A study of changing patterns of energy consumption and energy efficiency in the Indian manufacturing sector

In the present economic scenario, the key concerns in policy making in India are: how to achieve higher energy efficiency in the key sectors and how to reduce the vulnerability of the economy to external shocks. In this paper, an attempt is made to study the changing pattern of commercial energy consumption in the manufacturing sector, which is the largest user of commercial energy and to identify the alternative energy saving processes through technological upgradation. For this purpose, we have adopted Divisia index decomposition method, which decomposes the aggregate energy intensity index into structural intensity index and the energy intensity index. The findings of the paper suggest that while several sub-sectors have shown increasing trends of technical efficiency, there is still a lot of scope for energy saving potential in the industrial sub-sectors. Further, it is found out that the change in the aggregate energy intensity index has not been influenced much by the structural effects. Instead, major segment of the change in aggregate intensity index is explained by the reduced energy intensity index.Energy consumption, Divisia decomposition method, India, Efficiency

Productivity and Environment in India

As a result of this India's extremely rapid economic growth, the scale of environmental problems is no longer in doubt. Whether pollution abatement managements are efficiently controlled is an empirical question. Using recently developed productivity measurement technique, we show that overall environmental productivity decreases over time in India. At present, the existing environmental management is not sufficient to bring about sustainable development in India.

Growth-Trade-Environment Nexus in India

This paper evaluates the environmental impacts of economic growth and trade liberalization in India. The empirical strategy in this paper is to estimate the scale, technique and trade-induced composition effects of trade liberalization on pollution. We collect data across major industrial states of India over the time period 1991-2003 and use panel regression techniques for such estimation. The results establish that the impact of growth and trade liberalization on environmental pollution is not unique across the pollutants. It rather depends upon the specific indicator that is examined. Finally, we conclude that trade promotion in the presence of a dynamic pollution regulatory framework can yield sustainable trade. --Trade and Environment,Pollution regulation index,Air pollution,Government policy

Growth–trade–environment nexus in India

This paper evaluates the environmental impacts of economic growth and trade liberalization in India. The empirical strategy in this paper is to estimate the scale, technique and trade-induced composition effects of trade liberalization on pollution. We collect data across major industrial states of India over the time period 1991-2003 and use panel regression techniques for such estimation. The results establish that the impact of growth and trade liberalization on environmental pollution is not unique across the pollutants. It rather depends upon the specific indicator that is examined. Finally, we conclude that trade promotion in the presence of a dynamic pollution regulatory framework can yield sustainable trade.

A study of changing patterns of energy consumption and energy efficiency in the Indian manufacturing sector

In the present economic scenario, the key concerns in policy making in India are: how to achieve higher energy efficiency in the key sectors and how to reduce the vulnerability of the economy to external shocks. In this paper, an attempt is made to study the changing pattern of commercial energy consumption in the manufacturing sector, which is the largest user of commercial energy and to identify the alternative energy saving processes through technological upgradation. For this purpose, we have adopted Divisia index decomposition method, which decomposes the aggregate energy intensity index into structural intensity index and the energy intensity index. The findings of the paper suggest that while several sub-sectors have shown increasing trends of technical efficiency, there is still a lot of scope for energy saving potential in the industrial sub-sectors. Further, it is found out that the change in the aggregate energy intensity index has not been influenced much by the structural effects. Instead, major segment of the change in aggregate intensity index is explained by the reduced energy intensity index

Growth-Trade-Environment Nexus in India

This paper evaluates the environmental impacts of economic growth and trade liberalization in India. The empirical strategy in this paper is to estimate the scale, technique and trade-induced composition effects of trade liberalization on pollution. We collect data across major industrial states of India over the time period 1991-2003 and use panel regression techniques for such estimation. The results establish that the impact of growth and trade liberalization on environmental pollution is not unique across the pollutants. It rather depends upon the specific indicator that is examined. Finally, we conclude that trade promotion in the presence of a dynamic pollution regulatory framework can yield sustainable trade

Do Certification Schemes Enhance Coffee Yields and Household Income? Lessons Learned Across Continents

While the market for sustainably certified products grows, the debate on whether smallholder farmers benefit from this certification movement is far from over. We present empirical findings across three continents. Identical household surveys were conducted among 738 smallholder coffee farmers organized in primary cooperatives in Ethiopia, India and Nicaragua. The comparative analysis which is based on the propensity score matching approach shows that the impacts of Fairtrade certification on coffee yields and income vary across countries. In Ethiopia, the coffee farmers from Fairtrade certified cooperatives fare worse than their non-certified counterparts both in coffee yield and income. In the Indian case study, the Fairtrade cooperative members have yield and price advantages over the non-certified farmers. This has in turn led to higher net revenue from coffee for certified farmers. In Nicaragua, coffee farmers from Fairtrade and double (Fairtrade-Organic) certified cooperatives also benefit in terms of net revenue but there is no statistically significant effect on yield and household income. A comparison of the Fairtrade minimum floor price and the weight-equivalent Fairtrade cooperative price in the three countries shows that Nicaraguan Fairtrade certified farmers have obtained a higher average price than the Fairtrade mandated minimum price, whereas in Ethiopia the certified farmers received a much lower price. In India, the certified average price was closer to the minimum floor price. We conclude that coffee cooperatives and the motivation and capability of their staff play a central role in training their member farmers about each aspect of coffee growing and certification

evidences from smallholder cooperative farmers in Jinotega, Nicaragua

This paper concerns the local payoffs of coffee certification in a case study region in Jinotega, Northern Nicaragua. It aims to answer two questions. First, does certification significantly improve the income of smallholder coffee farmers in Nicaragua? Second, if yes, how far do these income improvements help coffee farmers to find a sustainable livelihood above the poverty line? In order to answer these questions, we carried out empirical field research in which we conducted a semi-structured household survey in the Jinotega Municipality of North-central Nicaragua. A total of 238 certified and noncertified coffee farmers were selected through a stratified random sampling procedure and interviewed. Certified farmers were taken as the treatment group and non-certified ones as the control group. Both the gross margin analysis and regression analysis are employed to show the likely income and poverty differences between the treatment and control groups controlling for other relevant factors. The results reveal that the coffee certification program of Jinotega municipality does indeed improve the income of the participating farmers. However, these income improvements are not sufficient to sustainably lift the poor farmers above the poverty line.Draft pape

Fair trade certification and livelihoods: A panel data analysis of coffee-growing households in India

This study analyzes the participation decision and income impacts of fair-trade coffee certification on small-scale coffee producers in the Araku valley in India using panel data for 183 households and endogenous-switching and quantile regression methods. The results show that fair trade certification has a positive effect on income; the income of certified farmers is 17 percent higher on average than the income of uncertified coffee producers. Furthermore, fair trade certification has a "bottom of the pyramid" effect in that the largest income gains accrue to farmers in the poorer quantiles. © The Author(s) 2016