Search

A review article summarising the current state of knowledge and suggesting directions for further research. It is part of a wider review aimed at assessing the effectiveness of climate change policies. The main difficulties considered in the article include the problems of environmental management and strategies for building resilience to climate change induced stress. The issues analysed in the article concern selected problems in the implementation of climate policy at global, regional and local levels. It was found that, under certain conditions, the effects of the measures taken can be counterproductive. The effectiveness and rationality of climate policy was also analysed from an economic perspective. The aim of the article was achieved on the basis of a review of domestic and foreign literature and documents on the subject, as well as a comparative analysis. The study covered selected issues that, in the author's opinion, should be taken into account when adapting the climate policy formulated at world summits to local conditions. This adaptation should include not only solutions but also targets. In conclusion, the author points out that the evaluation of the effectiveness of climate policy should be carried out at the local level and should include social and economic issues in addition to environmental ones, and should be accompanied by a balance of losses and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the energy crisis in the US. This problem is brought about by the federal legislation imposed on the use of sulfur-containing fuels in power plants to comply with anti-air pollution standards. The restrictions have resulted to lesser fuel for electric utilities so people will face the choice between the occurrence of more brownouts or the limitation of their use of electricity. This social policy creates chaos because middle class citizens have access to more energy while the low income segment is vastly underserved with electricity. To augment the problem, rationalization is preferred rather than power rationing.

The recent global paradigm shift toward sustainable green development necessitates revealing the likely green determinants of sustainable electricity generation in order to derive key policy recommendations for dealing with the global energy crisis. As a result, the current study focuses on the drivers of global electricity generation (EG) and identifies environmental policy (EP), energy transition (ET), geopolitical risk (GPR), and circular economy (CE) as novel determinants. The study employs a battery of advanced econometric techniques, including quantile VAR, quantile slope estimate, and wavelet-based correlation methods, for empirical analysis. The quantile VAR-based connectedness confirms the modeled series' significant interconnectedness. Furthermore, the findings suggest that CE plays an important role in promoting the global EG process, as evidenced by positive effects across quantiles. When the effects of ET and EP are considered, a positive relationship between ET, EP, and EG is discovered, implying that ET and EP are important drivers of electricity generation. Furthermore, GPR has significant and negative effects on EG across most quantiles, indicating that the EG process suffers a significant loss as a result of GPR. Furthermore, the wavelet-based correlation method confirms the significant association between selected series, supporting the preceding findings. In order to achieve sustainable electricity generation, several results-based policies are proposed for local and global authorities. • The current study aims to explore the drivers of global electricity generation. • A novel connectedness technique is applied. • Environmental policy and energy transition are the vital drivers of the electricity generation. • Circular economy plays a crucial role in fostering the global electricity generation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s energy crises, and increasingly in recent years, ground source heat pumps have attracted large interest as an instrument for energy conservation. Rapid growth of the industry has raised questions about the environmental benefits and costs of heat pumps. Governments have designed policies to both promote and regulate the industry. This study concentrates on the development of the ground source heat pump industry in Finland, and on national policies and regulations concerning the industry. The focus is on practitioners' responses to heat pump legislation, a topic so far overlooked by researchers, but also the users’ perspective is considered. The study is based on interviews and questionnaire responses from heat pump professionals, heat pump statistics, and literature. Six sectors of legislation and environmental policy are considered: the regulation of ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases in refrigerants, qualification requirements imposed on the ground source heat pump industry, the permission procedure for ground loop heat exchangers, legislation on groundwater protection, requirements and incentives for heat pump efficiency and labelling, and public funding and subsidies for the industry. The results show that policies have an important role in the development of the industry, and that quality aspects deserve more attention in policies regarding e.g. GSHP training and planning permissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco - Efficiency of resource use is to produce more value with fewer resources and change our consumption habits. This will limit the risk of shortages and maintain environmental impact in the planet's natural limits. It is a general principle that applies to all natural resources from food, timber and biodiversity to energy, metals, soil, water, minerals, air and earth. Increasing resource efficiency in Europe is a means by which the objectives of economic policy, social and environmental development can achieve easier, safer and more cost effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuation of the U.S.'s historical pattern addressing energy problems only in times of crisis is unlikely to catalyze a transition to an energy system with fewer adverse social impacts. Instead, the U.S. needs to bolster support for energy innovation when the perceived urgency of energy-related problems appears to be receding. Because of the lags involved in both the energy system and the climate system, decarbonizing the economy will require extraordinary persistence over decades. This need for sustained commitment is in contrast to the last several decades, which have been marked by volatility and cycles of boom and bust. In contrast to the often-repeated phrase that one should 'never let a good crisis go to waste,' the U.S. needs to most actively foster energy innovation when aspects of energy and climate problems appear to be improving. We describe the rationale for a 'countercyclical' approach to energy and climate policy, which involves precommitment to a set of policies that go into effect once a set of trigger conditions are met. WIREs Clim Change 2016, 7:5-12. doi: 10.1002/wcc.369 For further resources related to this article, please visit the . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrids have become a hot topic driven by the dual pressures of environmental protection concerns and the energy crisis. In this paper, a challenge for the distributed control of a modern electric grid incorporating clusters of residential microgrids is elaborated and a hierarchical multi-agent system (MAS) is proposed as a solution. The issues of how to realize the hierarchical MAS and how to improve coordination and control strategies are discussed. Based on MATLAB and ZEUS platforms, bilateral switching between grid-connected mode and island mode is performed under control of the proposed MAS to enhance and support its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the energy crisis in the 1970s and later the growing concern for climate change in the 1990s, policymakers at all levels of government and around the world have been enthusiastically supporting a wide range of incentive mechanisms for electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E). Motivations range from energy security to environmental preservation to green jobs and innovation, and measures comprise an array of subsidies to mandates to emissions trading. But do these policies work together or at cross-purposes? To evaluate RES-E policies, one must understand how specific policy mechanisms interact with each other and under what conditions multiple policy levers are necessary. In this article, we review the recent environmental economics literature on the effectiveness of RES-E policies and the interactions between them, with a focus on the increasing use of tradable quotas for both emissions reduction and RES-E expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey's demand for energy is increasing rapidly and heavily dependent on expensive imported energy resources. As would be expected, the rapid expansion of energy production and consumption has brought with it a wide range of environmental issues at the local, regional, and global levels. With respect to global environmental issues, Turkey's greenhouse gas emissions have grown along with its primary energy consumption. In this regard, renewable energy resources appear to be one of the most efficient and effective solutions for clean and sustainable energy development in Turkey. Turkey's geographical location has several advantages for extensive use of most of these renewable energy sources. Turkey has substantial reserves of renewable energy sources, including approximately 1% of the total world hydropower potential. There is also significant potential for wind power development. Turkey's geothermal potential ranks seventh worldwide, but only a small portion is considered to be economically feasible. This article presents the role of renewables in meeting the energy demand of Turkey as a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different groups of students were surveyed (years 1995, 2002, and 2003) to determine their attitudes regarding the environment and environmental issues, and particularly energy use. Two groups (1995 and 2003) were purposely selected to be interviewed about energy issues. The survey revealed that all groups had bell-shaped spreads with the means skewed to the environmental side. Although all groups shared many similarities, those interviewees that expressed more positive environmental attitudes tended to be the ones that acted more on their knowledge. However, a notable trend was the lack of action overall, regardless of espoused beliefs. Factor analyses showed factors similar to a study from 1991, but were unique in themselves. In general, these factors showed a focus on governmental intervention to mandate regulations on energy conservation, yet a schism where business is too restricted and a belief that technology will resolve the issues. Consequences for educators are that students may feel disempowered to change their own behaviors if they perceive that others will, or should, resolve the energy problems we face. Education should focus on personal empowerment as well as the issue itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa, being a developing nation, is faced with many challenges, including poverty and one of the world's highest HIV/AIDS infection rates. It is within this context that this paper presents an overview of the role played by major stakeholders in climate change mitigation policies, with the focus on two South African cities, namely Cape Town and Johannesburg. This paper aims to identify the internal and external factors that act as barriers to, or promote, climate change mitigation policy development and implementation in South African cities. These may take the form of the city's internal structures, political interventions and support, and external factors including partnerships with outside organizations, including all tiers of government, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. The media and an energy crisis in the Cape prove to play an unexpected role in assisting Cape Town to implement climate change mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an assessment of several environmental issues that were published in the first quarter of 2007. It talks about the power shortages and the need to take energy conservation seriously in China and in India. The increasing interest in nuclear power, considered as one of the consequences of these power shortages, is discussed. The article also focuses on the risk faced by workers in using toxic chemicals in Asian factories and the regulations in China about the role of banks in corporate social responsibility.

The article reflects on the environmental problems faced by China. With dramatic economic development and the accompanying population increase, China's environmental problems, including energy and water shortages, water and air pollution, and biodiversity losses, have become severe, and are obstacles to the sustainable development of the country. The Chinese Government is focusing on these environmental problems and has implemented a series of initiatives to improve them.