Energy Market Integration in East Asia: A Regional Public Goods Approach

This study applies a regional public goods approach to the study of energy market integration (EMI) in East Asia, with a view to clarifying the outlook for such integration and the likely obstacles to be encountered. In addition to drawing on theoretical ideas relating to regional public goods, the paper will also draw on the experience of the European Union in its attempts to develop a single energy market. The study shows that many services are needed in order to develop and sustain a regional integrated energy market and that some of these services have characteristics of regional public goods, though some may also be trans-regional or global in nature as well. The study recommends that: EMI in East Asia should be pursued in an incremental manner and mainly at a sub-regional scale; and the specific steps taken towards EMI should be chosen on the basis of their likely positive economic impacts and their likely ease of delivery.

Conceptualization of energy security in resource-poor economies: The role of the nature of economy

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd This paper studies how energy security is conceptualized in four resource-poor, advanced island economies: Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. It is found that the energy security conceptualization of the four economies in effect returns to the very original and conventional one: stable and reliable energy supply. However, these economies are different in the level of stability and reliability demanded. Why are they similar in energy security conceptualization whereas different in the level of stability and reliability demanded? Adopting documentation analysis, comparative study, and the varieties of capitalism theory, we find that the nature of economy constitutes the decisive factor that shapes energy security conceptualization. The coordinated market economies (CMEs) are more concerned about energy supply disruption than the liberalized market economies (LMEs). The paper demonstrates that despite numerous energy security concepts in the literature, resource-poor economies still adopt the original and conventional one in practice. The findings suggest that security of supply is the top measure for resource-poor economies to improve their energy security and creating a joint petroleum and LNG market would be desirable for the four economies in this study

The circular economy in China: Achievements, challenges and potential implications for decarbonisation

China's wide-ranging circular economy (CE) efforts have been studied multiple times from a range of perspectives. Synthesizing the relevant literature, this paper provides a critical reflection on the transition to a CE in China. Key factors for China's success in shifting towards a CE are seen in multi-level indicators and upscaling niches. This paper makes a novel contribution on limitations to progress, based on emerging evidence on CE projects that fail to sustain. Enriched by experts feedback, this paper critically addresses future challenges to a deep transition resulting from implementation gaps between early majorities and mass markets and coordination challenges arising through regional and sectoral differences. In light of China's commitments to climate neutrality by 2060, such challenges are considered serious. Based on feasible policy learning, the paper however proposes synergies between the CE and decarbonisation driven by efficiency improvements, comprehensive core indicators, upscaling and urban policies as trigger for deeper transformations. Finally the paper undertakes broader reflections and an outlook on evidence-orientated policy learning for a CE and decarbonisation in China

Securitization in Chinese climate and energy politics

This article provides an overview of securitization in Chinese climate and energy debates. Scholars have debated the merits as well as the potentially problematic implications of securitization, or framing issues as ‘security,’ since the early 1990s. Early concern focused on the potential problems with linking environmental issues with ‘security,’ and the debate has since also turned specifically to the climate and energy. However, it is only recently that this debate has begun to pay attention to China. Energy and climate concerns are of increasing importance to China: the sheer scale of its energy consumption and air pollution struggles dwarf the challenges seen by other states, and its policy choices play a key role in shaping global climate and energy dynamics. Thus, while securitization in the Chinese context is rarely studied, how China frames its energy and climate policy matters. Both energy and climate are taken increasingly seriously, and security plays an increasing role in debates. This review surveys the increasing popularity of linking security with climate and energy issues both in the academic debate on China and in official discourse, and some of the potential implications

What is hindering change? Anticipating the barriers to the adoption of enzyme-based textile processing in a developing country

The study aimed to examine the barriers to embracing enzymatic processing in the garment industry in a developing country. We used the case of Bangladesh, which has the largest garment sector in the world. The research used semi-structured interviews with ten high profile figures in the industry, comprising scientists, manufacturers, enzyme traders and policymakers. We found economic, sociocultural, informational and policy-related barriers to the adoption of enzymatic processing. Attending to each element would benefit manufacturers primarily; this will help identify its strengths and weaknesses to ensure the effective implementation of enzymatic textile processing to obtain optimum results. The study also found that manufacturers’ desire to help improve environmental performance is a factor which could motivate them in adopting green manufacturing innovation. It is expected that regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation - particularly from high social responsiveness and compliances as well as economic and financial incentives - would motivate manufacturers to develop sustainable environmental management strategies that enhance their ability to compete in global markets

The circular economy in China: achievements, challenges and potential implications for decarbonisation

China's wide-ranging circular economy (CE) efforts have been studied multiple times from a range of perspectives. Synthesizing the relevant literature, this paper provides a critical reflection on the transition to a CE in China. Key factors for China's success in shifting towards a CE are seen in multi-level indicators and upscaling niches. This paper makes a novel contribution on limitations to progress, based on emerging evidence on CE projects that fail to sustain. Enriched by experts feedback, this paper critically addresses future challenges to a deep transition resulting from implementation gaps between early majorities and mass markets and coordination challenges arising through regional and sectoral differences. In light of China's commitments to climate neutrality by 2060, such challenges are considered serious. Based on feasible policy learning, the paper however proposes synergies between the CE and decarbonisation driven by efficiency improvements, comprehensive core indicators, upscaling and urban policies as trigger for deeper transformations. Finally the paper undertakes broader reflections and an outlook on evidence-orientated policy learning for a CE and decarbonisation in China

Unraveling the Nexus: Exploring the Pathways to Combined Resource Use

In response to the unprecedented decline in global natural resource endowments, the so-called nexus framework is gaining increasing influence on resource management practices. In this research, we approach the resource nexus through the concept of nexus pathways. Nexus pathways are configurations that resource flows follow along supply chains leading to the combined use of two or more resources. Three general types of pathways are identified: direct (on-site use), dependent (one-way supply chains), and interdependent (supply-chain feedbacks). We quantify and compare each pathway by means of multiregional input-output analysis and structural path analysis, and apply this approach to a comparative case study on the water-energy nexus (WEN) in the United States and China. Interdependencies or feedbacks are generally thought to be relevant for the WEN, especially between water and energy sectors. Our economy-wide analysis for both countries indicates, however, that feedbacks neither play an important role in the WEN nor substantially take place between water and energy sectors. The most important feedbacks contribute to less than 1% of total resource use, and these take place mostly between manufacturing sectors. Overall, the studied WEN is mostly driven by dependent pathways and, to a lesser degree, direct resource use. Comparative differences between the two countries are largely explained by differences in economic structure, technology, and resource endowments. Our findings call into question current research and policy focus and suggest greater attention to less complex, but more determining, pathways leading to absolute resource use

Chinese energy and climate policies after Durban: save the Kyoto Protocol

Nowadays, one of the urgent issues regarding global climate change is to discuss the future of the second period of the Kyoto Protocol. However, the divergence of views and opinions among parties in the last Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Durban in December 2011, is still large. One of the bones of contention is whether the emerging developing countries, like China, should make commitments and legally bind themselves to a Green House Gas (GHG) reduction target in near future. As the largest GHG emitting country, China and its energy and climate policies will play an important role in global climate change and will also significantly influence the other countries? policies and the global climate negotiation. In this paper, we review the current differences among parties in the Durban Conference, and we analyze the recent situation, barriers, and future policies in China. Finally we highlight the impact and potential effect of Clean Development Mechanisms in avoiding China?s barriers regarding climate change. Results show that China is making a great effort to mitigate climate change by establishing and reforming its energy and climate policies in order to achieve a low-carbon development. At the same time, more innovation and international collaboration is needed in China to achieve this goal

A long-term study of stable isotopes as tracers of processes governing water flow and quality in a lowland river basin: the upper Thames, UK

A long-term study of O, H and C stable isotopes has been undertaken on river waters across the 7000 km2 upper Thames lowland river basin in the southern UK. During the period, flow conditions ranged from drought to flood. A 10-year monthly record (2003–2012) of the main River Thames showed a maximum variation of 3‰ (δ18O) and 20‰ (δ2H), though inter-annual average values varied little around a mean of –6.5‰ (δ18O) and –44‰ (δ2H). The δ2H/δ18O slope of 5.3 suggested a degree of evaporative enrichment, consistent with derivation from local rainfall with a weighted mean of –7.2‰ (δ18O) and –48‰ (δ2H) for the period. A tendency towards isotopic depletion of the river with increasing flowrate was noted, but at very high flows (>100 m3/s) a reversion to the mean was interpreted as the displacement of bank storage by rising groundwater levels (corroborated by measurements of specific electrical conductivity). A shorter quarterly study (October 2011 – April 2013) of isotope variations in 15 tributaries with varying geology revealed different responses to evaporation, with a high inverse correlation between Δ18O and baseflow index (BFI) for most of the rivers. A comparison with aquifer waters in the basin showed that even at low flow, rivers rarely consist solely of isotopically unmodified groundwater. Long-term monitoring (2003–2007) of carbon stable isotopes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the Thames revealed a complex interplay between respiration, photosynthesis and evasion, but with a mean inter-annual δ13C-DIC value of –14.8 ± 0.5‰, exchange with atmospheric carbon could be ruled out. Quarterly monitoring of the tributaries (October 2011 – April 2013) indicated that in addition to the above factors, river flow variations and catchment characteristics were likely to affect δ13C-DIC. Comparison with basin groundwaters of different alkalinity and δ13C-DIC values showed that the origin of river baseflow is usually obscured. The findings show how long-term monitoring of environmental tracers can help to improve the understanding of how lowland river catchments function