The Environment for Development initiative
The overall objective of the EfD initiative is to support poverty alleviation and sustainable development through the increased use of environmental economics in the policy making process. The EfD initiative is a capacity building program in environmental economics, focusing on research, policy advice, and teaching in Central America, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania.
- Research The main activity of the EfD initiative is international, rigorous research collaboration on poverty- environment issues. That means analyzing underlying problems and proposing efficient solutions in terms of policy instruments.
- Policy Advice EfD research fellows focus on issues that are of real concern for policy making bodies. We strive to integrate the environment into strategic policy process and to meet demands of domestic and international institutions.
- Teaching Academic training is fundamental in domestic capacity building in environmental economics. Therefore the EfD-initiative supports national graduate programs in environmental economics at all EfD Centers.
Most recent publications
- eeu sweden | Policy design Is urbanization contributing to higher food prices? Urbanization has been mentioned as one possible cause of higher food prices, and in this paper we examine some of the suggested links between urbanization and food prices. Stage, J., Stage, J. & McGranahan, G. (2010): “Is urbanization contributing to higher food prices?” Environment and Urbanization 22 (1): 199 – 215.
- kenya | Agriculture Production risk and farm technology adoption in the rain-fed semi-arid lands of Kenya This study provides empirical evidence on the effects of production risk on smallholder farmers’ adoption of farm technology, using plot-level data collected from two semi-arid districts in Kenya, Machakos and Taita Taveta. Ogada Maurice, Wilfred Nyangena and Mahmud Yesuf, 2010, “Production risk and farm technology adoption in the rain-fed semi-arid lands of Kenya”, AFJARE, 2010, vol. 4, No. 2, June, pp. 159-74.
- eeu sweden | Climate change Climate Change and Total Factor Productivity in the Tanzanian Economy: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis The paper analyses the economic impacts of climate change-induced adjustments on the performance of the Tanzanian economy, using a country-wide CGE model. The general equilibrium framework enables comparison of the effects of climate change to the overall growth of the economy, as responsiveness to shocks is likely to depend on the macroeconomic structure of the economy. Mintewab Bezabih, Muyeye Chambwera and Jesper Stage (2010),"Climate Change and Total Factor Productivity in the Tanzanian Economy: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis",EfD Discussion Paper 10-14, Environment for Development Initiative and Resources for the Future, Washington DC, June 2010.
- south africa | Policy design Responsible Investment: A Vehicle for Environmentally Sustainable Economic Growth in South Africa This paper explores whether any investment products or strategies in South Africa take environmental sustainability into account. By looking at how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are used in investment decision making, we found that most socially responsible investment products and responsible investment strategies largely focus on infrastructure, development, and black economic empowerment. Stéphanie Giamporcaro, Lise Pretorius and Martine Visser (2010),"Responsible Investment: A Vehicle for Environmentally Sustainable Economic Growth in South Africa"EfD Discussion Paper 10-17, Environment for Development Initiative and Resources for the Future, Washington DC, June 2010.
News
2010-07-14
Porter Hypothesis at 20: How Can Environmental Regulation Enhance Innovation and Competitiveness?
On June 28 in Montreal, just prior to the World Congress of Environment and Resource Economists [...]
2010-07-08
Sterner's speech at ABCDE Sweden
Prof Thomas Sterner was recently invited speaker at the World Bank ABCDE conference held in [...]
2010-06-08
Do contributions to public goods increase if publicly disclosed?
Public disclosure of companies’ pollution habits has been an effective method of reducing pollution [...]
Calendar
2010-07-22
South Africa UCT: An innovative field course on environmental issues in developing countries
Poverty, natural resource management, and environmental degradation are inextricably linked.The [...]
2010-10-28
EfD Annual Meeting 2010 in Ethiopia
EfD Annual Meeting 2010 is to be held in Ethiopia, October 28-31, 2010.