MISTRAL

This report outlines the MISTRAL model (Administrative Compliance Cost Assessment Tool), by emphasising the issues of when a model may be applied, why it will be applied, how the model works and why the model should be used. The report concludes by narrating several results obtained on the basis of MISTRAL.

Maize silage for dairy cows: mitigation of methane emissions can be offset bij and use change

Increasing the digestibility of cattle rations by feeding grains and whole plant silages from maize have been identified as effective options to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The effect of ploughing grassland for maize crops have not been taken into account yet. A intensive dairy farm is used as an example to demonstrate the trade offs by this type of land use change when more maize silage is fed to dairy cows. The model DAIRY WISE has been used to calculate the mitigation by the changed ration, the Introductory Carbon Balance Model to calculate the changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen caused by ploughing grassland for maize crops. The losses of soil carbon and the loss of sequestration potential are much larger than the annual mitigation by feeding more maize. The ecosystem carbon payback time defines the years of mitigation that are needed before the emissions due to land use change are compensated. For ploughing grassland on sandy soils, the carbon payback time is 60 years. A higher global warming potential for methane can reduce the carbon payback time with 30%. Ploughing clay soils with a higher equilibrium level of soil organic matter increases the payback time by maximally 70%. The payback times occur only in the case of permanent maize cropping, grass maize rotations cause annual losses of nitrous oxide that are larger than the mitigation by feeding more maize

Imaging patterns of inflammation in multiple sclerosis: a multifocal approach

Polman, C.H. [Promotor]Barkhof, F. [Promotor]Geurts, J.J.G. [Copromotor]Vrenken, H. [Copromotor

Time requirements for administrative activities; an investigation into firm size effects

This paper examines the assumption that activity time is independent of firm size (measured by the number of employees). Existing theories on (dis)economies of scale and scope and wage differentials are unclear on what to expect. For relatively complex activities such as becoming familiar with information obligations or checking agreements and declarations, the activity time might be related to the number of employees. For activities such as receiving, copying and sending information and documents, no theoretical arguments have been identified that suggest a firm-size effect. For the empirical examination of the existence of a relationship between firm size and activity time, data is used that were gathered in two projects applying the MISTRAL approach. This results in a dataset with information on many different activities, with only a few observations for each activity. By using a relative measure for activity time, observations for different activities can be combined in the analysis. To this end, relative activity time is defined as the ratio between the measured activity time and the standardized activity time for a certain activity. The empirical results suggest that, within the examined policy areas, firm size has no noticeable relationship with activity times. First of all, there exists no significant difference in average relative activity time between firms of different size classes. There are also no significant correlations between these variables. Next, these results are confirmed by regression analysis, where relative activity time is estimated as a function of firm size and other variables that might be of influence on activity time (such as experience of employees, the presence of a specific department for administrative activities, and whether additional adaptations and/or computations are required for a specific activity). Relative activity time tends to be higher for activities that require additional adaptations, but is independent of the size of the firm.

Dynamic general-equilibrium model of an open economy: A comment

The model developed by Devarajan and Go [Devarajan S., & Go S. (1998). The simplest dynamic general-equilibrium model of an open economy. Journal of Policy Modeling, 20(6), 677-714] presents the simplest possible general-equilibrium model of an open economy in which producers\u27 and consumers\u27 decisions are both intra-and inter-temporally consistent. Unfortunately, there is possible leakage in that imported capital goods are taxed twice, yet these taxes do not show up fully in the government\u27s budget constraint. Additionally, one of the proposed terminal conditions is implied by the other equations because of Walras\u27 Law. Therefore, the model description is lacking an appropriate terminal condition. In this paper an alternative set of equations is presented that removes the possible leakage and has an additional terminal condition with respect to one of the stock variables. © 2007 Society for Policy Modeling

Climate Research Wageningen UR : Projects, researchers and expertise

Wageningen UR focuses not only on the global climate system but also on regional and local climate phenomena, taking both scientific and social aspects into account in an integral way. Wageningen UR wants to play an effective role in the transition to a world that is both climate neutral and climate proof. Our strength is using the limited space available in our delta, in a climate-proof manner, thus providing opportunities for among others agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, recreation and living

Shifting Non-Work related Benefits to Work-Related Benefits to resolve the Unemployment of Locals in a Typical Oil-Rich Gulf Country

The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is sharing the oil wealth with the local population through various generous subsidies. Most nationals work for the government and compared to the private sector their salaries are far better, they have better working hours and more vacation days. A large pool of low wage migrant workers is active within the country. These two combined lead to unemployment of locals as they cannot compete in the private sector with the low wage migrant workers. Unemployment in 2008 amounts to 38, 186 Emiratis, out of the Emirati labor force of 468, 215. There is no unemployment of non-nationals as they leave the country if they are out of a job and cannot find another job. We conduct a possible cost-neutral policy experiment aimed at increasing the low levels of employment of nationals. Part of the non-work related benefits to the local population are shifted to work-related benefits. The general subsidy to nationals is reduced by 1.0% and this allows for a wage subsidy of 0.9%. The effects of this experiment are analyzed using a multi-sector forward-looking dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and lead to an immediate drop of unemployment by 4.26%. Over time unemployment settles at a value that is 4.37% lower than its base run value. This is the first attemp to create an forward-looking multisector model for the Gulf region

Trade Liberalization and Taxation: A Multi-Sector Dynamic CGE Model for the United Arab Emirates

This paper develops a forward looking, multi-sector, dynamic computable general equilibrium model with oil for the United Arab Emirates. The model addresses three issues. The first is trade liberalization, where the UAE unilaterally lowers import taris. This has a favorable impact on welfare as domestic production is expanding, although labor-intensive sectors face a cost disadvantage and they are shrinking. The second issue, government revenue diversification, is simulated by increasing the indirect tax rate on goods to make the government less dependent on oil. This has an adverse effect on welfare as the economy is shrinking and production shifts from domestic production to exports, especially for labor-intensive sectors. Finally, a higher oil price has a favorable impact on welfare and overall, the economy is expanding, but more because of increased consumption and less because of increased production. This paper is the first attempt to address these issues in a dynamic forward looking general equilibrium context of the UAE and the Arab Gulf region