ALBERT

Description: China’s climate change policy has rapidly evolved from one of neglect to necessity with sinologists drawing on a wide range of theories in trying to explain this shift. The rising influence of citizens' movements coupled with international pressure are often cited as significant drivers behind the government’s evolving climate change strategy. But can the influence of public pressure and international lobbying offer a complete explanation for the government’s dramatic policy changes? In this article, we advance theoretical pluralism where three contending schools of thought are made complementary to offer distinct explanations for understanding the mechanisms and rationale for Beijing’s elite-driven climate change policy. In brief, by bridging three separate theoretical streams including rational choice theory, authoritarian environmentalism and advocacy coalition framework, we show that the interests of elites in China’s upper political echelon are the driving force behind the country’s climate change policy.

Description: Canadian Census data for 1981–2006 is used to document substantial differences in the destination locations of immigrants and interprovincial migrants. These differences have increased over time as have differences in the characteristics of the two migrant groups. Differences in age, education, and marital status of the two migrant groups explain little of the observed differences. Visible minority status and language differences are somewhat more important; however, much of the difference in migrant group destinations cannot be explained by measured characteristics.

Description: Electricity markets in the Mediterranean basin countries are characterised by the substantial disparity in their degree of openness and competitiveness. . There is also a difference in the maturity of their economies and their rate of economic and population growth. For example, the South and East Mediterranean Countries (SEMCs), which currently account for a quarter of total GDP of the region, are expected to grow at twice the rate of the North Mediterranean Countries (NMCs) until the end of the next decade. Similarly, the population in SEMCs is growing at a faster rate than the in NMCs. This imbalance has profound implications for energy stability and trade in the region. Development of cross border interconnections could reduce the energy gap among sub-regional markets and pave the way towards a well-integrated energy market. Additionally, in order for renewable energy to play an important role in the energy markets of the region the national electricity systems of the Euro-Mediterranean countries needs to be highly interconnected. Against this background, this paper aims to analyse the development of cross-border interconnections in the Mediterranean basin in light of existing disparities in the state of market maturities, institutions, national energy goals and regional objectives. Our analysis aims to illustrate how current provisions that regulate and discipline cross border interconnections in the EU do not apply, in the short- to medium-term, to SEMCs. And how the current regulatory framework, while designed to favour competition in electricity supply, appears to be poorly adapted to addressing security of supply at a regional level. The post Development of cross-border interconnections – A review of the case of Mediterranean basin appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: This paper provides a detailed analysis of the local community response to a newly installed rare earth (RE) refinery facility and the factors underlying its acceptance. House-to-house interviews, using structured questionnaire, were conducted in 2013 ( N  = 370). Results show that the community was divided into deciding whether they agreed with the presence of the facility, 41.36 % (for) and 41.62 % (against). The remaining fraction of the community was undecided, which made up 17.03 % of the total respondents. This paper identifies six significant predictors of risk acceptance: gender, education status, place of residence, Factor 1 (variables—perception of safety, concern on effects, and trust in the operators), Factor 2 (variables—social and individual benefits), and Factor 3 (variables—no confidence in government). This study gives insights on how the public respond to potential hazardous facilities and highlights the need for policy makers to consider public sentiment which can interfere with further expansion of the RE industry.

Description: Ghana’s electricity generation capacity is currently insufficient to meet demand, making power outages and load shedding common. The resulting impact is potentially devastating for the country’s growth prospects. Traditionally, lack of an affordable and reliable fuel supply for power generation, coupled with ineffective institutions and an unfavourable investment climate, have resulted in Ghana’s electricity sector performing poorly. In light of the 2007 discovery of natural gas reserves in Ghanaian waters, this paper examines whether domestic gas could advance the performance of the electricity sector, and if so, how. The results of our analysis show that utilization of gas reserves in Ghana’s gas-to-power market is an economically superior strategy compared to an export-oriented utilization scheme. The lack of an effective regulatory framework for investment, skill shortages, and an inefficient electricity pricing structure continue to be the main constraining factors. Our analysis also considers possible approaches to modification of the electricity tariff in order to send the right signal to potential investors in generation capacity, without compromising the affordability of power supply. Executive Summary The post Gas-to-power market and investment incentive for enhancing generation capacity – an analysis of Ghana’s electricity sector appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: Farming in coastal Bangladesh includes rice/shrimp and rice/non-rice cropping systems. The former has been highly profitable but has exacerbated salinization of soil and water. We evaluate the relative profitability, riskiness, and sustainability of the two cropping systems, using data from two coastal villages in Khulna District. Shrimp cultivation was initially very rewarding. However, over 12–15 years, the cropping system experienced declining profitability, increased salinity, and adverse impacts on rice cropping and the local environment. From 2009, farmers adapted the system by changing the pond ( gher ) infrastructure, adopting delayed planting of a saline-tolerant rice cultivar, flushing out accumulated salt with freshwater during rice cropping, and allowing the soil to dry out after harvesting rice. The budgeting results show that with current management practices, the rice/shrimp system is economically more viable (higher returns to land and labour and less risky) than the rice/non-rice system. Soil analyses showed that while salinity was higher in the gher during the dry season, it was significantly reduced in the wet season and was very similar between the two systems (1–2 dS/m). Hence, as well as being more profitable and less risky, the rice/shrimp system may well be more sustainable than previously observed.

Description: This paper examines the wage and job satisfaction effects of over-education and overskilling among migrants graduating from EU-15 based universities in 2005. Female migrants with shorter durations of domicile were found to have a higher likelihood of overskilling. Newly arrived migrants incurred wage penalties which were exacerbated by additional penalties resulting from overskilling in the male labour market and overeducation in the female labour market. Established migrants were found to enjoy wage premia, with no evidence of disproportionate wage impacts arising as a consequence of mismatch. Female migrants were found to have a lower probability of being job satisfied.JEL Classification Keywords: 1J21, J31, J61, Overeducation, Overskilling, Mismatch, Migrants, Gender, Pay, Job satisfaction.

Description: The aim of this paper was to present the contribution of the sugar cane industry to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the energy sector. Mauritius is taken as a case study. Sugar cane was introduced in Mauritius during the seventeenth century and production of sugar started around 60 years later. Since then, the cane industry has been one of the economic pillars of the country. Bagasse, a by-product of sugar cane, is used as fuel in cogeneration power plants to produce process heat and electricity. This process heat and the generated electricity are used by an annexed sugar mills for the production of sugar, while the remaining electricity is exported to the national grid. In fact, Mauritius is a pioneer in the field of bagasse-based cogeneration power plant; the first bagasse-based cogeneration power plant that was commissioned in the world was in Mauritius in 1957. The contribution of the cane industry in the electricity sector has been vital for the economic development of Mauritius and also in terms of mitigating carbon dioxide emissions by displacing fossil fuels in electricity generation, as bagasse is classified as a renewable source. Data obtained from Statistics Mauritius on electricity production for the past 45 years were analysed, and carbon dioxide emissions were calculated based on international norms. It is estimated that savings on heavy fuel oil importation were by 1.5 million tons of oil—representing a value of 2.9 billion dollars—thus avoiding 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This figure can be further increased if molasses, a by-product of sugar cane juice, is used to produce bio-ethanol to be used as fuel in vehicles.

Description: This study presents information on the use of medicinal animals in a semiarid area of northeast Brazil, a region where animals have recognized importance in local popular medicine. The information on the use of animals for medicinal purposes was obtained through semi-structured questionnaires, complemented by free interviews and informal conversations. The results obtained showed that the residents of the area studied utilize a considerable richness of animal species ( n  = 42) for medicinal purposes, as occurs in other areas of Brazil’s semiarid region, demonstrating that zootherapy represents an alternative form of health care that is important to the inhabitants of the region. There is a need for new investigations on medicinal fauna, aimed at promoting the sustainable use of eventual medicinal species and preserving popular knowledge associated with the use of animal species.

Description: Switzerland changed its migration policy in the 1990s from a “non-qualified only” policy to one of almost free movement of labor. To analyze the impact of this policy change on the schooling outcomes of children of first-generation migrants, the paper compares the PISA results of first-generation pupils in 2000 with the scores of children tested in 2009, whose parents immigrated after the policy changed. We find that around 75% of the 40-point increase in the PISA score of first-generation immigrant students was due to changes in the individual background characteristics of their parents and to improved school composition.Jel codes: I21, I24, J15.

Description: This issue of the Oxford Energy Forum is dedicated to gas pricing. A mild 2013/14 winter in Europe and parts of Asia and a slowing of demand growth for LNG saw European hub prices and LNG spot prices begin to fall through the summer of 2014. The collapse of the oil price in late 2014 resulted in a lagged reduction in long-term contract prices (LNG and pipeline gas) to levels below $10/MMBtu in Europe and Asia. These events followed a period from 2011 to 2013 in which regional gas reference prices in the USA, Europe, and Asia appeared to be held within stable ‘corridors’ at levels which incentivized the progression of a long list of new LNG projects in North America, East Africa, Australia, and Russia. Many of these will likely be ‘on hold’ pending indications of a more supportive future price environment, but some 150 bcm/year of new LNG supply from the USA and Australia will have achieved start-up by 2020; this will add further pressure on prices and stimulate inter-regional arbitrage. The post Oxford Energy Forum – Issue, 101 appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: Costa Rica is internationally recognized for its abundant biodiversity and being a leader in the promotion of education strategies for biodiversity conservation. We interviewed staff from 16 institutions developing key environmental communication, education, and participation projects for biodiversity conservation in the country. Through content analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and Chi-square tests, we examined the characteristics of the projects carried out by these institutions and developed a typology of four categories derived from six variables: primary audience, content, project purpose, location, scale, and facility. Then, we designed a conceptual model describing the integration of conservation and economic development in the educational projects. We found two key approaches related to this integration: vision of nature protection which aims to inform audiences of ecological concepts and focuses on schoolchildren and vision of sustainability which engages adult audiences and is management-oriented. Education for community - based environmental management may serve as a good example of educational projects which integrate conservation and economic development, implementing a vision of sustainability.

Description: This paper investigates the impact of Fairtrade and organic certification on household income of smallholder coffee farmers in the Jinotega Municipality of Nicaragua. Using a sample of 233 coffee farming households and employing endogenous switching regression model and propensity score matching method, the results found that Fairtrade and organic certification standards have different effects on the certified farmers; while Fairtrade farmers had experienced yield gains, organic farmers had the price advantage. However, the overall impact of these certification standards on the total household income is found to be statistically not significant. While some of the Fairtrade-certified cooperatives have used the social premium in creating community-level infrastructure, there is a need for more investment. The major constraint the organic-certified farmers face is lack of availability of adequate organic inputs such as manures and organic herbicides.

Description: This study employs an ex-ante analytical approach to explore the financial viability of cocoa agroforestry systems in Ghana using cross-sectional data on smallholder cocoa farmers in the Western Region of Ghana. The empirical results generally show that cocoa agroforestry systems are profitable, but the medium shade tends to be more profitable. The no-shade cocoa agroforestry has the highest yield compared with other cocoa agroforestry systems. Sensitivity analysis revealed that increasing the market price by 12.2 % tends to increase the profitability of cocoa agroforestry systems. Also increasing fertilizer price does not lead to any significant change in the profitability. The study recommends the medium-shade cocoa agroforestry system as the most profitable agroforestry system for optimizing ecological and economic outcomes of smallholder cocoa farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Description: The recent development of infrastructure all around the world has resulted in an increasing trend of online examination in universities. The paper is an approach in theory and practical aimed at analyzing the feasibility of sustainable examination in four universities and its environmental impact reducing the paper use terming it as green examination. The paper studied the integration of sustainability through the use of computers and technology in the examination of the universities viz. King Khalid University (KKU), Saudi Arabia, Integral University (IU), India, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India, and The Hague University (HU), The Netherlands. The study has analyzed the trend of paper requirement, paper utilized and paper wasted in all the four universities. The environmental impact resulting from reduced paper use has been also analyzed. The feasibility of e-examination, its implementation and the implications has been undertaken in the study. The study concludes that the e-examination can almost make the examinations paperless and feasible in the four universities.

Description: Malaysia has made a pledge to reduce voluntarily her carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO 2 -e) gas emission’s intensity of gross domestic product by up to 40 % based on 2005 levels by 2020. The country is considering implementing economic instruments, among others, to assist the achievement of emission reduction targets while contributing towards the nation’s energy security and sustainable development goals. This paper develops a computable general equilibrium model with explicit energy-emission linkages to appraise the economy-wide and welfare impacts of carbon and energy tax policies to reduce CO 2 emissions in Malaysia. Results indicate that the negative macroeconomic impacts of carbon and energy taxes are small relative to the quantum of emission reduction. A Hicksian welfare criterion is utilized to determine the impact of revenue natural shifts in carbon and energy taxes. Revenue neutrality assumptions show that carbon taxation is the best choice when it can provide a double dividend if the generated revenue is used for the purpose of consumption subsidy on household purchases. The notion of the double dividend is confirmed when the change in the consumption structure will result in a welfare improvement, while CO 2 emission is decreased effectively. The study also found that carbon tax policy results in greater emission reductions relative to energy taxes, while the use of renewable energy will increase more substantially.

Description: Earthworms are so closely incorporated into the soil structure that they are not calculated easily from the soil. Due to this property, their extraction from soil is tedious and time-consuming. Different methods have been used for their extraction from the soil, and efficiency of each method is affected by physical properties, viz., temperature and moisture of the soil. This study explored the advantage and disadvantage of different sampling methods for the extraction of earthworms such as hand sorting, octet method, formalin method, mustard extraction method, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), and onion extraction method. Extraction efficiency of formalin is 20–60 times more as compared to hand sorting, but hand sorting gives satisfactory results for earthworms of more than 0.2 g live weight, and cocoons can also be recovered by this method. Octet method is effective in extracting anecic species and could easily be applied to site where chemical extraction is not a viable option. Extraction by mustard and AITC is simple, low cost, and more efficient for the extraction of deep-burrowing anecic species. The onion extraction solution is low cost and nontoxic which can be used as alternative to formalin. Like mustard, the onion solution is also inexpensive and not harmful to the earthworms and environment.

Description: Data from the International Social Survey Programme 2000 and 2010 environment modules were analyzed to explore the relationships between attitudes, behavior, and sociodemographic variables to citizens’ preferences to aspects of environmental discourse in the Philippines. Overall, significantly more people agree to multilateralism, equity, and the link between the environment and economic progress in 2010 as compared to 2000. A series of multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to determine significant predictors to peoples’ disposition to variables related to three overarching environmental discourses. After controlling for other covariates, the study found that the more the Filipinos adhere to statements toward science and nature that are negatively connoted: the more likely they are to agree to international multilateral commitments and ascribe to equity for poorer countries in environmental efforts; and less likely to disagree to the aspects of multilateralism, equity, and the link between the environment and economic progress. Furthermore, the results showed that demographics and civic participations generally did not have a statistically significant impact on Filipino’s agreement or disagreement to environmental discourses. The paper then discusses the implications of the findings and conclusions of the study.

Description: Inspired by the emergence of the positive psychology (PP) movement, recent environmental psychology studies have identified a need for further inquiry into “positive environments” (PEs). Recognizing that PP has largely neglected the role of environmental factors in the appearance of positivity, this paper proposes the study of person–environment relations in order to explain human well-being, psychological growth, sustainable behaviors, and other psychological positive factors, in addition to studying the material and social well-being that a positive environment provides. The traditional view of environmental positivity (i.e., the environment as an inexhaustible and infinite source of resources that satisfy human needs) is contrasted against an ecological vision of PE in which the conservation of the quality of the environment is as important as the satisfaction of human needs. A definition of positive environment is presented and discussed, which conceives PE as a context that promotes individual and collective benefits and that also influences human predispositions to conserve—in the long run—the sociophysical structures on which life depends.

Description: Some researchers insist that sustainability should be represented as a continuous quest, doubting that there is the ‘right’ way to be sustainable. Acknowledging the immensity of sustainability challenges, this article takes a different perspective, arguing that without understanding of concrete barriers and seeking solutions, the challenge of addressing unsustainable practices becomes unsurmountable. This article will summarize research in sustainability literature that indicates that sustainability requires a constant human population, as well as ecologically benign method of production. This article will survey a number of helpful frameworks that address the key obstacles to sustainability, namely population growth, and unsustainable production and consumption. These frameworks are discussed in the context of business-level solutions and production systems. As illustrated by examples of best practices as well as potential pitfalls associated with each system, these systems have the potential to move the quest for sustainability beyond ‘business as usual.’

Description: In this study, Mari Luomi examines how the resource-rich GCC countries are positioning themselves in the international relations of the green economy, focusing on the UAE’s state-led efforts to acquire the means of implementation for a national green energy transition. The study addresses four questions: What strategies, external relations, and engagements have the UAE and other GCC states developed over recent years that support a transition to a green energy economy? How are these engagements providing the means of implementation for a green economy transition? Are the national policy frameworks aligned with such a transition? What lessons can be drawn from the UAE’s experience by the other GCC states? The study concludes that, as the case of the UAE demonstrates, there are multiple ways in which the GCC states can actively employ their financial resources through external engagements to support a broader national green economy vision. However, enabling environments which are crucial for directing investments into green activities, jobs and infrastructure, are only beginning to emerge, and a lot of work still remains to be done in all six states, particularly in the areas of energy subsidy reform and sustainable job creation in productive sectors. The study closes with a number of related observations and recommendations. Executive Summary The post The International Relations of the Green Economy in the Gulf – Lessons from the UAE’s State-led Energy Transition appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: As the birthplace of the oil and gas industry, Azerbaijan’s long and rich history is intertwined with hydrocarbon production, with oil drilling pre-dating activity in Pennsylvania by 13 years. The involvement of foreign oil companies in the late 1800s, including the Nobel Brothers, resulted in the country becoming the world’s foremost oil producer at the turn of that century. The Soviet era precluded further international investment, but saw a dramatic growth in gas production commencing in the 1920s. The 1990s witnessed the return of the IOCs with the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field (oil and associated gas) and the Shah Deniz (gas and condensate) field developments reversing the trend of production decline and creating an export surplus in both oil and gas. In this paper, Gulmira Rzayeva provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges which were surmounted in the development of the Shah Deniz field, not least of which related to establishing export pipelines and marketing arrangements in Turkey, and (for Phase 2) Europe. Turning to the future, the paper details the nature and estimated potential of partially developed fields, discoveries at varying stages of appraisal and prospective structures in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Apart from the inevitable range of uncertainty over future production levels and timing, what emerges are the twin challenges of drilling rig availability (it being impossible to bring an assembled rig into the Caspian due to width restrictions on the Volga-Don canal) and the highly challenging sub-surface drilling conditions. The modest prospects for domestic gas demand growth and Azerbaijan’s geographic location require that any future gas field development decision will also require a degree of certainty on export infrastructure capacity to the primary target markets of Turkey and South and South East Europe. These issues are covered in detail.   Executive Summary The post The Outlook for Azerbaijani Gas Supplies to Europe – Challenges and Perspectives appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, sustainable development became an important issue. Sustainable development often focuses on a single sector or parameter such as tourism, energy supply, water management, different aspects of nature conservation, or economy. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive picture of the development of a region since the Middle Ages and discuss whether this development can be evaluated as socially, economically and ecologically sustainable. We carried out a combined qualitative–quantitative assessment where we use quantitative data and indicators when available, as well as literature sources and expert knowledge from the region for a qualitative assessment. We judge that generally a sustainable development in the Allgäu region can be found, although also some critical points and contentious issues exist. An overall good economic and income situation for most people, the good ecological conditions and rich biodiversity, the relatively well-established social structure, as well as the identity of the people with the region and comparatively low social discrepancy, can be positively stated. In contrast, different actual and future threats exist such as new or planned infrastructure, increasing traffic or tourism activities in certain areas that degrade habitats and reduce species richness, intensification of agriculture in certain areas, but also abandonment of agriculture in other areas, loss of traditions and customs, and declining numbers of smallholders. The objective for the region would be to minimise these negative impacts and reinforce positive trends to assure the sustainable development of the Allgäu.

Description: We present a basic theoretical framework of ethnic identity, i.e., the level of immigrant's commitment to his or her host society as well as the immigrant's commitment to his or her home society. Our model can explain the emerging empirical literature which studies the effect of the immigrants' characteristics, such as age, gender, education, religion, age at arrival, stock of immigrants in the host country, etc., on their ethnic identity (such as the Ethnosizer). In addition, this paper can be used as a basis for future empirical and theoretical research on this topic.JEL classification: F22, J15, Z13.

Description: This paper investigates the saving behavior of migrants in the UK across different dimensions, i.e., comparing temporary versus permanent migrants and migrants versus natives. Established theoretical predictions show that migrants save more when they plan to stay in the destination only temporarily as target savers. Our empirical evidence takes into account the contemporaneous choice of savings and remittances. Moreover, when comparing the saving profiles of both natives and migrants, we uncover the weight of observable socio‐economic characteristics other than income and wealth. We use the British Household Panel Survey for the period 1991‐2008. The estimation results confirm that temporary migrants have a propensity to save 26 per cent higher than permanent migrants in UK. We also introduce an index of financial capability adjusted for income as an explanatory variable and, when employing the Blinder‐Oaxaca decomposition for the Tobit model of saving choice, migrants are more affected by observable social‐economic characteristics than natives.JEL classification: F22; D91; C40

Description: The share of electricity generation from environmentally friendly renewable energy technologies is growing in many electricity markets worldwide. The increase of intermittent supply, with low variable generation costs from sources such as wind and photovoltaic, increases the need for flexibility in electricity systems. Power systems require flexibility both in the long term (secured generation capacity) as well as in the short run (system balancing). This paper focuses on short term flexibility requirements, i.e. balancing real time deviations in supply and demand. Penetration of intermittent resources can increase the cost of balancing demand and supply as the net load has more variability compared to the load itself. In the UK, the total cost of balancing service exceeded £1 billion in 2013-14. Thus, it is important that the power systems have access to an economically efficient portfolio of flexible resources. To some extent, National Grid in the UK has already started to integrate demand side in its balancing service. For example, under the Frequency Control Demand Management (FCDM) scheme, frequency response is provided through automatic interruption of contracted consumers when the system frequency transgresses the low frequency relay setting on site. National Grid is also trying to utilise slower responding demand response for load following services. In recent years advances in the design and manufacture of intermittent renewable generation technologies has allowed these resources (for example wind turbines) to contribute to various balancing services needed by power systems. However providing some of these balancing services, such as frequency response and regulation through intermittent renewable, is more costly than using conventional generation. This research analyses whether balancing mechanisms can be adjusted to more economically accommodate increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources (RES). We focus on the integration of the demand side as well as the input from intermittent RES into the balancing systems. The study investigates whether both market and product design on the procurement side of balancing mechanisms could be modified to improve flexibility sources’ integration and thus reduce balancing costs. We analyse this question comparing two major European electricity systems, the British and the German market. The post Integrating Demand Side and Renewable Energy Resources into the Balancing Market appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: This short comment discusses how oil policy in the Arab world is often perceived by some parts of the western media, focusing on media coverage over the latest oil price cycle. An abridged version of this comment was presented at the 2nd GCC Petroleum Media Forum (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 22-24 March 2015). The post The Image of GCC Oil Policy in the Western Media appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: Recent conjecture on the potential primacy of physical environmental components in education for sustainable development (ESD) efforts serves to question the centrality of social justice education as a component of ESD. This research explores a sustainable development student’s basic knowledge of social justice conditions in their country of residence and its relationships to policy attitudes that should be of importance to ESD, including beliefs about the importance of corporate social responsibility, their endorsement of gross national product as an effective measure of progress, their overall assessment of the social fairness of current national social justice policy, and their endorsement of the goals of Occupy Wall Street. Results obtained using path-model hypothesis testing indicate that accuracy of knowledge of US standing on social justice issues is significantly related to these policy attitudes, providing support for social justice content in ESD endeavors to create students empowered for engagement in broader policy goals.

Description: This paper brings new evidence to the existing literature on earnings differentials and returns to human capital for immigrants and natives. It is the first paper analysing this topic using data drawn from the Italian Labour Force Survey, a large nationally representative dataset. We show that returns to human capital are considerably lower for immigrants as compared to natives and that there is no return to pre-immigration work experience, suggesting imperfect transferability of human capital. In the second part of the paper we explore models of occupational attainment among immigrants and the native born. Our findings suggest that, contrary to what is observed for natives, immigrants’ human capital does not contribute to getting access to high-paying occupations.JEL classificationJ31, J24, J61, F22

Description: Motivations for migrants to return clearly change with integration, but the time-changing aspect of return migration has received little attention in the literature. This paper studies how migrants’ preferences for the home country change with intermarriage, i.e., marriage to a spouse from the host country. Specifically, I analyse the association between intermarriage and three outcomes related to migrants’ home country preference – intentions to return, remittances sent and actual return – using German panel data (SOEP) for the period 1984–2012. The results reveal a negative association between intermarriage and home country preference that is moreover stronger for female than for male migrants. However, some of the effect seems driven by selection since the relationship gets weaker once I control for person fixed effects.Keywords: Return migration, Intermarriage, Intentions to return, Remittances.

Description: Water scarcity at an alarming rate has been a limiting factor for sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid environments of the world. It has resulted in a number of problems such as poverty and food insecurity among farm households. Therefore, building and improving resilience, as a way to mitigate the impacts of water scarcity, is important for farm households. But one of the significant steps for planning to improve farm households’ resilience under water scarcity is investigation of the current level of resilience of these households and understanding their variances. Therefore, this study offers a classification of farm households’ diversity based on resilience. Primary data were collected from 260 randomly selected farm households in 21 villages around Parishan wetland, Iran. Farm Household Resilience Scale was used to measure resilience. Cluster analysis suggested three groups: highly, medium-, and low-resilient farm households. The results of comparing three groups revealed that highly resilient farm households characterize with higher risk management, more agricultural water security, more positive psychological traits, and better knowledge management. Also, they had better water quality, attended more agricultural extension activities, and used modern irrigation systems. Farm households’ resilience map using GIS software illustrated that there is a relationship between resilience and farm location from the wetland. The findings of this study could be used by planner and policy-makers to improve farm households’ resilience in arid and semi-arid environments. Improvement in knowledge management system is recommended as one of the most effective policy instruments in building resilience.

Description: In the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopian highlands, rainfall distribution is extremely uneven both spatially and temporally. Drought frequently results in crop failure, while high rainfall intensities result in low infiltration and high runoff causing soil erosion and land degradation. These combined factors contribute to low agricultural productivity and high levels of food insecurity. Poor land management practices coupled with lack of effective rainwater management strategies aggravate the situation. Over the past two decades, however, the Government of Ethiopia has attempted to address many of these issues through a large-scale implementation of a number of soil and water conservation measures. Despite the success of interventions, uptake and adoption remains low. The conceptual framework of this study is based on the premise that farmers are more likely to adopt a combination of rainwater management technologies as adaptation mechanism against climate variability and agricultural production constraints. This contrasts the previous work that typically examined a single technology without considering the interdependence between technologies. Data used in this study come from household survey in seven watersheds in the Ethiopian Blue Nile Basin. A multivariate probit model was used to account for the potential correlation and interdependence of various components of rainwater management technologies. Our results suggest that rainwater management technologies are related with each other; hence, any effort to promote the adoption of rainwater management technologies has to consider such interdependence of technologies, or failure to do so may mask the reality that farmers face a set of choices in their adoption decisions.

Description: The code for sustainable homes (CSH), which came into existence in 2006, has not yet been investigated to determine whether its rate of adoption is on course to meet the UK government’s 2016 target for full implementation. Therefore, the aim of this investigation is to ascertain the level to which CSH has been implemented and the barriers preventing this. A questionnaire survey was sent to 71 of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) member organisations in the UK, to gauge and ascertain the following: the barriers to the implementation of CSH; the implications of implementation; and the general awareness of CSH amongst practitioners. The results from the analysis of the survey reveal that full implementation by 2016 appears a rather difficult target, as factors like economic downturn are hitting HBF and similar organisations quite hard. However, a government-driven injection of sustainable schemes is helping to bring back confidence to house builders, while also enhancing the way that barriers are handled within the industry. The key findings of the literature review identify barriers preventing the housing sector from achieving zero carbon homes by 2016. These include cost, and legislative, cultural and technical barriers, and are concordant with the results from the data obtained during the primary research. The analysis suggests that with the current trend, achieving full implementation will be difficult. However, comments made by some practitioners appear to suggest that the appointment of a CSH champion for implementation would accelerate the process of full implementation and that the target could be reached by 2016.

Description: In this article, the attempt is made to address regime interaction in environmental governance by emphasising human livelihood action as a causal factor in this interaction. The paper elucidates how governing human behaviour on environmental resources is a process of interaction between different environmental governance regimes. With a qualitative case study of sand winning in the Dormaa Municipality and Dormaa East district in midwestern Ghana, the article shows strategic ways landowners and sand vendors pursue and legitimise their livelihood, and in the process bring about interaction between a tax regime on sand winning and the customary property rights regime of the area. It notes therefore that regime interaction is not only caused by differences in the structure of institutions, but also through the ways humans act to pursue their livelihoods. Based on this, the paper highlights the need for consciousness towards livelihoods of people and how such livelihoods are pursued as important contexts within which regimes function and interact. In this way, environmental governance can be more responsive to the well-being of people.

Description: This paper identifies the factors that influence perception of program benefit of the recipients when a hypothetical public program is implemented in reality. We compare pre- and post-program Willingness to pay (WTP) estimates for improved waste management in Bally Municipality, India, and find that post-program predicted WTP falls by more than 50 % even when if there are substantial improvements in urban environment. We show that this can be explained by the relative strength of leisure cost of effort to participate in the waste management program vis-à-vis the benefit derived from cleaner environment. Our study shows that mismatch between expected and offered service attributes might be a source of disutility and could also dampen households’ perceived value of the program benefits. In such cases, the reduction in WTP might act as an indication of the local bodies regarding the scale of outreach and expansion of the program needed to finance the operation and maintenance expenses by supplementing the property tax bases through user fees.

Description: The sharp decline in the oil price has altered the economic outlook for the GCC. After a period of sustained real GDP growth, which averaged 5.8 percent during 2000-2011, the IMF projects growth rates to slowdown to 3.4% in 2015 and 3.3% in 2016. Also, after achieving large fiscal surpluses that averaged 12.2% of GDP during 2000-2011, the GCC countries are projected to run fiscal deficits of 6.3% and 4% of GDP in 2015 and 2016. The change in the macroeconomic outlook is already having its impact on key sectors. The region’s stock markets have tumbled from their high levels reached in the first half of 2014, local banks are reining back on their lending, and the confidence of the private sector has taken a strong hit. But when compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world, the GCC oil exporters are in a much better position to withstand a period of lower oil prices. Key Gulf oil producers – such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE – have low foreign and domestic debt. Also over the last few years, these GCC producers have accumulated large reserves of foreign currency, which provides their economies with a large fiscal buffer. While GCC countries have become more resilient over the years (thanks in large part to their ‘prudent’ counter-fiscal policy and sustained period of high oil prices), deeply rooted structural challenges remain. This paper will explore some of these structural challenges and how GCC governments are most likely to respond to these challenges. The post GCC Economies in a Low Oil Price Environment: Resilience has increased but Structural Challenges Remain appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: This book will explore how far the European Union can go towards its new goal of forming its 28 member states into an Energy Union, in the belief that this will deliver energy affordability, security and sustainability. Situating today’s challenges in a broad historical sweep of EU policy development, it will deal in turn with the growing tension of liberalisation v. state intervention and subsidy in markets, the revolution in the electricity sector, and the need for a new market design and demand response to complete that revolution successfully. It will also examine the external context for Europe’s go-it-alone decarbonisation effort, specifically the cost impact on the competitiveness of energy-intensive EU industries with the rest of the world and the energy security risks of dependence on Russian gas in particular. The book will be published early autumn 2015. The post Europe’s long energy journey: towards an Energy Union? appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: Global crude oil prices has plunged over 50% from its peak at $115 per barrel in June 2014 to around $50 per barrel in January 2015. In response to the falling oil price, the National Development and Reform Commission of China has lowered the retail prices of gasoline and diesel twelve times in a row since June 2014. The most recent retail prices for 90# gasoline and 0# diesel are 36% and 39% lower than their price levels six months ago, respectively. The plunging price of oil can have both direct and indirect impacts on the Chinese economy. For instance, it can reduce the costs of industrial production and residential consumption, which can have a direct impact on the producer price index (PPI) and consumer purchase index (CPI). In addition, the interconnection of industries in an economy means that the changes in oil price can also have indirect impacts on the price levels of industries that are not closely related to the oil industry. Some discussion is taking place around the issue of China’s economic development can benefit from the falling oil prices. However, there lacks sophisticated analysis on issues like to what extent the falling oil price could influence the Chinese economy and which sector is most likely to benefit from the price fall. This study aims to estimate the impacts of falling oil price on the general price levels (including CPI and PPI) and on industrial price levels in China. The Leontief Price Model (LPM) is used in this study. LPM is also known as cost-push input-output price model that captures the interconnections between different industries. The model has been used in the estimation of the impacts of price changes in an industry on the other industries and the economy. The post The Impacts of Falling Oil Prices on the Chinese Economy appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: The integration of large share intermittent renewable resources into countries’ energy mixes necessitates more operational flexibility in their power systems. By increasing flexibility, power systems become more resilient to the inherent uncertainty of renewable energy, thus becoming capable of operating at different generation levels and smoothly shifting among them. (IEA, 2014). Although flexibility has been typically associated with rapidly dispatchable power plants, alternative resources, such as grid interconnections, storage capacity and demand-side integration are also relevant to facilitating flexibility. The future degree of flexibility required and the need to diversify the flexibility resource portfolio (in order to reduce costs and improve reliability), will shape the future role of demand side programmes. It is envisaged that in the case of Great Britain, demand side participation along with pumped storage and gas turbine plants will constitute the main sources of operational flexibility for its power system (Pöyry, 2014). In fact with ICT advancement, regulation services and contingency reserves, through automated dispatchable demand side resources, are no longer a dream. There is also the possibility of integrating slower responding demand control programmes to provide longer load following services. From an economic perspective, providing substantial amounts of flexibility to the system is costly as it increases the cost of wear and tear, fuel and the operation of flexible generation units. Additionally, it exposes the consumers to significant disutility when it is provided through demand response. Therefore electricity markets need to incentivise the resource owners to offer flexibility services. This research answers the fundamental economic question of what incentives are needed to enable flexibility in electricity markets especially in the context of demand side resources. Our contribution is: i) to explicitly model contractual relationships arising in different forms of flexibility trading, under the presence of multi-dimensional asymmetric information, ii) to model flexibility as a related but distinct commodity with three features of start-up time, capacity and duration and iii) to take a microeconomic approach by modelling individual decisions by agents involved in the exchange of flexibility. The post Flexibility-Enabling Contracts in Electricity Market appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies .

Description: While the goal of reducing environmental impact has become an urgent imperative for Chinese leadership, the central and potentially competing objective for policy makers and planners remains economic growth and job creation. This paper systematically examines the perceived trade-offs between pollution control regulation and employment at the microeconomic and macroeconomic scale. We synthesize the theoretical literature on the employment impact of pollution control regulation at the firm, industry, and economy levels and summarize the theoretically sufficient conditions for employment-enhancing regulation. The paper examines the US experience with the impact of pollution control on job growth in the 1980s and 1990s and draws out the mechanisms through which job growth and pollution control can be congruent, examining their adaptability to the Chinese context. Specifically, this paper highlights the importance of targeting regulations toward sectors where labor costs represent a small portion of overall costs or sectors with low labor intensity. We demonstrate that in the Chinese context, a transition to an economy with a higher proportion of tertiary output is likely to facilitate a joint strategy of stringent pollution control combined with job growth.

Description: The present study was conducted to determine the physico-chemical properties and heavy metal contents in soils under three land uses (agricultural, riverbank and roadside) from areas situated around rivers (Beas and Sutlej) in Punjab, India. Heavy metal contents in wheat samples (grain and fodder) growing in the area were also analyzed in order to find out potential human health risk through wheat consumption. The studied soils under the three land uses were found to be basic in nature with sandy texture, low soil organic matter and other soil nutrients. Comparatively higher amounts of soil nutrients were observed in soils under agricultural land use as compared to riverbank and roadside land uses. The amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Co and Pb) analyzed in soils were lower than the various national and international maximum permissible limits, but heavy metal contents observed in wheat fodder samples exceeded the maximum permissible limits for fodder. The soil-to-plant metal bioaccumulation factor was found to be highest for Cu (3.812 for soil–wheat grain and 1.874 for soil–wheat fodder), which showed the bioaccumulation of heavy metals from soils to crops, and the wheat straw-to-grain translocation factor was found to be highest for Co (4.375). The hazard index calculated to assess non-carcinogenic health risks was found above 1 for children, meaning that the wheat grains can pose health risks to children.

Description: We propose a theory of free movement of goods and labor between two economies in the presence of moral hazard. Each country produces two final goods where the productive efforts of workers cannot be perfectly observed, or verified only in the complex industry. We show that national institutional quality and the system of the early childhood care and education determine the pattern of international trade. However, individuals’ decisions to emigrate depend only on the national institutional quality, where the country with more developed institutions serves as the host country of immigrants. We conclude that international labor movement promotes international trade.JEL classification: B52, I21, F10, F16, F22, J24.

Description: Tehran metropolitan region (TMR) has experienced rapid urbanization in the last few decades. This accelerating urbanization trend mainly arising from high natural population growth and rural–urban migration along with rapid socioeconomic changes formed unplanned and uncontrolled urban expansion in peri-urban areas and resulted in degrading environmental quality and considerable changes in the urban landscapes of the TMR. Thus, the main objective of this research is to model spatial pattern of urban growth in eastern corridor of TMR using GIS-based SLEUTH model and the prediction of future developments of the region from 2014 to 2060. The SLEUTH is one of the most powerful models for urban growth modeling. This model analyzes the spatial pattern of urban growth based on historical data obtained from satellite images of 1987, 2003, 2011, and 2014. The results indicate that the most important factors affecting the urban growth are slope resistance and road gravity. The slope resistance is the highest coefficients value, which illustrates the limiting influence of the slopes on general trend of urban growth in eastern corridor of the TMR. The road gravity stands in second place where it displaces orientation of linear form of outlying pattern alongside the transportation network; it represents that the main pattern of urban growth in peri-urban areas of the region have a linear nature and edge expansion due to slope resistance and road-influenced growth, while spread, diffusion, and breed coefficients display low probability of new spreading center and spontaneous growth in the study area. In addition, the prediction of urban growth for 2020–2060 revealed that urban expansion which was 41,500 ha in 2014 will increase to 179,400 ha in 2060 with noticeable growth rate of 145.6 %. Comparing study area and other researches indicate that the urban growth happens in high rate in eastern corridor. One of the main reasons of this growth goes back to the formation of the second homes for residents of Tehran metropolitan city.

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Hye Soo Suh, Daeung Danny Kim〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The study demonstrated a systematic approach to achieve the nearly zero energy community building through the assessment of energy performance of the combined passive and active design solutions and renewable energy systems. Among 16 community buildings, four buildings were selected and the parameters that had an impact on energy consumption were identified through the analysis of electricity and gas consumption. After the validation with the measured data of electricity and gas, the energy simulation was used to model the newly constructed community building. A combined passive and active design strategy was applied to improve the energy performance. To offset the energy use for the domestic hot water, possible renewable energy systems such as the PV system, the solar thermal system, and the geothermal heat pump system were reviewed and their efficiency was analyzed. As a result, the combination of the PV system with additional PV modules and the geothermal system was chosen for the achievement of the nearly zero energy target.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Zhiqiang John Zhai, Jacob Michael Helman〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Climate change is a widely acknowledged major environmental problem whose impacts on building energy use however are not fully understood. Various climate models have been developed and used to project climate changes; however most of existing studies on climate change impacts only use few model outcomes, providing narrow predictions on the influences. This study analyzed a large number (i.e., 56) of models and scenarios. The obtained future climate data showed a wider range of potential changes and thus impacts on building energy. Four reference climate models were identified to cover the full range of the 56 models for three time periods and seven climate zones. The accuracy of model projections was validated using historical data. The study predicted the potential energy implications of climate changes to a campus building stock. Influences of these changes on utility and economics were analyzed. The study further explored the potential impacts of climate change to the current climate zones that directly relate to building energy consumption.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jorge Navarro-Rubio, Paloma Pineda, Antonio García-Martínez〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Eco-efficiency and building optimization potential of prefabricated structures to be used in new buildings are studied, focusing on the analysis of a novel dry precast beam-column connection under different durability and re-using scenarios. The analyses include structural response (via numerical models), optimization potential (material take off, building schedule and economic cost) and environmental impact (via Life Cycle Assessment, LCA). The connection is applied to a case study which is representative of common buildings: a seven-story concrete structure with frames and deck slabs. The structural response of the connection accomplishes the Eurocode safety prescriptions. Man-hours and task duration decrease around 80%, and the global schedule undergoes 60% diminution. Focusing on economic issues, when the prefabricated structural elements are reused the accumulated economic cost significantly decreases. LCA shows that durability, in terms of service life, is directly related to the environmental impact. However, other design options, such us re-using, have less repercussion in the impact categories (i.e. Global Warming Potential and Embodied Energy), and in the global cost. Results from this research could contribute to the implementation of prefabricated elements in the building stock promoting eco-efficiency.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 138〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jae-Woong Min, Nicholas S. Vonortas, YoungJun Kim〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This study explores the factors that contribute to the commercialization of technologies transferred from universities and public research institutes (U&PRIs) to companies. We take a step further than the established literature focusing on technology transfer to examine factors that also affect the chances of the successful commercialization of the transferred technologies through an empirical analysis of 669 technology transfer cases in Korea. The study shows that the intensity of market competition is a key factor in moderating the effects of partnership and absorptive capacity on the successful commercialization of transferred technologies. While collaboration with U&PRIs exerts a positive effect on commercialization success, this effect is weakened by the intensity of market competition. The intensity of market competition boosts the importance of company absorptive capacity for the commercialization success of the transferred technology. We conclude that strategic management of the absorptive capacities of companies and their partnership with U&PRIs are necessary ingredients of the success of technology transfer in concordance with the intensity of competition that the company faces in the market.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 30 October 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Sonal Choudhary, Rakesh Nayak, Sushma Kumari, Homagni Choudhury〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Drawing on theories of acculturation and information diffusion, this paper examines whether social media usage, intergroup contacts and information dissemination influence the cultural adaptation of three ethnic groups, and its implications on sustainable consumption behaviour. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews containing multiple dimensions of social media uses, acculturation, food consumption behaviour, and information diffusion were administered to a sample of Indians (living in the home country), British Indians (living in the host country for more than 10 years) and White British (natives of Britain) users of social media. Our findings suggest that there is a clear link between the integrated strategy of acculturation and information diffusion on social media, which influences acculturation to sustainable food consumption behaviour among social media users. Managerial implications of this research finding are that intervention in information diffusion aids acculturation through the social media, which serves to infuse social media and sustainability strategist with knowledge to best influence the consumers in developing sustainable food consumption behaviour. This research also identifies opportunities to expand this academic research and contribute further to the theories of remote acculturation on which limited research has been done.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Fabiana Silvero, Fernanda Rodrigues, Sergio Montelpare, Enrico Spacone, Humberto Varum〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Nowadays, energy efficiency (EE) is presented as a reliable strategy towards sustainable development, but its application has not been developed equitably worldwide, since most EE policies have been implemented in industrialised nations, and developing countries are still in the process of improving their EE levels. This paper provides a contextual framework to analyse the EE situation in countries of Latin American Southern Cone, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, with the objective of describing the policies and projects implemented, highlighting the results achieved and outlining the path followed towards EE. A focus was placed on the building sector, where thermal performance standards and the programs to achieve EE in this sector were briefly described. Furthermore, a comparison between these standards was developed, to identify the country with the most demanding standard. As a result, it was found that all the countries are implementing several EE programs and recognising the importance of this issue within their policies. Through this paper, energy policy implications of the region can be identified, which can be useful for energy policymakers of other countries, who are beginning to consider EE policies and can take as an example the path followed by the countries analysed.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jinsoo Park, Dong Ho Shin, Seung Joo Lee, Youhwan Shin, Sarng Woo Karng〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Thermal energy storage is an essential technology for using renewable energy to reduce building energy consumption. Among the various energy technologies, much attention has been paid to latent thermal energy storage system using phase change materials because of its large capacity of thermal energy. However, due to the low thermal conductivity of the phase change materials, the system has disadvantages at low charging and discharging rates. To address this issue, a new latent heat thermal energy storage system using a flexible and thin pouch is proposed. The effectively designed pouch arrangement and thin pouch shape provide better heat transfer performance. The real product is tested at various flow rates of heat transfer fluids and the thermal and fluid characteristics of the system are analyzed by the computational fluid dynamics model. As a result, the proposed system has 1.4 times larger amount of discharged energy than that of the water storage system. Moreover, the system can reduce charging, discharging, and total process times by 1.7, 2.5, and 2.2 times, respectively, compared with the conventional sphere capsule piling system.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Logaraj Ramakreshnan, Nasrin Aghamohammadi, Chng Saun Fong, Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini, Li Ping Wong, Nik Meriam Sulaiman〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉A very few studies have evaluated and understood the temporal dynamics of UHI in many expanding tropical cities. Hence, this study investigated the temporal variations of canopy-level UHI in selected urban stations, namely Petaling Jaya (PJ) and Subang (SUB), of Greater Kuala Lumpur (GKL) using 2016’s hourly data set obtained from meteorological observatories. The association between meteorological factors and UHI Intensity (UHII) is evaluated using linear regression models and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings revealed positive thermal contrasts between urban and sub-urban stations with maximum UHII during dry, southwest monsoon season in PJ (June: 1.68 °C) and SUB (August: 1.29 °C) stations respectively. PJ station exhibited a distinct diurnal cycle with the maximum nocturnal UHII of 1.71 °C at about 8 p.m. after sunset under ideal meteorological conditions. The results also demonstrated that UHI events occurred more frequently at nights in urban stations in the magnitude range of 0–2 °C. Cooling at all urban sites starts around 2–3 p.m. with the highest rate of 0.73 °C/h and 0.96 °C/h in PJ and SUB stations. Meanwhile, relative humidity displayed a low positive correlation (r = 0.37, p ≥ 0.05) and a high negative correlation (r = −0.79, p 〈 0.05) with UHII in PJ and SUB stations respectively. The influence of wind speed on UHII is weak (r = −0.44, p 〈 0.05) in PJ station and strong (r = 0.83, p 〈 0.05) in SUB station. Overall, this study can be regarded as one of the comprehensive observational investigations of canopy-level UHI in a tropical city that provide vital inputs to enrich the tropical urban climate literacy.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Bao-Jie He, Zi-Qi Zhao, Li-Du Shen, Hong-Bo Wang, Li-Guang Li〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Numerous studies on urban heat island (UHI) effects have examined relationships between land use/land cover (LULC) and land surface temperature (LST), while impacts of environmental temperatures on these relationships have received little attention. This paper has investigated how background temperature affects performances of cool/hot sources in either enhancing or mitigating LST in Shenyang, China based on Landsat 8 image. In specific, according to the method of standard classification method with an interval of 1.0 standard deviation, LST was classified into seven temperature levels: highest, higher, high, medium, low, lower and lowest. Afterwards, the seven levels were merged into three temperature zones (TZ), namely cold TZ (CTZ, highest, higher and high), neutral TZ (NTZ, medium) and hot TZ (HTZ, low, lower and lowest), for investigating relationships between LST and LULC (including building (BU), road (RO), bare land (BA), green land (GR), agricultural land (AG) and water bodies (WA)). LST generally follows the order of BU 〉 RO 〉 BA 〉 AR 〉 GR 〉 WA, but temperature differences between cool/hot sources reduce as background temperature increases. LULC-LST relationships vary greatly with background temperature. Overall, BU and RO have significant positive relationships with LST, while negative relationships are found among GR, AR, WA and LST. However, in CTZ, RO is in negative relationships with LST, GR and WA are no longer significant in NTZ, and GR and BA play significant positive roles in aggravating LST in HTZ. Generally, this study can help orientate scientific decisions in urban environmental governance.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xiaojun Liu, Wei Hu〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Energy conservation and consumption reduction in the field of construction are the keys to achieving the target global temperature growth of the Paris Agreement. However, the current promotion of 〈strong〉green〈/strong〉 buildings is still stuck in the rut of government excessive intervention, market less participation. In order to explore the status of the Chinese public’s attention, changing trends, sentiment orientation, and focus toward 〈strong〉green〈/strong〉 buildings, this paper collected and analyzed information of Weibo users and posts and comments of popular posts related to 〈strong〉green〈/strong〉 buildings. We used the Sina Weibo platform with web crawler technology and a text mining method. The results showed that: the public’s attention toward 〈strong〉green〈/strong〉 buildings has enhanced significantly with the change of government governance ideas, but still needs to be improved. Although vertical greening houses possess good heat preservation and thermal insulation, 46.32% of the Chinese public has negative sentiments toward vertical greening houses mainly due to worries about the increase in snakes, and mosquitoes and other insects caused by the increased vegetation cover. Price is not the main reason why the public has negative sentiments toward vertical greening houses.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Charles Peprah, Owusu Amponsah, Charles Oduro〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Urbanisation in the cities of Sub-Saharan Africa has been associated with urban sprawl and increased vehicular traffic, which undermine the agglomeration effects of the cities on socioeconomic development. These adverse effects will exacerbate as the human population of the region continues to increase. Some scholars argue that making the cities mobility-smart could mitigate the adverse effects of urbanisation in the region. However, the conventional literature on smart mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa does little to demonstrate how the concept can be applied. In this regard, the purpose of this study is two pronged: a) to assess the mobility smartness of Ghanaian cities and b) to demonstrate how the concept can be operationalised to mitigate some of the adverse effects of urbanisation in the cities. The research process began with a review of relevant literature to conceptualise smart mobility. The conceptual framework was then used to assess the mobility-smartness of Ghanaian cities, which was followed by a discussion of how the concept of smart cities can be operationalised in Ghanaian cities. The results show that the cities in Ghana, like many cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, depend mainly on the road sub-sector for the movement of people and freight. The rapid increases in vehicular population without a commensurate expansion in road infrastructure have undermined the cities’ productivity. The conclusion from this is that the cities are not mobility-smart and for this to change, the paper argues that efforts should be made to improve people mobility, information logistic mobility and information mobility. These require technological literate and receptive population and investments in transport infrastructure.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Ning Wang, Linhao Tang, Huizhong Pan〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Environmental issues and energy security have led governments to introduce lots of incentive policies on electric vehicle promotion. Benefiting from policy dividend, the global threshold of 1 million electric cars on the road had been exceeded in 2015, closing at 1.26 million. Among these incentive policies, subsidy scheme was regarded as the most important and effective. However, many governments intend to abrogate subsidy for electric vehicle, such as China, America and Germany. It`s worth finding out the key factors including incentive measures and additional socio-economic factors that promote electric vehicle adoption. Utilizing multiple linear regression method, we explore the relationship between those variables and 30 national electric vehicle market shares for the year 2015. The results show that chargers` density, fuel price and road priority are significantly positive factors correlated with a country`s electric vehicle market share. Nevertheless, fiscal incentives are no longer the reasons for the huge differences of electric vehicle promotion over countries. This paper is helpful for policymakers to adjust and improve their policy for electric mobility.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Reza Sedaghati, Mahmoud Reza Shakarami〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This paper proposes a new control and power management strategy for a grid-connected microgrid, which includes a hybrid renewable energy sources (HRES) system and a three-phase load. The HRES system consists of a photovoltaic (PV), a battery storage system (BSS), a super-capacitor (SC) and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The dynamic model of each of these units is described. The PV is the main energy source, while the SC and the BSS due to their various power densities are considered to provide a steady and transient load demand, respectively. For increasing the reliability of the system, SOFC source is selected to keep the BSS completely charged. All these units with different DC-DC converters are connected in parallel to a common DC bus. Then, a three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI) is employed to convert the DC voltage to AC. To maintain the power balance and appropriate load-sharing, an adaptive fractional fuzzy sliding mode control (AFFSMC) strategy for VSI-based HRES system is presented. The controller is able to track the pre-defined instruction precisely and quickly in the microgrid. For stable performance of the control strategy under load variation, a fractional order-based sliding surface is considered. Moreover, fractional adaptive rules-based fuzzy sets are employed to accurately estimate the uncertain parameters in the microgrid. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and capability of an AFFSMC strategy under various faults and different loading conditions. Moreover, the proposed control strategy is compared with the conventional PI controller.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Rupali Zope, N. Vasudevan, Shriniwas S. Arkatkar, Gaurang Joshi〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Increasing number of issues related to transport system around the world has raised concern about sustainable development. For developing country like India, the role of transportation sector has become critical in creating supporting growth of diverse sectors of its urban economy. The key issues of present state of transport system are higher level of motorization with dismally low share of public transport. Both of these issues are intertwined with number of social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Hence, there is a need for an evaluation approach which will help to analyze ‘macro-level’ system to give ‘micro-level’ analysis of the transport system. Benchmarking is one such method of comparing performances and practices and to learn from best. This paper is an attempt to study the use of benchmarking in performance improvement of the transport system. Results obtained through the study shows that the cities having a better modal share of sustainable modes occupy a higher rank with greater values of the sustainability index. In the current study, a software tool for monitoring the sensitivity of composite index of transport system towards performance indicators of sustainability is also developed. The comparative analysis of current study facilitates city-to-city learning.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Charisma Acey, Joyce Kisiangani, Patrick Ronoh, Caroline Delaire, Evelyn Makena, Guy Norman, David Levine, Ranjiv Khush, Rachel Peletz〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Most residents of the developing world do not have access to safely managed sanitation services, and large financial investments are required to address this need. Here we evaluate surcharges on water/sewerage tariffs as an option for supporting these investments in low-income neighborhoods. We investigated willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a pro-poor sanitation surcharge among customers of two urban water utilities in Kenya. Applying qualitative and quantitative methods, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions, and a double-bounded contingent valuation method for measuring WTP. We varied scenarios quasi-experimentally to study the effects of messaging and surcharge characteristics and evaluated factors associated with WTP. Our study finds that mean WTP was 290 KES (USD 2.9) per month, about 8% of the average water bill; median WTP was 100 KES (USD 1). In a multivariate analysis, WTP was significantly higher among customers that were younger, wealthier, shared toilets, and had higher water bills. WTP was also higher among customers that trusted the utility and distrusted the county government. Of our randomized scenarios, only the bill type was found to significantly influence WTP; WTP was higher if the surcharge was presented as a proportion of the customers’ last water bill vs a flat amount. Our findings suggest that in a sector that struggles to provide universal access to sanitation services, cross-subsidies may offer a means to support financing of safe sanitation for low-income households. These results indicate there are opportunities for cross-subsidies in urban Kenya that may be relevant for a wider understanding of surcharge payments that support basic services for low-income citizens.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xueqin Chen, Hehua Zhu, Xiaojun Li, Xiaodong Lin, Xiuzhi Wang〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉To investigate the inherent uncertain and dynamic deterioration of metro shield tunnels in operation, the Bayesian ordered probit model, a data mining method, was used in this study. Through Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation, the uncertainty in parameter estimation was significantly reduced, and the confidence in the results was improved. The effects of influencing variables on the deterioration process were evaluated. It was found that the tunnel sections with greater burial depths were more likely to deteriorate than the shallow ones. Crossing below a river or near a station or cross passage accelerated the deterioration rate. The deterioration probability increased as the tunnel became older. Finally, the model was applied to a tunnel section. It was shown that the probability of the best state decreased while that of the worst state increased with age. For states between the best and the worst, the probability would first increase, reach a peak, and then decrease. This study found that the ordered probit model with MCMC was a valuable probabilistic method for performance prediction, which is crucial for cost-effective decision-making in future work.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Muhammad Waseem Khan, Jie Wang, Meiling Ma, Linyun Xiong, Penghan Li, Fei Wu〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉At present, energy generation is evolving into a smart distribution system that assimilates several green energy resources at a distributed level assuring to generate clean energy without producing any harmful gases, to have consistent operational procedures, and to improve energy management and supervision arrangements. The renewable energy resources (RERs) are considered the best suitable approach to generate electrical power at the distributed level since they offer benefits to the power systems as well as to the environment. Therefore, this paper presents the recent research work on multi-agents-based coordination for the optimal management of electrical energy and its proper controlling at the distributed level exploiting RERs. The multi-agent system (MAS) technique is discussed in detail along with the storage and protection system that solve the microgrid (MG) control and management issues efficiently. Several platforms to develop the MASs are addressed including those that empower the MG to control its configuration, generation capacity, power flow, and fault control. There are several controlling approaches used on distributed generation systems to efficiently operate the whole system comprising of centralized, distributed, and hybrid control techniques are discussed. A comprehensive description about different optimization techniques applied to the energy system have also been highlighted, particularly to identify the most common and effective technique that is currently applied to hybrid energy system at the distributed level. The analysis shows that the particle swarm optimization (PSO) is the most useful and effective technique that has been applied since it can minimize the interruption costs, maximize the reliability, and optimize the operational schedules at the MG level.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 44〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yi Yang, Guanfei Meng〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉China plans to pursue low-carbon development in its western megacities to control greenhouse gas emissions. Using the 〈em〉“〈/em〉2006 IPCC and the 〈em〉Chinese Guidelines”〈/em〉, the carbon footprint (CF), carbon carrying capacity, carbon deficit and carbon deficit pressure index of Xi’an were measured from 2007 to 2016. Then, the decoupling indicator was used to analyse the dynamic relationship between the urban CF and economic growth using partial least squares to explore the driving factors of CF. The results show that: (1) the CF increased from 23.34 million t CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉eq to 32.25 million t CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉eq, with average annual growth being 4.01%. The energy consumption accounts contributed 69.51%, far exceeding other accounts. (2) The carbon carrying capacity of Xi’an decreased from 7.78 million t CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉eq to 7.45 million t CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉eq, with an average annual reduction of 0.47%. The carbon deficit index fluctuated in the interval [−2.57%, 17.09%], indicating that Xi’an was in the ecological stress relief and the mildly enhanced zone. The total CF and the CF of each account exhibit a relationship of “connecting-decoupling-re-hook-re-decoupling” with economic growth. (3) The most important driver of CF growth is the per capita residential building area, while the urbanization rate restrains the growth of the CF.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 138〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Patrik Söderholm, Hans Hellsmark, Johan Frishammar, Julia Hansson, Johanna Mossberg, Annica Sandström〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Despite the key role of actor networks in progressing new sustainable technologies, there is a shortage of conceptual knowledge on how policy can help strengthen collaborative practices in such networks. The objective of this paper is to analyze the roles of such policies – so-called network management – throughout the entire technological development processes. The analysis draws on the public management and sustainability transitions literatures, and discusses how various network characteristics could affect the development of sustainable technologies, including how different categories of network management strategies could be deployed to influence actor collaborations. The paper's main contribution is an analytical framework that addresses the changing roles of network management at the interface between various phases of the technological development process, illustrated with the empirical case of advanced biorefinery technology development in Sweden. Furthermore, the analysis also addresses some challenges that policy makers are likely to encounter when pursuing network management strategies, and identifies a number of negative consequences of ignoring such instruments in the innovation policy mix. The latter include inefficient actor role-taking, the emergence of small, ineffective and competing actor networks in similar technological fields, and a shortage of interpretative knowledge.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 14 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Steven M. Miller〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Vanessa S. Tchamyou, Guido Erreygers, Danny Cassimon〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This study investigates the role of information and communication technology (ICT) on income inequality through financial development dynamics of depth (money supply and liquid liabilities), efficiency (at banking and financial system levels), activity (from banking and financial system perspectives) and size, in 48 African countries for the period 1996 to 2014. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. While both financial depth and size are established to reduce inequality contingent on ICT, only the effect of financial depth in reducing inequality is robust to the inclusion of time invariant variables to the set of strictly exogenous variables. We extend the analysis by decomposing financial depth into its components, namely: formal, informal, semi-formal and non-formal financial sectors. The findings based on this extension show that ICT reduces income inequality through formal financial sector development and financial sector formalization as opposed to informal financial sector development and financial sector informalization. The study contributes at the same time to the macroeconomic literature on measuring financial development and responds to the growing field of addressing post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inequality challenges by means of ICT and financial access.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jermain Kaminski, Christian Hopp, Tereza Tykvová〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Crowdfunding is a relatively new gateway for entrepreneurs to access capital for creative and innovative ideas. It allows individuals to start experiments with new products and technologies where the outcome is distant. Yet predicting the success of hitherto unseen products and technologies is fraught with ambiguity and uncertainty. Early stage product experimentation and market access through reward-based crowdfunding, where potential customers provide funds for new unproven products, can therefore provide quality signals to subsequent financiers of new technologies. Our study investigates whether there is a long-run relationship between crowdfunding and VC investments on the aggregate and the industry level. We draw on a dataset covering 77,654 projects that successfully raised funds on Kickstarter and 3260 VC investments in the US between 2012 and 2017. The results suggest that crowdfunding Granger causes VC investments. Moreover, the monthly crowdfunding and VC investment time series are cointegrated. We therefore conclude that successful crowdfunding campaigns lead to a subsequent increase in VC investments. This holds at the aggregate level and particularly for hardware and consumer electronics, as well as fashion. These results enhance our understanding of the co-development between crowdfunding and VC investments. Reward-based crowdfunding helps VC investors in assessing future trends rather than crowding them out of the market.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Edurne A. Inigo, Laura Albareda〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉In this article, we build on dynamic capabilities theory to explore the organizational dynamics for sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). We carried out a multiple case study of seven leading companies fostering SOI, searching for common patterns in their adaptation. We found three different levels of dynamic capabilities (adapting, expanding, and transforming) interconnected to strategic sustainability dimensions. We thus propose an evolving framework that explains how the generative variation of innovative change and adaption follow two interconnected logics that explain the SOI dynamics. First, we study the time-evolving transformation that encourages companies to transform dynamic capabilities following a path-dependent logic. Second, we study organizational transformations that enhance self-reinforcement among strategic sustainability dimensions. This conceptualization contributes to the theoretical underpinnings of SOI, providing new insights on how SOI transforms dynamic capabilities for innovation and adapts companies' strategic sustainability.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 11 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jiang Yu, Yating Wen, Jing Jin, Yue Zhang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Providing, integrating and improving efficient public service in the construction of ‘smart cities’ in metropolitan areas have been showed to be difficult to achieve. In this article, we propose a strategy for developing service-dominant platforms with the advancement of ICT and more internet enterprises initiatives. We use the concept of SDP (service dominant platform) as a key contributor in a smart city's construction to explain how value can be co-created during the formation and evolution of the platform. Drawing on case materials from a Business-oriented platform named WeChat in Guangzhou and a government-oriented one in Shanghai, an analytic framework on platform and service innovation-relevant theories are built around the dynamic cyclical value co-creation, and three elements are identified in this process defined as value proposition, value in exchange and value in use, which consist of ten sub-elements on different SDPs along four dimensions, namely openness, services innovation, governance and resource. The study makes three contributions. First, it provides new evidence that pursuing smart city construction is not a mere technological architecture but a value co-creation oriented strategy. While facing persistent problems, China's paths exhibit significant and rapidly improving readiness for it. Second, the study provides new insights into, by positively bridging the linkage between platform governance and service innovation and proposing the service dominant platform (SDP) as a clear sustainable strategy. Finally, the study proposes two different resources-based models for guiding smart city initiatives in developing countries. By providing theoretical concepts to support public service innovation, identifying some implications for smart city developed in emerging countries, and suggesting some operational approaches to co-creating value against the local context, this paper has made a meaningful theoretical and practical significance about smart city.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Lado Kurdgelashvili, Cheng-Hao Shih, Fan Yang, Mehul Garg〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉To understand long term PV deployment, it is important to explore the underlying mechanisms that drive PV market diffusion. This paper examines the relationships between several social and economic factors and residential PV market diffusion on a county level. The Bass diffusion model was used to estimate diffusion parameters for 46 counties in California. Regression analysis was then applied to find associations between these parameters and several socio-demographic, economic, and political variables in each county. Finally, a Generalized Bass Model was employed to explore the price effect on PV diffusion. We have found supporting evidence of the inverse relationship between attainment of higher education and the coefficient of imitation. We have clearly shown evidence for heterogeneity between counties in one or more of our observed dimensions, or unobserved and possibly confounding factors. Although not significant at the conventional 5% and 10% levels, our Generalized Bass Model nonetheless supports the presence of price-based fluctuations in adoption rates.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Johanna Choumert-Nkolo, Pascale Combes Motel, Leonard Le Roux〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Energy-use statistics in Tanzania reflect the country’s low level of industrialization and development. In 2016, only 16.9% of rural and 65.3% of urban inhabitants in mainland Tanzania were connected to some form of electricity. We use a nationally representative three-wave panel dataset (2008–2013) to contribute to the literature on household energy use decisions in Tanzania in the context of the stacking and energy ladder hypotheses. We firstly adopt a panel multinomial-logit approach to model the determinants of household cooking- and lighting-fuel choices, using night time lights data to proxy for electricity access. Secondly, we focus explicitly on energy stacking behaviour, proposing various ways of measuring what is inferred when stacking behaviour is thought of in the context of the energy transition and presenting household level correlates of energy stacking behaviour. Thirdly, since fuel uses have gender-differentiated impacts, we investigate the relevance of common proxies of women’s intra-household bargaining power in the decision-making process of household fuel choices. We find that whilst higher household incomes are strongly associated with a transition towards the adoption of more modern fuels, especially for lighting, this transition takes place in a context of significant fuel stacking. In Tanzania, government policy has been aimed mostly at connecting households to the electricity grid. However, the public health, environmental and social benefits of access to modern energy sources are likely to be diminished in a context of significant fuel stacking. Our analysis using proxies of women’s intra-household bargaining power suggests that the level of education of the spouse is also a major factor in the transition towards the use of modern fuels.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Ben Ma, Zhen Cai, Jie Zheng, Yali Wen〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The impacts of nature reserves (NRs) and ecotourism on local economies are considered controversial. By surveying households residing inside and outside of six giant panda NRs in the Qinling Mountains from 2015 to 2017, this study evaluates the impacts of NRs and ecotourism on the poverty and income inequality of local communities in China. Our results suggest that the local communities of NRs show higher poverty and lower income levels compared to the national average. NRs significantly reduced the net income of households residing within the NRs, and most of these reductions are caused by converting cropland to conservation land. NRs also aggravated the income inequality of local communities, and the level of inequality inside NRs was significantly higher than that outside. In terms of the impacts from ecotourism, ecotourism can reduce poverty, but it increases income inequality, especially for those households residing within NRs.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 2 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Nuno D. Cortiços〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The building sector — following tech's development — favor buildings' short-term replacement. This demands substantial construction operations, especially if implies the demolition of superstructures, before reaching their potential lifespan: up to 120 years for modern solutions. With high costs for societies, due to the complex logistics and the risks involved: public health, GHG emissions, energy waste, noise, light particles pollution, excessive water consumption, urban restrictions, delays in traffic, et cetera. This research aims to extend building’s life with desirable gains in performance, considering the superstructure longevity, supported by technologies on renovation to meet the requirements set for new buildings, as nZEBs. Supported by maintenance methodology to assess actual performance and a Tool to simulate each underperforming system renovation, limited to passive solutions of the building envelope, quantifying the energy savings to favor the shortest investment reimbursement in decennial periods. Buildings were assessed, and a renovation plan simulated, concluding that the rehabilitation is only justified if under 10% (decennial period) of renovation cost, and if able to recover the initial performance. Renovation showed the potential to increase building performance 〉10% and energy savings 〈45% or 811 kWh/m〈sup〉2〈/sup〉.year for acclimatization only, under 9,6 kWh/m〈sup〉2〈/sup〉.year, set for Lisbon’s nZEBs.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Martin Ravallion〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The paper critically reviews the arguments for and against both employment guarantees and income guarantees when viewed as rights-based policy instruments for poverty reduction in a developing economy. Decentralized implementation of the right-to-work poses serious challenges in poor places. Evidence on India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act does not suggest that the potential for either providing work when needed or reducing current poverty is realized, despite pro-poor targeting. Instead, work is often rationed by local leaders, and the poverty impact is small when all the costs are considered. The option of income support using cash transfers also has both pros and cons. Widely-used methods for finely targeting cash transfers tend to miss many poor people, and can discourage those reached from earning extra income. Yet it cannot be presumed that switching to a universal basic income will reduce poverty more than workfare or finely-targeted transfers. That is an empirical question and the answer will undoubtedly vary across settings, belying the generalizations often heard from advocates. Nonetheless, more incentive-neutral, universal and/or state-contingent transfer schemes merit consideration in settings in which existing public spending is skewed against poor people and/or there is scope for raising taxes on the rich.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 138〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas, Sebastian Molinillo, Miguel Ruiz-Montañez〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉There is growing interest in our society in making payments using mobile phones as an alternative to using cash, checks or credit cards. The objective of this study is to analyze the status of Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile payment systems in public transportation, as well as the factors that affect users' intentions to continue using said systems. To meet this objective, a personal survey was conducted on a sample of 180 users with experience using this type of system. A comprehensive review of the scientific literature justifies the development of a behavioral model that explains the continuance intention of NFC mobile payments through a structural equation model. The results show that satisfaction, service quality, effort expectancy, and perceived risk are determining factors of the continuance intention to use this technology. Finally, the managerial conclusions and implications offer the companies that manage these public services new business opportunities based on user behaviors.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 29 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Richard Damania, Anupam Joshi, Jason Russ〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This article investigates the links between forests and poverty in India. We use original data from a household survey in two states of India (Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh) to provide new insights into this relationship. The poorest are found to receive about 30% of their incomes from forests – an amount that is higher than the income that they obtain from agriculture. We identify the correlates of greater environmental and forest income in the sample and also seek to examine whether environmental incomes are used only as a safety net during disasters, or for basic consumption purposes too. Our results show that when negative shocks occur there is a higher relative dependence on environmental incomes. The results also suggest that those who are better-off obtain higher levels of environmental income that the poorer. Overall the findings are consistent with environmental incomes and other sources of incomes being complements. In sum, the results suggest that forest income is used for basic consumption, is not a substitute for other sources of income, and is not treated as an “inferior good” that is eschewed by richer groups in the survey.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Maia Call, Clark Gray, Pamela Jagger〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Recent research suggests that sub-Saharan Africa will be among the regions most affected by the negative social and biophysical ramifications of climate change. Smallholders are expected to respond to rising temperatures and precipitation anomalies through on-farm management strategies and diversification into off-farm activities. However, few studies have empirically examined the relationship between climate anomalies and rural livelihoods. Our research explores the impact of climate anomalies on farmers’ on and off-farm livelihood strategies, considering both annual and decadal climate exposures, the relationship between on and off-farm livelihoods, and the implications of these livelihood strategies for agricultural productivity. To examine these issues, we link gridded climate data to survey data collected in 120 communities from 850 Ugandan households and 2000 agricultural plots in 2003 and 2013. We find that smallholder livelihoods are responsive to climate exposure over both short and long time scales. Droughts decrease agricultural productivity in the short term and reduce individual livelihood diversification in the long term. Smallholders cope with higher temperatures in the short term, but in the long run, farmers struggle to adapt to above-average temperatures, which lower agricultural productivity and reduce opportunities for diversification. On and off-farm livelihood strategies also appear to operate in parallel, rather than by substituting for one another. These observations suggest that new strategies will be necessary if rural smallholders are to successfully adapt to climate change.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Wangtu (Ato) Xu, Linchuan Yang〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This study proposes a measure to evaluate the urban land use plan with transit accessibility, more specifically, the spatial accessibility of transit stations. The spatial accessibility of transit stations is measured with the number of effective reachable grids, and the influence of transfer on reduction in spatial accessibility is considered. A geographically weighted regression model is used to determine the correlation between transit accessibility and urban land use characteristics. Moreover, the methodology is applied to Xiamen, China and the corresponding results demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed methodology. Researchers can adopt the proposed approach to evaluate urban land use plan, particularly in transit-dominated and car-lite contexts.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Barbara Ribeiro, Philip Shapira〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This paper advances an anticipatory governance framework to investigate and prepare for the potential implications of an emerging technology. Within the growing domain of synthetic biology, we draw on an end-to-end assessment of biosynthetic menthol that incorporates consideration of multiple dimensions of production and use. Based on documentary analysis, available data, and interviews, our approach unfolds in three steps. First, we map the sociotechnical transition in menthol production, comparing existing agricultural and chemical production methods with new biosynthetic processes – or what we call the biological (bio) turn. Second, we explore the rationales, promises and expectations of menthol's bio-turn and explore the drivers of transition so as to clarify which goals and values innovation is addressing. Third, we reflect on the opportunities and challenges of such a transition to put forward an agenda for responsible innovation and anticipatory governance. The bio-turn in menthol is analysed through five responsible innovation dimensions: the potential distribution of benefits and burdens; social resilience; environmental sustainability; infrastructure and business models; and public perception and public interest. We consider the implications of our analysis both for the responsible development and application of synthetic biology for menthol and for the broader assessment and sociotechnical construction of emerging technologies.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Rinie van Est〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This paper aims to clarify the political nature of parliamentary technology assessment (PTA) by reflecting on PTA's relationship with democratic policy making. This issue is raised in a political climate that is regularly portrayed as a ‘post-truth era’ and influenced by the rise of radical right populism. Democratic policy making is described in terms of problem structuring that depends on powering, scientific puzzling, participation and deliberation. Regulative democratic ideals, like political equality, truth, citizen participation, and ideal communication, are identified that drive these processes. These concepts are used to clarify the political nature of PTA in two ways. First the kind of political support for PTA within countries where PTA is or was institutionalized is explored. A typology of seven levels of political support to PTA is discerned. These degrees of support depend on whether PTA is performed by MPs or by TA experts, and to what extent MPs allow PTA to play a role in the scientific puzzling process and/or organize participation-cum-deliberation processes. To further clarify the political nature of PTA, three political attitudes towards the regulative democratic ideals are distinguished: affirmative, indifferent, and adverse. It is shown that processes of powering, scientific puzzling and participation-cum-deliberation can be used in ways that are guided by regulative democratic ideals (affirmative), ignore those ideals (indifferent) or undermine them (adverse). In political contexts in which indifferent or adverse attitudes prevail political support for PTA of any kind is very unlikely. It is argued that PTA can strengthen democratic policy making, when it fully acknowledges the political nature, and strengths and weaknesses of both scientific puzzling and participation-cum-deliberation. In this way PTA can connect to democratic forms of populism, and is well-positioned to counteract anti-scientism, anti-intellectualism, and anti-democratic forms of populism.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 21 July 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Lorenzo Ardito, Alberto Ferraris, Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli, Stefano Bresciani, Manlio Del Giudice〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The development of smart cities is becoming more and more based on knowledge management (KM) frameworks. This leads to new managerial challenges, which reflect the complexity of KM governance and processes issues of smart city projects as well as the need to manage knowledge that originates both within and beyond projects' boundaries. However, in-depth research on the development of smart cities from a managerial and KM perspective has remained scant. In detail, although universities are deemed to be responsible for the competitiveness and superiority of knowledge-based ecosystems, like smart city projects, the different roles they play in such projects when dealing with KM governance and processes issues are still understudied. Therefore, by conducting an exploratory case study of 20 smart city projects, this paper aims to scrutinize how universities manage the KM governance issue when internal knowledge is used, the KM governance issue when external knowledge is used, the KM processes issue when internal knowledge is used, and the KM processes issue when external knowledge is used. Results reveal that universities act as knowledge intermediaries, knowledge gatekeepers, knowledge providers, and knowledge evaluators.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jia Xu, Xiujie Tan, Gang He, Yu Liu〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Excessive price fluctuations would affect the effectiveness of Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and low-carbon investment. Therefore, the drivers of carbon prices need to be disentangled to analyze the price formation process, which is important for both policy makers and investors. By applying the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) method, we decompose the historical carbon price data of the five ETS pilots in China into five groups of the independent Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) sequences and the residue, respectively. Then, the IMFs and the residue in each pilot are reconstructed into a high frequency component, a low frequency component and a trend component, thus disentangling the effects of short-term market fluctuations, significant events, and the long-term trend. The main findings are as follows. First, the IMF with a period around one year is the most influential factor, which reflects that pilots are characterized by the yearly cycle. Second, significant events have greater impacts than short-term market fluctuations, and are the dominant driver in Shanghai and Beijing pilots. Third, the long-term trend plays a decisive role in Shenzhen, Guangdong and Hubei pilots. The price stabilization mechanism is critical to avoid a severe imbalance between demand and supply in the long run.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Cassandra Sweet, Dalibor Eterovic〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Does the rigorous protection of patents advance or retard economic development? Two decades ago, a new global standard of intellectual property swept across developing and industrialized nations through the implementation of the WTO’s TRIPS Agreement. Many years later, the issue of patent rights remains contentious. In this paper, we focus on the effects of patent rights systems on total factor productivity growth, using dynamic panel regression analysis for 70 countries from 1965 to 2009. We show that the effects of stronger or more rigorous patent systems are insignificant for productivity growth in both developing and industrialized countries. Why does the strength of patents appear to have no impact on productivity? Classic economic theory suggests that stronger patent systems incentive innovative output with important spill-over effects for productivity and growth. We offer an alternative explanation using data from the Economic Complexity Index. We find that while patents rights are increasingly irrelevant to productivity, the relationship between economic complexity and productivity is highly positive and significant. Our results are consistent with the contributions of the absorptive capacity theory in that they suggest it is not the discovery and ownership of novel products and processes at the innovative frontier that induces productive growth, but the ability to adapt, replicate and diffuse along the international productive chain.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 115〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Kelvin Mashisia Shikuku〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Direct training of selected individuals as disseminating farmers (DFs) can help to implement a farmer to farmer extension approach. This study systematically examines the relationship between social distance and the likelihood of information exchange, subsequently evaluating effects on awareness, knowledge, and adoption of drought-tolerant (DT) varieties of maize, disease-resistant varieties of groundnuts and conservation farming. Using a panel dataset from northern Uganda, the study combines matching techniques with difference-in-difference (DID) approach and employs two-stage least squares regression (2SLS) to identify causal effects. The study finds an increased likelihood of information exchange when the DF is female, regardless of the sex of the neighbour. The likelihood of information exchange increased when distance in farm size cultivated with maize was larger than the median in the sub-village. In terms of non-agricultural assets index, there was an increased likelihood of information exchange both when the distance was smaller and greater than the village median. Information exchange links improved awareness and knowledge for all of the technologies, but only increased adoption of maize varieties. Together, these findings suggest that social distance shapes the diffusion of agricultural knowledge even when DFs are selected by the community to be “representative” and reinforces that social learning can help to address informational constraints to adoption of agricultural technologies.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: April 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 116〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Daniel Mason-D'Croz, Timothy B. Sulser, Keith Wiebe, Mark W. Rosegrant, Sarah K. Lowder, Alejandro Nin-Pratt, Dirk Willenbockel, Sherman Robinson, Tingju Zhu, Nicola Cenacchi, Shahnila Dunston, Richard D. Robertson〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉We use IFPRI’s IMPACT framework of linked biophysical and structural economic models to examine developments in global agricultural production systems, climate change, and food security. Building on related work on how increased investment in agricultural research, resource management, and infrastructure can address the challenges of meeting future food demand, we explore the costs and implications of these investments for reducing hunger in Africa by 2030. This analysis is coupled with a new investment estimation model, based on the perpetual inventory methodology (PIM), which allows for a better assessment of the costs of achieving projected agricultural improvements. We find that climate change will continue to slow projected reductions in hunger in the coming decades—increasing the number of people at risk of hunger in 2030 by 16 million in Africa compared to a scenario without climate change. Investments to increase agricultural productivity can offset the adverse impacts of climate change and help reduce the share of people at risk of hunger in 2030 to five percent or less in Northern, Western, and Southern Africa, but the share is projected to remain at ten percent or more in Eastern and Central Africa. Investments in Africa to achieve these results are estimated to cost about 15 billion USD per year between 2015 and 2030, as part of a larger package of investments costing around 52 billion USD in developing countries.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Eduard Oró, Paolo Taddeo, Jaume Salom〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The heating and cooling sector in Europe aims to increase the share of thermal energy provided by district heating (DH) and cooling networks, from the current 13% to 50% by 2050. To reach this ambitious goal, it is needed to create the scientific evidence required to support the decarbonisation of the sector in Europe by combining energy efficiency and local waste heat. A vast amount of waste heat is produced in urban areas from a range of local sources such as data centres. These unique infrastructures are a rapidly growing industry generating heat that could potentially be recovered for heating applications, and in particular for DH networks. This manuscript evaluates numerically the energy and economic feasibility of the implementation of heat reuse solutions in air-cooled data centres to increase the energy efficiency of DH networks. Even though the primary energy reused in such installations can be above 50%, the economic analysis performed for a specific 1000 kW data centre located in Barcelona (Spain) demonstrates the non-viability of heat recovery integration in most of the conventional air-cooled data centres. However, for some cooling configurations, in particular in rear door cooling technology, the results prove the economic viability of heat reuse options.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Gloria Rose, André Gazsó〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉New and emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and advanced materials are characterized by manifold areas of application and high uncertainty, making the anticipation of effects difficult. Since 2007, the Austrian technology assessment project “NanoTrust” is dedicated to assisting policy-makers in issues surrounding the safety of nanotechnology applications. The choice was made early on to build and maintain a governance network and to take a more active role in contributing to pre-emptive risk management and the initiation of new processes. Characterized by a dominant risk frame and a broad scope, the Austrian nanotechnology discourse places a distinct focus on scientific expertise and strong interdisciplinary efforts. Ten years into the project, the Austrian nano governance network has shown signs of undergoing an institutionalisation process and we reflect on how we have sought to maintain our neutrality and independence as TA practitioners. This exercise in reflection seeks to gain insights on the strategies employed in practice when shaping technologies at stages of high uncertainty and engaging closely with actors in governance networks over longer periods of time.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 139〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Anja Bauer, Karen Kastenhofer〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉 〈p〉Over past decades, the notion of policy advice in technology assessment (TA) has widened, going beyond traditional advice in the form of expert opinions by adding a broad range of brokerage activities. Concomitantly, the roles of scientific policy advisors have diversified.〈/p〉 〈p〉Based on an empirical study of advisory practices at the Institute of Technology Assessment (ITA) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, we ask which advisory roles TA practitioners adopt. Our study shows that practitioners take up multiple roles: the decisionist advisor, the deliberative practitioner, the governance facilitator, the engaged academic, and the agenda-setter. These roles vary, inter alia, in the dominant modes of policy advice and the aspired function in politics and society and correlate with specific project and advisory constellations but also with paradigmatic beliefs of TA practitioners. Our analysis further exemplifies how these roles differ in a) the reference to and interpretation of core principles such as scientificity, neutrality and relevance and b) their strategies of managing the boundary between science and politics. Thus, the article goes beyond the mere statement “TA has politics” by illustrating how the politics of TA manifests in distinct ways in different roles of TA practitioners in policy advice.〈/p〉 〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 22 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Francesco Paolo Appio, Marcos Lima, Sotirios Paroutis〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Smart Cities initiatives are spreading all around the globe at a phenomenal pace. Their bold ambition is to increase the competitiveness of local communities through innovation while increasing the quality of life for its citizens through better public services and a cleaner environment. Prior research has shown contrasting views and a multitude of dimensions and approaches to look at this phenomenon. In spite of the fact that this can stimulate the debate, it lacks a systematic assessment and an integrative view. The papers in the special issue on “Understanding Smart Cities: Innovation Ecosystems, Technological Advancements, and Societal Challenges” take stock of past work and provide new insights through the lenses of a hybrid framework. Moving from these premises, we offer an overview of the topic by featuring possible linkages and thematic clusters. Then, we sketch a novel research agenda for scholars, practitioners, and policy makers who wish to engage in – and build – a critical, constructive, and conducive discourse on Smart Cities.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 19 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Brita Fladvad Nielsen, Daniela Baer, Carmel Lindkvist〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The planning of energy ambitious neighborhood pilots in Norway typically begin with the creation of holistic and socially ambitious visions based on extensive stakeholder collaboration, citizen insight generation and vision setting. However, as projects move from planning to implementation, the exploratory innovation methods are replaced by exploitative approaches. ‘The holistic vision and in particular, citizens’ described needs, fail to transfer into the implementation phase. This paper identifies four main challenges as to why this happens and link these to theory on ambidextrous organizations that need to exploit existing knowledge while reaching into the future with its rapidly changing goals and technological opportunities. Implementing stakeholders are familiar with exploitative tools, which build on earlier experience and capabilities of the selected implementing stakeholders, and the implementation stage leaves little time and resources for innovation on a lower hierarchical level. While extensive research on smart and integrated planning focus on ‘breaking down the silos’ meaning sectors and disciplines, our findings argue that the need to manage ambidextrous organizations and support both exploratory and exploitative innovation is equally important. An ambidextrous organization is one that has the ability to be efficient in its management of today's business while being adaptable for coping with the changing demand of tomorrow. We propose a model in which the organizational style and management style of innovative neighborhood pilots focus more on how to transfer knowledge and learn from the bottom-up and horizontally through management that foster both innovation models.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: April 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 116〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Nathan Clay, Brian King〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Development programs and policies can influence smallholder producers’ abilities to adapt to climate change. However, gaps remain in understanding how households’ adaptive capacities can become uneven. This paper investigates how development transitions—such as the recent adoption of ‘green revolution’ agricultural policies throughout sub-Saharan Africa—intersect with cross-scale social-environmental processes to unevenly shape smallholders’ adaptive capacities and adaptation pathways. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative material from a multi-season study in Rwanda, we investigate smallholder adaptation processes amid a suite of rural development interventions. Our study finds that adaptive capacities arise differentially across livelihood groups in the context of evolving environmental, social, and political economic processes. We show how social institutions play key roles in shaping differential adaptation pathways by enabling and/or constraining opportunities for smallholders to adapt livelihood and land use strategies. Specifically, Rwanda’s Crop Intensification Program enables some wealthier households to adapt livelihoods by generating income through commercial agriculture. At the same time, deactivation of local risk management institutions has diminished climate risk management options for most households. To build and employ alternate livelihood practices such as commercial agriculture and planting woodlots for charcoal production, smallholders must negotiate new institutions, a prerequisite for which is access to capitals (land, labor, and nonfarm income). Those without entitlements to these are pulled deeper into poverty with each successive climatic shock. This illustrates that adaptive capacity is not a static, quantifiable entity that exists in households. We argue that reconceptualizing adaptive capacity as a dynamic, social-environmental process that emerges in places can help clarify complex linkages among development policies, livelihoods, and adaptation pathways. To ensure more equitable and climate-resilient agricultural development, we stress the need to reformulate policies with careful attention to how power structures and entrenched social inequalities can lead to smallholders’ uneven capacities to adapt to climate change.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: April 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 World Development, Volume 116〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Sara A. Wong〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Minimum-wage policy aims to raise the real income of low-wage workers. Low-wage individuals may be adversely affected by minimum wages, however, although the empirical evidence on this point is not without controversy. We analyzed the effects of the January 2012 increase in monthly minimum wages on the wages and hours worked of low-wage workers in Ecuador. Individuals could have chosen to enter occupations covered by minimum-wage legislation or those that were not. We applied a difference-in-differences estimation to account for potential self-selection bias. We also relied on exogenous variations in minimum wages by sector, industry, and occupation. We constructed individual panel data from a household panel and performed estimates that also accounted for potential sample-selection bias. The results suggest a significant and positive effect on the wages of treated workers, increasing them by 0.41–0.48% for each 1% increase in minimum wages, relative to the earnings of control workers. Our results also suggest that effects varied by type of worker: (i) women workers received lower wage increases, and their hours worked were significantly and negatively affected, both of which may suggest a failure of the minimum wage to reduce the gender wage gap at the bottom of the distribution, and (ii) the hours worked by young workers were significantly and positively affected, a result that is in agreement with results found elsewhere in the literature. These results persisted after applying robustness checks to account for different control groups, full- vs. part-time jobs, separate regressions for heterogeneous groups, and tests for potential attrition and sample-selection bias. The range of effects observed across disparate groups of workers suggests areas in which policy change could be useful. The income-compression effect we found suggests that further studies should address the effects of minimum wage on the drop in income inequality observed in the data.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Pritam Bhowmik, Sheetal Chandak, Pravat Kumar Rout〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉A conventional microgrid comprising both ac and dc components undergoes a significant power loss during the multistage conversion process. To overcome the problem of reduced efficiency in a conventional microgrid, a significant attention has been drawn towards the structure of the hybrid ac/dc microgrid. The precise power management in a hybrid microgrid is relatively complicated due to the presence of the dc sub-grids in the architecture. In dc sub-grids, the converter power can only be controlled by regulating the output voltage. However, the computation of the reference voltage turns out to be a challenging task due to the system resistance. The complexity further increases as the line resistances associated with the interlinking converter differs. Addressing this issue, to implement an efficient power management strategy in a dc sub-grid, a superimposed virtual frequency based control variable is proposed in this work. The proposed control variable remains unaffected by the system impedance which helps to attain an efficient power bifurcation. The study extensively evaluates the maximum exchanged power, storage utilisation factor, and circulating power among the multiple interlinking converters. The proposed strategy efficiently manages the bidirectional power flow between the ac and dc sub-grids.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Triluck Koossalapeerom, Thaned Satiennam, Wichuda Satiennam, Watis Leelapatra, Atthapol Seedam, Thana Rakpukdee〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉This study compared the real-world driving patterns of electric and gasoline motorcycles. The developed onboard system was installed on test motorcycles to collect real-world driving patterns in a mixed traffic and congested urban corridor. The driving cycles of both electric and gasoline motorcycles were developed, and their driving parameters, energy consumption, CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 emissions, and energy cost were compared. The results reveal that under the same driving behaviors and traffic conditions, certain driving parameters of the electric motorcycle, including average speed, average running speed, and proportion of time spent idling, were close to those of the gasoline motorcycle. However, the maximum speed and proportion of time spent in acceleration and deceleration were lower for the electric motorcycle than those of the gasoline motorcycle. In contrast, average acceleration, average deceleration, and proportion of time spent cruising were higher for the electric motorcycle than the gasoline motorcycle. The energy consumption, CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 equivalent emissions, and energy cost of the electric motorcycle was approximately eight, two, and six times lower than those of the gasoline motorcycle, respectively, when driving in a congested urban corridor.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 27 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Zhinan Wang, Alan L. Porter, Xuefeng Wang, Stephen Carley〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Technological Convergence (TC) reflects developmental processes that overlap different technological fields. It holds promise to yield outcomes that exceed the sum of its subparts. Measuring emergence for a TC environment can inform innovation management. This paper suggests a novel approach to identify Emergent Topics (ETopics) of the TC environment within a target technology domain using patent information. A non-TC environment is constructed as a comparison group. First, TC is operationalized as a co-classification of a given patent into multiple 4-digit IPC codes (≥2-IPC). We take a set of patents and parse those into three sub-datasets based on the number of IPC codes assigned 1-IPC (Non-TC), 2-IPC and ≥3-IPC. Second, a method is applied to identify emergent terms (ETs) and calculate emergence score for each term in each sub-dataset. Finally, we cluster those ETs using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to generate a factor map with ETopics. A convergent domain – 3D printing – is selected to present the illustrative results. Results affirm that for 3D printing, emergent topics in TC patents are distinctly different from those in non-TC patents. The number of ETs in the TC environment is increasing annually.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Li Li, Xin Li, Yuan Yang, Jia Dong〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Building energy consumption is influenced not merely by the energy-saving performance of hardware but also by the occupants’ indoor behaviours. Advances in indoor positioning technologies can generate large volumes of spatial trajectory data on the occupants, which can reveal the distribution of the occupants or be interpreted to reflect the occupants’ behaviours. This calls for systematic research on new computing technologies to identify information from trajectory data rather than from visualizations or statistics. Due to the imperfections and complexities of trajectory data, few robust techniques are available for similarity comparisons, which are critical for further clustering and pattern mining. In this work, we propose a novel means of evaluating similarities in occupant trajectory data based on the use of a convolutional autoencoder (CAE). Trajectory data can be compared and their feature vectors extracted with the CAE in an unsupervised manner. We applied this approach to high-precision tracking data collected from an ultra-wide band (UWB) indoor positioning system (IPS) installed in an exhibition hall. The calculated results show that our approach offers great advantages in terms of its application, robustness, and flexibility.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 45〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Amir Hossein Sharifi, Pouria Maghouli〈/p〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The construction of smart homes under the infrastructure of smart grids (or micro grids) is currently one of the most important topics in the field of smart energy systems. Demand-side management confers many benefits on both users and utility companies. This paper proposes a novel scheduling procedure for power consumption in homes equipped with energy storage devices. The proposed optimal power scheduling method can reduce electricity bills and improve peak-to-average ratio (PAR) while taking into account the comfort of residents. Real-time pricing combined with an inclining block rate (IBR) tariff is used to prevent high power consumption at times of low cost, and to simultaneously improve the PAR index. Because erroneous determination of the state of the charge of storage systems can have deleterious effects on PAR, a revised formulation is therefore applied to attain the best solution of the problem. Home devices and batteries are modelled in a practical and efficient manner. The proposed multi-objective optimization problem is solved with non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) using MATLAB software. Then fuzzy decision is applied to obtain the most preferred solution.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 140〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Shih-Chih Chen, Chieh-Peng Lin〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉With the prevalence of Internet, social media has become an important means for online marketing events. Individuals and companies both create fan pages on online platforms and develop business opportunities using social media. While many past studies have investigated social media, few have mentioned the effects of social media marketing activities. This study proposed the effects of social media marketing activities on continuance intention, participation intention and purchase intention via the mediation of social identification, perceived value, and satisfaction. To empirically test the effects of social media marketing activities, this study conducted an online survey on 502 social media users for data analysis. The analytical results indicated that social media marketing activities indirectly affect satisfaction through social identification and perceived value. At the same time, social identification and perceived value directly affect satisfaction that then influences continuance intention, participation intention and purchase intention. Finally, the academic and management implications based on the empirical results of this study are provided as references for the improvement of social media marketing.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉