Can innovation shocks determine CO2 emissions (CO2e) in the OECD economies? A new perspective

ABSTRACT

This study has attempted to address prior knowledge gaps in the environmental economics literature by integrating the innovation shocks into the Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) equation for twenty-six OECD economies using data from 1990 to 2014. Foreign direct investment (FDI), exports (EXP), renewable energy consumption (REC), and GDP per capita were included as control variables. The results from multiple empirical analyses indicated that positive shocks to innovation improve, but the negative shocks disrupt environmental quality. Data analyses also showed that a positive correlation exists between income per capita of OECD economies. From the negative coefficient of income per capita (squared) and the existence of a negative nexus between FDI and CO2e, both the EKC and the Pollution Halo Hypothesis (PHH) were confirmed in sampled economies, respectively. The paper offers empirical support for the favourable impacts of REC on the quality of the environment and calls for the adoption of innovation shocks as a policy instrument to formulate better environmental policies for a sustainable future.     

南非突发电力短缺危机及其应对措施

2008年1月中下旬,南非突然爆发电力短缺危机,各界为之震动.本文简要介绍了此次危机的情况,解析了危机发生的原因,阐述了南非政府为应对此次突发电力短缺危机所采取的各项措施,并提出了相关建议.     

国际上土地利用／土地覆盖变化研究的新进展

进入90年代以来,随着全球人口,资源与环境问题的日益突出,土地利用／土地覆盖变化（LUCC）研究已成为国际上全球变化研究的前沿与热点课题,在研究内容与方法上出现了很多新的趋势,本文将对目前国际上土地利用与土地覆盖变化研究的新进展进行介绍,以为我国开展此方面的研究提供参考。     

Land Allocation between Food and Energy

Many countries are promoting biofuels as a substitute for scarce oil. This paper develops a dynamic model of land allocation between food and energy and shows how the model can be calibrated using standard optimization techniques. Some possible implications of the trade-offs between food and energy are discussed. Specifically, we show that the effect of mandates is mainly felt through increased land conversion, which increases indirect carbon emissions Crude oil prices do not decrease significantly because of leakages.     

An introduction to rural and agricultural development in the digital age

This special issue contributes to the development economics literature by highlighting the role of information communication and technologies (ICTs) in supporting rural and agricultural development. It is comprised of nine papers. Key findings from this special issue include: (1) internet use increases rural consumption diversity and agricultural productivity; (2) smartphone use empowers rural women in household decision-making and off-farm work participation; (3) smartphone-based agricultural extension services boost rural income growth; (4) a lack of ICT infrastructure and inadequate skills to use digital technologies are two key factors that lead to digital poverty traps for smallholder rural farmers; (5) ICT adoption increases the probability of rural households' access to credit and empowers rural women and farm households in relatively less developed regions to access credit; (6) digital financial inclusion reduces farmers' vulnerability to poverty; and (7) e-commerce adoption increases both sales prices and marketing costs, but the magnitude of increasing the former is higher than the magnitude of increasing the latter, which finally contributes to a higher gross return. This special issue also proposes practical instruments and implications for advancing the application of ICTs in rural areas to accelerate rural and agricultural development in the digital age.     

黑龙江省煤炭城市土地利用综合效益时空变异分析

定量分析和评价煤炭城市土地利用综合效益并确定其空间分布,为煤炭城市集约合理利用土地提供科学依据。以黑龙江省煤炭城市为例,以影响城市土地利用综合效益的土地投入效益、土地利用效益、土地产出效益和土地生态效益为要素层,构建黑龙江省煤炭城市土地利用综合效益评价指标体系,运用最优组合赋权法确定指标权重,采取多目标综合评价法,对2002—2007年土地利用综合效益进行定量分析。结果表明,黑龙江省煤炭城市6年间土地利用综合效益呈上升趋势。土地投入效益、土地利用效益、土地产出效益和土地生态效益对土地利用综合效益影响存在一定的差异,土地利用协调度呈现先上升后下降的趋势,土地利用协调度的下降将成为土地利用综合效益进一步增长的障碍。     

能源可持续发展能力评价——以黑龙江省为例

构建了能源可持续发展能力评价指标体系,运用层次分析法并结合专家打分确定指标权重。利用2002—2008年黑龙江省的相关数据计算评价指标分值,进而得出黑龙江省能源可持续发展度评价值,并从能源资源开发利用、社会发展、经济发展和环境保护这4个层面探究了黑龙江省能源可持续发展态势的形成原因。     

Creating Opportunities for Women in the Renewable Energy Sector: Findings from India

This paper identifies opportunities and constraints that low-income women face in accessing livelihoods in the renewable-energy sector in India through qualitative and quantitative research conducted in collaboration with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) and the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in 2012–13. Whereas previous research has focused on women mostly as end users of solar and biomass technologies, this research attempts also to understand women's potential as entrepreneurs, facilitators, designers, and innovators. Findings reveal that although access to technology and employment in the energy sector is limited by inadequate purchasing power and low social status, there is tremendous potential to create livelihoods for women at all levels of the energy supply chain. Broader findings indicate that women can gain optimal traction from employment in the energy sector only if there are wider socially progressive policies in place, including state intervention to create a robust social welfare infrastructure and accessible, high-quality, public services.     

能源与环境约束下的经济增长

本文通过协整分析和脉冲响应函数分析了GDP、能源消费量增长和环境污染之间的关系,发现三者之间存在长期稳定的关系,GDP和能源消费量增长是环境恶化的成因,并进一步分析了它们之间长短期内所存在的均衡关系.     

论毛泽东的对外开放思想

毛泽东的思想不是封闭的。早在革命战争时期，毛泽东的对外开放思想就非常明显，主要表现在引进外援方面。建国后，毛泽东的对外开放思想有所发展。本文主要从四个方面探讨毛泽东的对外开放思想。