Environment

Many environmental problems are large scale in terms of geographical units and long-term with regard to time. We therefore find a coincidence of different causes and impacts that qualify the interplay between humans and nature as highly uncertain (“transparency challenge”). In consequence we see a need for innovative analytical methods and modelling approaches to supplement the traditional monitoring-based approach in environmental policy. This should allow capturing different degrees of uncertainty which in general is out of power of any monitoring activity. Moreover, with regard to the design of monitoring approaches it requires collecting and connecting data from different fields of social activities in regard of a divergence of natural and social systems’ boundaries. This requires the provision of sufficient, frequently huge data sets (“availability challenge”) that need to fit with each other (“compatibility challenge”). Even if these challenges are met data processing remains a very complex and time-consuming task which should be supported by a user-friendly infrastructure. We here see a comparative advantage in using the GIS technology and a nested structure for data provision supporting the up and down scaling of information and the access of data from different perspectives (“connectivity challenge”) - a polluters, a victims and a regulators point of view.Coincidence of causes and impacts, transparency challenge, availability challenge, compatibility challenge, connectivity challenge, GIS technology, nested structure of data provision

Climate protection through tradable permits: The EU proposal for a CO2 emissions trading system in Europe

On 23 October 2001 the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive for trade in greenhouse gas emissions. Following the US experience of emissions trading systems, this marks the first large-scale attempt to deploy this instrument of environmental policy in Europe. The proposal places European climate protection policy on a completely new footing. The prospects of its implementation have increased since the climate change conference in Marrakech. This paper introduces the draft directive and gives an initial economic appraisal. It concludes that the directive deliberately and wisely - limits the scope of the first trading phase starting 2005. Consequently, there is still considerable scope for increasing its efficiency (resulting from gains from trading) in later phases, namely by extending both the number of participants and the gases included. The number of participants in the first phase and the institutional arrangements, however, appear sufficient to enable a liquid, functioning market. In this respect, also the politically difficult decision to start with a compulsory system is to be welcomed. Important issues not yet sufficiently clarified include the concrete rules for defining the total permit quantity issued to participants by each Member State, and whether other economic sectors, which are to be treated by other policies and measures, will bear a comparable burden. Furthermore, the essential questions of primary allocation and treatment of newcomers which are in principle left up to Member States as well as the linkage of emissions trading with existing policies affecting the participating sectors must be solved before legal implementation is recommended. --

Internationale Klimapolitik nach Kyoto: Architekturen und Institutionen

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Der neue CO2-Emissionshandel in der EU

Am 23. Oktober 2001 hat die Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften einen Richtlinienentwurf für einen Handel mit Treibhausgasemissionen vorgelegt. Nach den amerikanischen Erfahrungen mit Emissionshandelssystemen ist dies in Europa der erste groß angelegte Versuch, dieses umweltpolitische Instrument in der Praxis einzusetzen. Dieser Entwurf stellt die Klimaschutzpolitik in Europa auf eine vollkommen neue Grundlage. Nach der Klimakonferenz in Marrakesch sind die Chancen für die Umsetzung dieses Vorschlags gestiegen. Wie ist der Richtlinienentwurf aus ökonomischer Sicht zu beurteilen? --

Environment

Many environmental problems are large scale in terms of geographical units and long-term with regard to time. We therefore find a coincidence of different causes and impacts that qualify the interplay between humans and nature as highly uncertain ("transparency challenge"). In consequence we see a need for innovative analytical methods and modelling approaches to supplement the traditional monitoring-based approach in environmental policy. This should allow capturing different degrees of uncertainty which in general is out of power of any monitoring activity. Moreover, with regard to the design of monitoring approaches it requires collecting and connecting data from different fields of social activities in regard of a divergence of natural and social systems' boundaries. This requires the provision of sufficient, frequently huge data sets ("availability challenge") that need to fit with each other ("compatibility challenge"). Even if these challenges are met data processing remains a very complex and time-consuming task which should be supported by a user-friendly infrastructure. We here see a comparative advantage in using the GIS technology and a nested structure for data provision supporting the up and down scaling of information and the access of data from different perspectives ("connectivity challenge") - a polluters, a victims and a regulators point of view

Umweltpolitik

Umweltpolitik ist auf den Schutz und die nachhaltige Nutzung der natürlichen Umwelt ausgerichtet. Ihre Charakterisierung erfolgt über die Akteure, Ziele und Instrumente in diesem Politikfeld, wobei Umweltpolitik eine Querschnittsaufgabe ist. Darüber hinaus weist sie starke raumwirtschaftliche Bezüge auf, was sich aus der räumlichen Schadstoffausbreitung, aber auch aus den auf unterschiedlichen staatlichen Ebenen liegenden Zuständigkeiten ergibt

Wider Irrläufer und Fehlinterpretationen

In verschiedenen Vorhaben wird versucht, die Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt vermehrt unter einer ökonomischen Sichtweise zu betrachten. Diese als „Neue Ökonomie der Natur“ bezeichnete Perspektive wird zum Teil heftig kritisiert. Ist diese Kritik berechtigt

Das Handelssystem im europäischen CO2-Emissionsrechtemarkt: Vorschläge zur institutionellen Ausgestaltung in Deutschland

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Chemicals regulation and the Porter Hypothesis:a critical review of the new European chemicals regulation

In this contribution, discussions about the Porter Hypothesis and the pros and cons of the new European chemicals regulation system REACH are tied together. The contribution seeks to apply the Porter Hypothesis to the field of European chemicals regulation. Porter’s claim of positive effects of regulation on innovations seems especially important for the chemicals sector pursuing differentiation. But, understanding Porter’s concept of strategic management indicates that certain segments of the chemicals industry will suffer negative effects on competition and innovation