On the power of indicators: how the choice of fuel poverty indicator affects the identification of the target population

In light of the creation of the EU Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV) in January 2018 and the increase in debates on how fuel poverty is measured, we propose a critical analysis of fuel poverty indicators and demonstrate that choosing a given indicator is central to the identification of the fuel-poorpopulation.

First, we conducted an inter-indicator analysis to show how profiles of fuel-poor households vary depending on the indicator selected. We designed a multidimensional approach based on a multiple correspondence analysis and a hierarchical and partitioning clustering analysis to study characteristics of fuel-poor households. We highlight the difficulty of identifying a fuel-poor ‘typical profile’ and show that the composition of the population depends on the choice of the indicator.

Second, we applied an intra-indicator analysis using two objective expenditure-based indicators with thresholds. In particular, we conducted a sensitivity analysis based on a logit model including variables describing household and dwelling characteristics. We show that the profiles of fuel-poor households as well as the drivers of fuel poverty vary considerably with the chosen threshold level.Given these findings, we stress the need to review how we currently rely on conventional fuel poverty indicators to identify target groups and give some recommendations.     

Challenges and Changes in Gendered Poverty: The Feminization,De-Feminization,and Re-Feminization of Poverty in Latin America

Despite reductions in poverty generally, recent trends in Latin American countries show processes of both de-feminization and re-feminization of poverty. A rise in the numbers of women to men living in income-poor households has occurred despite feminized anti-poverty programs, most notably conditional cash transfers (CCTs), which target resources to women. This paper shows that methodological differences in what, how, and who is the focus of measurement may influence patterns of poverty “feminization.” It also suggests that feminized policy interventions might in themselves be playing a role in the re-feminization of poverty, not least because of data and definitional limitations in the way female-headed households and, relatedly, women’s poverty are understood. The somewhat paradoxical interactions between the feminization of household headship, the feminization of poverty, and the feminization of anti-poverty programs present interesting challenges for redressing gender gaps in poverty within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.     

包容性金融发展与农村居民贫困减缓——基于全要素生产率视角的分析

本文用DEA—Malmquist指数法测算了全要素生产率指数，结合2006—2016年中国内地省际面板数据，基于全要素生产率视角，运用中介效应模型实证分析了包容性金融发展对农村居民贫困的影响。实证结果表明：（1）包容性金融发展能够通过全要素生产率的中介效应发挥减贫作用。（2）进一步的研究发现，包容性金融服务渗透度的提升对贫困的影响最为显著；同时，包容性金融发展可通过技术进步和效率提升作用来推动全要素生产率增长，进一步作用于贫困。（3）稳健性检验表明，我国东部与中西部地区包容性金融发展水平差异较大，对全要素生产率的提升乃至农村减贫的贡献表现出较大不平衡性。本文的政策建议为：首先，应持续推进包容性金融发展，充分发挥全要素生产率的中介效应，以更快实现2020年全面脱贫目标；其次，要继续加强农村金融基础设施建设，以实现金融 服务均等性，充分发挥金融减贫的优势；最后，要合理配置金融资源，注重地区间发展的公平性，以实现经济社会均衡发展。     

India's Economic Reforms: Achievements and Next Steps

This paper reviews the impact of India's reforms since 1991 on the performance of the Indian economy. It shows that the reforms definitely achieved a significant acceleration in growth and they also succeeded in reducing poverty. However, they have been less successful in generating good quality jobs. There was progress in providing better access to education, health services ,and clean drinking water and sanitation, but less than was hoped. The area where performance has been most disappointing is environmental sustainability. The paper concludes by identifying some of the critical policy challenges in the years ahead.     

乡村振兴战略下的旅游扶贫绩效评价体系构建

乡村旅游扶贫是产业扶贫的主要抓手,更是实现乡村振兴的重要途径。在文献综述、专家访谈的基础上,结合乡村振兴战略的“产业兴旺、生态宜居、乡风文明、治理有效、生活富裕”发展要求,科学设计乡村旅游扶贫绩效评价指标体系;使用层次分析法确定乡村旅游扶贫绩效指标的具体权重,构建对旅游扶贫绩效可以量化的评价指标体系,以期为科学全面评价旅游扶贫绩效提供理论参考,丰富我国乡村旅游扶贫绩效评价的研究内涵。     

生态补偿对国家重点生态功能区居民可持续生计的影响——基于“精准扶贫”视角

以陕西省调研数据为研究样本,将生态补偿政策引入英国国际发展部的可持续生计能力分析框架,采用结构方程模型研究了国家重点生态功能区的生态补偿政策对居民可持续生计能力的直接影响效应和间接影响效应.结果表明:生态补偿对可持续生计能力的直接影响效应为0.182;通过物质资本、人力资本、金融资本和自然资本对可持续生计能力的间接影响效应分别为0.059、0.104、0.066、0.053,总的间接效应为0.282;生态补偿对可持续生计能力总的影响效应为0.464.因此,精准的生态补偿政策能够实现以可持续生计能力提升为主要内容的"造血式"扶贫.     

Food poverty,hunger and household production in rural Eastern Cape households

More than two decades since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the place of small-scale agriculture in rural development, poverty alleviation and food security remains ambiguous and highly contested. However, there is now some new evidence that official income poverty estimates in South Africa may be underestimating the contribution of rural, land-based livelihoods when measuring household well-being. This paper aims to explore this possibility further by identifying how household production activities are associated with improved food security among rural Eastern Cape households in the former homelands. The analysis is based on data from Statistics South Africa’s 2008/9 Living Conditions Survey and its annual General Household Surveys. In adopting a food poverty lens, the findings suggest that hunger levels are lower among farming households in the Eastern Cape even though a higher percentage of these households (relative to non-farming households) live below the national food poverty line. The paper concludes by discussing some implications for policy.     

“十三五”期间我国经济——能源——环境系统变量发展预测

本文以动态可计算一般均衡模型为基础,2010年投入产出表延长表为基准数据,对“十三五”期间我国经济--能源--环境系统相关变量进行了预测。分析结果显示：“十三五”期间我国经济将实现新常态下的稳定适宜增长,GDP增速保持在65%左右,产业结构进一步优化,第三产业比重明显上升,第二产业明显下降。由于经济增长的原因,能源消费总量与碳排放总量依然较高,但能源消费结构进一步优化,碳排放强度明显降低,节能减排的形势依然比较严峻。