The Economics of Fisheries Access Agreements: Perspectives on the EU-Senegal Case

Relations between coastal countries and fishing fleets from non-adjacent countries changed radically in the 1970s and early 1980s. This was primarily a consequence of the declaration of exclusive economic zones (EEZs) by many coastal states in the years leading up to the close of the negotiations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982. Most significantly, by recognizing the right of coastal states to determine how their waters were to be exploited, the UNCLOS provided a legal basis and economic motivation for the negotiation of access agreements between coastal states and distant water fishing fleets. This paper examines some of the economic issues which arise out of such agreements, particularly as they relate to relations between relatively poor coastal states and fishing fleets from richer non-adjacent countries. Using Senegal-EU agreements as a case study it examines the economics of the agreements from the perspective of the coastal country. Factors related to the characteristics of the distant water fleet (ie, relative discard rates, fleet infractions, changes in fleet efficiency, and the mobility of the fleet) and the characteristics of the coastal country (ie, public debt and discount rates, capital constraints, access to overseas markets, and national political considerations) are examined in order to cast light on the incentives for signing the agreements.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Urban wind energy conversion: the potential of ducted turbines

The prospects for urban wind power are discussed. A roof-mounted ducted wind turbine, which uses pressure differentials created by wind flow around a building, is proposed as an alternative to more conventional approaches. Outcomes from tests at model and prototype scale are described, and a simple mathematical model is presented. Predictions from the latter suggest that a ducted turbine can produce very high specific power outputs, going some way to offsetting its directional sensitivity. Further predictions using climate files are made to assess annual energy output and seasonal variations, with a conventional small wind turbine and a photovoltaic panel as comparators. It is concluded that ducted turbines have significant potential for retro-fitting to existing buildings, and have clear advantages where visual impact and safety are matters of concern

The Distributional Effects of Environmental Tax Reform

In recent years there has been increased debate about the potential for shifting the incidence of the tax system away from a variety of economic goods (i.e. employment, investment, etc...) and towards environmental bads (i.e. pollution emissions, resource extraction, etc ...). However, in spite of their apparent efficiency, economic instruments have been adopted relatively less frequently than direct regulation to mitigate environmental damages. One reason may be that some of the distributional implications of environmental tax reform have not been adequately recognized and addressed. How the costs and benefits of environmental policies are distributed in society is critical for their application since this will play a significant role in determining whether or not a particular measure is likely to be politically feasible. Moreover, for a given level of aggregate economic wealth, a redistribution of resources from richer households toward poorer households will tend to increase overall social welfare, and vice versa. While environmental measures should not be the instrument through which distributional objectives are realized, their growing importance means that distributional implications can no longer be ignored, particularly in the face of increasing economic inequality in many countries. This report reviews some of the distributional implications of environmental tax reform in the residential energy, road transport and agriculture sectors. While some of the most important distributional issues are related to the direct financial burden of the tax, this study also reviews some of the other distributional implications. In particular, it looks at the indirect effects on goods and services through input-output linkages, the potentially mitigating effects through different forms of revenue recycling, the distribution of indirect economic effects such as employment opportunities, as well as the distribution of social and environmental effects such as personal health and exposure to pollutants. The paper argues that in many cases the distributional consequences of environmental tax reform may be distinctly regressive, at least in terms of relative tax burdens. The distribution of environmental and social consequences are much less readily quantifiable, but in many cases their effects may be progressive. However, this depends very much on the sector affected and the precise form of the reform introduced. In addition, the revenue raised by environmental taxes (unlike most other environmental policy measures) provide the means whereby some of these adverse distributional consequences can be mitigated and even reversed. Finally, by addressing market failures and barriers which impact particularly upon lower-income households some measures which mitigate the adverse distributional effects of environmental tax reform can also improve the economic efficiency of the reform. Thus, if designed appropriately, environmental tax reform can meet both distributional and environmental objectives in an efficient manner. On the basis of the evidence reviewed it is concluded that distributional concerns, while important in many cases, should not prevent or delay the introduction of environmental taxes. Rather, they should serve as guiding principles in the design of environmental tax reform not only for their own sake, but also because efficiency objectives and equity objectives can be complementary in a well-designed package of environmental tax reform.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Environmental Policy Flexibility, Search and Innovation

It has long been argued that the implementation of flexible policy instruments, such as environmentally-related taxes and tradable permits, is likely to lead to greater technological innovation than more prescriptive forms of regulation such as technology-based standards. One of the principle reasons for such an assertion is that they give firms stronger incentives to search for the optimal technological means to meet a given environmental objective. While the theoretical case for the use of flexible policy instruments is well-developed, empirical evidence remains limited. Drawing upon a database of “environmental” patent applications from a cross-section of 73 countries over the period 2001–2003, evidence is provided for the positive effect of “flexibility” of environmental policy regime on innovation. This impact is additional to, and distinct from, the effect of policy stringency.environmental policy, innovation, flexibility

Policy vs. Consumer Pressure: Innovation and Diffusion of Alternative Bleaching Technologies in the Pulp Industry

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, concern over dioxin in both paper products and wastewater led to the development of techniques that reduced the use of chlorine in the pulp industry. Both regulatory and consumer pressure motivated this change. We use patent data to examine the evolution of two completing bleaching technologies in five major paper-producing countries, both of which reduce the use of chlorine in the pulping process. By the end of the 1990s, nearly all pulp production in these countries used one of these technologies. Unlike other papers using patents to study environmentally-friendly innovation, we focus on a process innovation, rather than on end-of-the-pipe solutions to pollution. Moreover, while previous studies emphasize the importance of regulation for inducing innovation, here we find substantial innovation occurring before regulations were in place. Instead, pressure from consumers to reduce the chlorine content of paper drives the first round of innovation. However, while some companies choose to adopt these technologies in response to consumer pressure, not all firms will differentiate their product in this way. Thus, governments need to regulate if their goal is broad diffusion of the environmental technology.

Determinants and effects of green supply chain management (GSCM)

Green Supply-Chain Management (GSCM) is an increasingly widely-diffused practice among companies that are pursuing environmental excellence. The motivation for the introduction of GSCM may be ethical (e.g. reflecting the values of managers) and/or commercial (e.g. gaining a possible competitive advantage by signalling environmental concern). Drawing upon a database of over 4,000 manufacturing facilities in seven OECD countries this paper assesses the determinants and motivations for the implementation of GSCM. We find that GSCM is strongly complementary with other advanced management practices, and that it contributes to improved environmental performance. The effects on commercial performance are more ambiguous.

BURO: A Bespoke Repository for the UK Research Excellence Framework & Beyond

BURO (Bournemouth University Research Online), a bespoke repository for the university’s research publications is an essential part of a wider change agenda aimed at embedding research into the core activities of Bournemouth University. BURO will be a crucial piece of this jigsaw as the university prepares for the UK’s forthcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) and beyond. BURO is the 11th largest multidisciplinary institutional repository in the UK and 232nd in the Web of World Repositorie

Environmental Policy, Innovation and Performance: New Insights on the Porter Hypothesis

Jaffe and Palmer (1997) present three distinct variants of the so-called Porter Hypothesis. The “weak” version of the hypothesis posits that environmental regulation will stimulate certain kinds of environmental innovations. The “narrow” version of the hypothesis asserts that flexible environmental policy regimes give firms greater incentive to innovate than prescriptive regulations, such as technology-based standards. Finally, the “strong” version posits that properly designed regulation may induce cost-saving innovation that more than compensates for the cost of compliance. In this paper, we test the significance of these different variants of the Porter Hypothesis using data on the four main elements of the hypothesised causality chain (environmental policy, research and development, environmental performance and commercial performance). The analysis is based upon a unique database which includes observations from approximately 4200 facilities in seven OECD countries. In general, we find strong support for the “weak” version, qualified support for the “narrow” version, and qualified support for the “strong” version as well. Jaffe et Palmer (1997) présentent trois variantes distinctes de l’hypothèse de Porter. La version « faible » de l'hypothèse suppose que la réglementation environnementale stimulera l’apparition d’innovations dans le domaine de l’environnement. La version « étroite » de l'hypothèse affirme que les réglementations environnementales flexibles donnent aux firmes une plus grande incitation pour innover que les réglementations rigides, telles que les normes prescrivant une technologie pour une industrie donnée. Enfin, la version « forte » pose qu’une réglementation correctement conçue peut induire davantage de gains en termes d’innovation que de coûts pour se conformer à la règle. Dans cet article, nous examinons la portée de ces différentes variantes de l'hypothèse de Porter en utilisant des données sur les quatre principaux éléments de la chaîne présumée de causalité (politique environnementale, recherche et développement, performance environnementale et performance commerciale). L'analyse est fondée sur une base de données unique qui inclut des observations d'approximativement 4200 établissements dans sept pays de l’OCDE. Nos résultats supportent fortement la version « faible », mais de façon plus mitigée les versions « étroite » et « forte ».Porter hypothesis, environmental policy, innovation, environmental performance, business performance., hypothèse de Porter, politique environnementale, innovation, performance environnementale, performance financière.

Invention and Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies on a Global Scale: A Study Drawing on Patent Data

Accelerating the development of less GHG intensive technologies and promoting their global diffusion - in particular in fast-growing emerging economies - is imperative in achieving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Consequently, technology is at the core of current discussions about the post-Kyoto regime. The purpose of this study is to fuel this discussion by providing an in-depth analysis of the geographic distribution of climate mitigation inventions since 1978 and their international diffusion on a global scale. We use the EPO/OECD World Patent Statistical Database (PATSTAT) which includes patents from 81 national and international patent offices. Note that the Least Developed Countries patent a negligible number of inventions, meaning that the geographical scope of the study is limited to industrialized countries and emerging economies. In this study, patent counts are used to measure the output of innovation but also the transfer of inventions across borders on the ground that an innovator patents his/her invention in a foreign country because he/she plans to exploit it commercially there. They are the only indicator available today that provides a comprehensive view on innovation and technology diffusion on a global scale. Patent data also present drawbacks. First, patents are not the only tool available to inventors to protect their inventions. Second, successful technology transfers also involve the transfer of know-how. Still one can reasonably assume that patent counts are positively correlated to the quantity of non-patented innovations and transfers. We consider 13 different classes of technologies with significant global GHG emission abatement potentials, and analyze inventive activities and international technology transfer between 1978 and 2003. The technologies considered are seven renewable energy technologies (wind, solar, geothermal, ocean energy, biomass, waste-to-energy, and hydropower), methane destruction, climate-friendly cement, energy conservation in buildings, motor vehicle fuel injection, energy-efficient lighting and Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS).Climate Change, Mitigation Technologies, Patent Data