Rebound effect (conservation)

About: Rebound effect (conservation) is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 773 publications have been published within this topic receiving 25741 citations.

Are Chinese transport policies effective? A new perspective from direct pollution rebound effect, and empirical evidence from road transport sector

Abstract: The air pollution has become a serious challenge in China. Emissions from motor vehicles have been found as one main source of air pollution. Although the Chinese government has taken numerous policies to mitigate the harmful emissions from road transport sector, it is still uncertain for both policy makers and researchers to know to what extent the policies are effective in the short and long terms. Inspired by the concept and empirical results from current literature on energy rebound effect (ERE), we first propose a new concept of pollution rebound effect (PRE). Then, we estimate direct air PRE as a measure for the effectiveness of the policies of reducing air pollution from transport sector based on time-series data from the period 1986-2014. We find that the short-term direct air PRE is -1.4105, and the corresponding long-run PRE is -1.246. The negative results indicate that the direct air PRE does not exist in road passenger transport sector in China, either in the short term or in the long term during the period 1986-2014. This implies that the Chinese transport policies are effective in terms of harmful emissions reduction in the transport sector. This research, to the best of our knowledge, is the first attempt to quantify the effectiveness of the transport policies in the transitional China.

Impacts of ICT on the Spatial Differentiation of Social Vulnerability to Natural Hazards in Poland

Abstract: Abstract The development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has significant economic and social impacts at both the global and regional level. Some of these implications have been perceived as positive and unexpected. While both the positive and negative social and economic impacts have been highlighted in the literature, opinions on these impacts remain ambiguous. Those aspects considered to be advantageous include faster communication, ease of use, development in the range of services and revenues, and an increase in individuals’ free time allowance. ICT penetrates all branches of the economy as a set of general purpose technologies. New information and communication technologies ease everyday life, serve as tools to help people in extreme situations, e.g. accidents, illnesses or natural disasters, and are also the pillars of contemporary entertainment media. The usefulness of ICT has been stressed and loudly disseminated to a large extent by the media. On the other hand, these new technologies sensitize society in quite new ways to the well-known natural hazards that people have encountered in the past.

Rebound and spillover effects: occupant behaviour afterenergy efficiency improvements are carried out

Abstract: This empirical research explores secondary behavioural effects after energy efficiency improvements are carried out in residential properties. Three field studies were carried out to provide an original contribution to knowledge about rebound effects, behavioural spillover and the psychological constructs that may contribute to changes in behaviour after energy efficiency improvements are carried out in real-life settings. In the first two studies, residents in economically deprived communities in Wales who had energy efficiency improvements under the Arbed scheme were invited to complete a self-reported questionnaire about their behaviours, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and self-identity. The Arbed scheme was set up by the Welsh Government to provide home energy efficiency and renewable microgeneration measures for low-income and fuel-poor households in Wales. Residents from nearby communities served as a control for these studies. The first study was cross-sectional and explored whether there were any associations between energy efficiency measures and other energy-related measures. The second study was a longitudinal study and the occupants filled in the questionnaire both before and after the energy efficiency measures were installed. This study particularly explored whether the energy efficiency measures would lead to changes in other energy related behaviours. The results from both studies found no evidence of changes in other energy-related behaviours, suggesting positive spillover did not occur, but changes were found in some of the measured psychological constructs. Self-reported environmental identity increased for the energy efficiency improvement group after the measures were installed. For the third study, utility meter readings and indoor air temperatures were taken for a sub-sample of the occupants both before and after the energy efficiency measures were installed. There were few differences found between the two groups for indoor air temperature, but the energy efficiency improvement group was found to use less energy after the measures were installed. The actual energy saved for the energy efficiency improvement group was however lower than predicted and a rebound effect of 54% was calculated. This research is one of the few field studies in this area. The findings from the three studies suggest that after energy efficiency improvements are installed, the occupants may take back some, if not a considerable amount, of the potential energy savings to improve their thermal comfort. The findings also provide an indication that psychological mechanisms may change after energy efficiency measures are installed.

Directed Technical Change and Climate Policy

Abstract: This paper studies the cost effectiveness of climate policy if there are technology externalities. For this purpose, we develop a forward-looking CGE model that captures empirical links between CO2 emissions associated with energy use, directed technical change and the economy. We find the cost-effective climate policy to include a combination of R&D subsidies and CO2 emission constraints, although R&D subsidies raise the shadow value of the CO2 constraint (i.e. CO2 price) because of a strong rebound effect from stimulating innovation. Furthermore, we find that CO2 constraints differentiated toward CO2-intensive sectors are more cost effective than constraints that generate uniform CO2 prices among sectors. Differentiated CO2 prices, through technical change and concomitant technology externalities, encourage growth in the non-CO2 intensive sectors and discourage growth in CO2-intensive sectors. Thus, it is cost effective to let the latter bear relatively more of the abatement burden. This result is robust to whether emission constraints, R&D subsidies or combinations of both are used to reduce CO2 emissions.