Assessing Synergy between Climate and Development Projects: Which One is More Effective, Efficient and Transparent?

This study was designed to understand whether projects funded through development window of finance in Bangladesh like the Annual Development Programme(ADP) is different or similar to that of climate window of finance like Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF). The BCCTF is managed primarily by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change whereas the ADP is managed by the Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Finance. It was, therefore, studied also to understand whether the new window of financing climate projects is more efficient, effective and sustainable. On the contrary, if they are both similar in nature then a pertinent question is whether there isa need to have separate windows?The study concludes that projects financed through the ADP windoware relatively (a) more effective to stakeholders and (b) better aligned to meet DAC criteria. As such, BCCTF projects may benefit from following the project implementation and monitoring process ofADP projects. Finally, since many ofADP projects have also climate components, there is also a need to carefully segregate climate activities of the development projects in order to access global climate funds

Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainability in Urban Planning and the Energy Impact of Sprawl

211 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006.This dissertation focuses on key issues in the analysis and application of sustainability in urban planning and household energy consumption. First, we address the need for a better method to translate the concept and tools of sustainability from theory to practice by developing a collaborative framework for academic analysts and planners to jointly implement the principles of sustainability in urban and regional planning. We apply the framework in Champaign-Urbana, IL where sustainability principles have been incorporated in the planning process as a result of our work. We learn that this framework helps the analysts to better understand real-world issues and constraints and assists the planners in considering broad interdisciplinary issues related to sustainability in a more practical manner. We also find that strong barriers still exist for sustainability to be a driving force in local planning. Second, we recognize that reducing household energy consumption is a key component of sustainability, but there are no recent estimates of the energy intensity of US households to compare across communities. We analyze household energy consumption in the US for 2003 using methods that are based on previous studies on energy cost of living and estimate the differences in the energy intensity of sprawl versus compact living. This is particularly relevant to urban sustainability as cities and towns are places where a large portion of the energy is consumed by end users. We find that even though sprawl-related factors account for about 83% of household energy consumption, sprawl is only 18--19% more energy intensive than compact living in the US in 2003. We also find that the share of energy used for residential energy and motor fuel by US households have increased over the last 30 years. In addition, we analyze the relative contribution of various demographic predictors on total household energy consumption and develop two models for scenario analysis. This analysis offers opportunities for local planners to formulate policies and plans that would be more effective in reducing household energy consumption and improving energy efficiency in their communities.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainability in Urban Planning and the Energy Impact of Sprawl

211 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006.This dissertation focuses on key issues in the analysis and application of sustainability in urban planning and household energy consumption. First, we address the need for a better method to translate the concept and tools of sustainability from theory to practice by developing a collaborative framework for academic analysts and planners to jointly implement the principles of sustainability in urban and regional planning. We apply the framework in Champaign-Urbana, IL where sustainability principles have been incorporated in the planning process as a result of our work. We learn that this framework helps the analysts to better understand real-world issues and constraints and assists the planners in considering broad interdisciplinary issues related to sustainability in a more practical manner. We also find that strong barriers still exist for sustainability to be a driving force in local planning. Second, we recognize that reducing household energy consumption is a key component of sustainability, but there are no recent estimates of the energy intensity of US households to compare across communities. We analyze household energy consumption in the US for 2003 using methods that are based on previous studies on energy cost of living and estimate the differences in the energy intensity of sprawl versus compact living. This is particularly relevant to urban sustainability as cities and towns are places where a large portion of the energy is consumed by end users. We find that even though sprawl-related factors account for about 83% of household energy consumption, sprawl is only 18--19% more energy intensive than compact living in the US in 2003. We also find that the share of energy used for residential energy and motor fuel by US households have increased over the last 30 years. In addition, we analyze the relative contribution of various demographic predictors on total household energy consumption and develop two models for scenario analysis. This analysis offers opportunities for local planners to formulate policies and plans that would be more effective in reducing household energy consumption and improving energy efficiency in their communities.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Returns to Residential Energy Efficiency and Conservation Measures: A Field Experiment

Residential energy conservation is a key component of contemporary energy and climate change policy in the US and elsewhere. Comparisons of the relative effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing residential energy consumption are made challenging, however, by the endogeneity of technology and energy use decisions. In this paper we describe a novel small-scale field experiment that uses randomized treatments to estimate the returns to three types of energy conservation measures in institutionally owned homes. The results from the experiment indicate considerable reductions in natural gas consumption associated with the installation of attic insulation and the provision of incentives for conservation. The results are supported by observations of ambient indoor temperature data, which show that households receiving incentives significantly reduce their temperature settings—especially when coupled with access to a programmable thermostat. The study will ideally provide guidance for institutions and communities considering energy efficiency measures and for future researchers designing randomized experiments to study residential energy use

Returns to Residential Energy Efficiency and Conservation Measures: A Field Experiment

Residential energy conservation is a key component of contemporary energy and climate change policy in the US and elsewhere. Comparisons of the relative effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing residential energy consumption are made challenging, however, by the endogeneity of technology and energy use decisions. In this paper we describe a novel small-scale field experiment that uses randomized treatments to estimate the returns to three types of energy conservation measures in institutionally owned homes. The results from the experiment indicate considerable reductions in natural gas consumption associated with the installation of attic insulation and the provision of incentives for conservation. The results are supported by observations of ambient indoor temperature data, which show that households receiving incentives significantly reduce their temperature settings—especially when coupled with access to a programmable thermostat. The study will ideally provide guidance for institutions and communities considering energy efficiency measures and for future researchers designing randomized experiments to study residential energy use

Impact of Cap and Trade Policies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions on U.S. Households

Proposals being considered by the U.S. Congress would establish a cap-and-trade system to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions approximately 2% annually through 2050. Past cap-and-trade policies for other pollutants have distributed allowances free to the regulated companies, leaving consumers uncompensated for passed-through costs needed to achieve the required reductions. Social equity concerns were not a major issue because the total costs were relatively small. However, Americans currently spend about $1 trillion/year on energy, directly and indirectly via the goods and services they consume. If a cap on carbon emissions results in significant increases in energy prices, social equity concerns could quickly dominate the debate over climate policy. This paper confirms earlier studies that a traditional cap-and-trade policy is regressive and would cause the cost of reducing GHG emissions to fall disproportionately on low income households. This paper explores ways to ameliorate those effects, using highly disaggregated data available on consumer expenditures and energy-input–output analyses of the U.S. economy. Emissions are estimated based on direct and embodied energy use at the household level. Social equity concerns are taken into account and the consequences of cap-and-trade policies are assessed by quantifying the extent to which the expenditure patterns of the poor are significantly more energy intensive than those of the rich

Can the Genuine Progress Indicator better inform sustainable regional progress?—A case study for Northeast Ohio

Cities and regions are increasingly accounting for the diverse economic, social, and environmental contributions to sustainability and quality of life. However, most commonly used socioeconomic and environmental indicators are either difficult to use in policy or fail to comprehensively reflect social well-being and environmental sustainability. This paper articulates the limitations of urban and regional indicator sets and macroeconomic measures like the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), presents an alternative indicator, the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), and develops, improves and applies it for Northeast Ohio. We calculate the GPI for the State of Ohio, cities of Akron and Cleveland, and 17 Northeast Ohio counties for the years 1990-2005. We evaluate temporal and spatial GPI trends, including inter- (Ohio versus other comparable U.S. local GPI studies) and intra-regional (urban-suburban-rural) comparisons. From 1990 to 2005, we found that per capita GPI grew in 11 counties and the State of Ohio (growth ranging from 0.8% to 19.7%) but declined for six counties and the cities of Akron and Cleveland (declines ranging from 0.6% to 22%). Per capita GPI was greatest in suburban counties and lowest in urban areas, and was greater in Maryland and Vermont than Ohio. These trends are largely driven by gains in personal consumption versus other environmental, social, and economic costs. Important costs include income inequality, climate change, nonrenewable resource depletion, and consumer durables. The GPI is increasingly being estimated at local scales to complement existing urban indicators by providing a common monetary basis for measuring diverse costs and benefits. Finally, we report the effect of renewable portfolio standards and conversion of vacant lots for urban agriculture on the GPI through a series of scenario analyses at the county and city scales. These scenarios demonstrate how GPI can be used as a decision tool for local and regional development. In addition, local GPI measures offer opportunities to better engage the public and decision makers in discussions about economic, social, and environmental goals and policies. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Cultivating Community: Black Agrarianism in Cleveland, Ohio

In this article, we present the voices of African American urban gardeners in Cleveland, Ohio, a city in the Rust Belt. We draw attention to the history of a rich neighborhood life following the Great Migration that was grounded in political activism and mutual support. We focus on the gardener\u27s visions of thriving, self-reliant African American communities and the desire to rebuild soil, neighborhoods, and economies. The central values articulated include hospitality, empowerment, and giving back, values that are grounded in the history and current practice of community organizing. We critique the mainstream tendency to label black bodies and African American communities as pathological, and instead argue for recognizing the skills and abilities of African American gardeners to cultivate community—that is, to build and strengthen the social, political, economic, and cultural fabric of neighborhoods