• Energy Research
• Closed Access close
• 1. No poverty close
• 4. Education close
• AU close

Abstract This paper is based on dynamic optimization methodology to investigate the economic energy efficiency issues in developing countries. The paper introduces some definitions about energy efficiency both in economics and physics, and establishes a quantitative way for measuring the economic energy efficiency. The linkage between economic energy efficiency, energy consumption and other macroeconomic variables is demonstrated primarily. Using the methodology of dynamic optimization, a maximum problem of economic energy efficiency over time, which is subjected to the extended Solow growth model and instantaneous investment rate, is modelled. In this model, the energy consumption is set as a control variable and the capital is regarded as a state variable. The analytic solutions can be derived and the diagrammatic analysis provides saddle-point equilibrium. A numerical simulation based on China is also presented; meanwhile, the optimal paths of investment and energy consumption can be drawn. The dynamic optimization encourages governments in developing countries to pursue higher economic energy efficiency by controlling the energy consumption and regulating the investment state as it can conserve energy without influencing the achievement of steady state in terms of Solow model. If that, a sustainable development will be achieved.

Abstract Since the adoption of the Kyoto protocol in 1997 and its entry into force in 2005, as well its aftermath such as the Doha amendment and Paris agreement, national policies have become more conscious of the usage of clean energy, mostly the different forms of renewable energy and nuclear energy. Ratifying countries and signatories had committed themselves to binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse emissions by 8% with respect to 1990 levels until 2012, also based on the particular contribution to global emissions from each country. This paper examines the integrational properties of clean energy consumption from eight emerging economies which are also high greenhouse gas emitters. The empirical results show that the clean energy consumption is stationarity for Brazil and Philippines by using a quantile unit root test without smooth breaks (Koenker and Xiao, 2004). However, after capturing the smooth breaks (Bahmani-Oskooee et al., 2018), we find the clean energy consumption of China, Pakistan and Thailand are stationary. The time-varying deterministic trend with smooth breaks is more fitted to the path of clean energy consumption in comparison to the deterministic trend without smooth breaks. The paper suggests economic insights useful for policy making.

Providing access to electricity for the roughly 3 billion people who currently have no access or limited access to reliable service is a fundamental social and economic development challenge. A significant part of this population lives far away from the power grid, mostly in rural areas, where mini-grids could go far in meeting this enormous demand.

The early childhood years are regarded as the most significant period for human development. Yet, education investments in environmental education (EE)/education for sustainability (EfS) have been largely overlooked in the early years. This chapter offers an analysis of early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) theory and practice in Australia – recognised as a leader in ECEfS. It draws on historical and international contexts, key theoretical perspectives and policy directions informing broader uptake. We believe the Australian experience with ECEfS offers pointers for other parts of the world looking to ramp up their ECEfS activities.

An extensive number of studies uses trade-to-GDP as a proxy for globalisation in environmental research. Globalisation encompasses much more than just trade in goods. Globalisation is the integration of various countries and includes spillovers of ideas and technology, financial flows, the worldwide movement of labour, and national governments meeting on an international level in a bid to solve social and political problems. This study considers the effect of globalisation on carbon dioxide emissions by using a more flexible and comprehensive measure based on the KOF globalisation index for a panel of 21 OECD nations covering the period 1970–2014. Since the globalisation process is not uniform across countries and time, we use a fully-fledged nonparametric technique to estimate the time-varying coefficient and trend functions. Our results show that the effect of globalization on CO2 emissions is positive up until 2000, then switches to turns negative thereafter.

As countries start to implement the Sustainable Development Goals in their national development agendas, reviews of the current policy environment are necessary to ensure that the goals are achievable by 2030. The present study assesses the effectiveness of energy policy in Indonesia in supporting progress towards universal energy access, a substantial increase in renewable energy deployment, and improvement in energy efficiency. Laws and regulations related to energy were reviewed, and their contribution to achieving the energy targets of the Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia was evaluated in terms of policy effectiveness. Results show that providing electricity for the remaining 1.1 million households living in the outermost and least developed regions of the archipelago is very challenging. However, Indonesia is still on track to achieve 100% residential electrification by 2030 as long as enough budget is allocated annually. Indonesia may not be able to provide access to clean cooking fuels and technology for everyone by 2030. The current policy focusing mostly on gas for cooking will be less effective in reaching the remaining households that cook with solid biomass and usually live in poverty. Similarly, the current policy scenario is not sufficient to allow enough progress to achieve the renewable energy target. Finally, the assessment of energy efficiency policy suggests that sectoral energy use is shaped by variables and regulation not primarily intended to improve energy efficiency.

People, local cultures and the environments they live in are complex and dynamic social-ecological systems that have evolved together over time and are continually affected by a myriad of factors, including climate and global changes. Escalating climate and global changes present an imminent threat to Pacific communities, particularly for food security, livelihoods, health and safety, cultural identity and biodiversity conservation. A participatory community-based climate change adaptation planning process was used to engage with communities on Rendova Island in Western Province, Solomon Islands to identify local adaptation priorities. The methodology recognized that local community members are the managers of the resources they use daily, have direct knowledge of the status of key local resources and have direct influence over ongoing resource governance. The study focused on two objectives: (1) identifying community priorities and documenting them in adaptation plans intended for local implementation, and (2) evaluating whether community adaptation priorities addressed key vulnerabilities identified independently using a semi-quantitative vulnerability assessment. The adaptation priorities identified by the communities encompassed: governance, leadership and planning; farming and livestock; sustainable livelihoods; natural resource management; and youth capacity building. The community adaptation priorities were found to address the key climate change vulnerabilities identified in the semi-quantitative assessment and also addressed additional drivers of social vulnerability and adaptive capacity. This finding reiterates the importance of fully inclusive and participatory vulnerability assessments and community-identification of adaptation priorities coupled with scientific climate projections to comprehensively assess the complexity of social-ecological systems. The climate change adaptation priorities have informed ongoing local actions and are intended to be used by communities, government and NGOs to focus local effort, funding and project development. A review of the suitability of the adaptation priorities by similar villages on neighbouring islands would determine the utility of scaling-up and applying these adaptations to other rural communities in the Solomon Islands, and possibly more widely in other Pacific communities.

Abstract Understanding the drivers of past and present energy consumption trends is important for a range of stakeholders, including governments, businesses and international development organizations, in order to prepare for impacts on global supply chains caused by changes in future energy price or availability shocks. In this paper we use environmentally-extended input–output tables to: (a) quantify the long-term drivers that have led to diversified energy footprint profiles of 186 countries around the world from 1990 to 2010; (b) identify which countries and sectors recorded an increase or decrease in energy footprints during this time period; (c) highlight the effect of international outsourcing of energy-intensive production processes by decomposing the structural and spatial change in energy footprints; and (d) discuss the implications for national economic policy for the identified drivers. To this end, we use a detailed Multi-Regional Input–Output database and three prevalent structural decomposition analysis methods. To reduce biases in the results due to time lapse and currency variations, we convert input–output tables to common US$ and 1990-constant prices. This study provides a broad overview of the magnitude and distribution of the drivers for energy footprints across countries. The results of this study demonstrate that for almost all countries affluence and population growth are driving energy footprints worldwide, which is in part counteracted by the retarding effect of industrial energy intensity. In particular, this study demonstrates that with increasing per-capita GDP, the total energy footprint of a country is increasingly concentrated on imports or consumption.

1. Governance Approaches for Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change in Asia: An Introduction Huong Ha and Tek Nath Dhakal PART I: ISSUES AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN ASIA 2. Climate Change, Vanishing Ecosystems and the Challenge of Achieving Human Prosperity Amita Singh 3. The Interplay between Climate Change, Economy and Displacement: Experience from Asia A.K.M. Ahsan Ullah 4. Disaster Communication in Mitigating Climate Change in Sri Lanka: Problems and Prospects R. Lalitha S. Fernando 5. Climate Change and Global Environmental Governance: The Asian Experience Gamini Herath PART II: PRECONDITIONS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE ROLE OF DIFFERENT SECTORS 6. Approaches for Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study of Agriculture Initiatives in Japan Izumi Tsurita, S.V.R.K. Prabhakar and Daisuke Sano 7. How Adaptive Policies are in Japan and Can Adaptive Policies Mean Effective Policies?: Some Implications for Governing Climate Change Adaptation S.V.R.K. Prabhakar, Misa Aoki and Reina Mashimo 8. Management of Climate Induced National Security: Paradigm Shift from Geopolitics to Carbon Politics Md Shafiqul Islam 9. Deconstructing Debate on National Action Plan on Climate Change at the State Level: A Case Study of Meghalaya State, India Ashok Kumar Singha, Suvra Majumdar, Abhik Saha and Somnath Hazra 10. The Role of Government and the Private Sector in Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change Vinay Sharma PART III: GOVERNANCE APPROACHES FOR MANAGING CLIMATE CHANGE 11. Integrated Governance and Adaptation to Climate Change Ken Coghill and Ramanie Samaratunge 12. Climate Change Governance: Singapore Case Huong Ha 13. Governance Framework to Mitigate Climate Change: Challenges in Urbanising India Mahendra Sethi and Subhakanta Mohapatra 14. Unripe Fruits or Non-Raining Clouds?: Climate Change Governance and Funding Dilemma in Nepal Bimal Raj Regmi and Dinanath Bhandari 15. Environmental Legislations and Actions in Polity, Economy and Culture for Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study of Misamis Oriental Province, the Philippines Isaias S. Sealza and Huong Ha 16. Responses to Climate Change - Who is Responsible?: A Conclusion Tek Nath Dhakal and Huong Ha

Abstract Like other developing countries, Pakistan is under severe economic pressure and striving to boost entrepreneurial orientation for achieving growth through minimal depletion of natural resources. In order to facilitate widespread and successful adoption of green entrepreneurial farming, it is crucial to address barriers inhibiting the uptake of green entrepreneurial activities in farming for the sustainability of natural resources as well as food provision. To this end, the present study aimed to investigate barriers in the adoption of green entrepreneurial farming in Pakistan. To fulfill the study objectives, after a comprehensive literature review and field visit, 34 barriers were identified. The results based on ranking analysis identified 20 out of 34 barriers as critical barriers to adoption of green entrepreneurial farming in the country. Furthermore, factor analysis was employed to group underlying 20 critical barriers into six major categories viz. 1) training and development-related barriers, 2) entrepreneurial orientation-related barriers, 3) market orientation-related barriers, 4) customer orientation-related barriers, 5) innovation orientation-related barriers, and 6) green supporting supplies-related barriers. Results showed that most dominant barrier among six groupings was training and development-related barriers and the marginal role of government in the provision of such endeavours. This implies that government needs to play a more active role in the adoption and promotion of green entrepreneurial farming in Punjab, Pakistan.