Trade and Green Economy | a Handbook
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Building a Sustainable and Desirable Economy-In-Society- In-Nature
SCIENCE | ENVIRONMENT State of the World 2013 2013 STATE OF THE WORLD is Is Sustainability Still Possible? SUSTAINABILITY “State of the World 2013 assembles the wisdom and clarity of some of the earth’s finest thinkers, visionaries, and activists into a dazzling array of topics that merge to offer a compellingly lucid and accessible vision of where we are—and what is the wisest and healthiest course for the future.” OF THE WORLD STATE —NINA SIMONS, Cofounder, Bioneers Still Possible? “This edition forges a new path for the State of the World series, and for environmental thinking in general. A pivotal book that marks a defining moment for our species.” — RICHARD HEINBERG, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute, and author of The End of Growth “State of the World 2013 is a powerful collection of articles, and the vision behind it is impressive. Here is a book that gets beyond ‘sustainababble’ and asks the tough, essential questions. It should make readers more determined than ever to do their part in avoiding planet-wide disaster—and better informed about how to do that.” — PETER SINGER, Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University, and author of Animal Liberation, One World, and The Life You Can Save Sustainability gets plenty of lip service, but the relentless worsening of key environmental trends reveals much of that attention to be “sustainababble.” From climate instability and species extinctions to approaching scarcities of freshwater, minerals, and energy, worrisome limits to human economic activity look more pressing each year—all while our political institutions seem impotent to address the challenge. THE WORLDWATCH INSTITUTE, in this edition of the celebrated State of the World series, takes an unflinching look at what the data say about the prospects for achieving true sustainability, 2013 what we should be doing now to make progress toward it, and how we might cope if we fail to do so. -
Green Economy Or Green Utopia? Rio+20 and the Reproductive Labor Class
Green Economy or Green Utopia? Rio+20 and the Reproductive Labor Class Ariel Salleh University of Sydney [email protected] Sociologists use the concept of class variously to explain and predict people's relation to the means of production, their earnings, living conditions, social standing, capacities, and political identification. With the rise of capitalist globalization, many sociologists focus on the transnational ruling class and new economic predicaments faced by industrial workers in the world-system (see, for example, Robinson and Harris 2000). Here I will argue that to understand and respond to the current global environmental crisis, another major class formation should be acknowledged - one defined by its materially regenerative activities under "relations of reproduction" (Salleh 2010). The salience of this hypothetical third class is demonstrated by the 2012 United Nations Rio+20 summit and its official "green economy" negotiating text The Future We Want (UNCSD 2012). Clearly, the question that begs to be asked is - who is the "we" in this international document, and whose "utopia" does it serve? Part of the answer is found in a recent G20 media release, suggesting that "current high energy prices open policy space for economic incentives to renewables [...] investors are looking for alternatives given the low interest rates in developed countries, a factor that presents an opportunity for green economy projects” (Calderon 2012). The UN, together with the transnational capitalist class, looks to technology and new institutional architectures to push against the limits of living ecologies, and these measures are given legitimation as "economic necessity." Yet empirically, it is peasants, mothers, fishers and gatherers working with natural thermodynamic processes who meet everyday needs for the majority of people on earth. -
Green Growth Policy, De-Growth, and Sustainability: the Alternative Solution for Achieving the Balance Between Both the Natural and the Economic System
sustainability Editorial Green Growth Policy, De-Growth, and Sustainability: The Alternative Solution for Achieving the Balance between Both the Natural and the Economic System Diego A. Vazquez-Brust 1,2 and José A. Plaza-Úbeda 3,* 1 Portsmouth Faculty of Business and Law, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth P01 3DE, UK; [email protected] 2 Production Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil 3 Economics and Business Department, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain * Correspondence: [email protected] 1. Introduction “We are ethically obliged and incited to think beyond what are treated as the realistic limits of the possible” (Judith Butler, 2020) The existence of an imbalance between our planet’s reserves of resources and the conditions necessary to maintain high levels of economic growth is evident [1]. The limitation of natural resources pushes companies to consider the possibility of facing critical situations in the future that will make it extremely difficult to reconcile economic Citation: Vazquez-Brust, D.A.; and sustainable objectives [2]. Plaza-Úbeda, J.A. Green Growth In this context of dependence on an environment with finite resources, there are Policy, De-Growth, and Sustainability: growing interests in alternative economic models, such as the Circular Economy, oriented to The Alternative Solution for the maximum efficient use of resources [3–5]. However, the Circular Economy approach is Achieving the Balance between Both still very far from the reality of industries, and the depletion of natural resources continues the Natural and the Economic System. undeterred [6]. It is increasingly necessary to explore alternative approaches to address the Sustainability 2021, 13, 4610. -
Youthxchange Green Skills and Lifestyles Guidebookpdf
The United Nations Educational, Scientifi c, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) www.unesco.org The United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and United Nations Educational, Scienti c Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded on and Cultural Organization November 16, 1945. This specialized United Nations Tel: +33 (0) 1 45 68 10 00 United Nations agency’s mission is to contribute to the building Fax: +33 (0) 1 45 67 16 90 Educational, Scientific and United Nations Cultural Organization of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable [email protected] Educational, Scientific and development and intercultural dialogue through Cultural Organization education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. For more information: UNESCO Division for Inclusion, www.ilo.org Peace and Sustainable Development International Labour Organization 7, place de Fontenoy Tel: +41 (0) 22 799 6111 75732 Paris Cedex 07 France Fax: +41 (0) 22 798 8685 Tel: +33 (0) 1 456 810 36 [email protected] Fax: +33 (0) 1 456 856 44 Email: [email protected] www.unesco.org/education This publication is a contribution to: – The Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development, which seeks to generate and scale-up ESD as the follow up to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The GAP’s priority action area #4 focuses on empowering and mobilizing youth. For more information: http://en.unesco.org/gap youth change – The 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production’s Sustainable Lifestyles & Education Programme, X which aims to foster the uptake of sustainable ©Thad Mermer Green Skills and Lifestyles Guidebook lifestyles as the common norm, with the objective of ensuring their positive contribution to addressing global challenges. -
Trade Policy and Economic Growth
TRADE POLICY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: A SKEPTIC'S GUIDE TO THE CROSS-NATIONAL EVIDENCE Francisco Rodríguez and Dani Rodrik University of Maryland and Harvard University Revised May 2000 Department of Economics University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-3480 John F. Kennedy School of Government 79 Kennedy Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 495-9454 We thank Dan Ben-David, Sebastian Edwards, Jeffrey Frankel, David Romer, Jeffrey Sachs, and Andrew Warner for generously sharing their data with us. We are particularly grateful to Ben- David, Frankel, Romer, Sachs, Warner and Romain Wacziarg for helpful e-mail exchanges. We have benefited greatly from discussions in seminars at the University of California at Berkeley, University of Maryland, University of Miami, University of Michigan, MIT, the Inter-American Development Bank, Princeton, Yale, IMF, IESA and the NBER. We also thank Ben Bernanke, Roger Betancourt, Allan Drazen, Gene Grossman, Ann Harrison, Chang-Tai Hsieh, Doug Irwin, Chad Jones, Frank Levy, Douglas Irwin, Rick Mishkin, Arvind Panagariya, Ken Rogoff, James Tybout, and Eduardo Zambrano for helpful comments, Vladimir Kliouev for excellent research assistance and the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard for partial financial support. TRADE POLICY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: A SKEPTIC'S GUIDE TO THE CROSS-NATIONAL EVIDENCE ABSTRACT Do countries with lower policy-induced barriers to international trade grow faster, once other relevant country characteristics are controlled for? There exists a large empirical literature providing an affirmative answer to this question. We argue that methodological problems with the empirical strategies employed in this literature leave the results open to diverse interpretations. -
Climate Change: Green Recovery and Trade
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE CHANGE, GREEN RECOVERY AND TRADE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE CHANGE, GREEN RECOVERY AND TRADE Geneva, 2021 ii © 2021, United Nations This work is available through open access, by complying with the Creative Commons licence created for intergovernmental organizations, at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States. The designations employed and the presentation of material on any map in this work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Photocopies and reproductions of excerpts are allowed with proper credits. This publication has not been formally edited. United Nations publication issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2021/2 eISBN: 978-92-1-005630-4 iii Contents Note ........................................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................iv Acronyms and abbreviations ......................................................................................................................v -
The Potential Role of Carbon Labeling in a Green Economy
Energy Economics 34 (2012) S53–S63 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Energy Economics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eneco The potential role of carbon labeling in a green economy Mark A. Cohen a,b,⁎, Michael P. Vandenbergh c a Vanderbilt University, United States b Resources for the Future, United States c Climate Change Research Network, Vanderbilt Law School, United States article info abstract Article history: Over the past several years, labeling schemes that focus on a wide range of environmental and social metrics Received 30 January 2012 have proliferated. Although little empirical evidence has been generated yet with respect to carbon footprint Received in revised form 22 May 2012 labels, much can be learned from our experience with similar product labels. We first review the theory and Accepted 30 August 2012 evidence on the role of product labeling in affecting consumer and firm behavior. Next, we consider the role Available online 7 September 2012 of governments and nongovernmental organizations, concluding that international, multistakeholder organi- zations have a critical part to play in setting protocols and standards. We argue that it is important to consider JEL classification: D82 the entire life cycle of a product being labeled and develop an international standard for measurement and F18 reporting. Finally, we examine the potential impact of carbon product labeling, discussing methodological K32 and trade challenges and proposing a framework for choosing products best suited for labeling. L15 © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. M31 Q54 Keywords: Carbon labels Voluntary disclosure Consumer behavior Life-cycle analysis Rebound effect Leakage 1. Introduction retailers to promote green products. -
A) the Economic Rationale for Trade Net Effect on the Terms-Of-Trade, but Lead to a Agreements Contraction of Trade Volumes Which Reduces Overall Welfare (See Box 1
II – B FLEXIBILITY IN TRADE AGREEMENTS B FLEXIBILITY IN TRADE AGREEMENTS The aim of this section is to: (a) clarify what Economists have identified several rationales for justifies the inclusion of contingency measures in the existence of trade agreements, such as those trade agreements; (b) provide an account of all embodied in the WTO, and its antecedent, the circumstances when a suspension of commitments General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). may make economic sense; and (c) identify the Two main approaches can be distinguished.1 The flexibility measures built into WTO agreements. first states that in the absence of a trade agreement, The section provides a framework for the discussion a country may be tempted to manipulate the of specific contingency measures in the subsequent terms-of-trade (i.e. the price of its exports relative sections of the Report. to its imports) in order to increase its national income at the expense of its trading partners. The 1. ECONOMIC THEORIES OF second approach stresses the economic and political TRADE AGREEMENTS AND THE difficulties that governments face in setting trade policy. As discussed below, trade agreements allow ROLE OF FLEXIBILITIES governments to escape terms-of-trade conflicts and/ or to resist pressures from the private sector and Trade agreements aim to strike a balance between special-interest groups urging the government to flexibility and commitments. If there is too deviate from a liberal trade policy. much flexibility, the value of the commitment is undermined. If there is too little flexibility, countries i) The traditional approach to trade agreements may refuse to make deep commitments or may easily renege on such commitments. -
Green Economy in Biosphere Reserve (Gebr) Project Socio-Economic Baseline Survey Report
GREEN ECONOMY IN BIOSPHERE RESERVE (GEBR) PROJECT SOCIO-ECONOMIC BASELINE SURVEY REPORT FINAL REPORT SUBMITTED TO UNESCO DAR ES SALAAM OFFICE BY THE CENTRE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM MAY 2014 Acknowledgements Development of this report received support from various institutions and individuals. Research team would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to authorities and individuals who contributed information and experience which lead to the finalisation of this study. Heartfelt thanks go to the technical staff at Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG), and district officers in Muheza, Mkinga and Korogwe for their logistical arrangements and technical guidance. Thanks go to officials who participated in the key informant interview, village government officials as well as households who participated and provided vital information during household interviews and focus group discussion. Research team is indebted to village government officials and households in Kimbo, Mashewa, Kisiwani, Foroforo, Makumba, Muzi Kafishe, Shebomeza, Kwelumbizi, Mtoni Bombo, Kijango and Hemsambia villages for their information and effective participation in focus group discussion and household interview. Research team also acknowledges the financial support by UNESCO-Dar es Salaam Office, which facilitated the undertaking of this baseline study. i Executive Summary United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) with a fund support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) developed the Green Economy in Biosphere Reserve (GEBR) project to promote biodiversity and/or green business as a viable tool for conservation while at the same time contributing to household livelihoods. The baseline survey was conducted in order to analysing baseline data of the beneficiary community which will serve as the benchmark for the implementation of the GEBR project activities and the basis of measuring project impacts. -
International Trade Law and the “Carbon Leakage” Problem: Are Unilateral U.S. Import Restrictions the Solution? Bernd G
Sustainable Development Law & Policy Volume 8 Article 7 Issue 2 Winter 2008: Climate Law Reporter 2008 International Trade Law and the “Carbon Leakage” Problem: Are Unilateral U.S. Import Restrictions the Solution? Bernd G. Janzen Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/sdlp Part of the Environmental Law Commons, International Law Commons, and the International Trade Law Commons Recommended Citation Janzen, Bernd G. “International Trade Law and the “Carbon Leakage” Problem: Are Unilateral U.S. Import Restrictions the Solution?” Sustainable Development Law & Policy, Winter 2008, 22-26, 84-85. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sustainable Development Law & Policy by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INTE R NATIONAL TR A D E LAW AN D THE “CA R BON LEAKAGE ” PR OBLEM : AR E UNILATE R AL U.S. IMPO R T RE S T R ICTION S THE SOLUTION ? by Bernd G. Janzen* IN T RO D UC ti ON manufacturing from the former to the latter. This could lead to t the December 2007 United Nations Climate Change the reduction of such production in developed countries and an Conference in Bali, Indonesia, negotiators overcame increase in exports of GHG-intensive goods from developing Atremendous differences to agree on a “Bali Roadmap” -
Biosphere Reserves' Management Effectiveness—A Systematic
sustainability Review Biosphere Reserves’ Management Effectiveness—A Systematic Literature Review and a Research Agenda Ana Filipa Ferreira 1,2,* , Heike Zimmermann 3, Rui Santos 1 and Henrik von Wehrden 2 1 CENSE—Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, NOVA College of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; [email protected] 2 Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Sustainability and Center for Methods, Leuphana University, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany; [email protected] 3 Institute for Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +351-21-294-8397 Received: 10 June 2020; Accepted: 2 July 2020; Published: 8 July 2020 Abstract: Research about biosphere reserves’ management effectiveness can contribute to better understanding of the existing gap between the biosphere reserve concept and its implementation. However, there is a limited understanding about where and how research about biosphere reserves’ management effectiveness has been conducted, what topics are investigated, and which are the main findings. This study addresses these gaps in the field, building on a systematic literature review of scientific papers. To this end, we investigated characteristics of publications, scope, status and location of biosphere reserves, research methods and management effectiveness. The results indicate that research is conceptually and methodologically diverse, but unevenly distributed. Three groups of papers associated with different goals of biosphere reserves were identified: capacity building, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. In general, each group is associated with different methodological approaches and different regions of the world. The results indicate the importance of scale dynamics and trade-offs between goals, which are advanced as important leverage points for the success of biosphere reserves. -
The Effects of Trade Policy
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES THE EFFECTS OF TRADE POLICY Pinelopi K. Goldberg Nina Pavcnik Working Paper 21957 http://www.nber.org/papers/w21957 NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 February 2016 Prepared for the Handbook of Commercial Policy, edited by Kyle Bagwell and Robert Staiger. We thank seminar participants at the Dartmouth-SNU conference and the Handbook Conference at Dartmouth, especially Bruce Blonigen, Woan Foong Wong, and Peter Schott, for comments. We thank Carla Larin and Konrad von Moltke for research assistance. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research. NBER working papers are circulated for discussion and comment purposes. They have not been peer- reviewed or been subject to the review by the NBER Board of Directors that accompanies official NBER publications. © 2016 by Pinelopi K. Goldberg and Nina Pavcnik. All rights reserved. Short sections of text, not to exceed two paragraphs, may be quoted without explicit permission provided that full credit, including © notice, is given to the source. The Effects of Trade Policy Pinelopi K. Goldberg and Nina Pavcnik NBER Working Paper No. 21957 February 2016 JEL No. F10,F13,F14,F63,F68,L11 ABSTRACT The last two decades have witnessed a shift in the focus of international trade research from trade policy to other forms of trade frictions (e.g., transportation, information and communication costs). Implicit in this development is the widespread view that trade policy no longer matters. We confront this view by critically examining a large body of evidence on the effects of trade policy on economically important outcomes.