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on Project, Program and Portfolio Management |
| By: | Klara Blomberg; Mario Holzner (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw); Manon Verougstraete |
| Abstract: | This report investigates the issue of local actors resisting the implementation of high-speed rail (HSR) routes through the example of reactions to the Brenner Base project in Germany and Austria. In order to understand the causes of significant resistance, the report contrasts reactions to the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT) in Germany, where resistance and consequent delays are substantial, with reactions to the BBT in Austria, where resistance and delays are more limited. After tracing the evolution of local resistance in both countries, we confirm an important contrast between resistance in Germany and Austria. Our interviews with six Deutsche Bahn (DB) employees and an analysis of local news sources enable us to identify the politicisation of the project by local politicians as a primary cause of greater resistance in Germany. Our interviewees also pointed out the role of policy changes in tackling the problem of local resistance. It was highlighted that changes such as the 2017 Requirements Plan Implementation Agreement – which increased national authority over this kind of large-scale infrastructure project – may help to simplify future projects and reduce resistance to them. Learning lessons from failures in constructing large cross-border infrastructure is instrumental for the planning of bold, trans-European rail projects, as envisaged in the European Silk Road initiative. Among these lessons is the importance of anticipating and integrating localised dynamics and concerns into the planning process. Equally crucial is ensuring the early and balanced involvement of all key countries, as this fosters shared ownership and helps to reduce asymmetries in stakeholder engagement. |
| Keywords: | European Silk Road, high-speed rail, railway transport, infrastructure planning |
| JEL: | H54 L92 O18 R41 R42 |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wii:pnotes:pn:98 |
| By: | Aamir Javed (UNICH - Universita' degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara); Mahjabeen Usman (2IU - International Islamic University [Islamabad, Pakistan]); Nabila Abid (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie = EM Normandie Business School); Agnese Rapposelli (UNICH - Universita' degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara) |
| Abstract: | Fossil fuel energy consumption not only leads to climate change but also contributes to energy poverty and the unequal distribution of its supply, urging investment in alternative and clean energy sources. Furthermore, unprecedented geopolitical risk and climate policy uncertainty pose serious concerns for a steady energy supply, and the literature provides insufficient evidence for these important indicators, particularly considering the amount of renewable energy investment in the USA. The current paper formulates an interesting framework to scrutinize the impact of geopolitical risk, climate policy uncertainty, environmental policy stringency, and financial institutions' efficiency on renewable energy investment in the USA. For empirical analysis, this study utilizes modern econometric approaches such as the recently developed novel dynamic simulated ARDL and the frequency domain causality approach, harnessing the annual time series data spanning from 1990 to 2022. The obtained results explain that geopolitical risk negatively affects renewable energy investment, suggesting that higher geopolitical risk hinders renewable energy investment. Contrary to this, climate policy uncertainty, environmental policy, financial integration, and financial institutions' efficiency have a significant positive impact on renewable energy investment. In addition, the frequency domain causality test provides evidence of long, medium, and short-term causal connections between variables. The robustness analysis corroborates the main findings. Based on these results, the USA should promote renewable energy initiatives to mitigate geopolitical concerns among investors. Furthermore, the financial framework should support sustainability by directing energy investments in the capital market, encouraging long-term financial funding for energy projects, and incentivizing renewable energy investments. |
| Keywords: | Dynamic ARDL simulation, Financial integration and efficiency, Environmental policy stringency, Climate policy uncertainty, Geopolitical risk, Renewable energy investment |
| Date: | 2025–10–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05235793 |
| By: | Loris André; Julio Ramos-Tallada |
| Abstract: | The Amazon rainforest is emitting more carbon dioxide than it can absorb due to deforestation since 2021, leading to significant impacts on global warming. The loss of biodiversity due to land use change in the Amazon biome is also a major issue. Legal Amazon is an administrative area in Brazil that encompasses 64% of the Amazon biome and nine federal states. The Amazon Fund is the main international climate finance vehicle that operates in Legal Amazon. However, its disbursements have recently dropped due to disagreements between donors and the Brazilian government up to 2022. This paper aims to assess the impact of the Amazon Fund’s projects in reducing deforestation along with other factors, such as the national environmental agency sanctions and agricultural production. Using satellite observations and microeconomic data, a panel dataset has been constructed to analyze the evolution of various environmental features, climate finance, regulation, and production from 2002 to 2020 across 760 municipalities in Legal Amazon. A Panel Vector Auto Regression (PVAR) is used to model a stylized economic system in which variables can affect each other at different lags. Our main findings suggest that the Amazon Fund’s disbursements significantly reduce deforestation rates. Federal-managed projects are more effective than those led by states or municipalities. The most efficient projects are those devoted to land use planning, which involves the development and the protection of local autochthonous communities. Overall, we estimate that the Amazon Fund operates with a low abatement cost (between 0.4 and 1.1 EUR per saved ton of CO2). |
| Keywords: | Green Finance, Deforestation, Amazon Rainforest, Panel-VAR |
| JEL: | C33 C81 F35 Q20 Q54 Q56 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfr:banfra:998 |
| By: | Drydakis, Nick |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the associations between university-led training in AI business applications and business outcomes among small firms, with a focus on underrepresented entrepreneurs in England, Wales, and Scotland. A total of 121 non-native, disabled, and non-heterosexual entrepreneurs participated in a four-month training programme covering AI applications for communication, finance, project management, and other key business functions. Data were collected before the training (2023) and one year later (2024). Using panel data estimates, the findings indicate that, post-training, firms experienced an increase in digital competencies, which were positively associated with customer satisfaction, entrepreneurs' empowerment, and revenue growth. Notably, interaction effects showed that these associations were significantly strengthened following the training. Additional results reveal that, after the training, firms not only adopted a greater number of AI business applications but also used them more frequently. These behaviours were found to be associated with improvements in business outcomes. The study demonstrates how innovative educational interventions can support entrepreneurs in developing digital competencies within technology-driven environments, thereby enabling more inclusive access to tools and fostering equitable participation in the digital economy. The findings suggest that structured, application-focused training, when clearly aligned with business operations, can accelerate firms' technological adoption and effective use. Continued investment in AI training, sector-specific courses, and practitioner-led learning communities can therefore support small firms and underrepresented entrepreneurs in enhancing their digital competencies and achieving meaningful improvements in performance. The study contributes by developing the AI Business Applications Training Model, reflecting upon theoretical pathways, empirical patterns, and policy implications. |
| Keywords: | AI, AI Business Application Training, Business Education, Small Firms, Digital Competencies, Customer Satisfaction, Entrepreneurs' Empowerment, Revenue Growth, Inclusive Entrepreneurship |
| JEL: | L26 M13 O33 I24 I25 J15 J16 M15 D22 C23 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:1670 |
| By: | Eissler, Sarah; Bryan, Elizabeth; Magalhaes, Marilia |
| Abstract: | Gender equality and women’s empowerment are important development goals for their intrinsic value as well as for achieving other important wellbeing outcomes, such as improved health, nutrition, and food security. Agricultural research for development plays an important role in understanding gender relations, dynamics, and inequalities and in identifying effective strategies and interventions to achieve these goals. The Feed the Future Innovation Labs (ILs) were initiatives supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and led by U.S. universities, in partnership with international and national research institutes, with the aim to achieve poverty reduction, food security, nutrition, and resilience objectives. The ILs also aimed to facilitate women’s empowerment and address gender inequality in agri-food systems (AFS). This study aims to document, categorize, and identify learnings from gender-related research produced by the ILs through an extensive desk review and key informant interviews (KIIs) with gender focal points, researchers, and directors at the ILs. While recognizing the importance of capacity building for gender-related research, we only look at research products and do not review capacity building or other training materials for gender-related research produced by the ILs. As this study is focused on understanding gender-related learnings, we also do not include gender-blind research products produced by the ILs. Based on the final set of research outputs that have at least some focus on gender, we then analyze the gender-related research findings using the reach, benefit, empower, and transform framework. In addition, we also explore the factors that enabled ILs to prioritize and produce gender-related research and learnings. We draw lessons about the types of research studies that have been carried out under the ILs and the insights that can be gleaned from these studies for designing agricultural innovations and interventions and understanding what works to address gender inequalities in agrifood systems. Much of this work was gender focused and diagnostic or formative. Fewer research studies employed causal methods to understand how interventions are influencing gender equality and women’s empowerment in agriculture. Only a subset of research focused on specific innovations or interventions, which suggests more research is needed in this area, particularly as new innovations are being tested and scaled, as was the objective of many of the ILs. We highlight areas where additional research is needed to inform investments and interventions going forward, such as an increase in integrating gender-informed approaches in research across disciplines, gender-related research that employs causal methods, and in understanding the impacts of interventions that are gender-transformative. Finally, we identify key enabling factors that helped ILs prioritize gender integration, such as institutional leadership’s support for gender integration, sufficient time and budgets earmarked for gender work and staff, and ensuring staff responsible for gender-related research have requisite skills, expertise, and communication skills to work across interdisciplinary teams. Current and future agricultural research for development projects should prioritize gender-related research across their portfolios to strengthen attention to understanding how innovations and interventions can influence gender equality and women’s empowerment in agriculture. |
| Keywords: | agricultural research; gender equality; women’s empowerment |
| Date: | 2025–08–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:175991 |
| By: | Khakimov, Parviz; Aragie, Emerta A.; Goibov, Manuchehr; Ashurov, Timur |
| Abstract: | Findings of World Bank study (WB, SRAS Project 2021) indicates that lack of sufficient quantity and quality of seeds, seedlings, and planting materials in domestic market is one of the critical issues affecting farmers income and food security. Most donor projects provide direct extension support to farmers on multiplying and adopting seeds and seedlings. The local capacity to generate new varieties and planting materials remains low and over 50 percent of all agricultural inputs are imported. The capacity to test new varieties of crops for their adaptation to soils and climate in the country is also lacking, and in general the regular testing of new varieties, whether domestically developed or imported, is not conducted. Between 2016-2019, the share of public agriculture expenditure on inputs distribution to the farmers (0.04 percent or 0.81 million Tajik Somoni) and development of seeds and seedlings (0.8 percent or 16.64 million Tajik Somoni) were low (Khakimov et al. 2024). |
| Keywords: | investment; markets; food systems; farm inputs; seeds; agriculture; Tajikistan; Asia; Central Asia |
| Date: | 2025–06–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ceaspb:33 |