The EU sustainable energy policy indicators framework

The article deals with indicators framework to monitor implementation of the main EU (European Union) directives and other policy documents targeting sustainable energy development. The main EU directives which have impact on sustainable energy development are directives promoting energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, directives implementing greenhouse gas mitigation and atmospheric pollution reduction policies and other policy documents and strategies targeting energy sector. Promotion of use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements are among priorities of EU energy policy because the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements has positive impact on energy security and climate change mitigation. The framework of indicators can be developed to establish the main targets set by EU energy and environmental policies allowing to connect indicators via chain of mutual impacts and to define policies and measures necessary to achieve established targets based on assessment of their impact on the targeted indicators representing sustainable energy development aims. The article discusses the application of indicators framework for EU sustainable energy policy analysis and presents the case study of this policy tool application for Baltic States. The article also discusses the use of biomass in Baltic States and future considerations in this field.     

A context-inclusive approach to support energy policy formulation and evaluation

Observing the many and varied reactions to the Kyoto Protocol, it becomes clear that different governments find themselves in different contexts that eventually direct them toward taking dissimilar positions on energy issues. This paper, through five integrated studies, investigates whether contextualizing energy issues is (are) relevant to support energy policy formulation and evaluation and provides insights into how to operationalize the contextualization. Instead of considering the most widely accepted tools currently used to assess and evaluate energy policy, this research proposes the utilization of a holistic framework that incorporates social, economic and environmental factors as well as their relations to the energy sector to better contextualize global, regional and national energy issues. This framework, which accounts for feedback loops, delays and non-linearity, is applied to case studies to investigate the longer-term performance of selected energy policies. Results of the study indicate the likely emergence of various unexpected side effects and elements of policy resistance over the medium and longer term due to the interrelations existing between energy and society, economy and environment. Furthermore, while side effects and unintended consequences may arise both within the energy sector and in the other sectors, they simultaneously influence society, economy and environment.     

能源活动碳排放核算与减排政策选择

应对气候变化的科学基础是摸清区域碳排放基本状况,对碳排放现状的梳理是探索环境改善路径的依据。探索低碳发展路径的核心在于减排政策选择,同时也是实现可持续发展的条件保障。京津冀协同发展背景下区域环境保护及大气污染治理成为研究热点,河北省资源环境容量与经济增长之间的矛盾日益凸显,生态文明、可持续发展的要求促使探明环境现状,研究节能减排低碳发展的创新机制。摸清河北省碳排放基本现状,探明能源需求和碳排放的演变规律,对河北省探索低碳发展路径具有实践意义。本文基于河北省全域的数据资料和实地调查,核算了河北省下辖11个地级市能源活动引起的碳排放,分析了2005-2013年碳排放的时空演化规律,以情景分析方法为基础,预测了河北省到2030年的碳排放状况。认为:第一,能源活动的碳排放量从研究时间尺度上来看,始终保持增长的趋势,且2009年以后增长更为显著;从空间尺度上来看,唐山市的排放始终是全省最高。第二,基于情景分析对河北省能源活动的碳排放可能状况进行预测。基准情景是排放量最高的情景;低碳情景下2025年前后碳排放量基本稳定;强化低碳情景下设定2030年回到2005年的排放水平上,人均碳排放量始终保持下降,2030年将与全国2012年的人均排放平均水平相当。     

Renewable energy in Australia: a wider policy discourse

ABSTRACT

This paper assesses the evolution of generation technology-mix in Australia, with specific emphasis on understanding how such evolution has been shaped by wider political and socio-economic influences. This assessment is predicated on the argument that the contemporary, quintessentially techno-economic, policy discourse on renewable energy is deficient, as it ignores climacteric political and socio-economic influences on generation technology-mix. The methodological framework employed in this paper is informed by the core tenets of technological change theory. The assessment suggests that generation technology-mix in Australia has historically been overwhelmingly influenced by the underlying technological paradigm of the electricity industry; and that this technological paradigm essentially draws its imprimatur from the wider political and socio-economic contexts. By implication, it suggests that a rapid uptake of renewables will have widespread ramifications, extending into political, socio-economic and cultural realms of a society. Clearly, existing policy discourse – that tends to focus on technical potentials, cost competitiveness, externalities and risks of various renewable technologies – is deficient. A much broader discourse is needed. This paper also made an attempt to develop a basis for such a discourse by reviewing broader aspects of the Australian society that would be affected by a rapid uptake of renewables.     

New energy policy and low-carbon society in Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 devastated the eastern region of Japan.Due to the resulting nuclear accident,Japanese Cabinet decided to revise its energy policies.The Energy and Environment Council in National Policy Unit published options on the nation’s scenarios for energy and economy in 2030.We estimated the economic impacts of the options to national economy and households in 2030.Finally,we clarified significant factors to establish a secure,affluent and low-carbon society based on the energy scenarios.     

中国新能源汽车产业的政策变迁与政策工具选择

伴随着新能源汽车产业的发展,中国政府有关新能源汽车产业政策也在不断地跟进。梳理相关产业政策变迁之中的内在逻辑,分析政策工具的选择是一项极为重要的任务。本文基于政策框架理论及其分析方法,对有关新能源汽车研究文献进行了分析,将关注重点从政策的评价转到从历史的角度关注新能源政策变迁的推动力上。政策变迁是与其动力因素密切相关的,这些动力因素又总是体现为政策变迁的主导力量。在中国新能源汽车产业的政策变迁历程中,其主导力量或政策制定的主要影响因素不断变化,中国新能源汽车的发展政策也可以分为政府主导、汽车厂商主导和消费者主导的三个阶段。政策变迁体现了政策本身的社会价值。基于中国新能源汽车发展的各种不同政策要素及其相关性,本文发现,在中国新能源汽车产业的组织性政策工具、管制性政策工具、经济诱因性政策工具、信息性政策工具和资源性政策工具这五个方面,经济诱因性工具和信息性工具应该是推动新能源汽车产业的关键工具,组织性和管制性工具只适用于产业化初期,后期应逐渐减少,而自愿性工具在新能源汽车产业市场完善前不提倡使用,在该产业市场得到完善后可以成为政府的选择之一。经过研究发现,在新能源汽车产业发展过程中,政府应注意自身的作用范围,适当处理市场与政府规制的便捷,降低交易成本,提高规制效率,是未来产业化政策工具选择应重点关注的环节。同时,政府必须在政策上致力于技术创新,把通过技术创新推动新能源汽车产业发展作为重要的政策目标。     

基于市场表现的中国新能源汽车产业发展政策剖析

发展新能源汽车作为应对能源与环境问题的有效解决方式之一,受到世界各国的重视。中国政府对于新能源汽车产业的发展非常重视,在中央政府层面也提出了多项促进新能源汽车产业发展的相关政策,特别是将产业发展放到国家发展战略的高度。文章在梳理和分类2001-2015年中国新能源汽车产业发展政策(国家层面)、全面展示产业政策的时间演进与变化趋势的基础上,应用产业链分析的方法,按照研发、生产、销售和使用的顺序,选取新能源汽车产业的技术专利数据、产销量数据和商业模式等指标,将中国新能源汽车产业的市场表现与政策进行关联,构建中国新能源汽车产业市场表现与产业政策关联分析框架。然后,在搜集相关市场数据的基础上,采用该分析框架分别从技术专利、产销量和商业模式三个方面对市场表现和产业政策的关联关系进行深入剖析,发现随着产业政策数量与力度的增加,三个方面的市场表现整体均呈现出快速发展的趋势,且技术创新与商业模式创新的战略方向与发展路径均与政策导向基本一致。最后,文章对推广应用补贴和免征车辆购置税的政策变化和影响进行了相关讨论,讨论结果表明随着两项典型政策调整与退坡,国家逐步释放市场信号,显示出政策支持形式与内容在发生变化,特别是体现出对产业技术创新和商业模式创新领域的重视。本文的研究表明:中国已经构建起较为完善的新能源汽车产业发展政策体系,政策体系与市场表现之间存在强关联关系,对新能源汽车产业的技术专利、产品产销量、以及商业模式等市场表现方面起到重要的引领作用;伴随着中国新能源汽车产业政策的调整,提升产业竞争力、占据产业发展新方向将成为产业下一步重点关注的方向。     

Climate change from fossil fuel generated CO2 and energy policy

Projections of the magnitude of global climatic change from combustion generated CO₂ are both uncertain and controversial, due in large measure to ignorance of the physical mechanisms involved. Analysis indicates that the uncertainties can be considerably narrowed by considering only the most immediate time frame of possible climatic impact, thereby leading to the possibility of rationally assessing the scope of the threat and the need for remedial action.     

New rig on the block: spatial policy discourse and the new suburban geography of energy production on Colorado's Front Range

ABSTRACT

Drawing from the Critical Discourse Analysis and Cultural Sociology of Space frameworks, this empirical analysis explores the discursive struggle between stakeholders of divergent viewpoints as they respond to the newfound spatial proximity of oil and gas extraction to homes and schools in suburban residential areas on Colorado's northern Front Range. Through an analysis of media, policy-making, and neighborhood meeting discourse, this study examines the social construction of space through policy narratives and regional debates about the American West's relationship to extractive industries. Results reveal that the discursive struggle over suburban drilling hinges upon the question of whether industrial activities belong in residential areas and is carried out through competing policy narratives that invoke differing (spatial versus aspatial) policy solutions. The deliberative quality of these policy narratives is constrained by existing spatial policy practices and further constrains democratic engagement.     

CGE model-based analysis of the neutralized hybrid carbon policy and its decomposed effects on economic growth,carbon reduction,and energy utilization costs

The hybrid policy is a flexible policy tool that combines features of carbon trading and carbon taxation.Its economic and environmental effects under China's background are still not studied in detail.Given the exogenous carbon reduction targets,carbon prices,and carbon tax-rates,by computable general equilibrium modeling methods and factor decomposition methods,this article investigates direct and cascaded effects of the hybrid policy on economic growth,energy utilization,and carbon emission on the national level and the sector level,with China's national input-output data-set.Stepwisely,policy scenarios with irrational estimated results are selectively excluded based on comprehensive evaluation among economic,carbon reduction and other policy targets.As a result,against national economic conditions in 2007,the hybrid policy,with a carbon reduction target of -10%,a carbon tax-rate of around $10,and a ceiling carbon price of $40,is highly recommended,because of its significant lower economic loss,lower energy utilization cost,and practical robustness against fluctuation of energy market and carbon market.Furthermore,by decomposition analysis,carbon reduction-related costs are decomposed into a direct part that includes carbon allowance price and carbon tax,and an indirect part as the energy price incremental induced by direct carbon costs.Gross carbon reduction may be decomposed into three parts such as energy intensity,economic scale,and technical progress.And,carbon taxation is the main policy tool that stimulates to improve the energy efficiency.     

SWOT analysis of renewable energy sector in Mazowieckie Voivodeship (Poland): current progress,prospects and policy implications

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Renewable energy (RE) plays an increasingly important role in the economy of almost every country in the world. In order to examine the state of...     

Views from above: policy entrepreneurship and climate policy change on electricity in the Canadian Arctic

Regional Environmental Change - Many recognize the role of public policy in catalyzing action to address climate change. Attention has turned to theories of policy change, focusing on agents and...     

Indoor air pollution and public policy

In recent years, scientist have come to realize that contaminated air inside buildings is a major route of human exposure to certain air pollutants. While scientific interest in the problem continues to grow, efforts to measure indoor pollution concentrations, define exposure levels, and estimate health risks remain in their infancy. Within this arena, policymakers must deal with the question of how best to protect public health and safety in the face of incomplete and often contradictory information. In the past, official response to environmental pollution has traditionally taken the form of “control by regulation.” However, creation of a regulatory framework for indoor air quality poses special policy issues that suggest the need to explore alternative modes of intervention. Ambient outdoor air is a public good, in the sense that enjoyment by one individual in no way detracts from use or enjoyment by others. Indoor air, on the other hand, is not a public good, especially in private residences. Costs and benefits of maintaining adequate indoor air quality are internalized within households, suggesting the possibility of a private demand for clean indoor air. Promulgation of indoor air quality standards and other regulations must confront the fact that individuals are already making decisions about their own air quality. Regulations might or might not improve these decisions. Development of effective and reasonable policy requires an appreciation of the scope for private action and consideration of the likelihood that public intervention will foster improved private choices. Among the logical and relatively inexpensive modes of intervention are public information programs, development of simple warning devices, and product testing and labeling.     

Monitoring, enforcement, and the choice of environmental policy instruments

How to choose among the dozen policy instruments available to environmental management agencies has been a matter of concern and debate among environmental economists for the entire life of the profession – nearly four decades. The ability, or lack of it, to measure the quantities or observe the actions made "enforceable" by particular policy instruments ought clearly to be central to this choice. However, all too often the monitoring problem has been assumed away. When it is reintroduced in realistic forms, we find, not surprisingly, that some favorite policy instruments, such as pollution charges, are not applicable to some important problems, such as runoff pollution from farms; that marginal subsidies, by changing the burden of proof, may no longer be symmetric with charges; and that the apparent freedom from monitoring requirements of the newly fashionable instrument involving the public provision of information about firms or products is "paid for" by our inability to say anything about its performance on other dimensions that are also of interest. Electronic Publication     

Resources and international climate change policy gridlock

Few other policy zones are as complex as the issue of climate change. If the more pessimistic projections of climate change doom are correct, then the failure to address the issue is likely to be catastrophic and irreversible. The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted the potential extinction of many species and that the existence of small-island and other vulnerable countries will be threatened if business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions continue. Climate change is a transboundary problem and requires unprecedented levels of cooperation between states and serious and sustained responses from major emitters. However, the growing demand and consumption of natural resources for continued energy security and cornucopian economic growth have undermined the outcomes of international climate change negotiations. It is argued here that there is a strong connection between the major emitters’ positions at United Nations’ climate talks, their possessions, dependence and consumption of natural resources, and the continued undermining of international climate change policy for unsustainable growth. This paper assesses the resource politics of the US, China, India, Canada, Russia, and Saudi Arabia and their positions at climate talks to show the link between lack of climate change policy progress and the positions of these main players.     

Resources and international climate change policy gridlock

Few other policy zones are as complex as the issue of climate change.If the more pessimistic projections of climate change doom are correct,then the failure to address the issue is likely to be catastrophic and irreversible.The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted the potential extinction of many species and that the existence of small-island and other vulnerable countries will be threatened if business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions continue.Climate change is a transboundary problem and requires unprecedented levels of cooperation between states and serious and sustained responses from major emitters.However,the growing demand and consumption of natural resources for continued energy security and cornucopian economic growth have undermined the outcomes of international climate change negotiations.It is argued here that there is a strong connection between the major emitters’positions at United Nations’climate talks,their possessions,dependence and consumption of natural resources,and the continued undermining of international climate change policy for unsustainable growth.This paper assesses the resource politics of the US,China,India,Canada,Russia,and Saudi Arabia and their positions at climate talks to show the link between lack of climate change policy progress and the positions of these main players.     

Examining the effectiveness of low-carbon strategies in South Asian countries: the case of energy efficiency and renewable energy

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This paper examines the impact of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) on carbon emissions, using a panel data of South Asian countries...     

The influence of Chinese population policy change on resources and the environment

Universal two-child policy has been implemented since the end of 2015 in China. This policy is anticipated to bring a significant increase in the total population, with profound influences on the resources and environment in the future. This paper analyzes the changing dynamics of urban and rural population, and forecasts urban and rural population from 2016 to 2030 at national and provincial scale using a double log linear regression model. Drawing upon the results of these two predictions, the impact of the population policy change on Chinese resources consumption and environmental pollution are predicted quantitatively. Given the future total population maintains current levels on resources consumption and environmental emission, the additional demand of resources and environment demand for the new population is forecasted and compared against the capacity on supply side. The findings are as follows: after implementing the universal two-child policy, China’s grain, energy consumption, domestic water demand, and pollutant emissions are projected to increase at different rates across provinces. To meet the needs arising from future population growth, food and energy self-sufficiency rate will be significantly reduced in the future, while relying more on imports. Stability of the water supply needs to be improved, especially in Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, and Sichuan where the gap in future domestic water demand is comparatively larger. Environmental protection and associated governing capability are in urgent need of upgrade not least due to the increasing pressure of pollution.