Transport user benefits calculation with the “Rule of a Half” for travel demand models with constraints

The importance of user benefits in transport projects assessments is well-known by transport planners and economists. Generally they have the greatest impact on the result of costbenefit analysis. It is common practice to adopt the consumer surplus measure for calculating transport user benefits. Normally the well-known “Rule of a Half”, as a practical approximation for the integral of the demand curve, is used to determine the change of consumer surplus. In this paper we enter into the question of whether the Rule of a Half is valid in the case of travel demand models with multiple constraints. Such models are often used for travel demand modeling of large-scale areas. The most discussed and well-known model in transport modeling field is the doubly constrained gravity model. Beside this model with inelastic constraints there are also more flexible models with elastic constraints. The theoretical analysis in this paper provides a mathematical proof for the validity of the concept of the Rule of a Half for travel demand models with multiple elastic and inelastic constraints. In this case the Rule of a Half is also a correct approximation of the change of consumer surplus

The Effect of Kyoto Emission Targets on Domestic CO2 Emissions: A Synthetic Control Approach

We use recent developments in the empirics of comparative case studies to analyze the effect of binding emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol on the development of CO2 emissions of seven major Annex B countries. In particular, we investigate whether committing to a specific greenhouse gas emissions target had an effect on actual CO2 emissions of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Japan by using a synthetic control approach. With the exception of Great Britain, we are not able to reject the hypothesis that there has been no effect of binding emission targets on actual emissions.Climate Policy; International Environmental Agreements; Kyoto Protocol; Synthetic Control Method

Sequences and filters of characters characterizing subgroups of compact abelian groups

Let H be a countable subgroup of the metrizable compact abelian group G and f:H -> T=R/Z a (not necessarily continuous) character of H. Then there exists a sequence (chi_n)_n of (continuous) characters of G such that lim_n chi_n(alpha) = f(alpha) for all alpha in H and (chi_n(alpha))_n does not converge whenever alpha in G\H. If one drops the countability and metrizability requirement one can obtain similar results by using filters of characters instead of sequences. Furthermore the introduced methods allow to answer questions of Dikranjan et al.Comment: laTex2e, 10 page

Ermittlung modaler Verkehrsverlagerungen in Deutschland mittels eines inkrementellen Verkehrsmittelwahlmodells

In diesem Beitrag wird eine Methodik zur Ermittlung von modalen Verkehrsverlagerungen im Fernverkehr in Deutschland mittels eines inkrementellen Verkehrsmittelwahlmodells vorgestellt. Das Modell nutzt dafür einerseits die zweck- und verkehrsmittelspezifischen Nachfragematrizen der aktuellen Verkehrsprognose des Bundes für das Jahr 2030. Andererseits bilden die Ergebnisse einer deutschlandweiten Zeitwertstudie eine zweite wichtige Informationsquelle. Die Anwendung des entwickelten Modells wird beispielhaft für drei unterschiedlichen Szenarien, welche die Auswirkungen einer weiteren Attraktivierung des Schienenpersonenfernverkehrs betrachten, gezeigt

Trading Off Generations: Infinitely-Lived Agent Versus OLG

The prevailing literature discusses intergenerational trade-offs predominantly in infinitely-lived agent models despite the finite lifetime of individuals. We discuss these trade-offs in a continuous time OLG framework and relate the results to the infinitely-lived agent setting. We identify three shortcomings of the latter: First, underlying normative assumptions about social preferences cannot be deduced unambiguously. Second, the distribution among generations living at the same time cannot be captured. Third, the optimal solution may not be implementable in overlapping generations market economies. Regarding the recent debate on climate change, we conclude that it is indispensable to explicitly consider the generations' life cycles.climate change; discounting; infinitely-lived agents; intergenerational equity; overlapping generations; time preference

Trading Off Generations: Infinitely Lived Agent Versus OLG

The prevailing literature discusses intergenerational trade-offs in climate change predominantly in terms of the Ramsey equation relying on the infinitely lived agent model. We discuss these trade-offs in a continuous time OLG framework and relate our results to the infinitely lived agent setting. We identify three shortcomings of the latter: First, underlying normative assumptions about social preferences cannot be deduced unambiguously. Second, the distribution among generations living at the same time cannot be captured. Third, the optimal solution may not be implementable in overlapping generations market economies.climate change, discounting, infinitely lived agents, intergenerational equity, overlapping generations, time preference

Official dollarisation/euroisation - motives, features and policy implications of current cases

Official and unilateral dollarisation/euroisation has become a common policy advice for emerging market economies. Against this background, the paper provides a comprehensive review of all the main cases of dollarisation/euroisation, analysing motives, features and policy implications of this exchange rate regime. The main results are that policies fostering integration with the anchor country, in particular fiscal transfers, tourism and offshore finance, have been crucial in supporting the exchange rate regime. To this end, most dollarised/euroised countries have exploited advantages that are largely prior to the choice of exchange rate regime, namely their small size, geographic proximity to the anchor country, and politically dependent status. Thus, recommending dollarisation/euroisation irrespective of countries’ ex ante degree of integration with the potential anchor country seems to bear considerable risks, as dollarisation/euroisation does not seem to be a straightforward substitute for integration.

Bestandsentwicklung des Laubfrosches (Hyla arborea) auf dem Hof Ritzerau während der Betriebsumstellung auf ökologischen Landbau

The population dynamics of the Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea) during conversion to organic farming was surveyed on an arable farm in northern Germany. The conver-sion had no notable effects on the number of calling males and on the number of breeding sites of this species. We concluded that further management measures (e. g. restauration of existing ponds, digging of suitable new breeding waters) are necessary to improve the situation of H. arborea on the farm

Economic relations with regions neighbouring the euro area in the ‘euro time zone

This paper reviews the economic, monetary and financial relations between the EU and the euro area and a set of countries in a broad set of neighbouring regions. The 80 or so countries are mostly classified as transition, emerging or developing economies and belong to four main regions: the Western Balkans; the European part of the Commonwealth of Independent States; the Middle East and Northern Africa; and Sub-Saharan Africa. In many respects, these countries are diverse; however, some common features can also be identified. One of these common features is the fact that the euro area is their largest trading partner and the largest originator of international bank credit, foreign direct investment and official development assistance; meanwhile, from a euro area perspective, while these countries account for a somewhat smaller share of external trade, they are important as providers of energy, other raw materials and agricultural products.