Actions that Promise and Practices that Fall Short

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Dryzek ◽  
Richard B. Norgaard ◽  
David Schlosberg
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Tax ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Trading Scheme ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Single Instrument

Almost all national governments now recognize the reality of climate change, and the need to respond. As should be clear from the previous chapter, the costs of inaction eventually become prohibitive. The repertoire of actions available to governments (and others) is substantial, and in this chapter we take a look at what can be done. Many actions ought to make a difference. Yet there prove to be formidable reasons why governments often do not adopt them; and when they do, policies that ought to work on paper are crafted and implemented in ways that render them less effective or even counterproductive. The reasons have a lot to do with the way powerful interests, dominant discourses, and political-economic systems are configured in today’s world. They have still more to do with the profound and novel challenge that climate change presents—driving home the need to contemplate bigger questions about how societies are organized, not just what governments and others should do. These larger questions receive our attention in subsequent chapters, but it is important to examine the repertoire of available actions, still needed in any reconfigured systems. Policy discussions often focus on major actions like a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme that would increase the cost of burning fossil fuel and so provide incentives to reduce its use, develop renewable technologies and, eventually, change lifestyles. But before rushing to design some optimal single instrument like this, we should think about all the other established practices and policies that make a difference, and that could be changed for the better. For example, coal mining is typically taxed lightly, but could be taxed more. In the US, homeowners can deduct mortgage interest from their taxable income, encouraging construction of large homes spaced further apart; that deduction could be focused on more efficient housing. Zoning laws could be changed to make urban landscapes more energy efficient and pedestrian friendly. Governments could redirect existing spending on research and development to cleaner energy. Further action possibilities include sequestration and long-term storage of carbon in forests and other biomass, and discouraging the release of carbon from plants resulting from land clearing.

scholarly journals A Climate of Inaction: Limitations of a Relational Understanding of Morality

Elements ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Butron
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
International Agreements ◽  
Relational Understanding ◽  
Technological Factors ◽  
Moral Failure ◽  
Decisive Action ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
National Governments

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the only way to mitigate the consequences of climate change. In spite of this knowledge, curing the world’s addiction to fossil fuels has proven to be A herculean task. International agreements are limited in scope, and National governments have failed to enact laws that would sufficiently reduce domestic emissions. in addition, most individuals are hesitant to make THE necessary sacrifices that would reduce personal emissions. While political, economic, and technological factors are the most apparent barr iers to reform, climate change can also be understood as a moral failure. Fr om a psychological standpoint, morality is an emotional belief that stems from Interpersonal relationships. The unprecedented scope of climate change has exposed the limits of the relational understanding of morality. We have been unable to frame our relationship with the biosphere in a manner that elicits a strong enough moral response to lead to decisive action. This paper does not attempt to offer a solution, but hopes instead to reveal the moral implications of climate inaction.

scholarly journals Assessing the Climate Change Adaptations of Upland Farmers: A Case of La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-142
Author(s):  
Gerryc P. Alfonso
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Institutional Capacity ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Adaptation to climate change impacts varies from country to country. It is difficult to capture the concept of adaptations because it includes government policies and the behavior of farmers. Undertaking regional and local assessments of adaptations is still informative because it serves as baseline data for government and other institutions in supporting the needs of the farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Thus, the study aims to look at the institutional supports availed and needed by farmers for climate change adaptation and assess their cost, effectiveness, institutional capacity, and acceptability. Personal interview and Focus Group Discussion complemented by various data gathering techniques was done to provide ample description and understanding of the sources, cost, effectiveness, institutional capacity, and acceptability of the climate change adaptations of farmers in La Trinidad, Benguet. Various institutional supports were given to the farmers but not equally and equitably distributed to the farmers. Almost all of the adaptations were effective, the cost and degree of institutional capacity needed are low but highly acceptable to the farmers.

Tax Policy Issues in Designing a Carbon Tax

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald B. Marron ◽  
Eric J. Toder
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Tax Policy ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Carbon Tax ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Tax Rate ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
New Public ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies

A carbon tax is a promising tool for discouraging the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. In principle, a well-designed tax could reduce the risk of climate change, minimize the cost of emissions reductions, encourage innovation in low-carbon technologies, and raise new public revenue. But designing a real-world carbon tax poses significant challenges. We analyze those challenges from a public finance perspective, emphasizing three tax policy design issues: setting the tax rate, collecting the tax, and using the resulting revenue. The benefits of a carbon tax will depend on how policymakers address those issues.

scholarly journals New institutional framework for global climate change prevention

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
A. C. Presse
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Economic Incentive ◽  
Global Commons ◽  
Trading Scheme ◽  
National Governments

Purpose. This conceptual paper takes the firms’ perspective about practical implications of the theory of the global commons. Global commons are the areas and resources defined as those being beyond national jurisdictions. Their governance, today, however, is still coordinated largely by national states. Design/Method/Approach. This paper introduces a firm's perspective based on the global commons approach. Findings. At present, companies deal with national governments concerning their emissions and, perhaps, the international emissions trading scheme. Theory argues about the need to shift the responsibility from the national to global governmental levels, i. e. the United Nations. Theoretical implications. Given the input orientation put forward by this approach, companies – except fossil fuel extractors – would not actually have to deal with any governmental or regulatory bodies but can focus their capabilities on what they are best at: serving the needs of their customers. Fossil fuel extracting companies, in order to sell these fossil fuels, will have to purchase the amount of emission rights before they sell the fuel into the economic cycle. This approach establishes an economic incentive for companies to employ technologies with low or zero fossil fuel consumption while making the transition path predictable. The underlying concept, therefore, can also be referred to as an immissions scheme (from Latin immissio, “to let in”). Originality/Value. Governing a global common through national structures is inappropriate and does not reflect the nature of the underlying resource. This paper proposes a solution to the problem of global climate change. Further research. Further research is needed to address the effect of this strategy on different industries, and how those are affected based on the degree to which they employ fossil fuels. Paper type – сonceptual.

METHODS OF RENOVATION OF LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH LANDSCAPE RECULTIVATION (ON THE EXAMPLE OF ROSTOV REGION)

2019 ◽  
pp. 43-58
Author(s):  
Oksana Sadkovskaya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Urban Spaces ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Rostov Region ◽  
Planning Methods

One of major factors of deterioration in a microclimate of urban development in the conditions of the Rostov region, is degradation of landscapes owing to violation of water balance of the territory. In article the main reasons for violation of water balance which included natural features of the region, a consequence of anthropogenic influence, climatic changes, etc. are considered. Examples from the world practice of urban planning, which show the relevance and effectiveness of compensation for the effects of anthropogenic im-pacts and climate change using planning methods, are given. The experience of the United States, the Nether-lands, Canada and other countries that use water-saving technologies in planning is considered. The rela-tionship of urban planning and the formation of sustainable urban landscapes is shown. The integration of water-saving technologies into the urban environment can be a means of optimizing landscapes and a means of creating unique urban spaces. Reclamation of the urban landscape of low-rise buildings is a necessary step in creating a modern and comfortable urban environment in the conditions of the Rostov region. Meth-ods are proposed to compensate for negative changes in urban landscapes that can be applied at the stage of urban planning. As well as the proposed methods can be applied in the reconstruction of urban low-rise buildings. The considered methods concern not only urban landscapes, but also agricultural landscapes that surround small and medium-sized cities of the Rostov region. In article the author's concept of the organiza-tion of the low housing estate on a basis Urban- facies is submitted. Planning methods of regulation of water balance of the territory on the basis of models the ecological protective of landscapes are offered: an ecolog-ical core, an ecological corridor and an ecological barrier and also analogs from town-planning practice are considered. The reclamation of urban landscapes based on urban planning methods for regulating the water balance of the territory will allow creating unique urban spaces that are resistant to local climatic conditions and the possible consequences of climate change.

From “Inconvenient Truth” to Effective Governance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Passarelli ◽  
David Michel ◽  
William Durch
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Global Public Good ◽  
Environmental Groups ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Political Response ◽  
Earth’S Climate ◽  
National Governments

The Earth’s climate system is a global public good. Maintaining it is a collective action problem. This chapter looks at a quarter-century of efforts to understand and respond to the challenges posed by global climate change and why the collective political response, until very recently, has seemed to lag so far behind our scientific knowledge of the problem. The chapter tracks the efforts of the main global, intergovernmental process for negotiating both useful and politically acceptable responses to climate change, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, but also highlights efforts by scientific and environmental groups and, more recently, networks of sub-national governments—especially cities—and of businesses to redefine interests so as to meet the dangers of climate system disruption.

scholarly journals An explanatory study of the use of e-mail investor communication by South African listed companies

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roelof Baard ◽  
George Nel
Keyword(s):  
Listed Companies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Contact Method ◽  
Interactive Communication ◽  
Handling Performance ◽  
Corporate Websites ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Cost ◽  
E Mail

Background: Although research shows that almost all listed companies have corporate websites with dedicated investor relations (IR) sections that enable companies to ‘push’ information to investors, it was argued that such an asymmetrical approach to communication is insufficient for companies wishing to exercise good IR. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of the Internet to act as a mechanism to achieve more interactive communication between companies and investors.Objectives: The objectives of the study were to measure the responsiveness, timeliness and relevance of companies’ responses to e-mail requests, and to test for the determinants (size, market-to-book ratio, profitability, leverage and liquidity) thereof.Method: The mystery investor approach and a content analysis were used to study the e-mail handling performance of companies. The associations between company-specific characteristics were statistically tested.Results: It was found that the e-mail handling performance of companies in this study was poor compared with previous studies. Significant relationships between company size and responsiveness and relevance, and between market-to-book ratio and relevance were reported, as well as between the contact method used to request information and relevance and the use of social media and timeliness.Conclusion: Specific areas where companies could improve their investor communications were identified. The need for further research was discussed to explain some of the relationships found, as well as those not found, in contrast to what was expected. Future research is warranted to examine the relationship between the e-mail handling performance of companies and information asymmetry and the cost of equity of companies.

The geography of climate migration

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-37
Author(s):  
Michał Burzyński ◽  
Frédéric Docquier ◽  
Hendrik Scheewel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Migration ◽  
First Century ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Internal Mobility ◽  
Almost All

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the long-term effects of climate change on the mobility of working-age people. We use a world economy model that covers almost all the countries around the world, and distinguishes between rural and urban regions as well as between flooded and unflooded areas. The model is calibrated to match international and internal mobility data by education level for the last 30 years, and is then simulated under climate change variants. We endogenize the size, dyadic, and skill structure of climate migration. When considering moderate climate scenarios, we predict mobility responses in the range of 70–108 million workers over the course of the twenty-first century. Most of these movements are local or inter-regional. South–South international migration responses are smaller, while the South–North migration response is of the “brain drain” type and induces a permanent increase in the number of foreigners in OECD countries in the range of 6–9% only. Changes in the sea level mainly translate into forced local movements. By contrast, inter-regional and international movements are sensitive to temperature-related changes in productivity. Lastly, we show that relaxing international migration restrictions may exacerbate the poverty effect of climate change at origin if policymakers are unable to select/screen individuals in extreme poverty.

scholarly journals Barley Seeds miRNome Stability during Long-Term Storage and Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4315
Author(s):  
Marta Puchta ◽  
Jolanta Groszyk ◽  
Magdalena Małecka ◽  
Marek D. Koter ◽  
Maciej Niedzielski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Viability ◽  
Small Rna Sequencing ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Seed Aging ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Novel Mirna ◽  
Complex Biological Process ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Term Storage

Seed aging is a complex biological process that has been attracting scientists’ attention for many years. High-throughput small RNA sequencing was applied to examine microRNAs contribution in barley seeds senescence. Unique samples of seeds that, despite having the same genetic makeup, differed in viability after over 45 years of storage in a dry state were investigated. In total, 61 known and 81 novel miRNA were identified in dry seeds. The highest level of expression was found in four conserved miRNA families, i.e., miR159, miR156, miR166, and miR168. However, the most astonishing result was the lack of significant differences in the level of almost all miRNAs in seed samples with significantly different viability. This result reveals that miRNAs in dry seeds are extremely stable. This is also the first identified RNA fraction that is not deteriorating along with the loss of seed viability. Moreover, the novel miRNA hvu-new41, with higher expression in seeds with the lowest viability as detected by RT-qPCR, has the potential to become an indicator of the decreasing viability of seeds during storage in a dry state.

Ten Pages that Changed the World: Deconstructing Ricardo∗

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Peet
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade ◽  
Economic Geography ◽  
Comparative Advantage ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Open Market ◽  
Trade Theory ◽  
The World ◽  
Neoliberal Development ◽  
Trading Scheme ◽  
Political Economic

Powerful ideas that shape the world become taken-for-granted verities, in two senses of the term: as the only world that is known; and as the only world that can be imagined. When hegemony controls the imagination, fundamental criticism becomes difficult, and perhaps, impossible. Yet what if there were flaws in the original idea, from which new worlds were constructed, that have materialized in a political-economic geography beset with seemingly unsolvable problems? For example, what if there have always been fundamental flaws in the free trade, open market, competitive, global system that dominates both the world as we know it and the conventional political-economic-geographical thought we know it through? This article speculates that a psycho-discursive act of deconstruction might unravel the entire, subsequent discourse. It aims deconstruction at a founding statement in the free trade, global ideal, by looking critically at David Ricardo's theory of comparative advantage. Ricardo's argument that specialization and free trade are universally beneficial, became a founding premise of conventional economic theory and a basic prescription of liberal and neoliberal development policy. The article looks critically: at the logical consistency and representational accuracy of Ricardo's theory, especially the claim that all participants benefit from participation in a free trading scheme, so that trade brings about a far better world. The article reaches two main, critical conclusions: free trade theory based in comparative advantage has, from the beginning, been an ideology for creating economic spaces open to domination by powerful, leading countries; economics and economic geography have, since their classical beginnings, been biased in that their founding statements reverse the reality they pretend accurately to represent.

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