| 1. |
- Archer, E., et al.
(author)
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Biodiversity and ecosystem services on the African continent - What is changing, and what are our options?
- 2021
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645 .- 2211-4653. ; 37
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Throughout the world, biodiversity and nature's contributions to people are under threat, with clear changes evident. Biodiversity and ecosystem services have particular value in Africa- yet they are negatively impacted by a range of drivers, including land use and climate change. In this communication, we show evidence of changing biodiversity and ecosystem services in Africa, as well as the current most significant drivers of change. We then consider five plausible futures for the African continent, each underlain by differing assumptions. In three out of the five futures under consideration, negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are likely to persist. Those two plausible futures prioritizing environment and sustainability, however, are shown as the most likely paths to achieving long term development objectives without compromising the continent's biodiversity and ecosystem services. Such a finding shows clearly that achievement of such objectives cannot be separated from full recognition of the value of such services.
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| 2. |
- Kanda, Wisdom, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Promoting the export of environmental technologies: An analysis of governmental initiatives from eight countries
- 2016
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier. - 2211-4645 .- 2211-4653. ; 17, s. 73-87
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Export represents a means for the diffusion of environmental technologies with potential socio-economic and environmental benefits. However, environmental technology providers experience export barriers which stifle export and thus several governments continue to formulate export promotion initiatives towards this sector. Although export promotion is identified as essential in the environmental technology policy literature, it is yet to receive attention as to which initiatives are available in different countries including their potential relevance for environmental sustainability. Such knowledge is fundamental for policy learning and transfer including identification of good practices.To address this knowledge gap, we use market failure and comparative public policy theories to analyse export promotion initiatives from export promotion and export credit agencies across eight countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. Three major conclusions emerge: (1) governmental initiatives to promote environmental technology export can be categorised under financial aid, information provision, education and training, and trade mobility programs; (2) policy choices regarding promotion initiatives are mediated by the institutional context and interests of policy actors (3) relevant aspects of such initiatives for environmental sustainability include the incorporation of particular environmental technology characteristics in initiative formulation, and the prioritisation between different technology and markets types for implementation.
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| 3. |
- Olsson, Alexander, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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An alternative pathway to negative emissions - revitalising the wood-based panel production in Sweden
- 2024
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645 .- 2211-4653. ; 50
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Among different possibilities to mitigate climate change, the utilisation of carbon sinks has rendered increased interest with the emergence of net-zero targets. In Sweden, despite large forest resources, the product category wood-based panels has turned from being a carbon sink to an emission source. Production data and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) accounting approach has been used in this paper to construct the pool of biogenic carbon sequestered in wood-based panels. We used indices to compare this development and found that it is unparalleled in other countries. We show that it is possible to achieve an increased carbon sink in harvested wood products in Sweden and argue that all options producing real and quantifiable carbon sinks should be given opportunities in the regulatory frameworks for climate change mitigation. We conclude that the increased importance of carbon sinks to mitigate climate change justifies a critical discussion of bioenergy policy in Sweden and the rest of Europe. Additionally, we suggest a policy direction that will promote the cascading use of by-products for wood-based panels without proposing a mandated hierarchy of biomass use.
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| 4. |
- Acar, Sevil, et al.
(author)
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Periods of converging carbon dioxide emissions from oil combustion : Evidence from a global sample and OECD countries
- 2015
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In: International Journal of Disability, Community & Rehabilitation. - : Elsevier. - 1054-853X .- 2405-5352. ; 23:6, s. 685-697
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper examines convergence of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by oil combustion for a panel of 86 countries considering the importance of analyzing sub-periods separately. The investigation also points at the necessity of choosing a restricted global sample, which takes into account, for instance, that Eastern Bloc countries reacted differently to increasing world crude oil prices than the rest of the world. The analysis builds on examining the β-convergence hypothesis in a neoclassical growth model setting with additional control variables such as emissions from combustion of solid fuels. The results reveal evidence in support of unconditional β-convergence of CO2 emissions intensity due to oil combustion in the restricted sample for the sub-periods 1973–1979 and 1979–1991, while no evidence for convergence was found for the post-1991, pre-Kyoto period. We could not find support for coal substituting for oil, which suggests that the two types of fuels were related to different basic technologies.
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| 5. |
- Acar, Sevil, et al.
(author)
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Periods of converging carbon dioxide emissions from oil combustion in a pre-Kyoto context
- 2016
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier. - 2211-4645. ; 19, s. 1-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper examines convergence of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by oil combustion for a panel of 86 countries considering the importance of analyzing sub-periods separately. The investigation also points at the necessity of choosing a restricted global sample, which takes into account, for instance, that Eastern Bloc countries reacted differently to increasing world crude oil prices than the rest of the world. The analysis builds on examining the β-convergence hypothesis in a neoclassical growth model setting with additional control variables such as emissions from combustion of solid fuels. The results reveal evidence in support of unconditional β-convergence of CO2 emissions intensity due to oil combustion in the restricted sample for the sub-periods 1973–1979 and 1979–1991, while no evidence for convergence was found for the post-1991, pre-Kyoto period. We could not find support for coal substituting technologies.
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| 6. |
- Chen, Deliang, 1961, et al.
(author)
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Using the Köppen classification to quantify climate variation and change: an example for 1901-2010
- 2013
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645. ; 6, s. 69-79
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Köppen climate classification was developed based on the empirical relationship between climate and vegetation. This type of climate classification scheme provides an efficient way to describe climatic conditions defined by multiple variables and their seasonalities with a single metric. Compared with a single variable approach, the Köppen classification can add a new dimension to the description of climate variation. Further, it is generally accepted that the climatic combinations identified with the Köppen classification are ecologically relevant. The classification has therefore been widely used to map geographic distribution of long term mean climate and associated ecosystem conditions. Over the recent years, there has also been an increasing interest in using the classification to identify changes in climate and potential changes in vegetation over time. These successful applications point to the potential of using the Köppen classification as a diagnostic tool to monitor changes in the climatic condition over various time scales. This work used a global temperature and precipitation observation dataset to reveal variations and changes of climate over the period 1901–2010, demonstrating the power of the Köppen classification in describing not only climate change, but also climate variability on various temporal scales. It is concluded that the most significant change over 1901–2010 is a distinct areal increase of the dry climate (B) accompanied by a significant areal decrease of the polar climate (E) since the 1980s. The areas of spatially stable climate regions for interannual and interdecadal variations are also identified, which have practical and theoretical implications.
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| 7. |
- Eriksson, Mattias
(author)
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Carbon footprint reduction potential of waste management strategies in tourism
- 2021
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645. ; 39
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tourism is one of the major economic factors contributing to growth and jobs worldwide. The number of international travellers has increased more than 50-fold in the past 70 years. However, the contribution of tourism to (municipal) waste generation is also large and is increasing, accompanied by an increase in some environmental and socio-economic impacts. An average value of 1.67 kg waste is now generated per tourist (Obersteiner et al., 2017). Waste prevention and recycling should therefore be major objectives in tourist waste management by municipal authorities.Within the EU H2020-funded project "URBANWASTE - Urban Strategies for Waste Management in Tourist Cities", eco-innovative waste prevention and management strategies were implemented in 10 pilot cities with high levels of tourism, in order to reduce urban waste production and improve municipal waste management. This study examined the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings for three selected waste prevention and treatment options: food waste prevention, reductions in single use plastic and increased separate collection and recycling of waste. Benefits were expressed per kg waste prevented or diverted higher up the waste hierarchy and per 1000 tourists.The measures achieved potential GHG emission savings of between 4 and 189 kg CO2-eq. per 1000 tourists, depending on local conditions such as the existing waste management system. Measures tackling food waste reduction and separate collection had low emissions associated with the measure itself, whereas for assessed measures reducing the use of single use plastics by providing reusable alternatives, emissions associated with the measures were relatively high. This was due to the emissions associated with the production of the alternative reusable products. Influencing factors reducing the carbon footprint of waste management in tourism other than the kind of waste focused on were the existing waste management system (especially for biowaste) as well as the practicability and scalability of measures under the divers regional circumstances.
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| 8. |
- Girma, Muluken, et al.
(author)
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Food insecurity experience during climate shock periods and farmers’ aspiration in Ethiopia
- 2023
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In: Environmental Development. - 2211-4645. ; 46
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Research on climate change impact focuses on biophysical and economic dimensions. This paper seeks to unveil the association between smallholder farmers' food insecurity experience (FIE) during climate shock periods and their subsequent aspiration level. To this end, our analysis relied on data collected in rural Ethiopia following an unprecedented climate shock the country faced in 2016. We measured food insecurity (FI) using the food insecurity experience scale module (FIES-M) while households' aspirations were captured using an aggregated index measured in four dimensions: asset, income, children's education, and social status. We use both descriptive analysis and multinomial models to portray the association between FIE and aspiration. The majority of the respondents (67%) faced FI in varied severity: mild, moderate, and severe. The self-reported food gap months during the shock period ranges between 0 and 9 months. Among individuals reporting a food gap, around 80% faced three or more months. The average farmer had an aspiration level of 0.0042. Aspiration was associated with the socioeconomic realities of individuals. Educated, males, households with higher dependency ratio, income, and livestock had higher aspiration levels. Aspiration also varied with the severity of food insecurity individuals experienced. Farmers who experienced severe FI during the shock period had lower aspiration levels. A one-month food gap was associated with a decrease in 0.023 standard deviations in aspiration. The association between FI and aspiration level remains true even after controlling for the socioeconomic covariates of aspiration. There is gender disparity in the severity of FIE and aspiration of households during the shock period. However, this was not true when male headed and female headed households are equal in education, income, and asset holdings. In summary, in addition to the resource-related impact, climate shocks may influence the future oriented behavior of farmers. Further research based on longitudinal data is necessary to capture the dynamic nature of aspiration formation and reformation in relation to FIE during climate shock periods.
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| 9. |
- Nilsson, Erik, et al.
(author)
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Hydro-climatic variability and agricultural production on the shores of Lake Chad
- 2016
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645. ; 20, s. 15-30
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to present and analyze previously unpublished quantitative agricultural data for the area on the shores of Lake Chad in Chad, and explore its relations to hydro-climatic factors (lake levels, rainfall and temperature). This is a rural area with livelihoods based on agropastoral and fishing activities, which are directly dependent on the region's high-varying hydro-climate. By using regression analysis on data from 1988 to 2012 this study was able to establish correlations between the latter and agricultural output. These correlations were used to build multivariate models to explore the predictive capacities of hydro-climatic factors with regards to the agricultural data. The selected models were able to account for considerable proportions of the agricultural dynamics. Some 5 of the 10 multivariate models tested had cross-validated R2s of 0.50 or more. Thus, there were still noteworthy unexplained variations in the agricultural data, which likely stem from technological, behavioral, economic and pest factors that were not explored in this study due do data limitations. Additional studies are called for to build on results presented here and further examine these relationships.
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| 10. |
- Roos, Anders
(author)
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Effects of charcoal ban on value chains and livelihoods in Kenyan Coast – stakeholders’ perceptions
- 2023
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In: Environmental Development. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-4645. ; 45
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Charcoal production in Africa has been seen by experts and authorities as a driver of forest degradation and deforestation; hence, governments are implementing measures to address this problem, including banning of charcoal production and trade. The effectiveness of these policies is uncertain, and stakeholders’ reactions to, and perceptions of, the regulations are unknown. This study analyzed impacts, perceptions, and feedback reactions among stakeholders after the charcoal ban was introduced in Kenya in February 2018. The conceptual framework refers to the theories on sustainability transitions, and data was collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), individual interviews, workshops, and surveys among value chain actors, organizations, and government agencies in Kwale, Taita Taveta and Mombasa counties in Kenya. Several economic, behavioral, attitudinal, and institutional consequences of the ban were identified. The policy showed characteristics of a negative feedback loop, meaning the policy may not succeed in reaching its purpose because of adverse side effects. Possible “policy mix” approaches and advancement of alternative charcoal sources such as briquettes could in the long-term, promote sustainable development of the Kenyan charcoal sector hence supporting the policy implementation.
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