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In 2020, China's carbon emissions were 10 billion tons, about 29% of global ones. As the largest carbon emitter in the world, China's heavy carbon emission pressure will affect not only its sustainable development, but also the global climate change situation and human survival. In order to achieve a positive interaction among renewable energy technological innovation, environmental regulation intensity and carbon pressure, and effectively alleviate China's carbon pressure, the dynamic interaction among the three aspects was investigated by taking 2008–2017 panel data of China mainland as the research sample, measuring carbon pressure level and renewable energy technological innovation, establishing panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model, and adopting impulse response function and variance decomposition. It was found that a mutual promoting effect exists between renewable energy technological innovation and environmental regulation intensity, and also between renewable energy technological innovation and carbon pressure, while a mutual inhibiting effect between environmental regulation intensity and carbon pressure. The variance decomposition results show that carbon stress level has the highest contribution to the long-term variance of renewable energy technological innovation except for the variable itself, which is 10.2%. Renewable energy technological innovation has the highest variance contribution to environmental regulation intensity, which is 8.2%, and environmental regulation intensity has the highest variance contribution to carbon stress level, which is 28.1%. The conclusions of present study are helpful to clarify the dynamic interaction among renewable energy technological innovation, environmental regulation intensity and carbon pressure, further improve environmental regulation policy and renewable energy technological innovation R&D decision-making, and provide an effective way for China and the world to alleviate carbon pressure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of using green finance policies to prevent climate-related systemic risk (CRSR) while promoting low-carbon production is of great concern. Despite its significance for a stable transition to low-carbon energy, this topic remains underexplored in the literature. Our study examines the impact of monetary policies promoting low-carbon development on CRSR based on China's low-carbon transition scenario. To achieve this, we develop a financial network model with a forward-looking climate stress-testing framework. This model captures banks' heterogeneous behaviors regarding carbon asset allocation and the systemic feedback effects of climate policy shocks in a multilayer network. Our findings reveal that targeted reductions in the required reserve ratio (RRR) and carbon reduction re-lending policies have significant and distinct effects on CRSR. We also observe that larger banks tend to have higher systemic importance and are more responsive to adjustments in low-carbon monetary policies. By contrast, relatively smaller banks demonstrate greater vulnerability to climate policy shocks. Additionally, these policies influence CRSR through mechanisms involving credit restructuring and interbank network interconnectedness. This study provides valuable insights for enhancing low-carbon financial policies and facilitating a stable low-carbon transition. • The impact of monetary policies promoting low-carbon development on climate-related systemic risk (CRSR) is analyzed. • A financial network with a climate stress-testing framework in China's low-carbon transition scenario is constructed. • Targeted reductions in the required reserve ratio (RRR) and carbon reduction re-lending policies significantly affect CRSR. • Their impact shows apparent differences in quantity- and price-based adjustments. • Influencing mechanisms based on credit restructuring and interbank network interconnectedness are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability paradigm has gained global attention, and the same has been expected from the economies having increasing levels of environmental footprints over the past couple of decades. This research aims to investigate the nexus between clean energy technologies and climate change mitigation among the top ecologically pollutant (TEP) economies during 1996–2020. The research incorporated other drivers of climate change, including energy efficiency, industrialization, and sustainable policies through environmental regulations. The methodological context covers the necessary preliminary tests and the Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQR). The preliminary results indicate that TEP economies are interdependent with the heterogenous slope coefficients, stationarity data trends, and cointegrated relationships. The findings from the MMQR unveiled that clean energy technologies tend to mitigate climate change from 0.10th to 0.70th quantiles. Relatedly, energy efficiency reduces the environmental burden across all the quantiles except for the 0.10th one. Conversely, industrialization and economic growth cause an upward shift in climate change among TEP economies across all the quantiles, suggesting a need to shift production-based economies to more service-intensive ones. However, the study found no significant evidence for the nexus between sustainable environmental policies and climate change. The robustness checks also validate the MMQR estimations; however, their parameters' magnitude substantially varied. These outcomes encourage policymakers to implement holistic strategies supporting energy innovation, technologies, and efficiency improvements while controlling the adverse effects of industrialization and traditional growth models. [Display omitted] • Mitigating climate change needs a universal call. • A novel approach, MMQR, has been applied. • Both clean energy technologies and energy efficiency reduce ecological footprints. • Industrialization and economic growth disturb the sustainability paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs the dynamic recursive Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) approach to model Australia's economy. This carbon tax policy is designed based on Australia's economy, starting at A$23/tCO2, increasing over time and imposing uniformly on all industries. This study proposes two carbon tax policies and three revenue recycling approaches, and the prices and GDP variations are estimated during 2020 and 2035. This study confirms introducing a carbon tax policy decreases Australia's carbon emissions and reduces real consumption and GDP if it is not accompanied by a revenue recycling policy. But following a revenue-neutral policy and redirecting the carbon tax revenue into the economy through reducing income taxes and investing in research and development (R&D) projects leads to economic growth. This study confirms the implementation of a carbon tax associated with a suitable revenue recycling approach benefits Australia both economically and environmentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We divided the households in the YNL river region into three types. • We identified the determinants affecting the livelihood choice of sample households. • We made some policy recommendations to help the local people get rid of poverty. Abstract Governmental policies that can develop advantageous endogenous livelihood transition are of great importance for anti-poverty. However, the existing research finds that in the Tibetan Plateau, there is a certain contradiction between the poverty alleviation policies and the local farmers' needs, and thus the effect of these policies will be weakened and the goal of poverty alleviation be missed. It is therefore imperative to identify and analyze the factors influencing the livelihood choice so that policy makers and development practitioners can design policies that will tackle the poverty afflicting the majority of the local people. This paper provides a new method for anti-poverty policymaking and conducts a case study to enrich the safety net/cargo net paradigms. In this paper, household data in the YNL river region are used and a two-step clustering method is developed to classify these households into three types: hanging in (type I), stepping up (type II) and stepping out (type III). Then a multinomial logit model is adopted to identify determinants of households' livelihood choice. The results indicate that drought poses a significant negative impact on farmers' choice of type II, while household size, educational level of labor and medical expenditure have a significant positive impact on the choice of type II; spring frost, proportion of skilled training, borrowed money and the ratio of agricultural equipment have a significant positive impact on their choice of type III. Some anti-poverty policy implications are put forward in the last on the basis of these determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Carbon emission reduction policy is the main method to curb carbon emissions and tackle climate change. However, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of carbon emission reduction polices from the welfare and economic perspectives. This study establishes a dynamic general equilibrium model with input-output structure, and compares the effects of emission reduction in all industries and in high energy-consuming industries. The main conclusions are that carbon emission reduction constraints for all industries have more significant negative impacts on consumption and social welfare compared to emission reduction constraints for high energy-consuming industries. To be more precisely, carbon emission reduction in high energy-consuming industries has comparative advantages in maintaining social welfare stability. Regarding economic effects, compared with the carbon emission reduction in high energy-consuming industries, carbon emission reduction in all industries leads to a larger decline in total output and outputs of most industries. However, the role of carbon emission reduction in all industries is more significant in promoting employment. The carbon emission reduction policies of all industries and high energy-consuming industries have strengths in economic effects respectively. The findings could provide references for the government to take appropriate measures to promote carbon emission reduction and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Most existing studies on environmental regulations and the location dynamics of pollution-intensive industries regard new environmental procedures as an incremental development process, and neglect the influence of sudden changes in environmental regulations triggered by a pollution crisis. Using the drinking water crisis in the Taihu Lake Watershed (TLW) in 2007 as an example, this paper examines the spatial behavior of pollution-intensive firms across the TLW, and pays special attention to the regional differences in the effectiveness of enforcing environmental regulations. We find that the pollution haven hypothesis works efficiently in the short term after an unexpected pollution crisis because of the immediate strengthening of environmental regulations by local governments under pressure from the central government and the public. However, the effect of strict environmental policies was compromised by differences in the effectiveness of policy enforcement across the watershed. Specifically, when other regions (for example, Huzhou) were compared with Wuxi (the site of the crisis in the present study), these regions were found to be relatively insensitive to the effects of the pollution incidents and the environmental regulations that were triggered. Highlights • This paper examines spatial behaviors of pollution-intensive firms across the Taihu Lake watershed in response to the water crisis. • The paper pays special attention to the regional difference in enforcement effectiveness of environmental regulations. • Pollution haven hypothesis works efficiently in the short run. • The effect of stringent environmental policies was compromised by differences in policy enforcement effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There is a great deal of evidence that climate change affects socioeconomic systems. The social cost of carbon (SCC) is calculated by scientists to monetarize the incremental unit of carbon emission and is used to assess climate policies. This study begins with a review of current research on the SCC, followed by a discussion of the choice of models for the SCC. We give a list of advantages of disadvantages of each model and finally use a meta-analysis to evaluate the SCC from published research. The main findings were as follows. (i) Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are often employed to assess the SCC, research on IAMs was started booming in the 1990s and slightly decreased after 2012. (ii) The estimated SCC ranges from −50 to 8752$/tC (−13.36–2386.91$/tCO 2), with a mean value of 200.57$/tC (54.70$/tCO 2) and it equals to 112.86$/tC (30.78$/tCO 2) with a PRTP at 3% in peer-reviewed studies. (iii) The estimated SCC is higher in newer publication year and in peer-reviewed studies, the same trend happens with a higher climatic sensitivity and employing DICE/RICE and PAGE. (iv) The pure rate of time preference (PRTP) is tightly associated with the estimated SCC, and a higher PRTP has a lower estimated SCC. (v) The outliers often appear without realistic scenario setting and in studies have not peer-reviewed. Highlights • A higher PRTP has a lower estimated SCC. • Estimates of the social cost of carbon equals to 112.86$/tC with a PRTP at 3% in peer-reviewed studies. • The outliers often appear without realistic scenario setting and in studies have not peer-reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper investigates whether female political representation in national parliaments influences climate change policy outcomes. Based on data from a large sample of countries, we demonstrate that female representation leads countries to adopt more stringent climate change policies. We exploit a combination of full and partial identification approaches to suggest that this relationship is likely to be causal. Moreover, we show that through its effect on the stringency of climate change policies, the representation of females in parliament results in lower carbon dioxide emissions. Female political representation may be an underutilized tool for addressing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There is no shortage of concepts that aim to show how our economy can become more resource- efficient such as eco-innovation, cradle to cradle. We analysed a long list of concepts using three dimensions: scope of change, ambition with regard to the (paradigmatic) degree of change, and the existence of plausible drivers and pathways of change. Reviewed literature on governance and transitions suggests that the more extensive and radical the scope and ambition of change are, the higher systemic and institutional resistance to change will be. From roughly 30 concepts reviewed, none gave a credible answer on how to overcome this dilemma. Resource scarcity is not (yet) a clear driver for change. Where in the field of climate change policy starts to respond to compelling scientific evidence of danger, in the field of resources only win-win policies are seriously considered. Advocates of radical resource efficiency must find credible pathways that allow it to be pursued at scale in practice or hope that incremental change will open up space for more radical options, in order to avoid the significant economic and social disruption from supply-demand imbalances that some now fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Various environmental footprint concepts have already been developed and applied in sustainability research. However, these analyses tend to remain restricted to historical observation samples. At least in comparison with related research activities in other environmental policy domains (like, e.g., climate policy), it seems that applications of integrated assessment tools represent rather seldom exceptions within the resource policy domain. Our paper is, therefore, intended to strengthen the related evidence base. We present recent projections from the dynamic Multi-Region Input-Output (MRIO) simulation model GINFORS (Global Inter-Industry Forecasting System), which provide an outlook on global development trends until the year 2050. Our detailed material footprint and climate policy assessment indicates that a global agreement on a policy mix will allow a clear turnaround towards climate protection and a sustainable use of natural resources without deteriorating economic performance. If the EU decides unilaterally to lead the way, then this turnaround could also be achieved for the EU while the EU would also benefit economically from this pioneering role. A third pathway towards a resource efficient and low-carbon Europe quantifies the environmental and economic impacts of a strong transitional change induced by European citizens' commitments to far-reaching sufficiency objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The critical role of everyday practices in climate change mitigation has placed experimental approaches at the top of the environmental policy agenda. In this paper we discuss the value of behavioural approaches, practice theories, pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking with respect to experimentation. Whereas the first two have been much discussed within sustainability science and transition research, the notions of pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking radically broaden the scope of experimental research and its contribution to sustainable everyday practices. Pragmatism brings to the fore the need to coordinate multiple practices and understandings of good eating, as these may clash in practice. Through this lens, the value of experimental research lies in revealing frictions that need to be resolved, or tinkered, in practice. Speculative experimentation, in turn, refers to the power of experiments to challenge the experimental setting itself and force thinking about new possibilities and avenues. We investigate the value of all four approaches in relation to our experiments with sustainable eating in the Finnish and Nordic context. Our elaboration justifies the need to broaden the conception of experimental research in order to capture the multiplicity of sustainable eating. Hence, we call for attentive, speculative experimental research aimed not only at testing solutions for sustainable everyday practice, but also at reflecting on the practice of experimentation itself. Highlights • Key role of everyday practices in sustainability transition calls for experimentation. • We explore and test four approaches to experimentation in sustainable eating. • Sustainable eating calls for attentive, speculative experimental research. • Attentiveness to tensions raised by experiments force new questions and solutions. • Reflecting on the practice of experimentation is fundamental to ethical transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Technology and policy implications of global energy and emissions scenarios can be difficult to analyze because underlying assumptions and drivers of scenarios are rarely made explicit. This article documents methods for standardizing emissions scenario results that can be applied to virtually any scenario, enabling more meaningful comparisons among scenarios than has been possible in the past. This approach uses charts showing the dynamics and effects of emission drivers, mitigation technologies, and policies. Applying these methods will enable the policy and research communities to better understand the implications of scenarios, and help analysts learn more rapidly. As a matter of good practice, modelers should create decompositions like the ones put forth in this article, policy makers should request them, and funders of scenario analysis and sponsors of model comparisons should support the application and further development of such tools. Highlights • Global energy and emissions scenario results can be hard to analyze and interpret. • Standardized "dashboards" allow accurate & rapid comparisons of scenario results. • We develop, document, and present decomposition methods to facilitate such comparisons. • These tools should promote greater understanding and faster modeling innovation. • Policy makers & sponsors should demand such dashboards from modelers in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this paper is to carry out a systematic review of the literature on climate justice from the point of view of the capabilities approach. This review had as object of study 53 papers selected in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and focused on the following dimensions: starting models for the preparation of action plans (Basic Rights, Polluter Pays, and Fair Division), types of actions adopted (adaptation and mitigation), level of adoption (macro and micro) and individual freedoms affected (economic, political, social, transparency guarantees and protective security). The main results and contributions of the study are: a) the Basic Rights model is more frequently used than the other two; b) there is a prevalence of some freedoms when analysed in the context of adaptation and mitigation actions; c) opportunity to apply quantitative methods and mixed methods on climate justice analysis; d) a theoretical framework organization of the concepts related to the link between climate justice and human development, which can help future research on the subject as well as contribute to the cooperation among academics and policy makers post-Paris Agreement. Highlights • Identification of the developed countries as research centers, and leading researchers on climate justice and human development. • Greater frequency of climate adaptation actions and climate justice. • Capabilities approach as an assessment indicator for adaptation and mitigation actions to climate change. • Identification the special role of women and climate justice guarantees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between human beings and the built environment are mediated by physiological and psychological stimuli, which may interfere in the perception and satisfaction related to indoor comfort variables. The study aims to explore the relationship between daylighting features and possible impacts on humans in regards to lighting preferences. The influence of different daylighting configurations, glazed façade orientation and season of the year on lighting preferences in human beings was evaluated by means of tests in a rotating climate with monitoring of environmental variables, developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany. The sample, n = 16, is composed of German male students (height SD = 1.80 m, SD = 0.06; body weight SD = 80 kg, SD = 8.9; and age SD = 24.9 years, SD = 3.6). Under controlled thermal conditions (PMV approx. ±0.5), participants remained in two office-like environments over 5 h (8:00 am to 1:00 pm - local time) three days in a row, for three seasons of the year, totaling nine days of data collection per participant. Definitions of glazed façade orientations for the experimental rounds were done by means of computer simulations. Objective variables were measured by spectroradiometers at desk height, with sensor h = ca. 0.90 m, and comfortmeters. Preferences of daylighting features was assessed by a questionnaire with Likert-scale alternatives, administered online at 8:50 am, 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Objective and subjective data were analyzed statistically (Spearman's rho, rs), suggesting possible correlations between lighting preferences and objective variables, including: E (lx), CCT (K), DWl (nm) and the circadian metric a cv (circadian action factor). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change policy confronts with many challenges and opportunities. Thus the aim of this study was to analyse the impact of gross domestic product (hereinafter GDP), trade, foreign direct investment (hereinafter FDI), energy efficiency (hereinafter EF) and renewable energy (hereinafter RE) consumption on greenhouse gas (hereinafter GHG) emissions in 1990–2013 and reveal the main challenges and opportunities of climate policy for which policy makers should take the most attention under different stages of economic development. The results showed that the economic growth significantly contributed to the increase of GHG emissions and remains the main challenge in all groups of countries. Analysing the trade impact on pollution, the results revealed that the growth of export (hereinafter EX) significantly reduced GHG emissions only in high income countries. However, the export remains a challenge in low income countries. FDI insignificantly determined the changes in GHG emissions in all groups of countries. Meanwhile, energy efficiency and share of renewable energy consumption are the main opportunities of climate change policy because they reduce the GHG emissions in all groups of countries. Thus, technological processes, the increase of energy efficiency and the shift from carbon to renewable energy sources are the main tools implementing the climate change policy in all countries despite the different stage of economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven years on since the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its efforts in combating climate change, fossil fuels remain the most dominant global energy source. As the total replacement of fossil fuel energy is not expected to take place immediately in the near future, the International Energy Agency has repeatedly declared carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a key technology for mitigating climate change. However, CCS lacks the scale required for substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power generation. Even though CCS is one of the key technologies for mitigating climate change, why has this technology not had an international breakthrough? To shed light on this question, this paper employs a simple model of energy generation, scrutinizes the economic drivers of CCS based on the analytical results, and discusses the possible obstacles that can prevent a widespread rollout of the technology. This is followed by a state-of-the-art in literature pertaining to the economics of CCS, and a discussion that points to a dichotomy between the economic theory and reality. The study concludes with some policy suggestions and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Heterogeneous countries in an IEA. • Which characteristic is decisive? • Climate change and reciprocity preferences. Abstract Climate change poses a major challenge to present and future generations. Our analysis focuses on international environmental agreements (IEAs) entered into by countries that decide rationally and autonomously on whether to adopt a climate-friendly policy. This raises the question, how many and which countries will sign such an IEA? In addition to material incentives to combat climate change, issues pertaining to justice and fairness motivate reciprocal behavior, even during international negotiations. Integrating reciprocity preferences may stimulate cooperation and thus increase participation in an IEA. However, there is some evidence that fairness also stabilizes small-sized IEA coalitions. Hence, this gives rise to the following open question: under which conditions does reciprocity have an enhanced and harmful impact on an IEA? Furthermore, we introduce heterogeneity with respect to a country's emphasis on reciprocity, the costs it incurs when implementing a climate-friendly policy, its benefits from preventing negative consequences of climate change, and country size. In addition, the present paper examines which countries might or might not sign an IEA, and identifies the characteristics that determine a country's participation or non-participation in a coalition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a methodology to estimate the determinants of the formation of technology diffusion networks from the patterns of technology adoption. We apply this methodology to wind energy, which is one of the key technologies in climate change mitigation. Our results emphasize that, in particular, long-term relationships as measured by economic integration are key determinants of technological diffusion. Specific support measures are less relevant, at least to explain the extensive margin of diffusion. Our results also highlight that the scope of technological diffusion is much broader than what is suggested by the consideration of CDM projects alone, which are particularly focused on China and India. Finally, the network of technological diffusion inferred from our approach highlights the central role of European countries in the diffusion process and the absence of large hubs among developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the effects of public policies on the occurrence of natural disasters related to extreme rainfall. By using a unique and geolocated database on natural disasters in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I test whether variables related to public policies - e.g. forest cover and urban infrastructure - affect the occurrence of natural disasters, conditional on the existence of extreme rainfall. Results point to a significant role for public policies in order to mitigate effects of extreme weather events. More specifically, results point to an important role for urban infrastructure, as proper sewage and waste collection, and forest cover in reducing the impacts of extreme rainfall. Moreover, I discuss how these heterogeneous effects have distributional consequences and can be linked to the Environmental Justice literature. Finally, this paper reinforces the idea that adaptation policies to disasters are essential in reducing local vulnerabilities and can yield distributional and fiscal benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic conditions are typically viewed as having an important influence on environmental policy. In particular, it is widely believed that under adverse economic conditions, electorates and governments prioritize economic growth and jobs over costly ecological restraint. The empirical evidence for this received wisdom, however, remains surprisingly contradictory. We contribute to this debate by studying a case where the odds of the economy-environment trade-off claim holding true should be high: an emerging economy in severe recession, and environmental policy with high short-term costs and long-term benefits. Based on a representative survey (N = 2449) in Brazil, implemented in late 2015/early 2016, we examine how ego- and socio-tropic economic conditions, both perceived and real, affect citizens’ preferences concerning the mitigation of deforestation and climate change. We find no robust evidence for an economy-environment trade-off. The main policy implication is that, from a public opinion perspective, there is considerable room for ambitious environmental policy even under adverse economic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic theory as well as empirical research suggest that elderly people prefer public spending on policies yielding short-term benefits. This might be bad news for policies aimed at combating climate change: while the unavoidable costs of these policies arise today, the expected benefits occur in the distant future. Drawing on data from over 12,000 households and using the ordered logit and the generalized ordered logit model, we analyze whether attitudes towards climate change and climate policies as well as public spending preferences differ with respect to age. Our estimates show that elderly people are less concerned about climate change, but more concerned about other global challenges. Furthermore, they are less likely to support climate-friendly policies, such as the subsidization of renewables, allocate less public resources to and have lower willingness-to-pay for environmental policies. Thus, our results suggest that the ongoing demographic change in industrialized countries may undermine climate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deltas are precarious environments experiencing significant biophysical, and socio-economic changes with the ebb and flow of seasons (including with floods and drought), with infrastructural developments (such as dikes and polders), with the movement of people, and as a result of climate and environmental variability and change. Decisions are being taken about the future of deltas and about the provision of adaptation investment to enable people and the environment to respond to the changing climate and related changes. The paper presents a framework to identify options for, and trade-offs between, long term adaptation strategies in deltas. Using a three step process, we: (1) identify current policy-led adaptations actions in deltas by conducting literature searches on current observable adaptations, potential transformational adaptations and government policy; (2) develop narratives of future adaptation policy directions that take into account investment cost of adaptation and the extent to which significant policy change/political effort is required; and (3) explore trade-offs that occur within each policy direction using a subjective weighting process developed during a collaborative expert workshop. We conclude that the process of developing policy directions for adaptation can assist policy makers in scoping the spectrum of options that exist, while enabling them to consider their own willingness to make significant policy changes within the delta and to initiate transformative change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to low-carbon technologies is essential to meet international climate change agreements. While market dynamics are contributing to make technologies increasingly affordable, experience has shown that other factors as well play a role in investment decisions. Uncertainty is one of them. Focusing on the power generation sector, this paper reviews the most recent literature on the subject, under the specific conditions that at least one adoption driver is uncertain and that a technology and/or environmental policy is in place. To understand how uncertainty affects adoption decisions, the survey considers economic parameters (e.g., investment costs or electricity prices) first and then focuses on the role of policy. While the deterring effect of uncertainty over investments is largely confirmed, several mitigating and underexplored issues are also identified, such as the role of heterogeneous investors’ characteristics or the welfare implications of different policy designs. Moreover, by explicitly considering policy uncertainty, this survey provides a clearer understanding of the effects of a lack of government commitment on the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies in the energy sector. Related challenges for policymakers and investors are carefully delineated, together with directions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Individual Low-carbon Behavior Rewarding System (ILBRS) is a new Chinese environmental policy that aims to guide public participation in sustainable development through applying a range of incentive mechanisms. It is regarded as an important and effective way of reducing carbon emissions in response to climate change. However, knowledge of the influencing factors of support for the ILBRS is still scattered and lacks systematic analysis. This study is one of the first literatures to explore public support for ILBRS through a large sample of longitudinal data relying on psychological theory. Based on the Responsible Environmental Behavior model, we established a mechanism that consists of three levels of factors affecting public support for the ILBRS. These factors involve individual characteristics, individual perception, and willingness of performing other low-carbon behaviors. The results of a longitudinal panel survey at one-year interval with 2,324 valid responses indicated that connectedness to nature, perception that climate change is happening, willingness to sort waste and to use green energy could significantly and positively predict public support for the ILBRS. Based on the findings of this study, we provide practical suggestions for policy makers to further improve the implementation of the ILBRS by raising public awareness of climate change and integrating it with other relevant environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that temperatures is associated with cardiovascular mortality, however, few studies have explored the effects of temperature on years of life lost (YLL) from cardiovascular mortality in China under future global warming scenarios. Therefore, there is an urgent need to obtain projections of YLL from cardiovascular diseases. Here we applied nineteen global-scale climate models (GCMs) and three Representative Concentration Pathway emission scenarios (RCPs) in the 2050s and 2070s for temperature-related YLL projection in Tianjin, China. We found the relationships between daily maximum temperatures with YLL from cardiovascular mortality were basically U-shaped. We observed increasing net annual YLL across a range of multiple models under different climate scenarios, suggesting that increasing heat-related YLL from cardiovascular mortality could offset decreasing cold-related YLL from cardiovascular mortality. The largest temperature-related YLL from cardiovascular mortality were observed under the RCP8.5 scenario and increased more rapidly in the 2070s versus the 2050s. Monthly analyses of percent changes in YLL from cardiovascular mortality showed that the largest percent increases occurred from May to September. If warm adaptation occurs, only the adverse effects under RCP2.6 could be fully offset in both 2050 and 2070. Our exploration provided further evidence for the potential health impacts of global warming and highlighted that government should develop environmental policies for future health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is predicted to have severe impacts on mountainous regions, including urban settlements, and livelihoods of the urban poor. Adaptive capacity for marginalized groups is largely determined by household-level resources and decision-making capacity. This study investigated the vulnerability status and prevalent adaptation strategies of urban slum dwellers in Dehradun, Indian Himalayas, using a pre-tested questionnaire covering household characteristics and indicators of vulnerability, in face-to-face interviews with the head of 122 randomly selected households in four slums. We found that overall vulnerability was very high, with very low absorptive and coping capacity for potential impacts of climate change. Moreover, vulnerability and coping strategies were socially differentiated in terms of the decision-making capability and resource capacity of households. Two groups per category (good and bad decision makers; poor and poorer households) were distinguished. The exposure dimension of vulnerability differed significantly by resource capacity and decision capability. However, the sensitivity dimension of vulnerability did not differ between the groups, while the adaptive capacity dimension of vulnerability differed depending on decision-making capability. In designing appropriate strategies for long-term disaster mitigation for urban slums, it is thus important to address slum socio-ecology and the capability and capacity of slum dwellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a serious threat to rice production and soil quality in tropical monsoon areas where it is the lifeline of regional food security. In this study, the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was evaluated for the reliability of model calibration and validation procedures using local-scale data. The model was then employed to evaluate the possible impact of climate change on rice yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in Roi Et Province, Northeast Thailand. The dominant factors that influence the changes in rice yield and SOC sequestration were identified. Four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5) and Sixteen General Circulation Models under four future time periods; near future (2020–2039), mid future (2040–2059), far future (2060–2079), and very far future (2080–2099) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were used as future climate projections. The findings revealed that climate change will impact rice yields positively, which will benefit farmers, especially in rain-fed areas, by +2.6% (RCP8.5: 2080–2099) to +22.7% (RCP6.0: 2080–2099). Rice yields in all case tend to increase significantly by +0.7% (RCP8.5: 2060–2079) to +18.8% (RCP6.0: 2080–2099), with the exception of 2080–2099 under RCP8.5, which results in a decline of rice yield by −8.4%. The precipitation is the most important factor for rice yield in this area. Although rising temperatures will bring a slight rice yield reduction, its impact will be negated by large amounts of increased CO 2 concentration and precipitation. Conversely, SOC decreased significantly in all time periods. The highest decreased SOC was a -32.0% decline under RCP8.5 in the very far future. This is because rises in temperature and precipitation, with precipitation being the most important driver, negated the enrichment of CO 2 fertilization, resulting in accelerated SOC decomposition rates, which may increase nitrogen availability to the soil and increase yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last few decades, environmental policies have led to drastic reduction in sulphur (S)-containing industrial emissions leading to reduced S inputs into the soil. This is of concern for oilseed rape ( Brassica napus L.), which like most Brassica species is a high S-demanding crop. In this context, monitoring S fertilization has become a central issue. Moreover, ongoing and projected climate change will affect crop yield and quality worldwide, thus justifying the prediction of climate effects via modelling approaches so that crop management and practices can be adjusted. In this modelling study, the growth and S status of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) were investigated from the end of winter until the onset of pod formation under contrasting S supplies in a range of climatic conditions acquired for seven major WOSR-producing northern countries and under the four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios (i.e. RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5). Simulations were performed with the process-based model SuMoToRI ( Sulphur Model Towards Rapeseed Improvement ) for past datasets (1948–2005) and projections (2015–2099). Simulation results indicated decreased plant biomass (mainly leaves) as temperatures increased (as expected under the increasingly negative scenarios as the century progresses) and as daily incident radiation decreased in contrast to the mobile S of leaves (mainly sulphate), which tended to accumulate as a consequence of reduced S sink (i.e. leaves) size. These simulations highlighted the increased risks of S over-fertilization, which can lead to environmental issues that mainly comprise S leaching due to high mobile-S in leaves that senesce. Overall, this in silico study raises questions about the most suitable S fertilization strategies and associated farming practices for dealing with the expected adverse climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change mitigation in urban areas requires a portfolio of policies and practices that are implemented across a range of scales and sectors. The local scale allows the development and implementation of site specific strategies to address climate change in urban areas that have been proven to be more efficient, especially within buildings. But these must be within the wider context of transport and other energy consumption. A unique integrated assessment methodology for the analysis of energy at the neighbourhood scale that considers the key sectors of buildings, transport and outdoor lighting has been developed. The influence of key drivers of energy consumption: land use, technology, infrastructure design, are considered to assess how neighbourhood choices impact upon wider energy usage, such as transport emissions. Applied to a neighbourhood in Italy, results show that building retrofit has the greatest benefit, of up to 60%. However, by transitioning to a mixed land use neighbourhood, growing local employment and improving the transit network, reductions of 80% can be achieved in line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement. The method highlights the importance of taking a multi-sector and multi-scale approach to considering neighbourhood mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, many countries across the world have increasingly experienced the collapse of their ecosystems, leading to an elevated increase on the demand for freshwater resources. Botswana is not an exception. The problem of disrupted potable water supply is widespread across the country. However, the physical shortage of water in the country is arguably coupled by lack of effective and efficient water supply and management institutions and water infrastructure. Most of the research on water scarcity in Botswana is mostly inclined towards physical water scarcity, while little is investigated on how the design of institutions for water management in developing countries leads to water scarcity. Furthermore, the premises of most research is neoclassical economics ideas, thereby offering solutions as developing and/or reforming water markets and water pricing mechanisms, among other findings. This paper analyses potable water supply and access in Botswana within a new institutional economics paradigm. The study examines key features of water institutions in Botswana on how they affect water supply and access, applying new institutional economics fundamentals. The study extensively uses various secondary data sources including weather and climate reports, policy documents, maps and charts and survey data, among others. The paper argues that to achieve effective water allocation in Botswana, there is a need to balance social and environmental water resource needs through water policies and other statutory enactments, as well as the crafting of practical management strategies. The country, therefore, requires not only a swift institutional transformation in the water sector, but also needs practical governance structure necessary for implementing integrated water resources management and driving water resources towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of public policies have emerged worldwide as a response from governments facing climate change effects, drawing the attention of the scientific community to the outcomes and actual effects/benefits these policies have brought so far. One of the challenging aspects related to this context is the integration of the objectives set by climate change policies within the sectoral and regional planning. In this respect, the literature recognizes the relevance of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as an instrument to deal with climate change issues in the planning process and to support the development of alternatives to respond to climate change policies. The influence of climate change policies on the plans and programs supported by SEA in emerging economies is yet to be verified. The paper relies on the case of Brazil, recognized by its relevance in terms of biodiversity, water resources and climate regulation. In 2009, Brazil introduced the National Policy of Climate Change (NPCC), which established guidelines to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2020. The present paper is based on the analysis of the current SEA practice and the corresponding level of integration of climate change issues, considering the objectives of the NPCC. A set of 29 statements, delivered by the literature, was applied, combined to the content analysis techniques to review the quality of 35 SEA reports produced in Brazil between 1997 and 2014 (out of 40-odd cases). The outcomes indicate the performance is similar to what was found in other contexts, i.e., SEA areas barely address climate change issues. This thus reveals an important gap between the objectives of NPCC and sectoral/regional planning. SEA can contribute to reducing this gap, but it needs more strength to influence the development of sectoral and regional policies and plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses EU nature conservation and EU climate protection policies within the context of their local implementation in Vienna/Austria in order to gain insights into the decision-making process as well as to show the extent of achievements and experienced difficulties. In this connection, this paper also investigates based on published knowledge and the perceptions of stakeholders the awareness of nature conservation measures as climate-change adaptation and possibly ways of improvement. In order to address these issues, additionally to an in-depth literature review, 16 experts working in Vienna in the field of either nature conservation or climate protection were interviewed. The transcriptions of these interviews were then used in a qualitative content analysis. The findings show that the vast majority of the interviewed stakeholders see EU climate policy and nature conservation policy separately. Furthermore, the implementation of EU climate and nature conservation policy in Vienna is indicated as a “learning by doing” process. There the currently limited cooperation between stakeholders can be improved. Our study also finds that the awareness of different stakeholder groups of the possibility to use nature conservation as a measure against climate change is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interaction between mitigation and adaptation is a key question for the design of climate policies. In this paper, we study how land use adaptation to climate change impacts land use competition in the agriculture, forest and other land use (AFOLU) sector and how a mitigation policy in agriculture might affect this competition. We use for this purpose two sector-specific bio-economic models of agriculture and forest combined with an econometric land use shares model to simulate the impacts of two climate change scenarios (A2 and B1, 2100 horizon), and a greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture policy consisting of a tax of between 0 and 200 €/tCO 2 equivalent. Our results show that both climate change scenarios lead to an increase in the area devoted to agriculture at the expense of forest which could have a negative impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change. The mitigation policy would curtail agricultural expansion, and thus could counteract the effects of land use adaptation to climate change. In other words, accounting for land use competition results in a reduction of the abatement costs of the mitigation policy in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revisited the fundamentals of allocation to joint products and proposed new models for allocating common greenhouse gases emissions among coproducts of biorefineries. These emissions may account for more than 80% of the total emissions of greenhouse gases of the biorefineries. The proposed models optimize the reward of coproducts for their compliance to environmental requirements. They were illustrated by a case study of wheat straw biorefinery built on the literature. Several scenarios were considered with regard to the grain yield, field emissions of greenhouse gases, allocation between grain and straw and policy requirements. The results conform to the expectations and are sensitive to the policy targets and to the environmental performance of the counterpart system. Further research works are necessary to achieve a full application to complex processes. However, the proposed models are promising towards assessing the simultaneous compliance of coproducts of a biorefinery to environment policy requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developed countries provide increasing amounts of aid to assist developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change. How do they distribute this aid? While donors agreed to prioritise “particularly vulnerable” countries, we know from the general aid allocation literature that donors (also) use aid as a foreign policy tool to promote their own economic and political goals. In this paper, we analyse data on bilateral adaptation aid from 2010 through 2015 to assess to what extent adaptation aid is provided in response to recipient need (that is, vulnerability to climate change impacts) as opposed to recipient merit (that is, good governance) and donors’ interests. In contrast to previous research, we find that donors partly take into account vulnerability to climate change. Countries that are physically more exposed to climate change tend to be more likely to receive some adaptation aid and also receive more adaptation aid per capita, as do poorer countries, small island developing states and—to a lesser extent—least developed countries. Countries with lower adaptive capacity, however, do not receive more adaptation aid; instead, donors reward well-governed countries with adaptation aid as well as use adaptation aid to promote their own economic interests. Furthermore, adaptation aid flows very closely follow general development aid flows. The extent to which adaptation aid is new and additional thus remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the literature on public responses to climate policies in two ways. We investigate the effect of institutional contexts on attitudes toward policies, and we examine the relevance of political values for these effects. Institutional theory suggests that the institutional context influences whether “individual rationality” (IR) or “social rationality” (SR) frames choices. To investigate the effects of such contexts and political values on attitudes toward policies aimed at reducing private car use, we conducted a survey experiment involving 1500 car owners in Oslo, Norway. One group of respondents received a text emphasizing the individual health gains from reducing local air pollution (IR context), a second group received a text emphasizing the social responsibility for avoiding climate change (SR context), and a control group received no such text. We found effects of the contexts on attitudes toward emission-reducing policies, and found that the effects vary across individuals with different political values. The SR context yielded higher support for an increase in petrol prices among non-individualists only. The IR context yielded higher support for a decrease in space for cars among both non-individualists and individualists. Ways forward regarding expanding this field of research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature dedicated to the analysis of the different climate agreements has usually focused on the effectiveness of the aims for emissions in the light of the advance in climate change. This article quantifies the variation in emissions that the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) will entail and their financial allocation and policies country-by-country and regionally. The objective is evaluating the Paris Agreement feasibility regarding the INDCs and its economic and environmental constraints. The criteria through which the 161 INDCs are analysed are as follows: i/ socio-economic impact of the transition; ii/ focus on energy management; iii/ substitution of non-renewable sources; iv/ the role of technology; v/ equality of the transition; vi/ compliance with emission reductions. The results obtained show that the Paris Agreement excessively relies on external financial support (41.4%). Moreover, its unilateralist approach, the socio-economic and biophysical constraints could be the underlying cause of the ineffectiveness of the 2 °C objective. This way, each country would emit an average of 37.8% more than in the years 2005–2015. When this is weighted, the figure would be a 19.3% increase, due mainly to the increases in China and India. These figures would lead the temperatures up to 3°–4 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emission reduction (CER) comes to be the principle in most countries particularly China, the largest carbon emitter. For finding an efficient solution, the priority is to find the key impact factors (KIFs) of carbon emission. Previous studies for identifying KIFs, which partially selected only a few potential impact factors (PIFs), are inconsistent in their findings. This study aims to explore the KIFs of carbon emission in China among 43 PIFs, which comprehensively covers 30 relevant studies. The KIFs in China are identified using the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model with correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis and stepwise regression. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) China's carbon emission has five KIFs: the real GDP per capita, urbanization rate, ratio of tertiary to secondary industry, ratio of renewable energy, and fixed assets investment; (2) the most significant carbon emission contributor is real GDP per capita and the most significant carbon emission inhibitor is urbanization rate. This study provides the reliable KIFs for governors' targeted decision-making on CER, and policy implications from the identified KIFs are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some coastal cities there is an urgent need to decide on adaptation investments given the long periods needed to complete the relevant infrastructures. However such decisions are usually made under significant uncertainty due to local climate change and socio-economic impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has developed four global scenarios according to different representative concentration pathways (RCPs); however, using these scenarios directly is equivalent to using incomplete information in the decision-making process because they do not provide information on what sea level rise behavior is most probable. In this study, I propose a model which assigns probabilities to IPCC scenarios with Local Sea Level Rise (LSLR) information. I obtain expected damage and risk measures for the world's 120 major coastal mega-cities at specific moments in time. That is, I consider uncertainty in both scenario selection and within each scenario. With this information it is possible to make adaptation investment decisions under uncertainty with a criterion of not exceeding certain risk levels in the future. The paper shows that in the year 2100 for the equal probability mixed scenario (25% RCP 2.6, 50% RCP 4.5 and 25 RCP 8.5) the expected damage is US$ 1,251,732 millions for New Orleans and US$ 1,196,517 millions for Guangzhou. The risk measurements show that in that year the damage in the 5% of worse cases will be US$ 2,800,756 millions for Guangzhou and US$ 1,832,466 millions for New Orleans. However, not all countries have sufficient resources to make the necessary adaptation investments, so we analyze expected damage and risk according to World Bank country income groups. The paper shows that the USA and China will need to make major adaptation investments in the future. The coastal LSLR risk in lower-income cities is also calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union launched a set of policies as part of its 2020 climate and energy package aimed at meeting its 20/20/20 headline targets for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. This paper evaluates how successful new-to-the-market climate change mitigation technologies (CCMT) are in helping EU member states (MS) reach these goals and, furthermore, whether there are differences between sectors subject to EU-wide polices. To do so, we relate CCMT patent counts to two specific headline targets: (1) achieving 20% of gross final energy consumption from renewables, and (2) achieving a 20% increase in energy efficiency. Our results provide the first ex-post evaluation of the effectiveness of these technologies for combating climate change. Moreover, our sectoral impact assessment points to significant differences in the way in which these technologies contribute to policy goals across the sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black carbon mitigation has received increasing attention for its potential contribution to both climate change mitigation and air pollution control. Although different bottom-up models concerned with unit mitigation costs of various technologies allow the assessment of alternative policies for optimized cost-effectiveness, the lack of adequate data often forced many reluctant explicit and implicit assumptions that deviate away from actual situations of rural residential energy consumption in developing countries, where most black carbon emissions occur. To gauge the theory-practice gap in black carbon mitigation – the unit cost differences that lie between what is estimated in the theory and what is practically achieved on the ground – this study conducted an extensive field survey and analysis of nine mitigation technologies in rural China, covering both northern and southern regions with different residential energy consumption patterns. With a special focus on two temporal characteristics of those technologies – lifetimes and annual utilization rates, this study quantitatively measured the unit cost gaps and explain the technical as well as sociopolitical mechanisms behind. Structural and behavioral barriers, which have affected the technologies’ performance, are discussed together with policy implications to narrow those gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superstorm Sandy hit the northeastern United States in October 2012, knocking out power to 10 million people and highlighting energy and critical infrastructure system vulnerabilities in the face of a changing climate. The increased frequency and intensity of such disruptive events is shifting priorities in electricity system planning around the world, including how multiple stakeholders consider linkages between climate vulnerability and energy. This research links smart grid development with adaptation to changing climates and explores how different stakeholders grapple with system vulnerabilities and climate disruptions. To illustrate this, the in-depth case study assesses post-Sandy discourse to compare how electricity sector stakeholder groups in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont associate energy, smart grid, and climate change. To explore how different energy system stakeholders frame the impacts of Superstorm Sandy on energy system planning, we conducted 22 focus groups with a broad range of organizations representing diverse aspects of the electricity system including utilities, regulatory authorities, research and development agencies, regional transmission organizations, academic research institutions, consumer advocacy and environmental organizations across the three states. We used these data to examine post-Sandy discourse about climate mitigation and climate adaptation, routine system management, and the potential value of “smart grid” for future energy system planning. We found that both New York and Massachusetts stakeholders focused more on climate adaptation than climate mitigation, while stakeholders in Vermont focused more on mitigation. In all three states stakeholder discussions of adaptation focused most heavily on system resilience and reliability, whereas discussions of mitigation focused on demand-side management and demand response followed by alternative energy strategies. These results suggest that extreme weather and climate disruptions will differentially shape discourse around smart grid and energy system change and shift the focus among energy system stakeholders on climate adaptation compared to climate mitigation. This research demonstrates variation between political jurisdictions (states) and energy system stakeholders in energy system planning in the face of new challenges related to an uncertain and rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the editorial for the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews joint special issue devoted to the research work discussed and presented at the 11th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), held from the 4th September to the 9th September 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal and the 2nd South East European (SEE) SDEWES Conference held from June 15th to June 18th, 2016 in Piran, Slovenia. This special issue is in line with the journal's aim of publishing research from across the ever-broadening field of renewable and sustainable energy with a strong review element. Previous SDEWES conference special issues have gathered a significant knowledge base in the field of sustainable development that reflects the continuous research efforts of the SDEWES research community. Therefore, this editorial provides not only an overview of the papers published in this particular special issue, but also a wider overview of the current trends in the domain of sustainable and renewable energy. This year's special issue focuses particularly on the benefits of the bio-based economy, energy security issues, fossil fuel thermal plant alternatives and environmental constraints, district heating and cooling together with cross sector energy efficiency and energy conservation issues. Sustainable transport systems, the issue of fuel poverty in urban neighbourhoods and renewable energy to support development of peripheral rural areas, optimising passive building design for hot climates and solar-powered heating and cooling are further topics featured in this special issue. In the process of selecting papers for this special issue, the guest editors invited in total 23 extended manuscripts for consideration for publication. After a rigorous review process by expert reviewers overseen by the guest editors a total of 16 articles were accepted for publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare for Spain from 1970 to 2012 and seeks to update valuation approaches to a number of items. Two approaches have proven particularly controversial over recent decades; the costs of energy depletion and of climate change. The valuation implications in measuring present welfare have proven problematic, as both include future sustainability consequences arising from resource depletion and environmental impacts. This study includes a ‘ transition cost ’ approach to energy depletion, a modified approach to costs of climate change and water pollution, and removes the cost of ozone depletion. The results illustrate that while GDP per capita increased significantly, the ISEW per capita shows a widening gap. Household labour contributes strongly, but income distribution, energy depletion and costs of climate change limit improvement. Sensitivity analysis shows that accumulating climate change costs and escalating energy depletion costs have significant effects. Nevertheless, the new valuation approaches do not alter conclusions that welfare has shown little improvement. The ISEW provides a useful alternative to current indicators such as GDP subject to awareness of limitations. It is a measure of welfare that uses sustainability accounting methods when estimating costs, but is not an indicator of whether welfare is actually sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are generally considered highly vulnerable to climate change because they suffer from most common environmental problems due to their smallness, remoteness and exposure to natural hazards, though they contribute less to climate change. However, international cooperation can improve the negative impacts of climate change by incentivizing adaptation policies. The vulnerability assessment becomes crucial because it can be used to allocate the international cooperation resources targeted to adaptation plans. The aim of this paper is to assess of the vulnerability in Small Island Developing States. Using a comprehensive dataset including 32 variables, we synthetize the vulnerability with a composite indicator. Then, we analyze the vulnerability’s dynamics over time from 2009 to 2014. Lastly, we explore the dimensions of vulnerability to assess those that have a greater weight on overall vulnerability. Our findings show that the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States is partly driven by common characteristics, such as isolation and extreme exposure to the effects of climate change, but the degree of vulnerability of identified dimensions is different among countries. Our results give indications to better target development aid, giving suggestions on the more relevant dimensions for action to reduce the vulnerability of each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources systems face irreducible uncertainty in supply and demand, requiring policies to respond to changing conditions on multiple timescales. For both short-term operation and long-term adaptation, thresholds or “decision triggers”, where a policy links observed indicators to actions, have featured prominently in recent studies. There remains a need for a general method to conceptualize threshold-based policies in an easily interpretable structure, and a corresponding search algorithm to design them. Here we propose a conceptual and computational framework where policies are formulated as binary trees, using a simulation-optimization approach. Folsom Reservoir, California serves as an illustrative case study, where policies define the thresholds triggering flood control and conservation actions. Candidate operating rules are generated across an ensemble of climate scenarios, incorporating indicator variables describing longer-term climate shifts to investigate opportunities for adaptation. Policy tree optimization and corresponding open-source software provide a generalizable, interpretable approach to policy design under uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The article explores the moments wherein participatory approaches in climate change adaptation (CCA) policies contribute to reinforcing, rather than transforming, the underlying causes of vulnerability. Using the case of food insecure households in the district of Humla in northwestern Nepal, the study demonstrates that the same social and power relations that are driving local vulnerability dynamics, such as caste, gender, and access to social and political networks, also play important roles in shaping the impact of CCA policies. By tracing Nepal’s CCA programs, starting with the local level, through district to international-national level dynamics, the study adds insights into the barriers to exclusion that embed power relations all the way through the chain of policy development. The purpose is to better understand how CCA can perpetuate rather than alleviate the conditions that create differential vulnerability patterns at village level. It raises questions about how whether CCA programs are an adequate response to increasing vulnerability for some of the world’s most marginalized people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Meeting global climate change mitigation goals requires the participation of developing countries in abatement programs to encourage low-carbon development pathways. Incentivizing developing countries to participate in climate change mitigation often requires a mechanism for developed countries to finance projects in poorer countries. While several funding institutions have been established, African country participation has been low. In this analysis, we conduct interviews with climate change policy stakeholders from across the continent and find a general consensus that a lack of institutional capacity has limited the participation of African countries in existing climate change mitigation programs. To confirm this qualitative observation, we use data from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank to examine the correlation between country-year measures of institutional capacity and the number of projects implemented by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and find that better institutional quality is associated with more GEF projects implemented in a country-year. We propose to address the lack of institutional capacity with the creation of regional institution, or Climate Change Mitigation Institution (CCMI), that specializes in building local capacity by leveraging external capacity as well as facilitates the integration of African countries into global climate change mitigation efforts by improving capacity, strengthening research and development, forming partnerships, and coordinating the disbursement of financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was used to assess the impacts of climate change and proposed adaptation measures on yields of corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean ( Glycine max L.) as well as aggregated yields of C 3 [soybean, alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)] and C 4 [corn, sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum L.)] crop types from representative farms in ten Southeastern US states. Adaptations included annual biochar applications and irrigation. Historical baseline (1979–2009) and future (2041–2070) climate scenarios were used for simulations with baseline and future CO 2 concentrations of 360 ppmv and 500 ppmv, respectively. Four regional climate models (RCMs) nested within global climate models (GCMs) were used to run future simulations. The experiment was analyzed as randomized complete block design with split-plots in time for baseline vs. future comparisons, and as a randomized complete block design with repeated measures for comparisons between future periods within each RCM_GCM model. Compared to historical baseline scenario, increases in future corn yield ranged between 36–83%, but yields decreased by 5–13% towards 2066–2070 due to temperature stress. Future soybean yields decreased by 1–13% due to temperature and moisture stresses. Future aggregated C 4 crops produced higher yields compared to historical C 4 yields. There were no differences between future aggregated and historical C 3 crop yields. Both crop types were negatively affected by progressing climate change impacts towards the end of 2066–2070 simulation period. Reductions in future aggregated C 3 crop yields ranged between 10–22%, and between 6–10% for C 4 crops. We explained lower reductions in C 4 compared to C 3 crops due to a lesser degree of photorespiration, better water use efficiency, and better heat tolerance under conditions of high light intensities and increased temperatures in C 4 crops. Irrigation resulted in increased future corn yields between 29–33%, and 3–38% of aggregated C 4 crop yields, with no effect on soybean or aggregated C 3 crop yields. In some regions, biochar applications caused significant yield reductions of 9.5–20% for corn, 5–7% for aggregated C 3 , and 3–5% for aggregated C 4 crops, depending on the model. Yield reductions were ascribed to alterations in plant nutrient availability. It was concluded that under drier weather scenarios, irrigation may be a promising adaptation strategy for agriculture in the Southeastern US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]