The Clean Development Mechanism’s Low-hanging Fruit Problem: When Might it Arise,and How Might it be Solved?

It is widely recognized that industrialized countries’ commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions will be far less costly to achieve if they can be met at least in part through investment in cheap abatement options available in developing countries, as is permitted under the Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism. Developing-country NGOs and others involved in the policy debate on the CDM have frequently raised concerns, however, about the so-called “low-hanging fruit” problem. The standard characterization of this problem is that if developing countries allow their cheap abatement options to be used now, they may find themselves worse off in future when they take on emissions-reduction commitments of their own, because only expensive abatement options will remain. We show that under plausible CDM-market imperfections a low-hanging fruit problem may indeed arise, but that the standard characterization of the problem is incorrect. We also present a potential solution, based on mandating a “virtual” option clause in CDM-investment contracts.     

From CDM to REDD+ — What do we know for setting up effective and legitimate carbon governance?

This article compares two carbon governance instruments - the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) - to assess lessons from the former for the latter regarding effectiveness and legitimacy of such instruments. The article argues that the CDM has a relatively high degree of output-oriented legitimacy resulting in effectiveness and some input-oriented legitimacy, with few discernible tradeoffs between them. In contrasting this to REDD+, the hypotheses are advanced that (i) output-oriented legitimacy/effectiveness can again be achieved but that (ii) a higher degree of input-oriented legitimacy is necessary for REDD+ and thus also a certain trade-off between the two forms of legitimacy can be expected. This is shown through comparing the technologies and methodologies, economic rationales, political support, regulatory structures, and environmental impacts of both instruments.     

美国应对全球气候变化的科技计划

2002年2月,美国总统布什改组了美国应对全球气候变化的领导机构,以协调和指导美国应对全球气候变化的科技活动。在新的领导体制下,美国气候变化科学研究和与气候相关的技术开发项目集成到了一个前所未有的程度,形成了相互关联的两大科技计划,即气候变化科学计划（CCSP）和气候变化技术计划（CCTP）,并设立了相应的气候变化科技计划管理机构。本文对上述两大计划,以及美国未来应对全球气候变化、减少温室气体排放的近期和中长期技术选择进行了调研,供参考。     

我国参与欧盟研发框架计划的总体情况

欧盟研发框架计划是世界上规模最大的、综合性的官方研发计划,具有研发领域广、投资规模大、延续时间长、参与的机构和人员多等特点。自欧盟第四研发框架计划正式对欧盟以外的国家开放以来,其开放的领域不断扩大,包括信息通讯技术、纳米技术、能源、环境等众多领域。从我国参与欧盟第四至第七框架计划的情况来看,参与项目的数量增长较快,但经费增长缓慢;合作领域由以传统领域为主向高技术领域扩展;参与主体以大学和科研机构为主。目前,欧盟已开始实施"地平线2020"计划,并将推行对等开放、双向合作的国际科技合作方式。我国应认真总结前期参与欧盟框架计划的经验,积极应对新的挑战。     

人文化科技发展模式及其实现路径研究——以北京为例

科技人文化的目标是在科技的物质、制度和精神多层次共同实现人文化,同时,科技在物质、制度和精神三个层面推进人文化的过程也是实现科技人文化的必然路径.“三个北京”发展战略的提出,正是科技与文化融合发展的最佳诠释.因此,人文化科技发展模式成为北京市科技发展战略的必然选择,并以此来推进北京城市建设和文明进步,从而促使科学技术服务于人的生存和全面发展,最终服务于社会的可持续发展.     

巴西科技创新的政策重点与管理趋势述评

"金砖外交"正成为我国推进全球外交战略的品牌,我国与金砖国家的科技创新外交关系将进入全面、纵深发展阶段。巴西是南美大国,已快速崛起为全球第七大经济体,其科技创新取得明显成效。通过总结巴西科技创新的历史发展,研究了近年来巴西科技创新的政策重点,并对巴西科技创新管理的趋势与动向进行了分析述评。近10余年来,巴西推出多部立法,促进科技创新;持续颁布了国家层面的科技创新发展五年规划;推出工业研究计划和INOVACRED计划,有效推动企业创新。巴西强化科技创新管理,强调科技与产业深度融合,遴选能够拉动未来经济增长的重点技术领域给予巨额资助,重视科技计划和规划在科技管理中的引导和抓手作用。期望巴西的这些科技创新管理经验对我国具有一定借鉴意义。     

国家高新区创业资本供求能力评价

从创业资本供给推力、创业资本需求拉力、创业资本供求黏力3个方面选取28个指标,构建国家高新区创业资本供求能力评价指标体系。在此基础上,运用主成分分析法,并利用SPSS17.0对6个争创建世界一流的国家自主创新示范区创业资本供求能力进行评价,发现其能力大小依次为：中关村、深圳、张江、东湖、西安、成都。根据评价结果,就各国家自主创新示范区如何提高创业资本供求能力提出了政策建议。     

CAN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IMPROVE STOCK MARKET EFFICIENCY? A CROSS‐COUNTRY STUDY

The rapid advance of information and communication technology (ICT) has revolutionized the dissemination of stock market information. Based on the noise trading theory, this study discusses whether the changes brought by ICT have promoted the transparency of stock market information or instead flooded the stock market with misinformation. A cross‐country panel dataset of 71 countries from 2002 to 2014 was established. The empirical methodologies include panel unit root tests, panel variance ratio tests, and panel multiple regressions. The results of panel unit root tests and panel variance ratio tests show that stock markets in countries with high ICT diffusion are efficient while stock markets in countries with low or medium ICT diffusion are not all efficient. The results of panel regressions further show that the effect of ICT diffusion in reducing market noises was more significant than its effect in magnifying the noises.     

Relationship between city size and firm productivity – A new interpretation using the Chinese experience

This paper contributes to the literature on the relationship between city size and firm productivity by focusing on agglomeration, selection (market competition), and sorting (presence of firms with diverse productivity) effects using Chinese firm-level data for 1998–2013. Contrary to the existing literature, our parametric regression estimates from nearly two million firms show that when the selection effect is controlled, productivity advantage in big cities is reversed. This outcome is explained through a quantile regression showing the existence of left-sided sorting (inefficient firms sort themselves to larger cities) in big cities which is not captured in existing empirical literature. We further find that (1) left-sided sorting is stronger in exporters than non-exporters; (2) is also generated mainly in enterprises with high asset-liability ratios; and (3) selection has a positive effect on firm productivity, suggesting that market competition is key in an explanation of the rapid growth of big cities in China.