Policy briefs
Policy briefs are prepared in order to disseminate the findings from the environmental economics research to non-economists and policy makers. We make our briefs available in connection with our projects and publications.
- ethiopia | Agriculture Where Do Sustainable Land Managment Practices Work: A Comparative Study The Ethiopian economy has its foundation in the agricultural sector. This sector continues to be a fundamental instrument for poverty alleviation, food security, and fueling economic growth. However, the sector continues to be undermined by land degradation (LD) in the form of depletion of soil organic matter, soil erosion, and lack of adequate plant-nutrient supply (Pender et al., 2006). Kassie, Minale, Pender, J.,Yesuf, M., Köhlin,G., Bluffstone, R., and Mulugeta, E. “Estimating Returns to Soil Conservation Adoption in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands,” Agricultural Economics Journal. Vol. 38:2008, pp. 213 – 232
- south africa | Policy design The livelihood value of Botswana’s Okavango delta Tourism development provides an important opportunity for reducing pressures on the delta’s natural resources as well as reducing people’s dependence on the these resources for their livelihoods. Turpie, J.K, 2010,“The livelihood value of the natural resources of the Okavango Delta” Policy Paper Series, April 2010, Environmental Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
- south africa | Policy design Water quality amelioration value of wetlands Wetlands play a significant role in removal of organic agricultural pollutants from rivers. A study conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa, shows that small wetlands can play a significant cumulative role in the amelioration of the quality of water emanating from their catchment areas, and that the value of this service is high enough to warrant their protection. Turpie, J.K.,2010, Water quality amelioration value of wetlands, policy paper, Environmental Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
- ethiopia | Energy Income alone doesn’t determine adoption and choice of fuel types: Evidence from households in Tigrai and major cities in Ethiopia It is estimated that approximately 2.5 billion people in developing countries rely on biomass fuels to meet their cooking needs. Biomass fuels are derived from living, or recently living organisms, such as wood and leaves, animal waste and other types of waste. Urban centers have long been dependent on the rural hinterlands for about 90% of their biomass fuel needs in Ethiopia. This is one of the causes of deforestation and has resulted in growing fuel scarcity and higher firewood prices. Mekonnen, A., and Köhlin, G. 2008 “Determinants of Household Fuel Choice in Major Cities in Ethiopia” Discussion Paper Series EfD DP 08-18, Environment for Development (EfD), University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden. Gebreegziabher, Z., Mekonnen, A., Kassie, M., and Köhlin, G. 2009 “Urban Energy Transition and Technology Adoption: the Case of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia” Environmental Economics Policy Forum for Ethiopia (EEPFE), Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Addis Ababa.
- kenya | Forestry Policy design Opportunity costs of conservation: The case of protected area management in the Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya Knowing the local opportunity costs of restricting access to forest land and resources for conservation purposes is an important input to the design of cost-effective conservation schemes that minimize adverse effects on poor forest users. Paul Guthiga, Opportunity costs of conservation: The case of protected area management in the Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya; EfD Policy Brief 2009.
- ethiopia | Behavior ec. Changes in discount rates over time: Evidence from Ethiopia Numerous experimental studies have lent credence to the hyperbolic discounting model, which posits that individuals are impatient about immediate or near-term consumption decisions, but are relatively more patient over future consumption. Klemick, H., and Yesuf, M., 2008 “Do Discount Rates Change over Time? Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia” Discussion Papaer Serier, EfD DP 08-06, Enviornment for Development (EfD), Gothenburg, Sweden.
- central america | Parks & Wildlife Policy design Conservación para el desarrollo (Spanish only) En Costa Rica los parques nacionales generan bienestar a las comunidades vecinas Esta síntesis se basa en los resultados de Robalino, J y Laura Villalobos-Fiatt 2009. Conservation policies and labor markets: unraveling the effects of national parks on local wages in Costa Rica. EfD-CA Working paper.
- central america | Policy design Temas pendientes en la gobernabilidad hídrica (Spanish only) Las organizaciones comunales de abastecimiento de agua y saneamiento en Costa Rica Esta síntesis pertenece a una serie de publicaciones de la Unidad de Comunicación y Políticas (CPU en el marco del programa MAP-CATIE escrita por Ingo Gentes y Róger Madrigal- CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica. Octubre, 2009.
- central america | Policy design Rendición de cuentas y participación comunitaria en la provisión de agua potable (Spanish only) La efectividad de una política de descentralización depende de muchos factores y no puede ser concebida como una panacea para solventar los problemas de provisión de agua potable en todos los contextos. This brief is based on results from: Madrigal, R; Alpízar, F; Schluter, A. 2009. Determinants of performance in rural water community organizations in Costa Rica. EfD-CA Working paper.
- kenya | Policy design Challenging Drylands Myths with Economics and Facts Ecological adaptations allow dryland plants and animals to reproduce, grow and survive in extreme conditions. Simply dryland systems are ecologically resilient and cannot be dismissed as wastelands Nyangena, Wilfred, 2009 “Realising the true value of ecosystem services” in Mortimore, M. (Ed) “Dryland Opportunities: A new paradigm for people, ecosystems and development” pp. 27-41. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, IIED, London, UK and UNDP, New York, USA.
