Short- and long-term warming effects of methane may affect the cost-effectiveness of mitigation policies and benefits of low-meat diets

Methane’s short atmospheric life has important implications for the design of global climate change mitigation policies in agriculture. Three different agricultural economic models are used to explore how short- and long-term warming effects of methane can affect the cost-effectiveness of mitigation policies and dietary transitions. Results show that the choice of a particular metric for methane’s warming potential is key to determine optimal mitigation options, with metrics based on shorter-term impacts leading to greater overall emission reduction. Also, the promotion of low-meat diets is more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to carbon pricing when mitigation policies are based on metrics that reflect methane’s long-term behaviour. A combination of stringent mitigation measures and dietary changes could achieve substantial emission reduction levels, helping reverse the contribution of agriculture to global warming

What comes first, origin or production method? An investigation into the relative importance of different attributes in the demand for eggs

This paper analyses consumer preferences for different eggs attributes to assess the importance placed by consumers on the origin and method of production when shopping. The data comes from an experiment conducted in Spain during 2009. An Error Component Random Parameter Logit model is used to estimate the effect of different eggs characteristics on consumers’ utility and derive their willingness to pay. Results suggest that consumers positively value the free-range and organic method of production and the local and regional origin and that they are willing to pay an additional € 0.85 for each package of six free-range or organic eggs, € 0.77 for locally produced and € 0.27 for regional produced eggs. Hence, the least valued eggs for consumers are those produced in cages and outside the region. Relative to this product, the highest willingness to pay corresponds to free-range or organic eggs followed by locally produced eggs and finally, by the regional eggs. Thus, we can conclude that Spanish consumers give more importance when shopping for eggs to the method of production than to the origin of production

What comes first, origin or production method? An investigation into the relative importance of different attributes in the demand for eggs

This paper analyses consumer preferences for different eggs attributes to assess the importance placed by consumers on the origin and method of production when shopping. The data comes from an experiment conducted in Spain during 2009. An Error Component Random Parameter Logit model is used to estimate the effect of different eggs characteristics on consumers� utility and derive their willingness to pay. Results suggest that consumers positively value the freerange and organic method of production and the local and regional origin and that they are willing to pay an additional � 0.85 for each package of six free-range or organic eggs, � 0.77 for locally produced and � 0.27 for regional produced eggs. Hence, the least valued eggs for consumers are those produced in cages and outside the region. Relative to this product, the highest willingness to pay corresponds to free-range or organic eggs followed by locally produced eggs and finally, by the regional eggs. Thus, we can conclude that Spanish consumers give more importance when shopping for eggs to the method of production than to the origin of production

Reuse of treated water in European agriculture: Potential to address water scarcity under climate change

The use of reclaimed or treated water from urban wastewater treatment plants for irrigation has been proposed as an alternative water source to address water scarcity issues in Europe. In this paper using agro-economic modelling, we analyse if treated water available for agriculture has the potential to reduce freshwater abstraction and, consequently, water stress. Implementing exogenous treated water quantities as an additional water supply at NUTS 2 level in the CAPRI model, we found that treated water reuse is a possible alternative supply source to address water shortages with a very negligible effect on farmers’ income and food production in the EU. However, the actual water reuse and water stress reduction is very limited due to high costs. Even climate change effects on water availability and precipitation failed to induce higher use. The one-size-fits-all approach modelled via a flat rate water price only encourages the reuse of treated water in a limited number of EU member states. Thus, in order to maximise the potential of reused water to address water scarcity, different rates should be used so as to ensure higher treated water volumes at lower costs

Impacts of climate change in European agriculture: the interplay between irrigation and agrifood markets

Water is vital for agriculture and thus food security. While irrigation has helped boost agricultural production in many areas, uncertainties linked to the effects of climate change on water supply and demand are expected to add new pressures on water resources and agricultural sustainability. Ensuring agricultural and water sustainability today and in the future requires more effort to analyse the challenges faced by agriculture. Nevertheless, despite the important role of water as a driver for agricultural production, the interplay between irrigation water and food production is lacking in most previous studies (Sulser et al. 2010)

Impacts of climate change in European agriculture: the interplay between irrigation and agrifood markets

Water is vital for agriculture and thus food security. While irrigation has helped boost agricultural production in many areas, uncertainties linked to the effects of climate change on water supply and demand are expected to add new pressures on water resources and agricultural sustainability. Ensuring agricultural and water sustainability today and in the future requires more effort to analyse the challenges faced by agriculture. Nevertheless, despite the important role of water as a driver for agricultural production, the interplay between irrigation water and food production is lacking in most previous studies (Sulser et al. 2010)

Perspectives on stakeholder participation in the design of economic experiments for agricultural policymaking : Pros, cons, and twelve recommendations for researchers

Economic experiments have emerged as a powerful tool for agricultural policy evaluations. In this perspective, we argue that involving stakeholders in the design of economic experiments is critical to satisfy mandates for evidence-based policies and encourage policymakers' usage of experimental results. To identify advantages and disadvantages of involving stakeholders when designing experiments, we synthesize observations from six experiments in Europe and North America. In these experiments, the primary advantage was the ability to learn within realistic decision environments and thus make relevant policy recommendations. Disadvantages include complicated implementation and constraints on treatment design. We compile 12 recommendations for researchers

Short- and long-term warming effects of methane may affect the cost-effectiveness of mitigation policies and benefits of low-meat diets

Methane’s short atmospheric life has important implications for the design of global climate change mitigation policies in agriculture. Three different agricultural economic models are used to explore how short- and long-term warming effects of methane can affect the cost-effectiveness of mitigation policies and dietary transitions. Results show that the choice of a particular metric for methane’s warming potential is key to determine optimal mitigation options, with metrics based on shorter-term impacts leading to greater overall emission reduction. Also, the promotion of low-meat diets is more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to carbon pricing when mitigation policies are based on metrics that reflect methane’s long-term behaviour. A combination of stringent mitigation measures and dietary changes could achieve substantial emission reduction levels, helping reverse the contribution of agriculture to global warming

Farmers' risk preferences in 11 European farming systems: A multi-country replication of Bocquého et al. (2014)

We replicate Bocquého et al. (2014), who used multipleprice lists to investigate the risk preferences of107 French farmers. We collected new data from 1430participants in 11 European farming systems. In agree-ment with the original study, farmers' risk preferencesare best described by Cumulative Prospect Theory. Structural model estimates show that farmers in thenew samples are, on average, less loss averse andmore susceptible to probability distortion than in theoriginal study. Explorative analyses indicate differencesbetween estimation approaches, as well as heterogene-ity between and within samples. We discuss challengesin replications of economic experiments with farmersacross farming contexts