Dynamics of China's Regional Development and Pollution

This paper addresses the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve for China, using a sampleof thirty regions and covering the period 1982-1997. The types of pollution included in the studyare wastewater, waste gas and solid waste. We consider the development of the sources ofpollution in a pooled cross-section analysis considering the pollution in absolute levels, in percapita terms and relative to real GDP. At intermediate levels of GDP per capita, the increase of solidand gas emissions tends to decelerate, but accelerates again at high levels of GDP per capita.Water pollution decreases with per capita GDP

Growth Effects of Fiscal Policies - A Comparative Analysis in a Multi-Country Context

The potential interactions among fiscal policies, investments and economicgrowth are complex and manifold.In this paper, we will perform a systematic comparative analysis of the variouseconomic insights that arecurrently available on these complex relationships, both theoretically (by aselective literature review) andempirically (by investigating available data from various countries). Despitethe wide variety of potentialtheoretical relationships between government expenditures, taxation and growth,most empirical analyses arerestricted to simple linear regressions of growth on some measure of governmentexpenditures. Based onempirical experiments, we will indicate directions for future empirical researchthat may enrich our knowledgeon the complex relationship between fiscal policies and economic growth, notonly nationally but also regionally

Growth Effects of Fiscal Policies - A Comparative Analysis in a Multi-Country Context

The potential interactions among fiscal policies, investments and economicgrowth are complex and manifold.In this paper, we will perform a systematic comparative analysis of the variouseconomic insights that arecurrently available on these complex relationships, both theoretically (by aselective literature review) andempirically (by investigating available data from various countries). Despitethe wide variety of potentialtheoretical relationships between government expenditures, taxation and growth,most empirical analyses arerestricted to simple linear regressions of growth on some measure of governmentexpenditures. Based onempirical experiments, we will indicate directions for future empirical researchthat may enrich our knowledgeon the complex relationship between fiscal policies and economic growth, notonly nationally but also regionally.fiscal policy; government spending; taxation; economic growth; comparative analysis

Dynamics of China's Regional Development and Pollution

This paper addresses the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve for China, using a sampleof thirty regions and covering the period 1982-1997. The types of pollution included in the studyare wastewater, waste gas and solid waste. We consider the development of the sources ofpollution in a pooled cross-section analysis considering the pollution in absolute levels, in percapita terms and relative to real GDP. At intermediate levels of GDP per capita, the increase of solidand gas emissions tends to decelerate, but accelerates again at high levels of GDP per capita.Water pollution decreases with per capita GDP.Environmental Kuznets Curve; China; pollution; economic development

Energy Saving by Firms: Decision-Making, Barriers and Policies

Promoting investments in energy saving technologies is an important means forachieving environmental goals. Unfortunately, the empirical evidence on successconditions of policies isscarce. Based on a survey among Dutch firms, this paper sets out to identify thefactors that determine the investment behaviour of firms, their attitude towardsvarious types of energy policy,and their responsiveness to changes in environmental policy in the Netherlands.On the basis of discrete choice models, this paper aims to investigate empiricallywhether (and how) these strategic features vary over firm characteristics and over sectors.energy saving; investment behaviour; environmental policy

Price and Income Elasticities of Residential Water Demand: Why Empirical Estimates differ

This paper presents a meta-analysis of variations in price and income elasticities of residential water demand.Information on the determinants of consumer demand is of pivotal importance for the efficiency and efficacy ofpublic and private policy-making. It is also crucial for effective water demand management. We focus on theapplication of statistical methods to synthesize research results on price and income elasticities of residentialwater demand report in the literature. These techniques are generally referred to as meta-analysis. This type ofanalysis constitutes an adequate tool for explaining why empirical estimates of the price and income elasticity ofresidential water demand vary to such considerable extents. The set of explanatory factors used in themeta-analysis includes variables derived from microeconomic choice theory and moderator variables reflectingdifferences in spatial and temporal dynamics, research design, and statistical quality of the estimates ofpreviously published studies.water demand; price elasticity; income elasticity; meta-analysis