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on Resource Economics |
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Issue of 2021‒09‒06
three papers chosen by |
| By: | Charles Collet (CIRED - Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AgroParisTech - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Pascal Gastineau (AME-SPLOTT - Systèmes Productifs, Logistique, Organisation des Transports et Travail - Université Gustave Eiffel); Benoit Chèze (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles - IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles); Frederic Martinez (AME-DCM - Dynamiques des changements de mobilité - Université de Lyon - Université Gustave Eiffel); Pierre-Alexandre Mahieu (LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - IEMN-IAE Nantes - Institut d'Économie et de Management de Nantes - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - Nantes - UN - Université de Nantes - IUML - FR 3473 Institut universitaire Mer et Littoral - UM - Le Mans Université - UA - Université d'Angers - UN - Université de Nantes - ECN - École Centrale de Nantes - UBS - Université de Bretagne Sud - IFREMER - Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | The transportation sector constitutes one of the main contributors to CO2 emissions. Several incentive measures have been already proposed by economists to mitigate these emissions. But, as we all know, these tools have met with mixed success. This paper proposes the use of attribute valence framing, i.e. a description of the same object/characteristics positively or negatively, in order to reduce CO2 emissions. This so-called nudge is easier to implement than more traditional tools, such as taxation, and does not rely on the stringent assumption that individuals are fully rational. The findings from a discrete choice experiment focusing on long-distance travel choice are reported herein. Results indicate that a loss framing on CO2 emissions significantly increases the respondents' practice of pro-environmental behaviors. The framing effect is larger when applied to CO2 than to travel duration (+50% and +30% of the willingness to pay, respectively). In employing psychological constructs, it is shown that preferences are affected by individuals' psychological features (i.e. a preference for the future and environmental self-identity), and moreover that the magnitude of the framing effect depends on individuals' motivational strategies. |
| Keywords: | Framing effect,Discrete choice experiment,Pro-environmental behavior,Travelers' willingness to pay |
| Date: | 2021–08–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:ciredw:hal-03321706&r= |
| By: | Ruiz-Tagle, Cristobal; Schueftan, Alejandra |
| Abstract: | Air pollution from wood burning is a serious problem in the developing world. In the cities of south-central Chile, households experience extremely high ambient air pollution levels due to massive combustion of wood as fuel for residential heating. To address this problem, in recent years new residential wood stoves—equipped with improved combustion technologies that are designed to be less-polluting—have replaced high-polluting ones. However, users’ behaviour in operating these improved stoves is a key factor that drives actual emissions. When users ‘choke the damper’ to extend the burning time of their wood fuel, it constrains the air flow in the wood stoves and creates a highly polluting combustion process. To address this issue, a behavioural intervention was designed to provide users with real-time feedback on their wood stoves’ air pollution emissions with the goal of ‘nudging’ them to use their stoves in a less polluting way. The intervention consists of an information sign that aligns with the wood stove’s damper lever and informs users about pollution emission levels according to the chosen setting of the wood stove’s damper. The information sign is complemented by the visit of a field assistant that explains the sign and provides an informational flyer (fridge magnet). To assess the effectiveness of this behavioural intervention a randomized controlled trial was conducted with selected households in the city of Valdivia, Chile. Results from this intervention show that households that were provided with the information sign reduced the frequency with which they used the most polluting settings of their stoves, inducing a behavioural change that results in a 10.8% reduction in residential pollution emissions. |
| Keywords: | air pollution; behavioural intervention; environment and development; field experiment; wood stoves; Springer deal |
| JEL: | C93 D90 O13 Q53 Q56 |
| Date: | 2021–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:111527&r= |
| By: | Jorge A Bonilla; Alejandro Lopez-Feldman, Paula Pereda, Nathaly M. Rivera, J. Cristobal Ruiz-Tagle |
| Abstract: | Ambient air pollution is a major problem in many countries of the developing world. This study examines the relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19-related deaths in four countries of Latin America that have been highly affected by the pandemic: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Relying on historical satellite-based measures of fine particulate matter concentrations and official vital statistics, our results suggest that an increase in long-term exposure of 1 μg/m3 of fine particles is associated with a 2.7 percent increase in the COVID-19 mortality rate. This relationship is found primarily in municipalities of metropolitan areas, where urban air pollution sources dominate, and air quality guidelines are usually exceeded. Our findings support the call for strengthening environmental policies that improve air quality in the region, as well as allocating more health care capacity and resources to those areas most affected by air pollution. |
| Keywords: | COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; air pollution; particulate matter; Latin |
| JEL: | I18 Q52 Q53 O13 |
| Date: | 2021–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:spa:wpaper:2021wpecon23&r= |