Energy for sustainable development: Review of national and international energy policies

This article presents an assessment of the effectiveness of national and international energy policies directed toward the objectives of sustainable development contained in Agenda 21. Following a brief overview of energy and transport sector trends over the past ten years, the article discusses whether and to what extent energy policies for sustainable development have impacted on poverty reduction, energy security, equitable access to energy, and transition to a more efficient and environmentally sound energy system.
The impact of policies is assessed considering that such a transition involves appropriate combinations of energy efficient technologies and usage patterns, wider use of renewable energy, and gradual induction of advanced energy technologies. The article then examines the extent to which such policies have been based on integrated assessments of the needs and priorities in economic growth, social development and environmental protection and identifies some of the main constraints and barriers hampering the implementation of energy for sustainable development. The article also examines whether decision-making processes ensure multi-stakeholder participation in policy development and support a fair sharing of commitments, responsibilities and benefits among the participating stakeholders in policy implementation. Selected case studies of policies that have made a tangible difference in promoting energy for sustainable development are outlined.
Finally the article discusses the challenges facing energy for sustainable development and discusses various options to accelerate the implementation of its goals.     

Context-dependent evaluation of climate change policies: competing policies,knowledge and emotions

Climate change policies can compete with policies on other social and environmental problems for limited economic resources. This paper investigates the potential influence of alternative policies on citizens’ preferences for climate change policies. A contingent valuation study was implemented to estimate the impact of observable and unobservable contextual effects of competing polices on climate change valuation. Individuals are also investigated about their endowment of knowledge and emotional reactions to such problems. The results show that citizens’ valuation of climate change policies crucially depends on the context-dependent competing policies. The valuation rises as the number of competing policies increases. This increment becomes economically significant when the competing policies are related to specific problems such as forest fires and development. In addition, the valuation also rises with the amount of knowledge endowed by the individual about the climate change problem, and with the experience of negative emotions such as fear and sadness.     

Blowing policy bubbles: rethinking emissions targets and low-carbon energy policies in the U.K.

The issue of proportionality is central to climate policy debates about setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of low-carbon energy. In effect, these debates centre on whether the perceived social costs outweigh the benefits of policies and, if not, whether this may lead to over-investment or ‘policy bubbles’. Political attention, agenda setting and policy image are all crucial drivers of ambitious policy formation, as seen in the case of the United Kingdom's (U.K.) Climate Change Act (2008). However, as political salience waned and economic depression dragged on, the cost of long-term climate targets has been reconsidered. Based on documentary analysis and 33 interviews with central political actors, this article presents a detailed account of how economic arguments have been used to reinterpret and challenge policies, using the heuristics of ‘over-investment’ and ‘policy bubbles’. Ultimately, arguments about proportionality hinge on which costs and benefits are considered. In the U.K., economic and technical framings are typically prioritised, but they do not explain contradictory and politically motivated policy decisions. We discuss these dynamics within the context of maturing renewable energy technologies, high energy prices and the U.K.’s cross-party consensus approach to climate politics.     

Efficient use of energy and materials: progress and policies

There is a growing awareness of the serious problems associated with the provision of sufficient energy to meet human needs and to fuel economic growth world-wide. This has pointed to the need for energy and material efficiency, which would reduce air, water and thermal pollution, as well as waste production. Increasing energy and material efficiency also have the benefits of increased employment, improved balance of imports and exports, increased security of energy supply and adopting environmentally advantageous energy supply. A large potential exists for energy savings through energy and material efficiency improvements. Technologies are not now, nor will they be, in the foreseeable future, the limiting factors with regard to continuing energy efficiency improvements. There are serious barriers to energy efficiency improvements, including unwillingness to invest, lack of available and accessible information, economic disincentives and organizational barriers. A wide range of policy instruments, as well as innovative approaches have been tried in some countries in order to achieve the desired energy efficiency improvements. These include: regulation and guidelines; economic instruments and incentives; voluntary agreements and actions; information, education and training; and research, development and demonstration. An area that requires particular attention is that of improved international co-operation to develop policy instruments and technologies to meet the needs of developing countries. Material efficiency has not received the attention that it deserves. Consequently, there is a dearth of data on the qualities and quantities of final consumption, thus, making it difficult to formulate policies. Available data, however, suggest that there is a large potential for improved use of many materials in industrialized countries.     

Innovation for sustainable development in artisanal mining: Advances in a cluster of opal mining in Brazil

The objective of this article is to understand how the promotion of clusters of small economic agents in the gem sector has brought some improvements in the economic, social and environmental conditions in the mining sector and activities related to it. The research provides policy and theoretical contributions to the field of gem production, as well as enhances understanding of the under researched opal production in Brazil. It argues that government funding and technical support dedicated to the development of mining clusters, i.e. working with small economic agents as a whole and not individually, could promote not only more economic development, but also effectively incorporate social and environmental issues, such as workers safety, water management and tailings recycling. The argument is based on an evaluation of environmental, economic, social and institutional aspects of the opal mining cluster in Pedro II municipality, Piauí state. The results suggest that some formalisation of existing practices and adequate policies have triggered innovation with some positive effects on the performance of artisanal mining. Nevertheless, there are indications that if decision-makers plan to make this cluster more sustainable, they will have to include other issues in the debate including developing substituting economic activities.     

Evaluation of energy policy in Cuba using ISED

This article discusses the development of Cuba's energy sector in the last half century, especially the last 25 years, emphasizing social, economic, environmental and institutional aspects. Energy use is evaluated with the indicators for sustainable energy development (ISED) developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and applied by the authors, based on data series from Cuba's National Office of Statistics. Cuba's economy and energy sector have undergone important changes, particularly in the 1990s during the crisis that resulted from the termination of the country's special trade relations with former socialist countries. Based on an analysis of Cuba's economy and energy situation, a number of policies were selected for evaluation, including those aimed to reduce energy import dependence, increase the share of renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency. The effects of these policies are evaluated in view of sustainable energy development. The article concludes with an evaluation of recent progress towards sustainable energy development in Cuba, and outlines future options for the country.     

Review and challenges of policies of environmental protection and sustainable development in China

China is confronted with the dual task of developing its national economy and protecting its ecological environment. Since the 1980s, China's policies on environmental protection and sustainable development have experienced five changes: (1) progression from the adoption of environmental protection as a basic state policy to the adoption of sustainable development strategy; (2) changing focus from pollution control to ecological conservation equally; (3) shifting from end-of-pipe treatment to source control; (4) moving from point source treatment to regional environmental governance; and (5) a turn away from administrative management-based approaches and towards a legal means and economic instruments-based approach. Since 1992, China has set down sustainable development as a basic national strategy. However, environmental pollution and ecological degradation in China have continued to be serious problems and have inflicted great damage on the economy and quality of life. The beginning of the 21st century is a critical juncture for China's efforts towards sustaining rapid economic development, intensifying environmental protection efforts, and curbing ecological degradation. As the largest developing country, China's policies on environmental protection and sustainable development will be of primary importance not only for China, but also the world. Realizing a completely well-off society by the year 2020 is seen as a crucial task by the Chinese government and an important goal for China's economic development in the new century, however, attaining it would require a four-fold increase over China's year 2000 GDP. Therefore, speeding up economic development is a major mission during the next two decades and doing so will bring great challenges in controlling depletion of natural resources and environmental pollution. By taking a critical look at the development of Chinese environmental policy, we try to determine how best to coordinate the relationship between the environment and the economy in order to improve quality of life and the sustainability of China's resources and environment. Examples of important measures include: adjustment of economic structure, reform of energy policy, development of environmental industry, pollution prevention and ecological conservation, capacity building, and international cooperation and public participation.     

基于区域一体化背景下的长三角环境经济政策优化研究

基于长三角区域社会、经济、环保一体化高质量发展要求,全面调研"三省一市"(上海、江苏、浙江、安徽)2011—2017年环境经济政策出台情况,并开展评估分析。结果显示:长三角区域环境经济政策整体呈现良好发展态势,尤其在财政奖补方面占绝对优势,但各省市差异较为明显,且区域层面联动政策相对欠缺。在此基础上,结合长三角区域环境质量改善目标及污染防治协作深化需求,建议在环保基金、生态补偿、排污权交易、环境信用体系等领域率先开展区域联动试点,并从机制、法律、技术等层面给予保障,探索形成区域环境经济政策共商、共享、共赢模式。     

中国城市空气污染对人口流动的推拉效应研究

传统城市发展理论认为,空气污染会导致人口流出。然而,本文以城市雾霾数据为例,分类别构建固定效应模型后发现,空气污染会促进百强城市的人口净流入(形成拉力效应),非百强城市的人口净流出(形成推力效应)。拉力效应与传统的城市发展理论不符。本文认为,当城市间收入差距过大时,流入居民会形成高水平的收入预期,促使其愿意承受更严重的空气污染,该预期可量化为空气污染的拉力效应。据此进一步研究收入水平对推拉效应的调节作用发现,随着收入水平上升,其能放大百强城市的拉力效应和非百强城市的推力效应,即进一步促进百强城市的人口净流入和非百强城市的人口净流出。在此基础上,本文对百强城市和非百强城市分别提出政策建议,以期能为我国区域协调发展、城镇化科学转型提供理论支持。     

Integrating environmental policies into local practices: The politics of agri-environmental and energy policies in Rural Finland

The paper focuses on the interplay between policy implementation and heterogeneous everyday social practices that, we argue, finally determine the success of environmental policies. We compare two empirical case studies to show how the targets of international climate policy and the agri-environmental policy of the EU have been achieved in energy production and agriculture in rural Finland. The focus of our analysis is on the power effects of these policies at the level of local natural resource management practices. Our analysis revealed tensions that arose during the implementation of the policies and showed that the policies modified the local actors' capacities to act. Therefore, we claim that policy practices should be analysed and appreciated as sites for the articulation of conflict and difference, as places of social and cultural contestation.     

环境政策对企业绩效的影响

一个国家的环境政策是国家保护环境的大致方针,直接关系到这个国家的环境立法和环境管理,更直接影响到这个国家的整体环境状况,不同类型的环境政策对企业也产生了各方面的影响。本文研究环境政策的不同形式、内容、具体执行手段及其对企业的环境、经济绩效产生的影响。通过研究西方发达国家的成功环境政策,探讨我国环境政策中存在的不足与缺陷。最后根据不同管理手段的可行性,有效性及最终效果,联系我国具体国情,在符合可持续发展原则的同时,提出更为有效,对企业绩效具有正面刺激的环境政策建议。     

环境可持续发展理论体系框架的构建

环境问题包括生态环境与社会、经济与生态环境关系两方面的问题，本文从社：会、经济、文化以及环境科技发展等不同角度论述了环境可持续发展理论体系框架的构建，认为环境可持续发展必须是在体现公平性、可持续性、协调性的基础上，建立以生态思维为基础的社会环境伦理观、发展环境科学技术、实现经济的有机增长，不断完善环境政策与环境法制体系，     

碳达峰碳中和目标下可再生能源产业财税金融支持政策研究

能源作为经济社会发展的重要物质基础,也是碳排放的主要来源,推动能源结构调整、大力发展可再生能源产业是实现碳达峰碳中和目标的必然要求。为了促进可再生能源产业发展,国家实施了一系列财税宏观调控政策。本文在梳理政策现状的基础上,对存在的问题进行了识别,包括弃风弃光现象影响财政资金使用效益、可再生能源电价补贴不到位、财税优惠政策形式相对单一、优惠政策执行的配套机制不足等。从建立、完善可再生能源电力消纳保障机制,多种渠道解决可再生能源补贴缺口问题,进一步完善税收优惠政策,适时优化调整财政支持政策,与其他政策协同发挥作用等方面提出了政策优化建议。     

Toward energy and livelihoods security in Africa: Smallholder production and processing of bioenergy as a strategy

The past few years have seen a phenomenal rise in the production and consumption of biofuels and biodiesel at the global level. This development is of special significance to Africa, where about 550 million people (75% of the total population in Sub‐Saharan Africa) depend on traditional biomass (wood, charcoal, cow dung, etc.) and lack access to electricity or any kind of modern energy service. Derived from plants and agricultural crops, biofuels and biodiesel represent modern forms of bioenergy and more efficient use of biomass energy. Beyond efficiency, modern bioenergy offers tremendous opportunities to meet growing household energy demands, increase income, reduce poverty, and mitigate environmental degradation. In the African setting, energy and livelihoods security are indeed inseparable. This paper argues economic, social, and environmental benefits of modern bioenergy can be realized through a strategy that centres on smallholder production and processing schemes and pursuit of a livelihood approach to energy development. Such a scheme opens up new domestic markets, generates new cash incomes, improves social wellbeing, enhances new technology adoption, and lays the ground for rural economic transformation and sustainable land use. The paper concludes by underlining the vital importance of considering sound property rights and strategic planning of sustainable development as tools for sustainable energy and livelihoods security.     

新形势下河北省农村可再生能源管理与政策研究

我国农村可再生能源发展面临生态文明建设、能源安全趋紧、大气污染严重等新的形势变化。作为农业大省,河北省近年来农村可再生能源发展与管理成绩显著,为改善农民生活、保护生态环境、增加能源供应、促进经济社会发展等做出了积极贡献。但新形势下,其农村可再生能源管理也暴露出了思想认识不足、部分法规政策滞后、缺乏宏观科学规划、资金筹措机制单一、后续监督管理不够等问题,需要从加强宣传教育、提高认识水平,完善规章制度、形成法律体系,制定科学规划、明确目标计划,拓宽融资渠道、稳定资金支持、完善服务体系、加强后续管理等方面完善管理与政策,以推进其健康持续发展。     

Monitoring the sustainability of Russia's energy development

This article presents an assessment of Russia's energy sector, its current state and planned future direction. The analysis of Russia's energy trends is based on a set of indicators for sustainable energy development (ISED), developed under the leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The article discusses Russia's Energy Strategy to 2020, and outlines major developments and challenges of the country's energy system. Russia's energy priorities, captured in the Strategy to 2020, emphasize securing a stable and uninterrupted energy supply; reducing energy intensity and improving energy efficiency; developing the domestic energy resource base; reducing negative environmental impacts; and ensuring affordable energy for the poorer segments of the population. Energy needs and challenges are discussed in relation to the three aspects of sustainability as defined in Agenda 21: economic, social and environmental. Concerns are expressed regarding environmental repercussions of energy development, in particular since Russia's 1998 economic rebound. There are also concerns, despite the economic recovery, that anticipated increases in energy tariffs may exceed the affordability of poorer segments of the population.     

Renewable inequity? Women's employment in clean energy in industrialized,emerging and developing economies

Women are globally underrepresented in the energy industry. This paper reviews existing academic and practitioner literature on women's employment in renewable energy in industrialized nations, emerging economies and developing countries. It highlights similarities and differences in occupational patterns in women's employment in renewables in different parts of the world, and makes recommendations for optimizing women's participation. Findings reveal the need for broader socially‐progressive policies and shifts in societal attitudes about gender roles, in order for women to benefit optimally from employment in renewables. In some industrialized countries, restructuring paid employment in innovative ways while unlinking social protection from employment status has been suggested as a way to balance gender equity with economic security and environmental protection. However, without more transformative social changes in gender relations, such strategies may simply reinforce rather than subvert existing gender inequities both in paid employment and in unpaid domestic labor. Grounded interventions to promote gender equality in renewable energy employment – especially within the context of increasing access to energy services for underserved communities – are more prevalent and better‐established in some non‐OECD (Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development) countries. OECD countries might be well‐advised to try to implement certain programs and policies that are already in place in some emerging economies.     

U.S. Electric Utilities and Renewable Energy: Drivers for Adoption

Renewable energy can address rising demand for energy, environmental protection, energy security, and job creation. This paper assesses resource, economic, social, and political drivers for the adoption of renewable energy. Analysis of the data collected from over 100 interviews with utility managers reveals that production tax credits significantly influence the percent of renewable energy in a utility's portfolio. The availability of renewable energy resources, economic drivers, social influences, and political drivers such as renewable portfolio standards and government grants are not significant drivers. Understanding these drivers can help electric utilities, governments, and other stakeholders with their efforts to reap the benefits of renewable energy.     

The impacts of road transport on air quality in the Greater Manchester region, UK: policies towards a sustainable transport system

The transport-induced air quality problems of the Greater Manchester region are examined. The problems are defined in terms of economic and social factors leading to the development of a car-based economy. The impacts of transport emissions on the natural and built environment and human health are discussed. The administrative, legislative and pollution control responses to the problem are examined. The nature of future air quality problems will require an integration of traffic management, land use, public transport and pollution control policies if they are to be satisfactorily addressed. A series of policy recommendations towards this end are included.     

Sustainable regeneration: a guiding vision towards low-carbon transition?

While the concept of sustainable development brings together concepts of economic, environmental and social sustainability, much has been said regarding inherent tensions between them. Conflicts between economic and environmental objectives, in particular, have been noted as restraining efforts to instigate transitions to environmental sustainability, with growth ambitions limiting environmental policy to “win–win” cases. This paper argues that they can also play complementary roles in managing transitions by creating inclusive visions for rallying actors and resources. This is explored by looking at a case of sustainable regeneration in Wales, UK. Using as a case study the Arbed scheme, an area-based project established in 2009 to retrofit housing stock for energy efficiency, this paper shows how the scheme explicitly addresses economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability; and, in particular, how sustainable development aims constituted a guiding vision that supported the formation of actor and resource networks necessary for large-scale retrofitting.