Category archives: Economics

Free water policy in South Africa

Free water policy in South Africa

Economics

By José Luis Ferreira

Standard supply and demand analysis shows that competitive markets will deliver a given commodity up to the point where costs (as perceived by producers) equal benefits (as perceiver by consumers). When both producers and consumers internalize all costs and benefits, the result is efficient in the sense that the market does not dilapidate resources. An […]

Costs and compensations within the EU Emissions Trade Scheme

Costs and compensations within the EU Emissions Trade Scheme

Economics

By José Luis Ferreira

The European Association of Environmental and Resource Economics has awarded its 2015 Erik Kempe Award to Ralf Martin, Mirabelle Muûls, Laure B. de Preux, and Ulrich J. Wagner for their research “Industry Compensation Under Relocation Risk: A Firm-Level Analysis of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme,” published recently in the American Economic Review. I summarize their […]

Critical materials: The missing piece of the “green economy” puzzle

Critical materials: The missing piece of the “green economy” puzzle

EconomicsGeosciencesMaterials

By Silvia Román

It is widely accepted that low carbon technologies will contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mostly those coming from carbon dioxide, and thus slow down the global warming. That’s why most of the largest economies in the world have committed to reduce their gas emissions by supporting an unprecedented transition from the current fossil-fuel based […]

Does Fair Trade deliver?

Does Fair Trade deliver?

Economics

By José Luis Ferreira

Raluca et al . (2014) provide a survey of the economic studies regarding the performance of Fair Trade certifications. They focus on the coffee industry, by large the most important product under the Fair Trade label. In this article I summarize their main findings and conclusions. The aim of Fair Trade certification is to improve […]