General equilibrium impact of an energy-saving policy in the public sector

We analyse a disregarded environmental policy instrument: a switch in government expenditure away from energy (or other natural resources) and toward a composite good which includes energy-saving expenditure. We first develop two variants of an analytical general equilibrium model. A composite good is produced with constant returns to scale, and energy is imported or produced domestically with diminishing returns, yielding a differential rent to its owners. The government purchases energy and composite goods from private firms. Such a policy unambiguously increases employment. It also raises private consumption and welfare under two conditions: (i) it is not too costly and (ii) the initial share of the resource is smaller in public spending than in private consumption, or the difference is small enough. We then run numerically a model featuring both importation and domestic production of energy (oil, gas and electricity), for the OECD as a whole. Simulations show that employment, welfare and private consumption rise. We provide magnitudes for different parameter values.Resource conservation, energy conservation, public spending, employment, general equilibrium, multi-sectors models

Sectoral Targets for Developing Countries: Combining "Common but Differentiated Responsibilities" with "Meaningful participation"

Although a global cap-and-trade system is seen by many researchers as the most cost-efficient solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, developing countries governments refuse to enter into such a system in the short term. Hence, many scholars and stakeholders, including the European Commission, have proposed various types of commitments for developing countries that appear less stringent, such as sectoral approaches. In this paper, we assess such a sectoral approach for developing countries. More precisely, we simulate two policy scenarios in which developed countries continue with Kyoto-type absolute commitments, whereas developing countries adopt an emission trading system limited to electricity generation and linked to developed countries' cap-and-trade system. In a first scenario, CO2 allowances are auctioned by the government, which distributes the auctions receipts lump-sum to households. In a second scenario, the auction receipts are used to reduce taxes on, or to give subsidies to, electricity generation. Our quantitative analysis, led with a hybrid general equilibrium model, shows that such options provide almost as much emission reductions as a global cap-and-trade system. Moreover, in the second sectoral scenario, GDP losses in developing countries are much lower than with a global cap-and-trade system and so is the impact on the electricity price.Sectoral Approach, Sectoral Target

Correcting the 'self-trade' issue in the GTAPAgg software - Technical paper

The successive versions of the GTAP databases are provided with GTAPAgg, a programme that computes values of the series of the database for any regional and sectoral aggregation. A 'self-trade' issue arises from the fact that GTAPAgg aggregates the several series concerned with international trade, like any other series, by simply summing them up : the resulting series include a share of exports and imports happening between the aggregated regions, which should rather be treated as economic flows internal to the region resulting from the aggregation process. This paper details a method that aims at solving this shortcoming, and discusses the importance of doing so. A first section puts the research question into context and discusses its likely importance when using GTAP as a calibration dataset for computable general equilibrium modelling. A second section details the analytics of the method proposed to correct the aggregation process, in the broader framework of a programme extending GTAPAgg to the production of national account matrixes in the standard United Nations format. An appendix provides the code of the extended aggregation programme developed.Les versions successives de la base de données GTAP sont livrées avec le programme d'agrégation GTAPAgg. Ce programme calcule les valeurs des séries de la base de données pour tout niveau d'agrégation régional ou sectoriel mais fait une impasse majeure : les valeurs d'importation et d'exportation de l'agrégat de deux zones sont calculées par simple sommation des valeurs de chacune des zones, sans correction de leur commerce bilatéral. Les séries résultant de l'agrégation comportent donc une part d'exportations et d'importations qui s'effectuent entre les régions agrégées, alors qu'elles devraient être traitées comme des échanges économiques internes à la région qui résulte du processus d'agrégation. Cet article expose une méthode qui permet de corriger ce défaut, et discute de l'importance de le faire. Une première section replace la question dans son contexte et examine son importance, en particulier lorsque la base de données GTAP est utilisée pour calibrer des modèles d'équilibre général calculable. Une seconde section expose la méthode proposée pour (i) corriger le processus d'agrégation et (ii) construire un programme d'extension de GTAPAgg qui permet la production de matrices de comptabilités sociales sous le format standard des Nations Unies. Enfin, une annexe présente le code de ce " nouveau " programme d'agrégation

General equilibrium impact of an energy-saving policy in the public sector

International audienceWe analyse a disregarded environmental policy instrument: a switch in government expenditure away from energy (or other natural resources) and toward a composite good which includes energy-saving expenditure. We first develop two variants of an analytical general equilibrium model. A composite good is produced with constant returns to scale, and energy is imported or produced domestically with diminishing returns, yielding a differential rent to its owners. The government purchases energy and composite goods from private firms. Such a policy unambiguously increases employment. It also raises private consumption and welfare under two conditions: (i) it is not too costly and (ii) the initial share of the resource is smaller in public spending than in private consumption, or the difference is small enough. We then run numerically a model featuring both importation and domestic production of energy (oil, gas and electricity), for the OECD as a whole. Simulations show that employment, welfare and private consumption rise. We provide magnitudes for different parameter values

Efecto de las células epiteliales del oviducto bovino y de sus vesículas extracelulares en el cultivo embrionario bovino in vitro

[EN] Establishment of a BOEC line allows experimental standarization in bovine in vitro embryo co-culture systems. Bovine in vitro culture with BOEC conditioned media and its extracellular vesicles improves embryo quality.[ES] El establecimiento de una línea de BOEC permite la estandarización experimental en los sistemas de co-cultivo embrionario in vitro bovino. El cultivo embrionario bovino in vitro con medios condiconados de BOEC y sus vesiculas extracelular mejoran la calidad embrionaria.Hamdi, M. (2013). Efecto de las células epiteliales del oviducto bovino y de sus vesículas extracelulares en el cultivo embrionario bovino in vitro. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/44462Archivo delegad

Bovine embryo-maternal interaction: implications for embryo development and quality

Tesis de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Veterinaria, Departamento de Fisiología Animal, leída el 16-05-2018El período preimplantacional representa una etapa crítica durante el desarrollo embrionario. In vivo, el embrión bovino pasa los primeros cuatros días en el oviducto donde está en contacto con el fluido oviductal (oviductal fluid, OF). Durante este período ocurren importantes cambios morfológicos y metabólicos, que incluyen la primera división mitótica y la activación del genoma embrionario (embryo genome activation, EGA). Luego, el embrión entra en el útero y permanece flotando libremente en el fluido uterino (uterine fluid, UF) hasta el inicio de la implantación a los 19-22 días aproximadamente. Generalmente, en ganadería, la alta tasa de perdida gestacional se atribuye a la pérdida embrionaria temprana, es decir, antes del reconocimiento materno del embarazo. Por lo tanto, el estudio de los mecanismos fisiológicos y las interacciones durante ese periodo es esencial para comprender el proceso de desarrollo embrionario temprano y para disminuir la pérdida embrionaria...The early preimplantation period represents a critical period during embryo development. In vivo, the bovine embryo spends the first four days in the oviduct where it is in contact with epithelia cells and oviductal fluid (OF). During this period, important morphological and metabolic changes occur, including the first mitotic division and embryonic genome activation (EGA). Then, the embryo enters the uterus and remains free floating in the uterine fluid (UF) until the initiation of implantation at approximately Days 19–22. In cattle, the high failure rate to maintain pregnancy is generally attributed to early embryonic loss prior to maternal recognition of pregnancy. Thus, the study of physiological mechanisms and interactions during the preimplantational period is essential to understand early embryo development process and to decrease embryonic loss...Sección Deptal. de Fisiología (Veterinaria)Fac. de VeterinariaTRUEunpu

Sectoral Targets for Developing Countries: Combining "Common but differentiated Responsibilities with meaningful Participation"

International audienceAlthough a global cap-and-trade system is seen by many researchers as the most cost-efficient solution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the governments of developing countries refuse to enter into such a system in the short term. Many scholars and stakeholders, including the European Commission, have thus proposed various types of commitments for developing countries that appear less stringent, such as sectoral approaches. A macroeconomic assessment of such a sectoral approach is provided for developing countries. Two policy scenarios in particular are assessed, in which developed countries continue with Kyoto-type absolute commitments, while developing countries adopt an emissions trading system limited to electricity generation and linked to developed countries' cap-and-trade systems. In the first scenario, CO2 allowances are auctioned by the government, which distributes its revenues as a lump sum to households. In a second scenario, the auction revenues are used to reduce taxes on, or to give subsidies to, electricity generation. The quantitative analysis, conducted with a hybrid general equilibrium model, shows that such options provide almost as much emissions reduction as a global cap-and-trade system. Moreover, in the second sectoral scenario, GDP losses in developing countries are much lower than with a global cap-and-trade system, as is also the effect on the electricity price.Bien qu'un système mondial de quotas échangeables soit considéré par de nombreux chercheurs comme la solution la plus efficace pour réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre, les gouvernements des pays en développement refusent d'entrer dans un tel système à court terme. De nombreux universitaires et d'autres parties prenantes, y compris la Commission européenne, ont de ce fait proposé pour les pays en développement plusieurs types d'engagements qui paraissent moins contraignants, comme les approches sectorielles. Nous fournissons une évaluation macroéconomique d'une telle approche sectorielle appliquée aux pays en développement. Nous examinons en particulier deux scénarios dans lesquels les pays développés maintiennent les engagements absolus de type Kyoto, tandis que les pays en développement adoptent un système d'échange de quotas d'émissions limité à la production d'électricité et lié au système de quotas échangeables des pays développés. Dans le premier scenario, les quotas de CO2 sont mis aux enchères par le gouvernement, qui distribue forfaitairement le produit des enchères aux ménages. Dans le deuxième scenario, les revenus de la vente aux enchères sont utilisés pour réduire les impôts sur la production d'électricité ou pour subventionner cette dernière. L'analyse quantitative présentée, obtenue par un modèle d'équilibre général, montre que ces options apportent presqu'autant de réductions d'émissions qu'un système mondial de plafonnement-échange. De plus, dans le second scenario sectoriel, les pertes de PIB dans les pays en développement sont bien plus faibles qu'avec un système mondial de quotas échangeables et il en est de même de l'impact sur le prix de l'électricité

Embryo culture in presence of oviductal fluid induces DNA methylation changes in bovine blastocysts

During the transit through the oviduct, the early embryo initiates an extensive DNA methylation reprogramming of its genome. Given that these epigenetic modifications are susceptible to environmental factors, components present in the oviductal milieu could affect the DNA methylation marks of the developing embryo. The aim of this study was to examine if culture of bovine embryos with oviductal fluid (OF) can induce DNA methylation changes at specific genomic regions in the resulting blastocysts. In vitro produced zygotes were cultured in medium with 3 mg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA) or 1.25% OF added at the one- to 16-cell stage (OF1-16), one- to 8-cell stage (OF1-8) or 8- to 16-cell stage (OF8-16), and then were cultured until Day 8 in medium with 3 mg/mL BSA. Genomic regions in four developmentally important genes (MTERF2, ABCA7, OLFM1, GMDS) and within LINE-1 retrotransposons were selected for methylation analysis by bisulfite sequencing on Day 7-8 blastocysts. Blastocysts derived from OF1-16 group showed lower CpG methylation levels in MTERF2 and ABCA7 compared with the BSA group. However, CpG sites within MTERF2, ABCA7 and OLFM1 showed higher methylation levels in groups OF1-8 and OF8-16 than in OF1-16. For LINE-1 elements, higher CpG methylation levels were observed in blastocysts from the OF1-16 group than in the other experimental groups. In correlation with the methylation changes observed, mRNA expression level of MTERF2 was increased, while LINE-1 showed a decreased expression in blastocysts from OF1-16 group. Our results suggest that embryos show transient sensitivity to OF at early stages, which is reflected by specific methylation changes at the blastocyst stage.Fil: Barrera, Antonio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, Elina Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Hamdi, Meriem. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; EspañaFil: Sánchez Calabuig, María Jesús. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; EspañaFil: López Cardona, Ángela Patricia. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; EspañaFil: Fonseca Balvís, Noelia. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; EspañaFil: Rizos, Dimitrios. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; EspañaFil: Gutiérrez Adan, Alfonso. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. Departamento de Reproducción Animal; Españ

Culture Medium and Sex Drive Epigenetic Reprogramming in Preimplantation Bovine Embryos.

Assisted reproductive technologies impact transcriptome and epigenome of embryos and can result in long-term phenotypic consequences. Whole-genome DNA methylation profiles from individual bovine blastocysts in vivo- and in vitro-derived (using three sources of protein: reproductive fluids, blood serum and bovine serum albumin) were generated. The impact of in vitro culture on DNA methylation was analyzed, and sex-specific methylation differences at blastocyst stage were uncovered. In vivo embryos showed the highest levels of methylation (29.5%), close to those produced in vitro with serum, whilst embryos produced in vitro with reproductive fluids or albumin showed less global methylation (25-25.4%). During repetitive element analysis, the serum group was the most affected. DNA methylation differences between in vivo and in vitro groups were more frequent in the first intron than in CpGi in promoters. Moreover, hierarchical cluster analysis showed that sex produced a stronger bias in the results than embryo origin. For each group, distance between male and female embryos varied, with in vivo blastocyst showing a lesser distance. Between the sexually dimorphic methylated tiles, which were biased to X-chromosome, critical factors for reproduction, developmental process, cell proliferation and DNA methylation machinery were included. These results support the idea that blastocysts show sexually-dimorphic DNA methylation patterns, and the known picture about the blastocyst methylome should be reconsidered