementation. Using administrative data and program design documents, we assess and compare the structures and investments of each program, focusing on support for Historically Underserved Producers (HUPs). We find that past funding through EQIP, CSP, and RCPP primarily benefited states with more producers, and nearly 40% of the funds obligated in existing conservation programs supported practices that USDA already classified as climate- smart. Despite progress in enrolling more HUPs, retaining them requires addressing the disproportionate share of canceled and terminated contracts occurring among these groups. Furthermore, the shift towards partnership-style initiatives across conservation programs could enhance the impact and cost-effectiveness of funding, as well as it may unlock opportunities for Copyright 2024 by Elinor Benami, Anne Bell, Kent D. Messer, Wei Zhang, and Michael Cecil. All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial purposes by any means, provided that this copyright notice appears on all such copies. more tailored agreements, particularly for tribal communities. Prior monitoring, reporting, and evaluation methods used in these programs often focus on the numbers of producers served, dollars obligated, contracts issued, or acreage covered paired with physical models used to estimate program impact. To make effective use of this unprecedented infusion of funding into conservation agriculture, however, we suggest novel, state-of-the-art evaluation techniques. Such techniques include deploying randomized experiments and leveraging project-relevant geospatial data merged with program administrative information to generate rigorous impact evaluation on producer behaviors within these programs as well as their corresponding economic and environmental impacts In so doing, this funding offers the chance to help build the evidence-base for strategic use of future conservation funding as well as help de-risk future investments for other types of financial services—thereby accelerating the transformation to sustainable agri- food systems in the US and beyond. |
| Keywords: | Climate Change, Public Economics, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–07–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:cfcp15:344333 |
| By: | Thomas Stenger (CEREGE [Poitiers] - Centre de recherche en gestion - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers); Pierre Laniray (CEREGE [Poitiers] - Centre de recherche en gestion - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers); Laurent Chevalier (CEREGE [Poitiers] - Centre de recherche en gestion - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers) |
| Abstract: | This research, focused on small work groups, proposes to examine the role of the leader in the appropriation of collaborative information systems. It is based on a three-year action research conducted during the implementation of the Microsoft Teams collaborative platform at a university. The aim is to understand how groups of students organize themselves to carry out complex projects over a long period of time and with varying distance constraints. Differences in the appropriation of the new tool appeared depending on whether the mode of work was cooperative or collaborative. To understand these different dynamics, we mobilize Vygotsky's activity theories (TA), more precisely Engeström's 2nd generation TA model (2000). The results reveal the role of leaders through the cooperation versus collaboration tension. In teams, a leader emerges who organizes cooperation but slows down the appropriation of collaborative features of the new information system. |
| Abstract: | Cette recherche, focalisée sur les petits groupes de travail, propose d'examiner le rôle du leader dans l'appropriation des systèmes d'information collaboratifs. Elle s'appuie sur une recherche-action de trois ans menée lors de la mise en place de la plateforme collaborative Microsoft Teams dans une université. Il s'agit de comprendre comment s'organisent des groupes d'étudiants pour réaliser des projets complexes sur un temps long et avec des contraintes d'éloignements variables. Des différences dans l'appropriation du nouvel outil sont apparues selon que le mode de travail était coopératif ou collaboratif. Pour comprendre ces différentes dynamiques, nous mobilisons les théories de l'activité (TA) de Vygotsky, plus précisément le modèle de 2e génération de la TA d'Engeström (2000). Les résultats révèlent le rôle des leaders à travers la tension coopération versus collaboration. Dans les équipes émerge un leader qui organise la coopération, mais ralentit l'appropriation des fonctionnalités collaboratives du nouveau système d'information. |
| Keywords: | groupe, leadership, appropriation, système d’information collaboratif, théorie de l’activité |
| Date: | 2023–05–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04238399 |
| By: | Adu-Baffour, F.; Daum, T.; Obeng, A. E.; Birner, R.; Bosch, C. |
| Abstract: | Illegal small-scale mining and processing activities (ASM) have led to vast areas of degraded, contaminated, and abandoned local-community lands, posing a major environmental concern in many developing countries. In the absence of effective state mechanisms to enforce more sustainable mining and post-mining practices, there are increasing discussions on whether community-based solutions could be a second-best solution to restore such lands. This paper analyzes a unique case of an NGO-initiated, community-based ASM land restoration project in Ghana, examining the conditions under which communities could ensure sustainable land rehabilitation outcomes. Qualitative methods are used to map out key actors and relationships to make community-based rehabilitation projects work, followed by the stated preferences method to estimate factors influencing the local communities’ decision to contribute to mined land restoration, including phytoremediation, a technique to reduce contamination. Our findings reveal that there is community support for reclaiming and remediating former ASM lands using communal labor. However, support depends on land tenure arrangements, among other factors. Chiefs, as community overlords, were perceived among the most influential actors as they have the power to enact and enforce local laws and sanction noncompliance with regards to customary land management. Local community members and landowners, however, were seen to be largely not organized, with different land use priorities and unregulated and insecure land tenure structures. Overall, this study shows that community-based solutions could be a second-best option for mined-land rehabilitation, however, such efforts need to pay close attention to social networks, norms, rules, and practices, to be successful and ensure that community members really benefit. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2023–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi23:344243 |
| By: | OECD |
| Abstract: | OECD countries are increasingly investing in better understanding the potential value of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve public governance. The use of AI by the public sector can increase productivity, responsiveness of public services, and strengthen the accountability of governments. However, governments must also mitigate potential risks, building an enabling environment for trustworthy AI. This policy paper outlines the key trends and policy challenges in the development, use, and deployment of AI in and by the public sector. First, it discusses the potential benefits and specific risks associated with AI use in the public sector. Second, it looks at how AI in the public sector can be used to improve productivity, responsiveness, and accountability. Third, it provides an overview of the key policy issues and presents examples of how countries are addressing them across the OECD. |
| Keywords: | AI in the public sector, government use of AI |
| Date: | 2024–06–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:comaaa:20-en |
| By: | Christoph Carnehl; Marco Ottaviani; Justus Preusser |
| Abstract: | This paper overviews the economics of scientific grants, focusing on the interplay between the inherent uncertainty in research, researchers' incentives, and grant design. Grants differ from traditional market systems and other science and innovation policy tools, such as prizes and patents. We outline the main economic forces specific to science, noting the limited attention given to grant funding in the economics literature. Using tools from information economics, we identify key incentive problems at various stages of the grant funding process and offer guidance for effective grant design. In the allocation stage, funders aim to select the highest-merit applications while minimizing evaluation costs. The selection rule, in turn, impacts researchers' incentives to apply and invest in their proposals. In the grant management stage, funders monitor researchers to ensure efficient use of funds. We discuss the advantages and potential pitfalls of (partial) lotteries and emphasize the effectiveness of staged grant design in promoting a productive use of grants. Beyond these broadly applicable insights, our overview highlights the need for further research on grantmaking. Understudied areas include, at the micro level, the interplay of different grant funding stages, and at the macro level, the interaction of grants with other instruments in the market for science. |
| JEL: | D83 H81 I23 |
| Date: | 2024–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32668 |