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We employ qualitative content analysis on 29 survey responses from local officials around Japan’s 200 largest mega-solar plants constructed since 2012. Japan’s energy market has seen the siting and construction of over 2800 new mega-solar power plants since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff policy in 2012. While scholars have highlighted the potential for community-engaged renewable power development with social benefits for local residents, many major mega-solar projects have instead resulted from industry-led initiatives in locations, largely avoiding community engagement. In this study, we draw from distributive energy justice perspectives to analyze social equity impacts of the mega-solar siting process. In our paper, we contextualize results through 18 interviews with relevant actors in six case studies. We find that given the existence of the Feed-in Tariff and sufficient solar irradiation, the availability of underutilized land decreases community bargaining power compared to historical power plant siting agreements. This results in primarily land leasing benefits and municipal tax revenue with minimal additional social impacts, such as employment. In our paper, we outline a model of causation for mega-solar social equity impacts, Japanese policy implications, and directions for future quantitative research.

Perennial plants go through noticeable morphological, developmental, and physiological changes as they age. Whether these age-related changes are driven by ontogenetic differences, are the result of different environmental conditions, or an artifact of plant size remains unknown. In this research we used the warm-season grass Miscanthus × giganteus as model herbaceous perennial species to study age-related changes on phenology.Age-related experiments are usually based on field experimental design that confound growing season and age effects and ignore variability generated during the establishment of the stand. Here, we used a staggered-start experimental design where stands are repeatedly planted over subsequent years providing the ability to separate plant age effects from environmental effects. We hypothesized (i) M. × giganteus would produce more plant structures and reach more advanced developmental stages in a given growing season as it aged. (ii) Juvenile stands would have faster developmental rates and start development sooner and (iii) Mature stands would start senescence sooner in the growing season. Finally, we studied nitrogen (N) fertilization effects on M. × giganteus phenology as to assess whether age-related changes could be an artifact of size and N dilution in mature bigger individuals. We hypothesized that (iv) fertilized juvenile stands would have similar dynamics as mature unfertilized stands.Data were collected bi-weekly on all established stands during 2016 and 2017. Ten stems were harvested from each plot and staged at the lab according to M. × giganteus morphological scale developed by Tejera & Heaton (2017). Time series progression were then analyzed using non-linear models and parameters were compared across stand ages, N treatments and growing seasons.R scripts used to analyze the data are available upon request.

OECD DAC data on climate change-related development assistance from 11 donor countries that has been collapsed to a donor-year level.

Below is replication data and code, supporting the manuscript title “Uncovering the Intersections of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality in Climate Resilience Capacities within Climate Hotspots for Women in Zambia.” The data was collected in Luapula and North-Western provinces in Zambia. The selection of these provinces was based on identifying subnational climate hotspot areas for women in agrifood systems. Luapula province was identified as a hotspot for perennial crops, while the North-Western province was identified as a hotspot for mixed farming and vegetables, as well as for cereals and perennials. The data collection took place in the Zambezi district within the North-Western province and the Kawambwa district in Luapula province. These districts are rural areas where the majority of households depend on agrifood systems for their livelihoods. To obtain comprehensive insights, we interviewed 199 households, conducting separate interviews with both male and female co-heads. Among these households, 82 were located in the Zambezi district in the North-Western province, while 117 were situated in the Kawambwa district in Luapula province. The data presents information on various important aspects, including women's empowerment, access to and knowledge of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and climate information services (CIS), perceptions and experiences related to climate change, as well as socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the households. The replication data is part of the AICCRA Zambia Baseline Survey 2022 (Zambezi district, North-western province and Kawambwa district, Luapula province) (Gbegbelegbe et al. 2022. AICCRA Zambia Baseline Survey 2022, Harvard Dataverse, V1, https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/NLWWKM). We acknowledge and are thankful for the collaboration with IITA, in particular, Sika Gbegbelegbe, Steve Cole and David Chikoye, for the development of research tools and designing and conducting the data collection in the study areas in Luapula and North-western provinces, Zambia.

This dataset is a result of research conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from Haramaya University, Ethiopia. It contains economic, environmental, and social indicators of sustainability. The data were generated using the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) developed by the FAO (FAO, 2019). Primary data on basic socio-demographic, economic, institutional, social and ecological dimensions of agroecological performance were generated using a survey questionnaire uploaded on Kobo Toolbox (on a smart device). The data collection and overall field work were supported by the FAO, and supervised by the researchers and local research translation partners. The data contained herein refers to 619 smallholder farms located in four districts of Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's (SNNP) regions.

In recent decades, many societal changes have unfolded, including population ageing, reconfigurations of household structures, labour market transformation, and a secular deceleration of economic growth. These shifts pose considerable challenges to preexisting welfare states, particularly to the efficacy of countries’ pension systems. This dissertation examines the context and trajectory of pension reforms in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its contribution is to ascertain the viability and political feasibility of reforms that enhance the financial sustainability of their pension systems, while maintaining adequate income and coverage levels. The dissertation builds on political economy approaches and on the institutionalist literature, which highlight how the role of interest groups and structure of institutions and political systems shape policy outcomes. The frameworks of blame avoidance and credit-claiming are also considered, to provide a comprehensive analysis of the complex dynamics surrounding pension systems and reform efforts. This dissertation uses a mixed-methods approach – including public opinion surveys of 3,000+ individuals, semi-structured elite interviews, historical document analyses, and specialized fiscal and actuarial projections of selected pension reforms in the three selected countries. It addresses three core research questions: 1) What is the current context for pension reform in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States given their histories? 2) Is the necessary (for achieving specific minimum levels of sustainability, adequacy, and coverage) pension reform politically feasible? 3) How do the characteristics of each reform affect its political feasibility? Corollary: The modification of which channel (benefits, contributions, retirement age) is perceived as more politically feasible for diverse stakeholders? The methodology chosen provides a timely picture of the context surrounding potential pension reforms in the three case studies. In Mexico, credit-claiming and the interests of private stakeholders explain the success of recent pension reforms, and partisan politics are the key determinants for future fiscal changes. For the United Kingdom, the institutionalist literature helps explain the reasons for the relatively easier reform avenues; the most politically feasible reforms are those in the private sector, while the housing market is of key importance for pensions. In the United States, the institutionalist literature and the framework of blame avoidance also help explain the current legislative gridlock and the reasons why no major reform has been enacted for decades. For Mexico and the United Kingdom there exist politically feasible reforms, notably a modification of the retirement age channel, that can increase the system’s sustainability while maintaining income adequacy and coverage; whereas based on the current context of extreme polarisation and legislative gridlock, there do not seem to exist politically feasible pension reforms that preserve the structure of Social Security in the United States. The dissertation brings the lens of political feasibility to bear on a previously technical literature on the structure of the pension systems in the three countries, and thus on the feasibility of reform to deliver financial sustainability, adequacy of retirement incomes, and adequate coverage of the old age population. It identifies the feasible routes for reform in Mexico and the United Kingdom, but concludes that the political economy context the United States has reached rules out feasible reforms of its current pension structures.

- Database of African Renewable Energy Policies, based on publicly available soures, e.g. World Bank, IRENA, IEA, Climatescope.- Country sample: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d‘Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.- Renewable energy policy mapping according to policy content, actor constellation, transformative potential of each policy.Publication: Is Green a Pan-African Colour? Mapping African Renewable Energy Policies and Transitions in 34 Countries, in: Energy Research and Social Science

The main aim of study is examing farmers understanding towrds the emerging concepts of sustainable agricultural waste management falls under circular agriculture-a circular, green economy with cleaner production and bioeconomy reconciled with economic, social and environmental dimensions. This study is a prototype in Mirab Gojjam Zone of Amhara region as well in Ethiopia. we seek to determine farmers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for eco-friendly AWM. Data were collected through a contingent valuation survey of 353 randomly selected farmers in Mirab Gojjam. The improper discarding and unsafe use of agricultural waste causes health and environmental problems. It also contributes to GHG emissions, particularly in Mirab Gojjam, the focus of our study. We thus assessed farmers’ WTP for eco-friendly AWM to improve the local environment in Mirab Gojjam and maintain low carbon sustainable development. The result indicates an annual WTP of 6.84 household days (equivalent to 273.5 Birr) for the surveyed farmers. The Tobit results indicate that the social capital, socioeconomic, cognitive, and altruism variables significantly influence the degree of WTP. Our results are thus useful for understanding farmers’ attitudes and WTP for eco-friendly AWM, as well as the need for private and public instruments in agricultural waste for developing and disseminating resource technology.To improve the use of agricultural waste in biofuel, construction, and feedlot and to enhance sources of rural income, green marketing and low-carbon innovative recycling technologies should be established parallel to proper discarding. In our study, the mean WTP in labour days per year was higher than the amount of money farmers that were willing to pay for eco-friendly AWM.We thus propose three suggestions for sustainable and eco-friendly AWM. First, the government must assess and understand the current generation potential of agricultural waste. It must formulate rural sustainable waste management policies and create awareness accordingly.Second, agricultural waste recycling technology should be provisioned in rural areas through public–private collaboration. The vacuum in the local waste recycling market should be addressed by opening the market to private and informal micro-enterprise sectors, along with full government support.Lastly, proper follow-up and inspection is important to ensure all parties function in accordance with the laws, norms, and policies.Generally speaking, AWM must be prioritised as much as other SDGs to sustain holistic development, cleaner production, and clean-living environments for reducing carbon emission and looping conventional waste into circular agriculture.

This dataset contains temperature and rainfall data obtained from the Zambia Meteorological Department and maize yield data obtained from the Central Statistical Office aggregated at the district level for 30 years. The beans yield data is available upon request. Further, we merge this data with rainfall and temperature predictions from the HadGEM-ES2 global circulation model.