The causal impact of material productivity on macroeconomic competitiveness in the European Union

Interdisciplinary scholars and policy makers have claimed that increasing material productivity not only reduces environmental pressures but also improves the competitiveness of economies. This is particularly relevant in the context of the European Union (EU) since it motivates its resource efficiency and circular economy agenda by referring to this assertion. However, two limitations in the literature cast doubt on the validity of the claim. First, the literature fails to clarify the concept and measurement of macroeconomic competitiveness. Second, it lacks to take the endogeneity of material productivity into account. Addressing both shortcomings, this paper reviews the concept of macroeconomic competitiveness and identifies six conventional macroeconomic indicators to approximate it. Moreover, using panel data of the 28 member states of the EU between 2000 and 2014, the causal impact of material productivity on the six indicators is estimated, instrumenting material productivity with the number of deaths from natural hazards. The results provide evidence for a positive and causal impact of the material productivity rate on the wage rate and, with lower confidence, on the current account rate, while the remaining macroeconomic indicators are not significantly affected. Overall, these results suggest to be cautious with the claim that increasing material productivity improves macroeconomic competitiveness in the EU. Particularly the positive effect on the wage rate calls for considering possibilities to channel gains from increasing material productivity into eco-innovations to reduce the magnitude of potential rebound effects and thus environmental pressures

Response to modified recurrent full-sib selection in two European F2 maize populations analyzed with quantitative genetic methods

Many plant breeding strategies lead to a reduction in the genetic variance of the source population. However, a sufficient genetic variance is essential for the long-term selection response. Hence, the aim of recurrent selection (RS) is a continuous increase in the frequencies of favorable alleles while maintaining genetic variability in the population. Several intrapopulation RS methods have been proposed in maize: e.g., mass selection, half-sib selection, full-sib (FS) selection, S1 selection. Among them, recurrent FS selection is characterized by a short cycle length, complete parental control, and a high selection response. The goal of this thesis was to investigate the changes in the population structure over several cycles of a modified recurrent FS selection program in two European F2 maize populations. In detail, the objectives were to (i) monitor trends across selection cycles in the estimates of population mean, inbreeding coefficients, and variance components, (ii) determine selection response for per se and testcross performance, (iii) compare predicted with realized selection response, (iv) extend the population diallel analysis under full consideration of inbreeding depression due to random genetic drift, (v) separate genetic effects due to selection from those due to random genetic drift, and (vi) investigate the usefulness of best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) estimates of parents for predicting progeny performance under the recurrent FS selection scheme applied. Four early maturing European flint inbreds were used as parents to produce two F2 populations (A×B and C×D). Both populations were three times intermated by chain crossing to reduce the gametic phase disequilibrium. Starting from the F2Syn3 population obtained in this manner, a modified recurrent FS selection program was conducted over four cycles in population A×B and over seven cycles in population C×D. In each cycle, 144 FS families were tested in field trials and, in parallel, six plants from each FS family were selfed. The selfed ears of the 36 families with the highest selection index (SI = 2 × dry matter content + grain yield) were selected and intermated according to a pseudo-factorial mating scheme. In this mating scheme, the gametic contribution of the best selected FS families is doubled compared with the gametic contribution of the remaining selected FS families. Afterwards, all cycles of both populations were tested in two population diallel analyses in six environments. Based on the known pedigree records, the inbreeding coefficient of each FS family and the coancestry coefficients among them were calculated. Variance components and BLUP values were obtained using phenotypic means and coancestry coefficients. For grain yield, the selection response per cycle, which could be expected after correcting for the effects of random genetic drift, was higher than reported in the literature (14.1% and 8.3% in populations A×B and C×D, respectively). We ascribe the comparatively high selection response mainly to the pseudo-factorial mating scheme. This mating scheme is expected to increase the selection response compared with commonly applied random mating schemes, without a major reduction in the effective population size (Ne). In this study, the expected Ne was 32, suggesting a minor influence of random genetic drift compared with that of selection. This assumption was verified by an extended population diallel analysis, showing that random genetic drift reduced the selection response only by about 1-2% in both populations. In contrast to an estimation of variance components with moment estimators, the REML procedure has no special requirements on the mating scheme and accounts for any relationship among families in a breeding population. As expected from the high Ne applied in our study, we observed only a moderate decrease in additive variance for grain yield and grain moisture in both populations. Nevertheless, the variance components were still associated with high standard errors, which prevented the revealing of trends across cycles. A larger number of test locations and larger population size would reduce the standard errors of variance components at the cost of oversized and expensive field trials. Methods for predicting the performance of progenies are important to optimize RS programs. Due to simplifying assumptions, a prediction with phenotypic means is often inaccurate. An alternative method is BLUP, which was suggested for predicting the performance of untested single-cross hybrids but has not been applied in RS programs. In our study, the prediction of progeny performance based on BLUP was only marginally better than prediction based on the phenotypic mean. However, higher degree of relationship between the entries and lower heritabilities would increase the advantage of BLUP compared with phenotypic means.Viele Zuchtverfahren in der Pflanzenzüchtung führen zu einer Einengung der genetischen Variation im verwendeten Zuchtmaterial. Deswegen ist es das erklärte Ziel der rekurrenten Selektion (RS), durch kontinuierliche Erhöhung der Frequenz günstiger Allele zu einer stetigen Leistungsverbesserung von Zuchtpopulationen unter Beibehaltung der genetischen Varianz beizutragen. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation wurde ein langjährig durchgeführtes rekurrentes VGF-Selektionsprogramm in zwei europäischen Maispopulationen untersucht. Die Ziele der Arbeit waren (i) die Ermittlung der Trends des Populationsmittels, der Inzuchtkoeffizienten und der Varianzkomponenten über die Selektionszyklen hinweg, (ii) die Quantifizierung des Selektionserfolgs für per se- und Testkreuzungsleistung, (iii) der Vergleich von vorhergesagtem und realisiertem Selektionserfolg, (iv) die Erweiterung der Populationsdiallelanalyse unter Berücksichtigung von Inzuchtdepression auf Grund von genetischer Zufallsdrift, (v) die Trennung der genetischen Effekte von Selektion und Zufallsdrift und (vi) die Untersuchung des Nutzens der Zuchtwertschätzung zur Leistungsvorhersage der Nachkommen. Für die Untersuchungen wurden vier Flintlinien (A, B, C, und D) verwendet, die zu Beginn der 90er Jahre zum leistungsstärksten Elitezuchtmaterial im europäischen Flint-Formenkreis zählten. In jeder der beiden Kreuzungen A×B und C×D wurde die F2-Generation in drei aufeinander folgenden Generationen mittels eines ?chain-crossing?-Verfahrens durchkreuzt, um das Gametenphasenungleichgewicht abzubauen. Ausgehend von den dadurch erzeugten F2Syn3-Generationen wurden in Population A×B vier und in Population C×D sieben Zyklen eines modifizierten rekurrenten VGF-Selektionsprogramms durchgeführt. In jedem Zyklus wurde nach einem pseudo-faktoriellen Schema durchkreuzt, bei dem die besten der selektierten VGF doppelt zur nächsten Generation beitragen. Anschließend wurden alle VGF einer Leistungsprüfung in drei Umwelten mit drei Wiederholungen unterzogen sowie parallel sechs Selbstungskolben pro VGF hergestellt. Zur Selektion wurden die Prüfglieder nach dem üblichen Selektionsindex (2 × Trockenmasse + Kornertrag, jeweils prozentual zur F2) rangiert. Die Selbstungskolben der 25% besten VGF wurden in den nächsten Zyklus weitergeführt und erneut durchkreuzt. Für die Berechnung des Selektionserfolgs wurden sämtliche Zyklen beider Populationen zusammen an sechs Umwelten mit vier Wiederholungen angebaut. Basierend auf den bekannten Pedigrees wurden die Inzuchtkoeffizienten aller VGF und die Abstammungskoeffizienten zwischen den VGF berechnet. Mit den phänotypischen Mittelwerten und den Abstammungskoeffizienten konnten die Varianzkomponenten und Zuchtwerte in jedem Zyklus geschätzt werden. In beiden Populationen übertraf der um Zufallsdrift korrigierte Selektionserfolg für Kornertrag von durchschnittlich 14,1% (A×B) und 8,3% (C×D) die Erwartungen, da vergleichbare Versuche aus der Literatur lediglich einen Selektionserfolg von 2% bis 7% pro Zyklus aufwiesen. Ein Grund für den dauerhaft hohen Selektionserfolg über mehrere Zyklen und Umwelten könnte das hier verwendete pseudo-faktorielle Kreuzungsschema sein. Im Vergleich zu allgemein verwendeten Kreuzungsschemata kann damit ein höherer Selektionserfolg erzielt werden, ohne die effektive Populationsgröße stark einzuschränken. In der vorliegenden Studie lag die effektive Populationsgröße bei 32, so dass der Einfluss von Zufallsdrift im Verhältnis zur Selektion relativ klein sein dürfte und daher nur eine sehr geringe Inzuchtdepression zu erwarten war. Diese Vermutung konnte durch eine erweiterte Populationsdiallelanalyse bestätigt werden, denn die genetische Zufallsdrift reduzierte den Selektionserfolg in beiden Populationen nur um 1-2%. Im Gegensatz zu traditionellen Methoden können bei der Schätzung der Varianzkomponenten mit dem REML-Verfahren beliebige Abstammungskoeffizienten zwischen den Prüfgliedern verwendet werden. In beiden Populationen wurde sowohl für Kornertrag als auch für Kornfeuchte keine gravierende Reduktion der Additivvarianz festgestellt. Dennoch können die fehlenden Trends auch mit dem relativ großen Standardfehler der Varianzkomponenten zusammenhängen. Um diesen zu reduzieren, müssten mehr Testumwelten und/oder größere Populationsumfänge verwendet werden. Die Vorhersage der Leistung von VGF anhand des phänotypischen Mittelwerts ihrer Eltern ist sehr ungenau. Eine Alternative dazu stellt die Zuchtwertschätzung mittels BLUP dar. In unserer Studie war die Vorhersage des Zuchtwertes einzelner VGF mit Hilfe des Zuchtwertes ihrer Eltern jedoch nur marginal besser als die Vorhersage mit dem phänotypischen Mittelwert der Eltern. Allerdings zeigten Versuche mit Selbstbefruchtern, dass sich bei niedrigeren Heritabilitäten und höheren Verwandtschaftsgraden zwischen den Prüfgliedern der Vorteil des Zuchtwertes gegenüber dem phänotypischen Mittelwert deutlicher bemerkbar machen würde

Sustainability, Resource Efficiency and Competitiveness. An Assessment of Resource Efficiency Policies in the European Union. Bruges European Economic Research Papers (BEER) 32/2015.

Addressing high and volatile natural resource prices, uncertain supply prospects, reindustrialization attempts and environmental damages related to resource use, resource efficiency has evolved into a highly debated proposal among academia, policy makers, firms and international financial institutions (IFIs). In 2011, the European Union (EU) declared resource efficiency as one of its seven flagship initiatives in its Europe 2020 strategy. This paper contributes to the discussions by assessing its key initiative, the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (EC 2011 571), following two streams of evaluation. In a first step, resource efficiency is linked to two theoretical frameworks regarding sustainability, (i) the sustainability triangle (consisting of economic, social and ecological dimensions) and (ii) balanced sustainability (combining weak and strong sustainability). Subsequently, both sustainability frameworks are used to assess to which degree the Roadmap follows the concept of sustainability. It can be concluded that it partially respects the sustainability triangle as well as balanced sustainability, primarily lacking a social dimension. In a second step, following Steger and Bleischwitz (2009), the impact of resource efficiency on competitiveness as advocated in the Roadmap is empirically evaluated. Using an Arellano–Bond dynamic panel data model reveals no robust impact of resource efficiency on competiveness in the EU between 2004 and 2009 – a puzzling result. Further empirical research and enhanced data availability are needed to better understand the impacts of resource efficiency on competitiveness on the macroeconomic, microeconomic and industry level. In that regard, strengthening the methodologies of resource indicators seem essential. Last but certainly not least, political will is required to achieve the transition of the EU-economy into a resource efficient future

Investments in material efficiency: the introduction and application of a comprehensive cost–benefit framework

Increasing material efficiency is considered to yield multiple economic and environmental benefits. This paper firstly introduces a comprehensive cost–benefit framework to systematically assess the viability of investments in material efficiency. The framework comprises several components by (1) comparing a business-as-usual scenario with a scenario of scaling up investments in material efficiency, (2) covering economic and environmental dimensions, and (3) considering direct and indirect effects. In a second step, we match the framework to existing evidence from the literature, followed by an application of the framework to a microeconomic investment project financed by a multilateral development bank. Our results suggest that material efficiency investments can yield positive net benefits, which typically increase when non-monetary dimensions are additionally taken into account. Overall, our analysis calls for a more comprehensive approach towards material efficiency investment appraisals, the internalisation of externalities, and further empirical research to better understand the implications of moving towards material efficient economies

On imperfect competition and market distortions: the causes of corporate under-investment in energy and material efficiency

In practice firms are faced by a range of market frictions and barriers, which can prevent them from undertaking investments in efficiency and low-carbon technologies. Thus, even when environmental taxes are imposed, firms may be unable (or unwilling) to adjust their behaviour and technology in response to price signals. With a focus on energy and material efficiency investments, this paper systematically investigates how the theoretical assumptions of perfectly competitive and efficient markets are violated in practice, and how this results in complex and interlinked investment barriers. It classifies five categories of investment barriers: information, capacity, and financial constraints, as well as uncompetitive market structures and fiscal mismanagement; and presents evidence on each of these. It concludes by proposing a range of measures for mitigating investment barriers, and addressing their structural causes. Overall, the evidence presented in this paper aims to help increase the effectiveness of environmental taxes and regulation, by identifying market imperfections that environmental taxes alone cannot address

The causal impact of economic growth on material use in Europe

Several scholars and policy-makers have claimed that Europe, and Western Europe in particular, has managed to ‘decouple’ economic growth from material use. We identify and address one major limitation in the existing literature – failure to take the endogeneity of economic growth into account. Based on a panel data-set of 32 European countries from 2000 to 2014, we estimate the causal impact of gross domestic product (GDP) on domestic material consumption (DMC) applying an instrumental variable approach. We use the number of storm occurrences as an instrument for GDP, which we show is both relevant and valid. Our results provide new evidence that increasing the GDP growth rate causes the DMC growth rate to increase for Western Europe, whereas the effect is insignificant for the Eastern European economies and Europe as a whole. As our results partly question current wisdom on the achievements of ‘decoupling’, especially among European policy-makers, we offer two explanations that are consistent with these results

Local Interactions in Times of Peace and Times of Crisis. : The common people and their participation in local governance**

The crucial question for this exploration is: how could ordinary citizens (Gemeine), who had no chance of becoming members of the city-council, be incorporated into a common decision-making-process in the Late Middle Ages? In the background of this specific research-question lie the fundamental criteria for the ideal of urban peace and common good (gemein Gut) as an ideal vision of community. The following examples are primarily from Franconia, an area which had neither a unifying territory nor a supreme ruler. Instead, it was dominated by a multitude of different secular and spiritual rulers with many castles, monasteries and towns/citie. The town’s community was organized into neighborhoods, suburbs, quarters. Therefore, the quartermasters (Viertelsmeister) played an important role as speaker or representatives of the quarters or suburbs. The variety of possible duties for quartermasters were enormous. The quartermasters as representatives of the quarter communities were, for example, questioned by the council when it came to socio-politically sensitive issues. Mentioning the quartermasters and the community during the Peasants War is not coincidental but tells us a lot about the crisis of confidence of the city council by the citizens. A few hints should demonstrate the political influence of quartermasters in Franconian cities and towns as an example for future comparable research projects.Kluczowe pytanie niniejszych rozważań brzmi: w jaki sposób obywatele (Gemeine), którzy nie mieli szans na członkostwo w radzie miejskiej, mogli zostać włączeni do wspólnego procesu decyzyjnego w późnym średniowieczu? W tle tego konkretnego pytania badawczego leżą podstawowe kryteria ideału miejskiego pokoju i wspólnego dobra (gemein Gut) jako idealnej wizji wspólnoty. Poniższe przykłady pochodzą przede wszystkim z Frankonii – obszaru, który nie miał jednolitej struktury administracyjnej ani jednego władcy terytorialnego. Na tym terenie panowali różni władcy świeccy i duchowni z wieloma zamkami, klasztorami i miastami. Społeczność miejska była podzielona na dzielnice, przedmieścia i kwartały. Dlatego też urzędnicy kwartalni (Viertelsmeister) odgrywali ważną rolę jako rzecznicy lub przedstawiciele dzielnic bądź przedmieść. Mogli oni pełnić wiele różnych funkcji. Jako przedstawiciele społeczności dzielnicowych byli np. przesłuchiwani przez radę w  sprawach społeczno-politycznych. Wzmianki dotyczące urzędników kwartalnych i gmin w czasie wojny chłopskiej nie są przypadkowe, lecz mówią wiele o kryzysie zaufania obywateli do rady miejskiej. Kilka uwag na ten temat, zamieszczonych w niniejszym artykule, pozwoli ukazać polityczne wpływy kwatermistrzów we frankońskich miastach i miasteczkach jako przykład dla przyszłych porównywalnych projektów badawczych

From barriers to opportunities: Enabling investments in resource efficiency for sustainable development

Increasing investments in resource efficiency is considered essential for transitioning towards a sustainable model of economic growth. This article presents evidence on the complex incentives, trade-offs, and challenges associated with the economics and politics of resource efficiency investments, especially in light of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. By synthesising and evaluating a wide range of empirical evidence, practitioners’ insights, and policy perspectives, this article carefully examines the role of resource efficiency in reconciling environmental and economic objectives. It makes particular reference to the investment barriers and transitional implications of moving economies towards more circular and resource efficient pathways. In doing so, it provides a policy-oriented guide and toolbox to help overcome barriers, unlock the economic potential of resource efficiency, and highlight the challenges associated with the resource transition. Overall, this article brings together evidence, aiming to further develop and propose new strategies for improving the efficient use of natural resources to advance the sustainable development agenda

Interferon β-1a in relapsing multiple sclerosis: four-year extension of the European IFNβ-1a Dose-C omparison Study

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease requiring long-term monitoring of treatment. Objective: To assess the four-year clinical efficacy of intramuscular (IM) IFNb-1a in patients with relapsing MS from the European IFNb-1a Dose-C omparison Study. Methods: Patients who completed 36 months of treatment (Part 1) of the European IFNb-1a Dose-C omparison Study were given the option to continue double-blind treatment with IFNb-1a 30 mcg or 60 mcg IM once weekly (Part 2). Analyses of 48-month data were performed on sustained disability progression, relapses, and neutralizing antibody (NA b) formation. Results: O f 608/802 subjects who completed 36 months of treatment, 493 subjects continued treatment and 446 completed 48 months of treatment and follow-up. IFNb-1a 30 mcg and 60 mcg IM once weekly were equally effective for up to 48 months. There were no significant differences between doses over 48 months on any of the clinical endpoints, including rate of disability progression, cumulative percentage of patients who progressed (48 and 43, respectively), and annual relapse rates; relapses tended to decrease over 48 months. The incidence of patients who were positive for NAbs at any time during the study was low in both treatment groups. Conclusion: C ompared with 60-mcg IM IFNb-1a once weekly, a dose of 30 mcg IM IFNb-1a once weekly maintains the same clinical efficacy over four years