Accelerating CO2-Emission Reductions via Corporate Programmes; Analysis of an Existing Corporate Programme

This working paper analyzes and assesses the COYou2 Program of the company Swiss Re. This corporate program allows employees to claim subsidies for the realization of various activities reducing their energy consumption and CO2-emissions at home. Examples of such activities are the purchase of a hybrid car, energy efficient building renovation, or the installation of photovoltaic panels. We find that the uptake of such subsidies is very popular among employees. The three main reasons for this are that 1) activities are well communicated and participation and uptake of subsidies is simple and non-bureaucratic, 2) offered emission reduction activities very much fit the profile and needs of employees, and 3) financial incentives are substantial and thus motivating to realize those activities. Yet, we also show that a large share of emission reduction activities would have been realized also without the extra incentive, which calls into question the additionality of many emission reductions. We therefore suggest that in order to ensure additionally of emission reductions in employees’ households, corporate programs may focus on subsidizing activities and green technologies which are not yet widespread. For example, activities such as highly efficient gasoline and diesel cars as well as carpooling have a high potential to reduce CO2-emissions and may be included in such corporate programs

Caracterización de zeolitas ZSM5 con In mediante el empleo de la técnica de correlaciones angulares perturbadas

Mediante el empleo de la técnica de las Correlaciones Angulares Perturbadas es posible determinar in-situ la presencia de especies de gran dispersión. De esta manera resulta de interés la aplicación de esta técnica hiperfina al campo de la catálisis. En el presente trabajo se utiliza la sonda CAP¹¹¹In para el estudio de especies de In en el catalizador zeolítico In-ZSM5. Se analizan la naturaleza y concentración de las especies In-0 formadas.By using the Perturbated Angular Correlation technique, it is possible lo determine “in-situ" tbc prescnce of veiy dispersed spccics. In this way, it becomes of special interest the aplication of this hiperfme technique to the catalysis field. In the present work ¹¹¹In CAP probe is used to study the indium species in the zeolite catalyzer In-SZM5. The nature and concentraron of In-0 formed species are analizad.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Graphene/α\alpha-RuCl3_3: An Emergent 2D Plasmonic Interface

Work function-mediated charge transfer in graphene/$\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ heterostructures has been proposed as a strategy for generating highly-doped 2D interfaces. In this geometry, graphene should become sufficiently doped to host surface and edge plasmon-polaritons (SPPs and EPPs, respectively). Characterization of the SPP and EPP behavior as a function of frequency and temperature can be used to simultaneously probe the magnitude of interlayer charge transfer while extracting the optical response of the interfacial doped $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$. We accomplish this using scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) in conjunction with first-principles DFT calculations. This reveals massive interlayer charge transfer (2.7 $\times$ 10$^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$) and enhanced optical conductivity in $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ as a result of significant electron doping. Our results provide a general strategy for generating highly-doped plasmonic interfaces in the 2D limit in a scanning probe-accessible geometry without need of an electrostatic gate.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Evidence for perinatal and child health care guidelines in crisis settings: can Cochrane help?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is important that healthcare provided in crisis settings is based on the best available research evidence. We reviewed guidelines for child and perinatal health care in crisis situations to determine whether they were based on research evidence, whether Cochrane systematic reviews were available in the clinical areas addressed by these guidelines and whether summaries of these reviews were provided in Evidence Aid.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Broad internet searches were undertaken to identify relevant guidelines. Guidelines were appraised using AGREE and the clinical areas that were relevant to perinatal or child health were extracted. We searched The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify potentially relevant reviews. For each review we determined how many trials were included, and how many were conducted in resource-limited settings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six guidelines met selection criteria. None of the included guidelines were clearly based on research evidence. 198 Cochrane reviews were potentially relevant to the guidelines. These reviews predominantly addressed nutrient supplementation, breastfeeding, malaria, maternal hypertension, premature labour and prevention of HIV transmission. Most reviews included studies from developing settings. However for large portions of the guidelines, particularly health services delivery, there were no relevant reviews. Only 18 (9.1%) reviews have summaries in Evidence Aid.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We did not identify any evidence-based guidelines for perinatal and child health care in disaster settings. We found many Cochrane reviews that could contribute to the evidence-base supporting future guidelines. However there are important issues to be addressed in terms of the relevance of the available reviews and increasing the number of reviews addressing health care delivery.</p

How firms can use psychology to create successful energy conservation interventions; A literature review

This working paper includes a large collection of psychological effects that may influence employees’ decisions to participate in corporate programs aimed at reducing energy consumption and CO2-emissions at their individual, household level. We find that companies are very much suitable to motivate individuals to save energy for the following four reasons Firms have a very close relationship to their employees and thus are able to reach out to a large number of households. Second, many firms operate on an international or even global level and can thus further scale up corporate energy saving programs. Third, firms offer an appealing social environment in which employees are embedded on a day-to-day basis. Based on this, social norms, the exchange of information and the general feeling of acting as a group rather than as an individual can all help to increase participation in energy saving activities. Fourth, companies can tackle both the uncertainty inherent to employees’ long term decisions, as well as the problem of high upfront costs for investments in long-term energy conservation through providing subsidies for energy conservation