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on Environmental Economics |
| By: | Dam, Lammertjan (Groningen University) |
| Abstract: | Inter-generational externalities associated with the conservation of the environment are usually tackled through fiscal policy. The recent increase in socially responsible investment funds creates a potential role for the stock market to deal with these environmental externalities. We study this alternative approach in an overlapping generations model in which agents choose between investing in clean or polluting technologies. Since agents are short-lived, they do not account for the long-term effects of pollution. We show that when firm property rights are traded separately on a forward looking stock market, proper firm valuation can resolve the conflict between current and future generations. |
| Date: | 2006 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:rugccs:2006/01&r=env |
| By: | Chiara M. Travisi (DIG, Politecnico di Milano, and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei); Roberto Camagni (DIG, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy); Peter Nijkamp (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands) |
| Abstract: | A sound empirical and quantitative analysis on the relationship between different patterns of urban expansion and the environmental or social costs of mobility is rare, and the few studies available provide at best a qualitative discussion of these issues. Some recent tentative studies on the metropolitan area of Milan have empirically explored whether different patterns of urban expansion generate different levels of land use and heterogeneous impacts of urban mobility. The results confirmed the expectation that a higher environmental impact of mobility may result from more extensive and sprawling urban development, from recent urbanisation processes and from residential specialisation. The present paper extends the previous empirical analysis to seven major Italian metropolitan areas (namely, Bari, Florence, Naples, Padua, Perugia, Potenza and Turin) in order to corroborate the previous tentative results for the Italian context. The novelty of the prese! nt paper is threefold. First, we are interested in exploring the changes that have occurred due to the increased intensity of mobility across a ten-year period, from 1981 to 1991, which corresponds to the Italian economic boom years. Secondly, using an econometric analysis of cross-section data, we consider several metropolitan areas simultaneously, and are therefore able to explore whether there are significant differences in the way the model explains variations in the mobility impact across various Italian urban areas. And finally, we offer a structural interpretation of the causal chain in the explanation of the mobility impact intensity by using Causal Path Analysis as a statistical test framework. |
| Keywords: | urban mobility; sprawl; environmental costs; self-containment capacity; causal path analysis |
| JEL: | Q56 R14 R41 |
| Date: | 2006–05–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:uvatin:20060042&r=env |
| By: | Ma José Álvarez Gil; Nora Lado; Pascual Berrone; F. Javier Husillos |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we examine the determinants for the success of reverse logistics (RL) programs. Based on a supplier-customer relationship framework, we argue that trust and relational commitment – two fundamental aspects of relational marketing – are essential in defining the performance of RL programs. Furthermore, we analyze the role of resources and their impact on the achievement of successful RL systems. Applying partial least squares (PLS) analysis, we test our contention using data of 158 Spanish firms in the automotive component manufacturers industry. |
| Keywords: | Industrial marketing, relational marketing, trust, commitment, reverse logistics, green marketing |
| JEL: | M31 |
| Date: | 2006 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eui:euiwps:eco2006/11&r=env |
| By: | Andrei Kirilyuk (Solid State Theory Department - [Institute of Metal Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine]) |
| Abstract: | The recently proposed new, universally applicable, rigorously derived and reality-based concept of dynamic complexity provides a unified basis for the causally complete understanding of any real, multi-component and multi-level system of interacting entities, including the case of earth system and global civilisation development. This crucial extension with respect to other existing notions of complexity is obtained due the unrestricted, universally nonperturbative analysis of arbitrary interaction process leading to the new, rigorously derived concept of dynamically multivalued (redundant) entanglement of interacting components. Any real system with interaction is described as a sequence of autonomously emerging "levels of complexity", where each level includes unceasing, dynamically random change of multiple system configurations, or "realisations", each of them resulting from dynamic entanglement of interaction components coming, generally, from lower complexity levels. Dynamic complexity as such is universally defined as a growing function of the number of those explicitly obtained system realisations (or related rate of their change). Mathematically rigorous, realistic and universal nature of unreduced dynamic complexity determines its unique role as a basis for theoretical ecology. This conclusion is confirmed by several directions of universal complexity application to global change understanding and monitoring. They include the rigorously substantiated necessity of civilisation transition to the superior level of complexity involving new, intrinsically unified and causally complete kind of knowledge (initiated by the "universal science of complexity"), qualitatively new kind of material production, social structure, and infrastructure. We show why that new level of civilisation development is intrinsically "sustainable", i. e. characterised by creative, complexity-increasing interaction between "production" and "natural resources" that replaces current contradiction between them. |
| Keywords: | dynamic multivaluedness; causal randomness; chaos; self-organisation; dynamic information; dynamic entropy; symmetry of complexity; universal hierarchy of complexity; Unitary System; Harmonical System; complexity-increasing production; sustainability transition; Revolution of Complexity |
| Date: | 2006–05–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:papers:halshs-00068142_v1&r=env |
| By: | Hagem, Cathrine (Dept. of Economics, University of Oslo); Westskog, Hege (CICERO, Center for International Climate and Environmental Research) |
| Abstract: | It is a well known result that taking distributional constraints into account when allocating tradable permits to different agents can lead to an imperfectly competitive permit market. Hence, the emission target is no longer met at least cost. In this paper we suggest an allocation rule for permits which can handle this problem. If the permits are allocated twice during the same period, and the allocation in the second round is dependent on the market price for permits, this allocation rule can achieve both cost effectiveness and meet specific requirements for cost distribution across agents. |
| Keywords: | Climate Change; Emission Permits; Allocation; Cost Effectiveness; Distributional Constraints |
| JEL: | Q52 Q54 |
| Date: | 2006–05–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:osloec:2006_009&r=env |
| By: | Jim Hight; Grant Ferrier |
| Abstract: | One of the key challenges to ensuring adequate supplies of fresh water and sanitary wastewater systems is to build the capacity of various stakeholders to manage and deliver water and sanitation services. One element of such capacity building is technological and includes the wide deployment of water quality monitoring and analysis equipment. This report explores four cases in China, India, Malaysia, and Chinese Taipei, where water-quality monitoring and protection capacity has been improved through the use of imported water-quality monitoring equipment combined with indigenous implementation. |
| Keywords: | trade, developing countries, environmental goods, Malaysia, India, water quality, China, Chinese Taipei |
| Date: | 2006–05–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:traaaa:2006/3-en&r=env |
| By: | Giovanni Dosi; Marco Grazzi |
| Abstract: | This work builds upon some long-term secular regularities concerning the relation between consumption of energy, technological progress and economic growth and reassesses the old question raised around forty years ago in the "limits to growth" discussion (Meadows et al. [1972]), namely are the current patterns of development and in particular the current patterns of energy use environmentally sustainable? The questions we shall address are the following. First, the environmental sustainability of patterns of energy consumption that for long have implied the notion of the environment as a free good, without any negative social externalities and even less so any environmental threat. Second, the importance - and limits - of relative price changes with respect to the dynamics of consumption of energy. Third, the role of fundamental discontinuities between different "technological paradigms". |
| Keywords: | Energy Consumption, Emissions, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2006–05–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2006/15&r=env |
| By: | Fred Schroyen and Jørgen Aasness (Statistics Norway) |
| Abstract: | We present a framework to identify and evaluate marginal tax reforms when merit good arguments and environmental concerns are given explicit consideration. It is applied to the Norwegian indirect tax system for 1999. The analysis shows that the reform passed in Parliament in November 2000 had a clear redistributive profile: a lowering of the VAT rate on food items and the introduction of a VAT on services benefits households in the lowest seven deciles while the upper three deciles got worse off. But we also argue that the aggregate demand responses triggered an increase in greenhouse gasses. Next, we show that if the 2000 reform had been complemented with tax rates rate changes on other products, it could have made every decile better off. Finally, we present socially optimal reforms, under different weights on inequality and the environment. |
| Keywords: | indirect tax reform; merit good arguments; greenhouse gasses |
| JEL: | H21 H23 |
| Date: | 2006–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssb:dispap:455&r=env |
| By: | Vicent Alcantara Escolano (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona); Emilio Padilla Rosa (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | Here we present an approach that allows the identification of the "key" productive sectors responsible for CO2 emission. For this purpose, we develop an input- output methodology from a supply perspective. We focus on the impact of an increase in the value-added of the different productive sectors on total CO2 emissions and we identify the productive sectors responsible for the increase in CO2 emissions when there is an increase in the income of the economy. The approach shows the contribution of the various sectors to CO2 emission from a production perspective and allows us to identify the sectors that deserve more consideration for mitigation policies. This analysis is complementary to the input–output analysis from a demand perspective. The |
| Keywords: | CO2 emissions,key productive sectors,input-output analysis |
| JEL: | C67 Q40 Q43 |
| Date: | 2006–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea0601&r=env |
| By: | Juan Antonio Duro Moreno (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona); Emilio Padilla Rosa (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | En este trabajo desarrollamos una metodología para descomponer las desigualdades internacionales en las emisiones de CO2 en factores (multiplicativos) de Kaya y dos términos de interacción. Utilizamos el índice de desigualdad de Theil y mostramos que esta metodología de descomposición puede extenderse para analizar los componentes de desigualdad inter e intragrupal. A continuación podemos analizar los factores detrás de las desigualdades en las emisiones de CO2 per cápita entre países, entre grupos de países y dentro de los grupos de países. La ilustración empírica sugiere algunas cuestiones. Primero, la desigualdad internacional en las emisiones de CO2 per cápita es principalmente atribuible a las desigualdades en los niveles de renta per cápita, lo que ayuda a explicar su reciente reducción, mientras que las diferencias en la intensidad de carbono de la energía y la intensidad energética han hecho una contribución mucho menos significativa. Este resultado está fuertemente influenciado por el comportamiento de China e India. En segundo lugar, el componente de la desigualdad entre grupos, que es el mayor, está también explicado en buena medida por el factor ingreso. En tercer lugar, el componente de la desigualdad dentro de los grupos aumentó ligeramente durante el período, algo principalmente debido al cambio en el |
| Keywords: | desigualdad en las emisiones, desigualdad entre países, factores de Kaya,índice de Theil |
| JEL: | C19 D39 Q43 |
| Date: | 2006–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea0602&r=env |
| By: | Ian J. Bateman (University of East Anglia); Michael P. Cameron (University of Waikato); Antreas Tsoumas (University of the Aegean) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the nature of stated preferences for reducing air pollution impacts. Specifically a contingent valuation (CV) experiment is designed to elicit individuals’ values for reducing these impacts and to examine how these may change when multiple schemes for reducing differing impacts are valued. The novel survey design allows simultaneous testing for the presence of several anomalies reported in the CV literature within the same context, including (i) scope sensitivity (ii) part-whole or substitution effects (iii) ordering effects and (iv) visible choice set effects. Results indicate some scope sensitivity and interaction between ordering effects and visible choice set effects, as well as substantial part-whole or substitution effects between two exclusive schemes. A practical consequence of these findings is that estimates of the value of combined programmes may not readily be obtained by summing the values of their constituent parts obtained using the CV method. |
| Keywords: | air pollution; contingent valuation; stated preferences; part-whole effect; experimental surveys |
| JEL: | C42 C90 Q51 Q53 |
| Date: | 2006–05–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wai:econwp:08/06&r=env |
| By: | Duarte, Clara Costa; Sa, Maria A. Cunha e |
| Abstract: | In the current paper we examine the role of forest carbon sequestration benefits in optimal forest management. When carbon benefits are considered not only the forested area is relevant, but also the flow of carbon between land and the atmosphere through the carbon cycle. To account for all these impacts a multi-vintage forest setting is used, following Salo and Tahvonen (2004). The model is extended to three different carbon accounting methods to measure the benefits form carbon sequestration: carbon flow regime, tonne-year crediting and average storage. In the case of the carbon flow regime, the impact on the optimal management and allocation of land will depend upon the amount of carbon released when the forest is harvested. Under the other two accounting systems optimal steady state forest area will be increased, and in cases where optimal management imply cyclical harvesting, considering carbon benefits will always increase cycles dimension. |
| Date: | 2006 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unl:unlfep:wp482&r=env |