The European Union's fisheries partnership agreements : a governability assessment of the case of the Republic of Mozambique

This is an exploratory study of the European Union’s (EU's) Fisheries Partnership Agreements (FPAs) with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The agreements are criticized for not being able to implement in practice what they promise on paper. The overall objective of the FPAs is threefold: securing access for the EU fleet, supplying the Union’s internal market and promoting sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the partner country. There is an internal conflict between these objectives and the latter remains the most challenging to implement. By conducting a governability assessment of the FPA between the EU and the Republic of Mozambique, this study explores the governance process of such agreements, while seeking to identify what components are limiting the governing system’s ability to achieve the given objective. The assessment reveals that participation, availability of data, institutional organization and efficiency, political power and commitment are key elements. Governance interactions that can increase the ability to achieve the given objective are also suggested

Financial Investment Analysis of Residential Rooftop Solar PV Systems in Norway : A Model-Based Approach to Analyse Profitability and the Effect of Key Variables Under Current Market Conditions

In light of increased electricity prices and high demand for renewable energy, solar PV deployment has risen rapidly and is expected to increase further, both globally and in Norway. Although a large part of the growth is related to utility-scale parks, rooftop systems on houses represent a significant potential for future deployment. Consequently, this thesis aims to build a general model for evaluating the profitability of residential rooftop solar PV systems in Norway. The profitability is not evaluated for specific projects but typical residential projects in Norway. The profitability question is evaluated using the net present value method. A cash flow model is developed for typical solar PV systems in six Norwegian cities. Initial investment costs are estimated from regressions on installation offers collected in the fall of 2022. Future electricity price scenarios are constructed using a combination of Nasdaq futures prices and long-term market analyses from NVE and Statnett. Sensitivity analyses are performed for variables like electricity price, initial investment cost, cost of capital, and share of generated electricity consumed internally. The thesis concludes that residential rooftop PV systems in Norway are not profitable unless electricity price scenarios well above historical prices are assumed. The geographic differences are strongly apparent, with the most profitable profiles located in Oslo, Kristiansand, and Bergen and the least profitable profiles located in Tromsø. The geographic differences are driven by meteorological conditions and differences in investment costs. Out of the variables that can be affected by the project owner, we found that the share of generated electricity consumed internally is the variable with the highest effect on profitability. We also argue that a reduction in investment cost is likely due to temporary high prices. This would have a strong positive impact on the profitability analysis.nhhma

Eigersund kommune sin håndtering av ekstremværet Synne i desember 2015, med særlig fokus på det uteliggende området Helleland.

Eigersund kommune mottok i 2016 samfunnssikkerhetsprisen for sin håndtering av ekstremværet Synne som herjet i desember 2015. I denne oppgaven settes det et søkelys på hvordan beboerne på det uteliggende området Helleland opplevde denne håndteringen. Oppgaven presenterer tre forskningsspørsmål: - Hvordan håndterte Eigersund kommune ekstremværet Synne i 2015? - Hvordan var situasjonen på Helleland under stormen, og hvordan opplevdes dette for innbyggerne? - Har kommunen lært av denne håndteringen, er noe endret i beredskapsplanen? For å kunne svare på forskningsspørsmålene er det blitt brukt kvalitativ metode, intervju. Informantene i oppgaven bodde på Helleland i 2015, og opplevde hvordan Synne utartet i nærområdet. I tillegg til å intervjue er det blitt brukt mye tid på å analysere de offentlige dokumentene som følge av Synne. Til slutt i oppgaven konkluderes det med at håndteringen til Eigersund kommune var god, med en sterk ledelse og organisering, samt at beboere på Helleland følte seg betrygget gjennom hendelsen. Gjennom dokumenter som fylkesmannens evaluering, revidert beredskapsplan og vedtak om flomsikringstiltak, kan man se at Eigersund kommune har lært av denne hendelsen

Self-contained map based navigation in autonomous robotic units

Autonomous robotic units such as reconnaissance robots are dependent on reliable and precise sources of navigation data. In some circumstances the positoning solutions widely available today, GPS and commercial IPS-solutions, are not enough to secure reliable positioning data due to their sensitivity to electromagnetic- and radio-interference. This thesis proposes a set of algorithms and techniques that can be used as a part of a standalone positionrecognition system that provides another level of redundancy in such appliance

Inclusion - in disabling schools

This article documents patterns of the learning conditions of pupils who have been administratively categorised as needing specially adapted teaching in upper secondary education. The context is in Norway under the latest major reform known as ‘Reform 94’. ‘Pupils with special needs’ covers a wide range of sub-categories. The main category is used to identify those pupils the system identifies as needing ‘remedial teaching’. Patterns in learning conditions and processes are established by analysing longitudinal survey data following the 1995 intake cohort of pupils through their upper secondary education, analysing learning provisions during their transitions between course levels and school years. This is supplemented with interview data covering a period of one and a half-year. This article analyses and discusses the results and attempts to explain the transformation of structural changes of schooling into didactic and specially adapted teaching. A central question is whether we are facing a paradox of inclusion in disabling schools

Eigersund kommune sin håndtering av ekstremværet Synne i desember 2015, med særlig fokus på det uteliggende området Helleland.

Eigersund kommune mottok i 2016 samfunnssikkerhetsprisen for sin håndtering av ekstremværet Synne som herjet i desember 2015. I denne oppgaven settes det et søkelys på hvordan beboerne på det uteliggende området Helleland opplevde denne håndteringen. Oppgaven presenterer tre forskningsspørsmål: - Hvordan håndterte Eigersund kommune ekstremværet Synne i 2015? - Hvordan var situasjonen på Helleland under stormen, og hvordan opplevdes dette for innbyggerne? - Har kommunen lært av denne håndteringen, er noe endret i beredskapsplanen? For å kunne svare på forskningsspørsmålene er det blitt brukt kvalitativ metode, intervju. Informantene i oppgaven bodde på Helleland i 2015, og opplevde hvordan Synne utartet i nærområdet. I tillegg til å intervjue er det blitt brukt mye tid på å analysere de offentlige dokumentene som følge av Synne. Til slutt i oppgaven konkluderes det med at håndteringen til Eigersund kommune var god, med en sterk ledelse og organisering, samt at beboere på Helleland følte seg betrygget gjennom hendelsen. Gjennom dokumenter som fylkesmannens evaluering, revidert beredskapsplan og vedtak om flomsikringstiltak, kan man se at Eigersund kommune har lært av denne hendelsen

Consumer fairs for jewellery : a study of which factors that influence the attitude and intention of consumers to visit a consumer fair for jewellery

This study seeks to explore which factors that influence the attitude and intention of consumers to visit a consumer fair for jewellery, and investigate whether there exist differences between the genders. The results of this study can help managers understand which factors that attract visitors to the fair, and provide guidelines regarding focal areas in promotional efforts. A theoretical adoption theory, the Theory of Reasoned Action, was modified to structure the relationship between influential factors and the attitude and intention to visit a consumer fair for jewellery. One qualitative study and two quantitative studies were carried out to reveal which factors that matter to consumers when forming attitudes and intention to visit the fair. The results show that the marketing of the fair and the influence and initiative of peers have significant influence on both attitude and intention, while also past behaviour regarding jewellery and the price of the entry-ticket significantly influence intention. These results are based on all respondents. Furthermore, the results indicate that men and women are influenced by different factors, such as the marketing of the fair being a stronger influence on female respondents, while men are strongly affected by the influence and initiative of peers. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed at the end of the thesis, providing managers with an understanding of how to attract visitors

Beskatning av alderspensjonister

Utredningen beskriver beskatning av alderspensjonister i henhold til norsk regelverk. Hovedfokus er på skatteregler som differensierer skattlegging av alderspensjonister og ordinære lønnstakere. Tre forhold genererer skattefordeler i favør av alderspensjonister. For det første skattlegges pensjonister etter skattebegrensningsregelen som sikrer at pensjonister med lave inntekter og formuer ikke betaler skatt. For å ivareta progressiviteten i og fordelingshensynet bak skattesystemet, avtrappes skattefordelen for høyere inntekter og formuer. For det andre betales trygdeavgift med en sats på 3 pst. på pensjonsinntekter, sammenlignet med 7,8 pst. for lønnsinntekter. Det tredje forholdet er et særdrag for alder i alminnelig inntekt. Forholdene gir ulike skattemessige konsekvenser avhengig av alderspensjonistens brutto inntekts – og formuesposisjon. Alderspensjonister har valget mellom fritid og arbeid. Pensjonister kan velge å utføre inntektsgenererende arbeid etter pensjonsalder. Utforming av alderspensjonistbeskatningen kan influere grad av yrkespassivitet blant pensjonister. Effekt av skatt på yrkespassivitet diskuteres til slutt i utredningen