Climate Policy Research Articles

Advancing ocean equity at the nexus of development, climate and conservation policy.

Advancing ocean equity at the nexus of development, climate and conservation policy.

Ebola Virus Disease Outbreaks: Lessons Learned From Past and Facing Future Challenges.

The purpose of this review is to examine African Ebola outbreaks from their first discovery to the present, to determine how the medical and public health response has changed and identify the causes for those changes. We sought to describe what is now known about the epidemiology and spread of Ebola virus disease (EVD) from the significant outbreaks that have occurred and outbreak control methods applied under often challenging circumstances. Given the substantial role that the U.S. Government and the U.S. DoD have played in the 2014 to 2016 West African Ebola outbreak, the role of the DoD and the U.S. African Command in controlling EVD is described. A descriptive method design was used to collect and analyze all available Ebola outbreak literature using the PubMed database. An initial literature search was conducted by searching for, obtaining, and reading original source articles on all major global Ebola outbreaks. To conduct a focused search, we used initial search terms "Ebola outbreak," "Ebola virus disease," "Ebola response," "Ebola countermeasures," and also included each country's name where Ebola cases are known to have occurred. From the 4,673 unique articles obtained from this search and subsequent article title review, 307 articles were identified for potential inclusion. Following abstract and article review, 45 original source articles were used to compile the history of significant Ebola outbreaks. From this compilation, articles focused on each respective subsection of this review to delineate and describe the history of EVD and response, identifying fundamental changes, were obtained and incorporated. We present known Ebola virus and disease attributes, including a general description, seasonality and location, transmission capacity, clinical symptoms, surveillance, virology, historical EVD outbreaks and response, international support for Ebola outbreak response, U.S. DoD support, medical countermeasures supporting outbreak response, remaining gaps to include policy limitations, regional instability, climate change, migration, and urbanization, public health education and infrastructure, and virus persistence and public awareness. The health and societal impacts of EVD on Africa has been far-reaching, with about 35,000 cases and over 15,000 deaths, with small numbers of cases spreading globally. However, the history of combatting EVD reveals that there is considerable hope for African nations to quickly and successfully respond to Ebola outbreaks, through use of endemic resources including Africa CDC and African Partner Outbreak Response Alliance and the U.S. African Command with greater DoD reachback. Although there remains much to be learned about the Ebola virus and EVD including whether the potential for novel strains to become deadly emerging infections, invaluable vaccines, antivirals, and public health measures are now part of the resources that can be used to combat this disease.

Setting the agenda for climate assemblies. Trade-offs and guiding principles

ABSTRACT Citizens’ assemblies on climate change are increasingly popular to support democratic decision-making. Such Climate Assemblies (CAs) convene representative groups of citizens formulating policy proposals after hearing experts and deliberating intensely. CAs may help addressing climate policy issues more effectively partly because their members need not worry about re-election. CAs’ effectiveness depends on their design such as the issues chosen (or not chosen) for deliberation. Agenda-setters exert substantial power by selecting certain issues and by choosing framings that benefit some solutions over others. In this paper I ask: What characterizes agendas that are suitable and legitimate for deliberation in CAs? The aim is to support practitioners in making informed agenda choices for CAs by providing a list of ten widely accepted guiding principles based on expert interviews, policy documents, and information gathered from the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA). The paper systematically discusses trade-offs of various agenda choices in the light of different CA rationales. Results show that those with system-supporting rationales tend to favour narrower agendas tailored to political demands aiming to increase immediate policy impact; those with system-disrupting rationales prefer more open agendas allowing citizens to challenge existing political practices and worldviews. Results support earlier arguments that distinctions of entire deliberative processes in either top-down or bottom-up are too simplistic and that a tool-box approach is more useful. Insights appear relevant for debates of deliberative minipublics more generally. Future research should investigate whom to involve in setting CA agendas and with how much power.

The relationship between anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and HIV prevention among sexual and gender minoritized youth.

Estimate the longitudinal associations of state-level anti-LGBTQ+ policies and county-level politics with individual HIV prevention outcomes among sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) youth. Keeping it LITE-1 prospectively enrolled 3,330 SGM youth and young adults (ages 13-34) at increased risk of HIV throughout the United States from 2017-2022. Semiannual surveys collected self-reported HIV prevention measures (current PrEP use, weekly PrEP adherence, HIV/STI testing in the past 6 months). Geolocation was linked with state-level LGBTQ+ policy data and county-level election data. Generalized linear models with GEE estimated the single and joint longitudinal associations for 2 exposures [state-level policy climate (more discriminatory vs. less discriminatory) and county-level political majority (Democratic/swing vs. Republican)] with each outcome. Among participants living in a state with more discriminatory laws, those in a Democratic/swing county had a 6-percentage point increase in PrEP use (95% CI: 0.02, 0.09) compared to those in a Republican county. Those living in a Republican county but a state with less discriminatory laws saw a similar increase (0.05; -0.02,0.11). Residing in both a Democratic/swing county and a state with less discriminatory laws, relative to a Republican county and a state with more discriminatory laws, was associated with a 10-percentage point increase in PrEP use (0.10; 0.06,0.14) and a 5-percentage point increase in HIV/STI testing (0.05; 0.00,0.09). More progressive state and local policies were each associated with increased PrEP use, and together, doubled the magnitude of this association. PrEP is underutilized among SGM youth, and anti-LGBTQ+ policies may exacerbate this gap in coverage.

Decoupling with(out) outsourcing? Quantifying emissions embodied in BRI trade with implications for climate policy

We empirically examine the trade-related environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) using a novel technology-adjusted consumption-based accounting in addition to traditional accounting schemes and data from the Eora Global database from 1995 to 2015. We find that BRI trade accounted for 3-quarters (5.01 Gt) of global traded emissions in 2015. BRI countries account for 60%–75% of (non-BRI) developed-world consumption-based emissions. While developing (BRI) countries import 8%–42% of their consumption needs from China, they account for half of the China’s imported emissions. Our analysis reveals that technological adjustments in export sectors significantly alter the magnitude of outsourcing and emission responsibility assigned to both BRI and non-BRI countries. This leads to a notable shift in net trade balance emissions. We find that developed (BRI and non-BRI) countries have reduced emissions primarily through decoupling and outsourcing. Our findings demonstrate that BRI trade has diverse environmental effects; exports from more carbon-efficient (BRI and non-BRI) developed countries are likely to reduce (or avoid) emissions in developing (BRI) countries and vice versa. An important implication of these findings is that China’s BRI-led outsourcing and investments have the potential to yield significant environmental benefits by accelerating the transition to renewable energy in developing countries participating in the initiative.

Rainfall variability and welfare of agricultural households: Evidence from rural Niger

AbstractVariable weather continues to be the major source of vulnerability to chronic hunger and poverty in many developing countries due to the strong dependency of livelihood strategies on rainfed farming. Quantifying the effect of climatic parameters on agricultural households is, therefore, necessary to help policymakers understand the benefits of climate policies, improve the allocation of the scarce resources dedicated to adaptation and prioritize among adaptation strategies. This article investigates the empirical relationship between the welfare of rural households and rainfall variability in the semi‐arid tropics, using household panel data and high‐resolution remotely sensed rainfall data from Niger. We find that a standard deviation increase in rainfall variability is associated with a reduction of real food consumption by 11.13%. Results also indicate that a standard deviation increase in rainfall variability reduces expenditures for cereal‐based products, animal‐based products and processed foods by 11.96%, 21.31%, and 16.23%, respectively. Our results are consistent across a battery of robustness checks. Finally, we find geographical‐based differences in terms of the effect and that access to cereal banks cushions the negative effect of rainfall variability. Policy interventions aiming at improving the well‐being of rural households should therefore emphasize improving climate adaptation strategies.

The essential role of climate policy uncertainty in carbon emissions: a fresh insight.

This study assesses the influence of climate policy uncertainty (CPU) on carbon emissions (CE) against the backdrop of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in the US. The wavelet analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of correlations in the time and frequency domains. The results demonstrate a significant correlation between CPU and CE, which varies across different time periods and frequencies. In the time domain, the results indicate that the CPU and CE move together during certain subperiods. Moreover, there are observable comovements in the frequency domain, particularly in the short to medium range. However, the correlation becomes stronger in the short term when there is no EPU, suggesting a closer interaction between CPU and CE. Therefore, it is crucial for governments to prioritize improving the clarity, credibility, and consistency of climate policies. They should also consider potential economic shocks when designing these policies.

Colonial erasures in gender and climate change solutions

AbstractDespite deliberate moves to integrate gender with climate change solutions, efforts do not go far enough to account for coloniality, thus falling short of achieving feminist, just and transformative ends. Coloniality is a political blind spot and a systematic amnesia in climate policies and actions, despite being a key driver of climate change manifested through various forms of extractivism, economic growth, and hegemonic Eurocentric knowledge production. As a corrective and a pathway toward realizing a post/decolonial feminist climate praxis, I will disclose the colonial underpinnings in (i) a persistent gender binary and women‐centered approaches; (ii) white feminist epistemic privileging; and (iii) acquiescing to masculine Enlightenment‐inspired techno‐managerialism. Furthermore, disclosures of colonial erasures entail a foundational re‐evaluation of the climate change narrative from an isolated form of natural crisis to a phenomenon embedded in complex histories of colonialism, extractivism, and capitalist exploitation that threatens the intrinsic interdependence of nature and society and planetary survival. As a result, a post/decolonial feminist climate praxis then asks that we foster and restore this interdependence by institutionalizing an ethics of socioecological care, acknowledging epistemic diversity through embodied knowledge, and carrying out intersectional justice.This article is categorized under: Climate, Nature, and Ethics > Climate Change and Global Justice Climate and Development > Sustainability and Human Well‐Being Climate and Development > Social Justice and the Politics of Development

Green Farming: Practice of Agroforestry as Response to Climate Variability and Strategy for Farm Income Diversification in Kafa Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Agroforestry farming is a crucial agricultural practice that has been the indigenous economic activity of tropical areas since early times. In addition to its financial advantages, this economic activity plays a significant role in environmental conservation. The study's objective was to evaluate the spread and content of agroforestry practices for raising farm income and climate adaptation in the Kafa Zone of southwest Ethiopia. To address the objective of this study, a survey design was used. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select sample. Approximately 375 sample households were surveyed. In addition, interviews, Focus Group Discussion, and observation were used during this study for the collection of data. As the study results showed, the hectares of land use under agroforestry were vary among the study kebeles. There was a significant difference among the study areas regarding land use size under agroforestry (F2 was 11.869, and sign was 0.03). In addition, the study revealed diversified agroforestry with crop species were found in home garden agroforestry. Similarly, the variability of the tree species per plot in agroforestry land use was significantly associated with the agroecology of the study area (p<0.05), which was greater varieties in the Dega agroecological area than in the Kola area. The main challenges to the practices of diversification of agroforestry in the study area were issues related with market accessibility, climate, wildlife, and agricultural policy. About 86.4% of the farmers surveyed indicated that there were limitations on support or government help for seedlings. To conclude, the agroforestry farm implementation in the study was related to indigenous knowledge-based practice, which was highly focus on coffee and gardens. To improve and implement sound agroforestry practices, the concerning body needs to strengthen a policy and plan that initiates diverse species in agroforestry practices.

Climate policy uncertainty and carbon price: evidence from frequency and quantile perspective

Climate policy uncertainty and carbon price: evidence from frequency and quantile perspective

Indigenous climate justice in Aotearoa New Zealand: the dangers of (mis)recognition within climate policymaking

This paper explores Indigenous climate justice in the settler-colonial context of Aotearoa New Zealand. We adopt the interdisciplinary approach of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the extent to which Māori knowledge systems (mātauranga Māori) and Māori status as Treaty partners with the Crown (New Zealand Government) were recognised included in New Zealand’s Zero Carbon Act (ZCA). Through our exploration we reflect on and explore Māori experiences of climate injustice through lack of recognition or misrecognition. CDA helps to identify whose voices dominated the ZCA process, revealing unequal power relations between stakeholder groups, the Crown, and Māori. By analysing policy documents, long-form submissions from Māori, and interviews with Māori we shed light on the power dynamics which shaped the ZCA process and the implicit assumptions regarding Māori participation in climate policy decision-making. The misrepresentation of Māori as stakeholders rather than treaty partners perpetuates historical legacies of colonization. By applying CDA within the context of climate justice, we highlight tensions between Māori aspirations for partnership and the actual treatment of Māori as stakeholders rather than Treaty partners. By closely examining the narratives surrounding the formation of the ZCA, CDA reveals the ways in which Māori voices are side-lined, their aspirations and concerns dismissed, their Indigenous knowledge systems (mātauranga-a-iwi and mātauranga-a-hapu) marginalized, and their rights to retain their tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty) violated.

Interactions within climate policyscapes: a network analysis of the electricity generation space in the United Kingdom, 1956–2022

The systems of policies impacting climate change mitigation are complex. Yet, to date, we have limited conceptual and empirical knowledge on the dynamics within these. We address this gap by employing a systems lens to untangle the interactions between the policies affecting climate change mitigation in the electricity generation space. We conceptualise climate policyscapesfor electricity generation as systems populated with policies whose means impact decarbonisation in the electricity generation space. The impacts under analysis include both support and obstruction of climate change mitigation. We analyse the evolution of the UK climate policyscape from 1956 to 2022. Methodologically, we combine qualitative content analysis and network analysis. We populate the policyscapes with pieces of legislation in the electricity generation space and employ qualitative content analysis to identify the policy means affecting climate change mitigation. Our network analysis of the 2022 climate policyscape reveals that policies hindering climate mitigation remain largely present, which renders the climate policyscape incoherent. We show that policies supporting mitigation are more likely to behave as a group than policies hindering climate mitigation. Climate policies tend to be adopted as packages, whilst fossil policies remain a steady process throughout the history of the UK climate policyscape.

Expectations on biochar as a climate solution in Sweden: Carbon dioxide removal with environmental co-benefits

While carbon dioxide removal is indispensable in net-zero climate policy, incentives to deploy removals are limited. Swedish public support to biochar is one exception. This paper draws on the Swedish case to explore expectations put on biochar and the significance of public support for fulfilling these expectations. The analysis shows that biochar is expected to contribute to several environmental objectives. However, while biochar producers and users voice expectations on strengthening the multifunctionality of landscapes, e.g., improved ecosystem resilience and reduced nutrient run-off, the authorities rather narrowly direct attention to the stability of biochar as a carbon storage. Nevertheless, public support is contributing to a small but important protective space for biochar development through three channels: First, through investment grants, which are crucial for the emerging Swedish biochar production capacity. Second, through demand-pull created by municipalities that specify high environmental safeguards, which favours domestic production over import. Third, indirectly through support of production facilities that enable intermediary activities for gathering and sharing knowledge. However, while recent changes to EU state aid regulation may be a game-changer, EU has until now acted as a barrier to support to carbon dioxide removal. This socio-technical regime resistance, combined with a lack of jointly articulated expectations on biochar, appear to have been preventing deployment on more significant scale.

Does global economic and climate policy uncertainty affect private investment? Evidence from sub‐Saharan Africa

AbstractThis study investigates how uncertainty in climate and global economic policies affects private investment in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Using panel data from 41 countries over the period 2000–2022, the study employs a dynamic panel model to estimate the effects of these two types of uncertainty on the private investment‐to‐gross domestic product ratio. The study finds that both global economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and climate policy uncertainty have a negative and significant influence on private investment, implying that higher levels of uncertainty discourage private investors from undertaking long‐term projects in the sub‐region. The study also finds that the effect of uncertainty on climate policy is stronger than that of EPU, suggesting that private investors are more sensitive to the lack of clarity and coherence in the global climate policy framework. The findings are robust to different estimation techniques. The study concludes that reducing policy uncertainty, especially in the area of climate change, is crucial for enhancing private investment and promoting sustainable development in SSA.

The differential impact of climate interventions along the political divide in 60 countries

A major barrier to climate change mitigation is the political polarization of climate change beliefs. In a global experiment conducted in 60 countries (N = 51,224), we assess the differential impact of eleven climate interventions across the ideological divide. At baseline, we find political polarization of climate change beliefs and policy support globally, with people who reported being liberal believing and supporting climate policy more than those who reported being conservative (Cohen’s d = 0.35 and 0.27, respectively). However, we find no evidence for a statistically significant difference between these groups in their engagement in a behavioral tree planting task. This conceptual-behavioral polarization incongruence results from self-identified conservatives acting despite not believing, rather than self-identified liberals not acting on their beliefs. We also find three interventions (emphasizing effective collective actions, writing a letter to a future generation member, and writing a letter from the future self) boost climate beliefs and policy support across the ideological spectrum, and one intervention (emphasizing scientific consensus) stimulates the climate action of people identifying as liberal. None of the interventions tested show evidence for a statistically significant boost in climate action for self-identified conservatives. We discuss implications for practitioners deploying targeted climate interventions.

Assessing the EU Climate and Energy Policy Priorities for Transport and Mobility through the Analysis of User-Generated Social Media Content Based on Text-Mining Techniques

For over three decades, the European Union’s (EU) transport policy has aimed at fostering environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. Since 2015, European policymakers have focused more on three key sustainable development goals: decarbonizing the transport system, promoting low-emission mobility solutions, and transitioning to renewable and alternative fuels. To effectively communicate priorities and engage stakeholders, EU policymakers regularly use social media platforms like Twitter (now known as X). This active discourse involves policymakers, industrial stakeholders, the media, and the public, offering insights into the role of transport policy in addressing climate change and energy transition challenges. The current research endeavors to track and analyze the evolution of user-generated content related to climate change, energy transition, and smart mobility on Twitter from 2011 to 2021. This research uses text-mining and social network analysis techniques to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the dynamics of relevant EU policies and their effects. The study’s findings can be used to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework at the EU and national levels. This framework will assess the effectiveness of communicating strategic priorities for sustainable transport development. It also holds potential for application in other sectors, broadening its impact.

Bridges over troubled waters: Climate clubs, alliances, and partnerships as safeguards for effective international cooperation?

AbstractDriven by the motivation to raise the ambition level of climate action and to foster the transformation of economies, current climate policy discourse revolves around ways to improve cooperation between industrialized countries and emerging economies. We identify three broad types of initiatives—multilateral-cross sectoral, multilateral, sector specific, and climate and development partnerships—and assess them for potentials to deliver on such objectives with a specific focus on industry transformation. This paper provides new reflections on the institutionalization of international climate cooperation. Specifically, we demonstrate the urgent need to understand what values, norms, and underlying principles drive a cooperation in order to draw conclusions on how to best institutionalize climate cooperation rules.in-use. We conclude that an overemphasis on a CO2 price and on carbon border adjustment mechanisms, such as in the context of the initial proposals for a cross-sectoral climate club envisaged by G7 countries, would have contributed to a further polarization of the international landscape. We find, however, that multilateral, sectoral alliances play an important role for international goal setting and the convergence on standards, metrics, and benchmarks. Based on our analysis, we recommend strengthening multilateral, sector-specific partnerships. These can be focused on sectoral topics as a connector between countries, allowing for a strategically-aligned, increasingly deep collaboration. However, for any initiative to succeed, processes of international institutionalization will be needed in order to agree on rules for implementation based on aligned interests and equity. Building such institutions may well serve as a steppingstone toward more durable cooperation structures between developed economies and emerging economies. In sum, no existing cooperation approach is perfect, but three actions may be taken to move the agenda forward: First, reform of the carbon border adjustment mechanism and removing it from the center of climate club discussions, second, coupling sectoral alliances with climate and development partnerships, and three, designing them in a way to address fears of political influence seeking and superimposition of global north agendas on the global south.

Climate Policy in Global and Local Aspects

A review article summarising the current state of knowledge and suggesting directions for further research. It is part of a wider review aimed at assessing the effectiveness of climate change policies. The main difficulties considered in the article include the problems of environmental management and strategies for building resilience to climate change induced stress. The issues analysed in the article concern selected problems in the implementation of climate policy at global, regional and local levels. It was found that, under certain conditions, the effects of the measures taken can be counterproductive. The effectiveness and rationality of climate policy was also analysed from an economic perspective. The aim of the article was achieved on the basis of a review of domestic and foreign literature and documents on the subject, as well as a comparative analysis. The study covered selected issues that, in the author's opinion, should be taken into account when adapting the climate policy formulated at world summits to local conditions. This adaptation should include not only solutions but also targets. In conclusion, the author points out that the evaluation of the effectiveness of climate policy should be carried out at the local level and should include social and economic issues in addition to environmental ones, and should be accompanied by a balance of losses and benefits.

Optimisation of POME biodiesel with isobutanol additive to cater UN sustainable development goal on affordable and clean energy

Biodiesel is a suitable alternative to solve global pollution and declining non-renewable resources. This aligns with the sustainable climate goals and policies to cater to SDG 7. Sustainable technology and solutions have to be fostered. The higher blends of biodiesel will result in engine performance and emissions degradation. Therefore, this research aims to improve the engine performance and emissions of diesel engines operating with B20 POME biodiesel and isobutanol. The Central Composite Design (CCD) model was used to construct the RSM model to determine the optimised condition of the engine testing. Engine performance and emissions of diesel engines were tested on the Yanmar TF120M at 50 % load. Six fuel samples, diesel, B20 Palm Oil Methyl Ester (POME) biodiesel blended fuel, and another four B20 POME biodiesel blends added with 5–20 % in volume percentage of isobutanol, were tested. The optimised RSM obtained a desirability of 0.7. The optimal conditions for the engine testing were at 1868 rpm and a 10 % isobutanol additive percentage. The brake power, BSFC, and BTE of the B95IBU5 and B90IBU10 show an improvement compared to the B20. The exhaust emission shows the lowest CO emission for B90IBU10 at 50 % load. The lowest NOx emission was obtained by B95IBU5 and B90IBU10, with an improvement of 1.8 % and 2.4 %, respectively. Therefore, from this study, it can be concluded that a lower percentage of isobutanol additive of 5–10 % is a promising additive for biodiesel blended fuels.

Price and party: The importance of partisanship and cost in American climate public opinion

Existing research on American climate opinion demonstrates that a wide variety of variables impact whether voters support a given policy. However, little research has empirically tested which variables matter the most in creating durable majority support for climate policies, and how varying outcomes of those variables can impact such support. I use a conjoint experiment to test the extent to which American voters value the six most important variables around climate mitigation policy, as illustrated in the current literature, and which potential options among those values attract the greatest support. I improve in external validity over previous conjoints by introducing partisanship and policy level, as well as more realistic ranges for policy cost. I find that voters generally-and across racial, gender, and partisan lines- value some variables ten times higher than others, and prefer Democratic or Bipartisan policies that are low cost and provide a variety of benefits.