In search of green political economy: steering markets, innovation and the case of the zero carbon homes agenda in England

Advocates of a democratic ‘Green state’ challenge Hayekian free-market environmentalist proposals for a minimal state and the emphasis of ecological modernisation discourses on technological innovation as the primary route towards ecological sustainability. However, these more strongly pro-market traditions raise important questions and provide useful insights concerning the challenges of translating the political ideology of ‘ecologism’ into practical proposals for democratic governance. Hayekian thought raises vital questions concerning the capacity of political processes to address complex challenges of coordinating the formulation and delivery of the sustainability objectives of ecologism. Scholarship on ecological modernisation and the ‘new regulation’ offer important insights into how shifting interrelationships between the state and private sector in the policy process might enable this challenge to be more effectively addressed. These areas for further developing proposals for a Green state are illustrated here through a case study of the zero carbon homes policy agenda in England

Retail mergers, buyer power and product variety

This article analyses the impact of retail mergers on product variety. We show that, following a merger, a retailer may want to enhance its buyer power by committing to a 'single-sourcing'purchasing strategy. Anticipating further concentration in the retail industry, suppliers will strategically choose to produce less differentiated products, which further reduces product variety. If negotiations are efficient, the overall loss in product variety may reduce consumer surplus and total welfare. With linear tariffs, however, there may be a countervailing effect as the more powerful retailer passes on lower prices to final consumers. © 2007 The Author(s). Journal compilation Royal Economic Society 2007

Methods to homogenize wind speeds from ships and buoys

Marine winds reported by Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) and moored buoys require adjustment to provide a homogeneous record of the marine climate. Known sources of inhomogeneity arise from differences in measurement height and method, averaging method and atmospheric stability; methods are available to correct for these. However, significant differences remain in a paired dataset of ship and buoy winds. Regression methods to remove this remaining inconsistency are discussed, and a ranked regression method chosen as most appropriate to adjust ship wind speeds to yield a similar distribution. We show the factors, such as vessel type, that affect the regression results. The corrections, derived from a high-quality paired dataset with rigorous quality control, are effective at reducing inhomogeneity in monthly mean wind speed distributions derived from the International Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Data Set

Escalator London? A case study of New Zealand tertiary educated migrants in a global city

In this paper we consider whether London functions as an ‘escalator region’ for international migrants in the same way that has been suggested for domestic migrants. Our case study focuses on New Zealand tertiary educated migrants who move to London for a period of work and travel. We propose a four-fold typology of these movers, seeking to tease out the different motivations and aspirations behind their global mobility, and the different ways in which they make use of London's opportunities. Our findings have broader ramifications for studies of skilled migrants between global cities