Combination Of Policy Instruments Research Articles

How policy promotes the integration of culture and tourism? A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis based on the Policy Instrument Theory.

Crafting pertinent policies to facilitate the high-level integration of culture and tourism has now become a vital agenda within the current discourse in China. However, relatively little is known about the actual implementation of various policies to achieve a high-level integration, especially how combinations of policy instruments are deployed in the process of realization. Based on the Policy Instrument Theory, this study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis on a sample of 31 provincial administrative regions in China to investigate the influence of typical policy instruments on the integration level of tourism and culture. The results show that each single policy tool is not necessary for high-level integration of culture and tourism. On the contrary, only through an organic combination of different policy tools can affect the integration level. This study also summarizes five policy instrument configurations, which can be grouped into four driving modes of culture-tourism integration: the environment-driven supply-demand coordination mode, supply-driven demand-environment coordination mode, supply-driven mode, and supply-driven environment coordination mode. This study considerably provides critical theoretical and practical insights into the integration of culture and tourism from the perspective of governmental policies.

Disentangling the sources and scale of food waste in households: A diary-based analysis in Lithuania

Food waste is a critical issue demanding concern due its detrimental impact on the environment, the economy, and social well-being. In higher income countries, the greatest amount of food is wasted in households. To tackle the issue of household food waste, it is essential to characterize and measure this waste. This study develops and applies a diary-based approach for measuring food waste at the household level. The case of a country from the Central and Eastern Europe – Lithuania – is considered. The respondents from 130 households provided data on the extent and composition of food waste along with the root causes of this waste. The results suggest that the average annual food waste per person in Lithuanian households stands at 74.5 kg. The main categories of food wasted include meals, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, drinks, and bakery. The major causes behind this include spoilt food, excessive preparation and servings, expiry, and taste-based rejection. Reducing household food waste requires a combination of policy instruments. In particular, statistics on food waste and information and educational campaigns could be useful in initiating behavioural changes related to food waste, which would ultimately contribute to reducing food waste in households.

“I refer to it as throwing wads”: strategic use of multiple normative orders to manage touristification of consumption spaces in Amsterdam

As multifunctional places that combine shopping and hospitality with public space and residential functions, urban consumption spaces are sites where different normative orders surface and sometimes clash. In Amsterdam, such a clash emerged over touristification of consumption spaces, eroding place attachment for local residents and urging the city government to take action. Based on policy analysis and interviews with entrepreneurs and key informants, we demonstrate how Amsterdam’s city government is responding to this issue, using legal pluralism that exists within formal state law. Specifically, the city government combines four instruments to manage touristification of consumption spaces, targeting so-called tourist shops with the aim to drive them out of the inner city. This strategic combination of policy instruments designed on various scales and for different publics to pursue a local political goal jeopardizes entrepreneurs’ rights to legal certainty. Moreover, implicitly based on class-based tastes and distrust towards particular minority groups of entrepreneurs, this policy strategy results in institutional discrimination that has far-reaching consequences for entrepreneurs in itself, but also affects trust relations among local stakeholders.

Dynamic evolution of policy mix in response to COVID-19: Practice from China.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic. In response to this unprecedented crisis, Chinese government formulated a series of policies. This research is dedicated to exploring the dynamic evolution of China's policy mix in response to COVID-19 in different crisis response stages from a network perspective. First, a three-dimensional analysis framework of "policy subject-policy target-policy instrument" was developed. Then, based on the data sets collected by textual analysis, the dynamic evolution of policy subject, policy target, policy instrument in China's policy mix in response to COVID-19 was discussed by using the method of SNA. This study concluded that the core policy subject, policy instrument, and policy target of China's response to COVID-19 changed with time. National Health Commission (NHC), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) have important influences in the network of policy subjects. Other subjects are more at the edge of the network, and there are few joint issuances among policy subjects. The study also found that the core policy target was adjusted over time, with phased dynamic characteristics. At the initial stage of China's response to COVID-19, "reduce infection and mortality" and "steadily carry out economic and social work" were the core policy targets. With the COVID-19 under control, "enterprise development and work resumption" becomes a new core policy target. In addition, this study also revealed the dynamic evolution and unbalanced use of China's policy instruments in response to COVID-19 in different stages. The combination of policy instruments is mainly composed of "mandatory administration instruments" and "economic incentive instruments", and supplemented by "health promotion instruments" and "voluntary plan instruments". These findings may enrich the literature on COVID-19 policy to help researchers understand the dynamics of policy from a network perspective. Moreover, these findings may provide several valuable implications for policymakers and other countries to formulate more effective policies for epidemic response.

Whether the Establishment of National High-Tech Zones Can Improve Urban Air Pollution: Empirical Evidence from Prefecture-Level Cities in China

Promoting the construction of national-level high-tech zones as green pioneer zones is a necessary condition for achieving high-quality development. Based on panel data from 254 prefecture-level cities from 2006 to 2018, in this paper, the difference-in-difference (DID) is used to empirically examine the influence effect of the establishment of national high-tech zones on local urban air pollution, and the spatial difference-in-difference (SDID) is used to explore its spatial spillover effect. It was found that the annual average PM2.5 concentration in cities with national high-tech zones decreased by about 1.8% compared with cities without national high-tech zones, and there was a positive spillover effect on the annual average PM2.5 concentration in nearby cities. Industrial structure upgrading and technological innovation effects are two important transmission paths for the establishment of national high-tech zones to influence urban air pollution; the heterogeneity analysis shows that the establishment of national high-tech zones has more significant implications for the improvement of air pollution in non-resource cities and less developed areas in the west, and the air pollution improvement effect of “growing” national high-tech zones is more desirable than that of “mature” national high-tech zones. Our empirical results conclude that we should continue to encourage the promotion of national high-tech zones, optimize the business environment, improve preferential policies, and design a combination of policy instruments scientifically according to local conditions in order to give full play to the effect of national high-tech zones on urban air-pollution improvement.

Introducing a classification framework to urban waste policy: Analysis of sixteen zero-waste cities in China

Chinese cities are experiencing rapid urban development while facing severe challenges of environmental pollution. China's central government has proposed several policies to reduce urban waste. However, little is known about the adoption of these policies. Here, we raise the question how can circular policies be classified, and how can this classification be applied to cities in China that wish become zero-waste cities? We develop a framework to classify urban waste policies according to: (a) the “5R” principles (“Rethink”, “Reduce”, “Reuse”, “Recycle”, and “Recover”), (b) four types of waste (industrial, agricultural, municipal, and hazardous) and (c) six types of policy instruments (legal, economic, network, communication, innovation and projects). We use this framework to analyze urban waste policies implemented by sixteen zero-waste demonstration projects in China. The present study emphasizes combinations of policy instruments, “R” strategy and waste type in the implementation of zero-waste policies. We find that the “Rethink”, “Reduce”, and “Recycle” principles have been widely implemented by local authorities in contrast to the principles “Reuse” and “Recover”. Local governments address waste management by embracing regulations, innovation instruments, and project arrangements, while network-based, economic, or communicative policy instruments are used less often. Based on the results we suggest that local governments embrace a comprehensive approach to the use of the “5R” principles and deploy a diverse portfolio of policy instruments.

정책수단 결합의 효과에 대한 분석 - 해양환경의 지속가능성에 대한 영향을 중심으로 -

정책수단 결합의 효과에 대한 분석 - 해양환경의 지속가능성에 대한 영향을 중심으로 -

Designing an expert-led Bayesian network to understand interactions between policy instruments for adoption of eco-friendly farming practices

Governments employ a range of policy instruments to encourage landholders to adopt land management practices that reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture. While the impact of policy instruments may be well-theorised, their implementation in diverse contexts and landholders’ complex behavioural responses, makes measurement and prediction of the resulting adoption rates difficult. This constrains the ability of governments to select the optimal combination of policy instruments. We used a participatory modelling approach to incorporate expert knowledge into a Bayesian network model exploring the effect of different policy combinations on the adoption of sustainable farming practices in the Great Barrier Reef catchment, Australia. The model integrates policy instruments including regulating farming practices, offering financial incentives, and facilitating extension programs to educate and assist farmers. Results showed that the effectiveness of a policy instrument on practice adoption was expected to vary depending on which other instruments are implemented, the characteristics of the land managers, the surrounding social context, and the practice itself. This approach demonstrates the utility of Bayesian networks in integrating high-level multi-disciplinary knowledge to address complex environmental policy decisions such as water quality management in the Great Barrier Reef.

IMO off course for decarbonisation of shipping? Three challenges for stricter policy

The maritime shipping industry is responsible for around 3 % of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is now under pressure to decarbonise. Until now, the shipping industry’s main regulator, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), has failed to implement sufficient policy instruments to support the emission reduction targets set in its Initial GHG Strategy introduced in 2018, and the implemented policy mix lacks consistency and comprehensiveness. This could be considered surprising given that shipping is one of few sectors with a main, global regulatory body, which should allow for a comprehensive and consistent policy mix. This is the puzzle examined in this paper. We identify three main challenges for more consistent, comprehensive and stricter regulation of GHG emissions from international shipping: (1) lack of capacity within the IMO to regulate multiple and emerging technologies, (2) uncertainty around the IMO’s regulatory mandate, and (3) lack of political consensus during negotiations. If the IMO is to play a more progressive role in mitigating climate change, these factors needs to be considered to ensure that the combination of policy instruments are able to achieve set emission reduction targets.

Energy-efficiency policies for decarbonising residential heating in Spain: A fuzzy cognitive mapping approach

Decarbonising residential heating poses a major challenge for the energy transition, but the policy attention devoted to and the support provided for it seem limited. There is a rather limited consideration of the perceptions of households, which play a large role in this sector. This in turn may affect the effectiveness of policy instruments. This study contributes to a better understanding of the various perceptions held by key stakeholders, in particular about what can be done to reduce residential heating bills and how. We use a participatory method based on Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM), which accounts for the behavioural complexity of the transition in residential heating and provides a better understanding of policy instruments in terms of stakeholder perception. We then test combinations of policy instruments based on expert opinion and identify the most effective ones based on their perceptions. Our analysis indicates that environmental education and information are perceived to reduce heating bills by a very significant amount. Taxes are perceived to be more effective than subsidies. We also show that policy packages are considered essential: when policy instruments are combined the effects perceived are cumulative, resulting in a much greater expected impact on heating bills and energy consumption.

A Content Analysis of the Strictest Water Resources Management Policy in China

Policy intervention is a critical measure to address water resources challenges and improve water governance capacity. The strictest water resources management (SWRM) policy is an important water policy system that aims to deal with water shortage, water pollution, and institutional dysfunction in China. This study conducts a quantitative analysis for policy text characteristics of the SWRM through the methods of text mining and content analysis. First, we construct an analytical framework with the combination of policy instruments and policy targets, and then code and classify policy instruments in policy text and conduct statistical analysis. Finally, the research conclusions and policy suggestions are put forward. The results show that major policy instruments are structurally imbalanced in China’s SWRM policy. China’s government prefers to issue a mandatory, standardized, and restrictive policies in water resources management. Most of the policy instruments are focused on institutional management, followed by resources allocation, technological progress, and the ecological environment. This study contributes to the knowledge body of water policy evaluation and water governance, provides decision-making references for optimizing and promoting China’s water resources management policy, and offers a peer reference for water governance in other developing countries.

Impact of large-scale, government legislated and funded organic farming training on pesticide use in Andhra Pradesh, India: a cross-sectional study

The use of pesticides in agriculture has been associated with the destruction of biodiversity and damage to human health. A marked reduction in pesticide use is urgently required globally, but whether this can be achieved rapidly and at scale is unclear. We aimed to assess whether government-legislated and funded organic farming training in Andhra Pradesh, India, reduced pesticide use by farmers and sales of pesticides by pesticide retailers. We did a cross-sectional survey between Aug 11 and Nov 26, 2020, among farmers and pesticide retailers in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh (India). We assessed the impact of the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme, which aims to transition 100% of the agricultural land of Andhra Pradesh (population approximately 49 million, 6 million of whom are farmers) to organic farming practices by 2030. We did cross-sectional phone interview surveys of farmers and face-to-face surveys of pesticide retailers. We used multivariable Poisson regression models to estimate relative risks (RRs) and logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs). 962 farmers were invited to participate, of whom 894 (93%) consented (709 conventional farmers and 149 APCNF farmers). 47 pesticide retailers were invited to participate, of whom 38 (81%) consented. APCNF farmers had practised APCNF for a median of 2 years (IQR 1-3). APCNF farmers were less likely to use pesticides than conventional farmers (adjusted RR 0·65 [95% CI 0·57-0·75]), although pesticide use remained high among both APCNF and conventional farmers (73 [49%] of 148 APCNF farmers vs 695 [99%] of 700 conventional farmers; p<0·0001). APCNF farmers had lower pesticide expenditures than conventional farmers (median US$0 [IQR 0-170] for APCNF farmers vs $175 [91-281] for conventional farmers; p=0·0001). Increased frequency of meeting with agricultural extension workers was associated with reduced pesticide use among ACPNF farmers. Seven (18%) of 38 retailers reported a decrease in sales of pesticides in the past 4 years; no difference in the odds of reporting a decrease in pesticide sales in the past 4 years was identified between APCNF retailers and conventional retailers (OR 0·95 [95% CI 0·58-1·57]). Despite a major government drive for organic agriculture, about half of APCNF farmers continued to use pesticides and no impact on pesticide sales at local retailers was observed. A combination of policy instruments (eg, bans on highly hazardous pesticides), not solely training for farmers, might be needed to eliminate pesticide use in agriculture. Scottish Funding Council and UK Research and Innovation.

The impact of traffic demand management policy mix on commuter travel choices

The experience of traffic demand management policy in many cities shows that a single policy instrument has limited effect and may have side effects on other contemporaneous policies; therefore, formulating a policy mix is a more effective way to solve urban traffic problems. However, the bulk of previous literature has focused on the impact of single policy instruments, neglecting the growing interest in understanding the role played by the different combinations of policy instruments. Therefore, using a 6*3 matrix typology, this paper provides an empirical impact analysis of selected policy mixes in inducing sustainable travel behavior and reducing private car use. This study also designs orthogonal experiments and adopts stated preference questionnaires to analyze the main effects and full combined effects of packages of policy instruments through multinomial logit models. The results show that the effect of a policy mix is often not better than that of a single policy and demonstrate the need for careful systemic design. A balanced-designed policy mix can facilitate public transportation and help reduce traffic gridlock using a balanced combination of push, pull and systemic TDM policy instruments.

Analysing complex policy problems: a critical review of the literature

The governance of complex policy issues such as food security, climate change, global health, and migration often calls for integrative approaches, as progressing in one goal may result in either synergies or tradeoffs in others. A large body of literature has addressed concerns regarding the multiple combinations of policy instruments, cross-sectoral interfaces and conflicts, governance involving a growing number of stakeholders, governance levels, and policy goals. This study presents a cross-cutting literature review of the different concepts developed to address these challenges, along with their origins, thematic focus, theoretical approaches, and recent developments, aiming to identify their points of contact and to critically analyse their strengths and research gaps. The results are expected to support the academic debate and provide a heuristic outline for research while calling for further theorisation and the development of assessment methods and case studies beyond the traditional geographic focus.

A multiperiod competitive supply chain framework with environmental policies and investments in sustainable operations

In this paper, we develop a supply chain network model in which firms compete noncooperatively in an oligopolistic manner in discrete time periods over a finite planning horizon. Each firm makes a strategic decision regarding its target sustainability rating and tactical decisions of product flows, in the presence of consumer preferences for sustainability and a variety of environmental policies. Such policies include ecological taxes for different types of pollution, subsidies for pollution control, command-and-control policies, as well as hybrid approaches with different possible combinations of policy instruments. Furthermore, our model captures dynamic changes in not only the consumer purchasing behavior, but also the operational costs and environmental pollution, as well as government environmental policies. A series of numerical examples evaluate the impacts of consumer preferences for sustainability and environmental policies on firms’ profitability and their environmental footprint. The results indicate that firms will improve sustainable operations as long as it is financially valuable for them to do so, which mandates governments and firms to educate consumers about sustainability. Numerical examples also reveal under which environmental policies sustainability can be profitable.

Mix and match: Configuring different types of policy instruments to develop successful low carbon cities in China

Local governments in China actively promote low carbon city pilots to respond to the challenges of climate change mentioned in the Sustainable Development Goals, including building sustainable cities and communities, and taking climate action. However, relatively little is known about the actual implementation of programs to achieve sustainable cities, especially how combinations of policy instruments are deployed in the realisation of low carbon cities. First, this study contributes to the literature in policy studies by identifying how four types relevant to carbon city development, hierarchy, market, network and information based ones, can be combined in policy mixes and play out in the effective realisation of low carbon cities in other countries. Second, this framework is used to map the application of policy instruments in China’s 35 low carbon pilot cities. This study uses fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to explore which configurations of policy instruments are in use and assesses their effects on low carbon city construction. It thus builds a bridge between theory on policy instruments, their combinations and low carbon city development. The presence of hierarchical policy instruments appears to be a necessary condition for low carbon city development and their use prevails. Market-based and network-based instruments complement hierarchical instruments but do not suffice in themselves. Applying hierarchical instruments and market-based instruments together tends to hamper the effect of network instruments and information instruments, whereas network instruments appear to be interchangeable with information instruments. Network governance in China’s low carbon city development is still comparatively underdeveloped.

The green economy transition: the challenges of technological change for sustainability

The Green Economy is an alternative vision for growth and development; one that can generate economic development and improvements in people’s lives in ways consistent with advancing also environmental and social well-being. One significant component of a green economy strategy is to promote the development and adoption of sustainable technologies. The overall objective of this article is to discuss a number of challenges encountered when pursuing sustainable technological change, and that need to be properly understood by policy makers and professionals at different levels in society. We also identify some avenues for future research. The discussions center on five challenges: (a) dealing with diffuse – and ever more global – environmental risks; (b) achieving radical and not just incremental sustainable technological change; (c) green capitalism and the uncertain business-as-usual scenario; (d) the role of the state and designing appropriate policy mixes; and (e) dealing with distributional concerns and impacts. The article argues that sustainable technological change will require a re-assessment of the roles of the private industry and the state, respectively, and that future research should increasingly address the challenges of identifying and implementing novel policy instrument combinations in various institutional contexts.

Evaluating the impact of denitrification tariff on energy-related NOx generation in China: Policy effects and regional disparities

Previous studies analyzing energy related nitrous oxides (NOx) focus on the calculation and influencing factors of NOx generation, but lack sufficient analysis of policy impacts. This paper attempts to evaluate a critical financial incentive for motivating NOx removal in China – the denitrification tariff for power plants. We calculate energy-related NOx generation in 30 provinces from 1995 to 2016, and test the impact of the denitrification tariff using an extended STIRPAT (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) model. We examine policy impacts in the pilot and follower regions with different implementation time, and find significant reduction in NOx generation in both regions. On national average, our model estimates that 1% increase in the denitrification tariff leads to 0.190% decline in energy-related NOx generation, holding other variables constant. The effect size of the tariff is higher in the follower region than in the pilot region, whereas policy effect is lagged for 2 years in the pilot region. We also find socio-economic factors significantly positively correlated with NOx generation. The result suggests that tailored incentives considering regional disparities will work better than a uniform incentive, and a combination of policy instruments in reducing fossil fuel consumption is desired to effectively reduce NOx generation.

Analysis of the influencing mechanism of command-and-control instruments on adopting energy consumption monitoring technology in public buildings

Abstract How can command-and-control instruments (CACs) influence consumers’ adoption of energy consumption monitoring technology (ECMT) in public buildings? We attempt to answer this question in an extended theory of planned behaviour in which CACs and energy-saving awareness (ESA) are introduced. Empirical data are collected by a questionnaire survey with 298 respondents, and structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to analyse the research model. The results indicate that ESA has a direct impact on consumers’ adoption of ECMT. The CACs have no direct effect on consumers’ adoption of ECMT but can indirectly affect consumers’ adoption of ECMT through three paths: CAC → ATT (attitudes) → BI (behavioural intention), CAC → ESA → BI and CAC → SN (subjective norm) → BI. Finally, suggestions are proposed, such as optimising the selection and combination of policy instruments, promoting the operation manager’s attitude towards ECMT to a more positive orientation, improving the ESA of the operation manager and providing more support for and pressure on the operation manager who has not adopted ECMT.

An in-depth analysis of the evolution of the policy mix for the sustainable energy transition in China from 1981 to 2020

Global warming and the acute domestic air pollution in China have necessitated transition to a sustainable energy system away from coal-dominated energy production. Through a systematic review of the national policy documents, this study investigates the policy mix adopted by the Chinese government to facilitate its energy transition and how that policy mix has evolved between 1981 and 2020. The chronological analysis emphasizes two dimensions of temporal changes in the policy mix: (1) changes in the policy intensity and density, and (2) the shift in policy instrument combinations. The policy mix has evolved from a few authority-based instruments to the current response that has a large density of instruments with a good diversity of instrument types. The Chinese government imposes an increasing policy intensity on air pollution abatement and a decreasing policy intensity on renewable energy support, and experiments with innovative policy instruments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The evolutionary trajectory features layering new policy instruments, calibrating existing ones and some degree of policy replacement and sequencing. Overall, the study shows that the Chinese government has adopted a complex mix of policy instruments to abate emissions (e.g. carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide) in the coal-based energy system and to support renewable energy technologies. The study provides an in-depth understanding of Chinese policy design in the environment and energy fields and contributes to the public policy literature by filling a research gap – the comparative lack of empirical analyses on the temporal changes in the policy mixes.