Preferred Policy Options Research Articles

Policy analysis for sustainable EV charging facility adoption using SEM-ANN approach

Researchers often reported that the non-availability of public charging infrastructure is the primary concern in adopting electric vehicles (EVs) in India. Adopting a home charging facility would help at the preliminary stage of EV introduction, where there is less scope for public charging infrastructure. In addition, integrating the solar rooftop photovoltaic (PV) facility to generate electricity for EV charging would help to develop a sustainable change in the transport sector. Thus, this study aims to identify various influencing factors that affect individual householder's decisions to adopt a home charging facility supported by a rooftop PV system for EV charging. Also, this study identifies and prioritises the most suitable policy options to encourage users to adopt EVs, including home EV charging supported by rooftop PV facilities. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey was conducted with individual householders in Ahmedabad, India, and 850 samples were used for the analysis. An integrated partial least squares-structural equation modelling with the artificial neural network method was adopted in this study. The study's findings reveal that the comfort and convenience of charging a vehicle at home, reduced range anxiety, comparatively lesser charging cost, flexibility to charge the vehicle, and no waiting to charge the vehicle are significant motivating factors for adopting a home charging facility. The willingness to adopt a rooftop PV system positively influences EV charging at home. In addition, providing a combined incentive to install home EV charging and a rooftop PV facility is the most preferred policy option. The outcome of this study would significantly help transport planners, policymakers, and researchers develop effective strategies and policies to boost EV sales in the Indian context.

Neither laissez-faire nor prohibition: the khat regulation policy preferences of people who chew khat and local social service providers in Ethiopia

Background This study examines the opinions of khat-chewers and local social service providers about the current regulatory framework for khat and their preferred policy option(s). Methods Interviews were conducted with 102 khat-chewing individuals, five habitual groups, and ten social service providers in Jimma, Ethiopia. Results Most of the participants believe that neither laissez-faire nor prohibition policies are appropriate. Reasons for supporting the reform of the current laissez-faire approach include: worries about the escalating use of khat, concerns about the safety of the khat supply, the adverse effects of khat on the city’s aesthetics and hygiene, and negative impacts on economic security. Reasons for opposing the introduction of a policy of prohibition include: prohibition would be counterproductive, and it would undermine the socioeconomic significance of khat. However, the study participants did suggest several regulatory activities, which can be thematized into primary and secondary preventive strategies. Conclusion The preferred regulatory approaches include addressing the structural causes of (problematic) khat use, empowering khat-chewers with awareness about appropriate use, managing the supply of khat, and restricting the age of users and place of use. These regulations are intended to reduce supply, demand and harm, and they depict the khat problem as a complex system.

Carbon offsets and agriculture: Options, obstacles, and opinions

AbstractWhile carbon offsets in agriculture can play a role in addressing climate change, they are not a perfect substitute for direct emission reductions. As shown in this paper through various arguments and case studies, climate policies in Canada have avoided the use of offsets to be sold in carbon markets, preferring instead to incentivize adoption of best management practices (BMPs) that provide environmental benefits along with climate mitigation benefits. We argue that this is a preferred policy option due to the perils and pitfalls inherent in the measurement and monitoring required to identify offset credits. While an appropriate approach might be to penalize Canadian farmers for any emissions their activities cause, this may do more harm than good. Canadian agricultural production is highly efficient and technologically advanced; therefore, reductions in Canada's contribution to the global food supply will result in less‐efficient production occurring elsewhere (i.e., leakage) that increases global greenhouse gas emissions.

Policy Preferences Regarding Health Data Sharing Among Patients With Cancer: Public Deliberations.

Precision health offers the promise of advancing clinical care in data-driven, evidence-based, and personalized ways. However, complex data sharing infrastructures, for-profit (commercial) and nonprofit partnerships, and systems for data governance have been created with little attention to the values, expectations, and preferences of patients about how they want to be engaged in the sharing and use of their health information. We solicited patient opinions about institutional policy options using public deliberation methods to address this gap. We aimed to understand the policy preferences of current and former patients with cancer regarding the sharing of health information collected in the contexts of health information exchange and commercial partnerships and to identify the values invoked and perceived risks and benefits of health data sharing considered by the participants when formulating their policy preferences. We conducted 2 public deliberations, including predeliberation and postdeliberation surveys, with patients who had a current or former cancer diagnosis (n=61). Following informational presentations, the participants engaged in facilitated small-group deliberations to discuss and rank policy preferences related to health information sharing, such as the use of a patient portal, email or SMS text messaging, signage in health care settings, opting out of commercial data sharing, payment, and preservation of the status quo. The participants ranked their policy preferences individually, as small groups by mutual agreement, and then again individually in the postdeliberation survey. After deliberation, the patient portal was ranked as the most preferred policy choice. The participants ranked no change in status quo as the least preferred policy option by a wide margin. Throughout the study, the participants expressed concerns about transparency and awareness, convenience, and accessibility of information about health data sharing. Concerns about the status quo centered around a lack of transparency, awareness, and control. Specifically, the patients were not aware of how, when, or why their data were being used and wanted more transparency in these regards as well as greater control and autonomy around the use of their health data. The deliberations suggested that patient portals would be a good place to provide additional information about data sharing practices but that over time, notifications should be tailored to patient preferences. Our study suggests the need for increased disclosure of health information sharing practices. Describing health data sharing practices through patient portals or other mechanisms personalized to patient preferences would minimize the concerns expressed by patients about the extent of data sharing that occurs without their knowledge. Future research and policies should identify ways to increase patient control over health data sharing without reducing the societal benefits of data sharing.

Withdrawal from mixed agreements under EU law: the case of the Energy Charter Treaty

This article argues that under EU law, the EU and its Member States can withdraw from a multilateral agreement such as the Energy Charter Treaty independently of one other. While loyalty obligations may require the EU and its Member States to coordinate their actions under a mixed agreement closely, all can withdraw. The autonomous nature of EU law does not allow Member States to prevent the EU from taking decisions within its competence. Similarly, as the European Court of Justice maintains, under EU law, the EU and its Member States are only ratifying those parts of the agreement that fall within their competence – thus, Member States are entitled to cease exercising their powers through withdrawal. However, this power to withdraw unilaterally is not without complications. First, it may affect the ability of others to remain a party to the Energy Charter Treaty under EU law. Second, where not all Member States and the EU withdraw, ‘incomplete mixity’ raises several complicated questions under international law, particularly those concerning international responsibility and investor-state dispute settlement provisions. Coordinated withdrawal by all Member States and the EU is, therefore, the preferred policy option.

Barriers on cross-border sharing of health data for secondary use and options to overcome these

Abstract Cross-border health data sharing is essential to facilitate vital health research into new treatments and to improve patient care and safety across Europe. The flagship European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to promote better exchange and access to health data through the creation of a European-wide infrastructure. However, significant barriers to cross-border data sharing must first be resolved in order to fully ensure the successful functioning of the Data Space. To this end, the European Commission established a Joint Action (TEHDAS), as the policy development tool for the development of the EHDS. This presentation will be based around the findings of the recent TEHDAS report ‘Barriers to cross-border sharing of health data for secondary use and options to overcome them.’ The report draws on the results of a dedicated literature review, 133 case studies from across 23 countries and expert interviews to identify the primary barriers to cross-border data sharing and options to overcome these from the perspective of European data users (research and policymakers). The session will start with a concise presentation of the report methodology. The research team will then deliver an interactive presentation, in which they succinctly outline each barrier and policy option and ask participants to vote for their preferred policy option to overcome each barrier identified. EUPHA participants votes will inform the final TEHDAS recommendations on mitigations and solutions for barriers to cross-border data sharing which will be submitted to the European Commission for incorporation in the European Health Data Space legislative proposal.

Initiator conditions and the diffusion of digital trade-related provisions in PTAs

ABSTRACT Digital trade has become an important driver of global commerce and accounts for an increasing share of many countries’ economies. While progress in digital trade-related discussions at the World Trade Organization has been limited until fairly recently, the topic has gradually been gaining importance in preferential trade agreements (PTAs) since the early 2000s. As we also observe that digital trade governance has become increasingly politicized, we know little about these provisions’ origins and diffusion in PTAs. This research note discusses novel data and analyzes 91 digital trade-related provisions and 347 trade agreements signed between 2000 and 2019. In this note, we focus primarily on the initiator conditions and how these might lead to differences in diffusion patterns. We find that almost half of digital trade-related provisions were initially introduced by PTAs in which the United States was a signatory. Using negative binomial regressions, we find no evidence, however, that these provisions diffuse relatively more often than provisions first introduced by other countries. Our analysis shows that the diffusion of digital trade-related provisions is influenced by original trade interests and the existence of domestic digital policies at the initiator stage. Interestingly, we find that the initial degree of legalization of the provisions themselves matters for a more substantial diffusion, which contradicts the established view that soft law provisions are the preferred approach for new trade topics. This research note highlights the need to factor in the extent to which new international law obligations are adopted through the treaty networks as a result of initiator conditions addressing a certain blind spot in the diffusion literature. By focusing on the initiating states, we also speak to the literature on how international agreements serve to diffuse leading states’ preferred policy options.

Explaining Change in Germany’s Anti-corruption Policy in the Era of Chancellor Merkel

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s second grand coalition (2013–2017) was the most successful federal government since 2005 regarding the adoption of anti-corruption measures. This article first gives an overview of recent German anti-corruption reforms. In order to explain the varying policy outputs of Merkel’s coalition governments, an analytical perspective drawing on the multiple streams approach is utilized. This theoretical perspective is then applied to the analysis of three major anti-corruption reforms. Mainly on the basis of these case studies, the article concludes that the SPD was a crucial policy entrepreneur between 2013 and 2017. In former legislative periods, the Social Democrats could not advance their favored anti-corruption policies. But when the CDU and CSU decided not to make full use of their veto power, the spd pushed policy change through. Analyses of anti-corruption reforms should not overlook the constellations of veto players such as coalition parties and their preferred policy options.

Preferred policy options to assist post‐COVID‐19 mental health recovery: A population study

The aim of this study was to gauge the opinions of people in Australia about policies to help them recover from the consequences of COVID‐19 pandemic and its associated restrictions. An anonymous online survey of people aged 18 years and older in Australia was available from 1 July to 31 August 2020. It included 16 proposed policies which respondents rated as ‘Not at all helpful’, ‘Somewhat helpful’, or ‘Very helpful’ in assisting them recover from the COVID‐19 restrictions. In all, 9220 people completed the survey. The most endorsed policy was ‘To have a publicly available plan about management of future pandemics’ which was rated as ‘very helpful’ by 46.1% of respondents. Four other policies were rated as ‘very helpful’ by more than 30% of respondents: two related to mental health support, one to individual financial support for living expenses, and one to support for community organisations. Government preparedness for future pandemics and support for mental health, individual finance, and community organisations should be policy priorities in the post‐COVID‐19 recovery phase. The findings can guide policy development to support people in Australia as they recover from COVID‐19 and the restrictions that have been imposed to control its spread.

Discursive politics and policy (im)mobility: Metro-TOD policies in India

Large investments in metro systems, supported through a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) regime, have become the preferred policy option to achieve sustainable and inclusive urban mobility in India. In this paper, we examine the particular practices and power relations through which metro-TOD policies have emerged and gained discursive dominance in India’s urban transport policies. We do so by bringing together urban policy mobilities (UPM) and argumentative discourse analysis (ADA) to conceptualize (im)mobility as the intense movement of specific discursive framings to the exclusion of others. Our analysis brings out the crucial role played by Urban Mobility India (UMI), an annual conference organized by the Indian federal government, in the (im)mobility of metro-TOD policies across Indian cities. We contribute to the growing literature on the power-laden nature of policy circulation in the Global South and address concerns regarding lack of analytical attention to marginalized policy pathways and immobile elements of mobile policies in UPM literature. We argue that policy mobility scholars can move beyond the analytical binaries of mobile/immobile policies by drawing upon the concepts of ADA which allow close examination of the discursive politics at play in policy related conferences. By studying the intra-national (im)mobility of metro-TOD policies in India, we expand the bounds of UPM literature towards a geography that has received limited attention thus far.

Contesting Forms of Knowledge in Policy Deliberation Lessons from Disaster Coping Policies in Thailand

This article presents the case of policy deliberation on disaster coping strategies in Bangkok, Thailand. It demonstrates the challenges scientists faced when they sought to influence policymaking on flood mitigation. The article demonstrates different forms of knowledge that shaped Bangkok’s flood policy, and explains how lay knowledge promoted by farmers, local communities, and Buddhist monks were successful in persuading policymakers and the wider public in their preferred policy option. Meanwhile, scientific knowledge failed to make their case in public forums, and on some occasions, even alienated Thai citizens. The article concludes by drawing lessons on how scientific and lay knowledge can better contest as well as connect their claims to enrich the process and outcomes of public deliberation on disaster coping policy.

A multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for evaluating and appraising government policy responses to non medical heroin use

BackgroundGlobally, non-medical heroin use is generating significant public health and social harms, and drug policy about heroin is a controversial field that encompasses many complex issues. Policy responses to illegal heroin markets have varied from militarized eradication of the opium poppy and harsh punishment of users, to more tolerant harm reduction approaches with decriminalized possession and use. MethodsThis paper reports the outcomes of a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) on four generic regulatory regimes of heroin: prohibition, decriminalisation, state control and free market. Invited experts on drug harms, addiction, criminology and drug policy developed a comprehensive set of 27 policy outcome criteria against which these drug policy regimes were assessed. ResultsState control of heroin was identified as the preferred policy option although other policy regimes scored better on specific outcome criteria. The free market model scored better than decriminalisation, with absolute prohibition scoring worst on every criterium. The ranking of the regimes was robust to variations in the criterion-specific weights. ConclusionThe implications of these findings for the development of future policy responses to heroin and opioids generally are discussed in detail. Despite increasing overdose deaths and an opioid epidemic in North America, prohibition remains the predominant policy approach to heroin regulation at present. It is hoped that the current paper adds to the discussion of finding a valid regulatory alternative.

English

The history and development of Enterprise Zones, as both a deliberate government policy of integrating the economies of Sub-Saharan African into the global stream and as a trade policy instrument of re-adjustments and limited resource acquisition option, have different and varied intendments for the countries that implemented them. However, what seems evident from their current, and rather rapid proliferation, is that they soon became a preferred policy option, with significantly little evidence of improvements or changes in sub-regional market developments, employment, GDP or FDI. The objective of this paper is an attempt to answer some questions occasioned by the apparent failure of these initiatives: the reasons for the proliferate establishment; reasons or factors that explain the seeming disparate applications and outcome. This will be achieved through an evaluation of selected countries’ data and determining the success factors and failures of the Enterprise Zones’ experiment. The evaluation of data and case review indicate an inconclusive, mixed bag of outcomes that could be explained by disparate sub-regional processes’ application, national infrastructural disparities and policies’ inconsistencies. Finally, it is hoped that this exercise offers fresh insights into the dynamics of implementation, as well as identify a policy or implementation lapses, make recommendations, and possible new areas of research.   Key words: Enterprise zone development, processes evaluation, outcomes, markets development, Sub-Saharan Africa. &nbsp

Hydrogen: Hype or a Glide Path to Decarbonizing Natural Gas—Part 2

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, hydrogen (H2) is being debated across the globe as a means of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, specifically in efforts to decarbonize the existing energy and transportation sectors. In these discussions, stakeholders use multiple terms such as hydrogen‐enriched natural gas power (HENG), power‐to‐gas (P2G), green H2, and renewable H2. All of these terms generally mean producing H2 with excess renewable power using electrolyzers, which appears to be the preferred policy option. For the purposes of this article, green H2will be used and to distinguish it from blue H2, which can use natural gas as a feedstock with steam methane reforming.

Balancing deterrence: Iran-Israel relations in a turbulent Middle East

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the regional dynamics that further consolidated Israel’s national security in the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, reflecting upon the nuclear challenge between Iran and Israel and Iran's expanding activities in the region.Design/methodology/approachTo prove the central argument, the study uses a conceptual framework that centers on deterrence as the main approach used by states to consolidate their influence in the Middle East region.FindingsIran's nuclear progress and influence in the region has strengthened Israel’s security and fostered an unprecedented open rapprochement led by USA efforts with the Gulf regimes.Originality/valueThe paper draws particular attention to the Iran–Israel nuclear competency, and the Israeli preferred policy options regarding Iranian activities in the region amid turbulent Middle East. In addition, the paper offers insight to the regional dynamics that further consolidated Israel’s national security in the region while maintaining a status of Arab vulnerability and backwardness.

Fair prices for medicines? Exploring competent authorities’ and public payers’ preferences on pharmaceutical policies

The study aimed to explore the priorities of authorities and payers related to policy options for pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement and to understand the rationale of their preferences. Representatives of competent authorities for pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement and public payers of the 28 EU Member States were invited to express their preferences of 16 pharmaceutical policy measures in a web-based questionnaire. Replies of 27 respondents from 22 countries were analysed through a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, using an outranking method based on the ELECTRE III algorithm. Follow-up focus groups were held with 47 representatives of authorities and payers from 29 countries. Respondents to the online survey highly prioritized the policy objectives of equitable access to medicines and long-term sustainability of the health care system. They considered a transparent reimbursement process based on clear rules, pharmacoeconomic evaluations, generic substitution, value-based pricing and tendering as most appropriate policy options to achieve intended policy aims. Least preferred policy options were discounts and similar arrangements, differential pricing and external price referencing. However, the latter is a commonly used pricing policy, and discount arrangements have also been increasingly used. Participants of the focus groups highlighted limitations of external price referencing, including over-paying due to referencing to official prices instead of actually paid, confidential discounted prices. Given the lack of perceived alternatives policy-makers continue applying existing tools. At the same time, they are searching for new policy options that should be based on the principles of fairness, solidarity and transparency.

Assembling European health security: Epidemic intelligence and the hunt for cross-border health threats

The securitization of health concerns within the European Union has hitherto received scant attention compared to other sectors. Drawing on the conceptual toolbox of actor-network theory, this article examines how a ‘health security assemblage’ rooted in EU governance has emerged, expanded, and stabilized. At the heart of this assemblage lies a particular knowledge regime, known as epidemic intelligence (EI): a vigilance-oriented approach of early detection and containment drawing on web-scanning tools and other informal sources. Despite its differences compared to entrenched traditions in public health, EI has, in only a decade’s time, gained central importance at the EU level. EI is simultaneously constituted by, and performative of, a particular understanding of health security problems. By ‘following the actor’, this article seeks to account for how EI has made the hunt for potential health threats so central that detection and containment, rather than prevention, have become the preferred policy options. This article draws out some of the implications of this shift.

Re-Engineering SEF Allocation Toward Achieving Quality Basic Education

The Local Government Unit is considered a major partner of the national government in the delivery of educational services because LGU has access to financial resources that are earmarked for basic education, the Special Education Fund (SEF). Section 272 of RA 7160 provides that 1% tax on real property shall automatically be released to the SEF. This fund can be used to further improve learning outcomes through the implementation of programs and projects that are otherwise not supported by the general education fund of the Department. The National Achievement Test (NAT) is the sole yardstick that the Department of Education uses to determine the achievement levels of learners. This test is administered annually by the Department. In the past years, the average actual performances of learners in the NAT for all the subject areas are below the standard Mean Percentage Score of 75%. Per review made by the education sector revealed that the allocations are not maximized to carry out the designed educational programs and projects particularly in the SEF. The SEF delimits its allowable expenditures exclusively for operation and maintenance of public schools, construction and repair of school buildings, facilities and equipment, educational research, purchase of books and sports development. The objective of this paper is to propose spending mechanisms for the SEF which are anchored on the strategic directions that the education sector has deliberated. These strategies are geared toward improving the achievement levels of students and making the present educational system responsive to the demands of the Asean Integration, global competitiveness and 21st century education. There are four policy recommendations proposed namely: (1) Re-engineering SEF Allocation by including responsive programs and projects as deemed priority by the education sector, (2) Inclusion of identified educational programs in the general fund in the Local Government Unit, (3) Stakeholders’ participation and (4) Status quo. The criteria used were high impact, rapid implementation, collaborative and political feasibility. The re-engineering of Special Education Fund (SEF) allocation is the preferred policy option because it entails shared governance. Once adopted, the management planning, review and evaluation processes shall indicate improvement in the learning outcomes of students. The re-engineering process involves the active participation of the people, the education sector and the government. In shared governance as a mechanism of the reengineering process, principles were drawn which will make education a vehicle for enhancing participation in the provision of quality basic education. These principles namely progression, partnership and participation along with the identified strategies will create mechanisms that support more meaningful engagements and partnerships toward improving the achievement levels of learners.

Russian industry responses to climate change: the case of the metals and mining sector

ABSTRACTGlobally, the metals and mining sector is a major contributor to GHG emissions. Climate change also poses significant challenges for the industry in a number of ways, including risks to infrastructure and equipment, transport routes and the cost of energy supplies. The sector is of particular importance to Russia, and yet very little is known about how the sector positions itself in relation to this key issue. This article conducts an in-depth look at the response of the Russian metals and mining sector to climate change. It looks at the key actors, their willingness to engage with the issue of climate change, preferred policy options and the strategies adopted to further their interests. The role of companies, prominent individuals and business associations is considered. The evidence suggests that, although there is widespread acceptance of climate change as a phenomenon, there is significant variation within the sector, with some companies proactive on climate policy, and others more reluctant. Different responses are attributed to reputational factors and the disproportionate influence of international and domestic policy developments on companies. Russian coal companies, directly threatened by any international attempts to reduce coal consumption, display the strongest opposition to efforts aimed at curbing emissions. The Russian government, far from thinking of transitioning to a low carbon future, is vigorously trying to expand the coal industry.Key policy insightsUnderstanding how Russia’s domestic position on climate policy is formed is fundamental for understanding the factors driving its international engagement on climate policy.The Russian government has no plans to phase out coal and is instead actively seeking to expand the coal industry. This highlights the obstacles to Russia’s commitment to climate policy at both the domestic and international levels.The socio-economic consequences of climate policy for the Russian coal industry are a key consideration for the government, with some regions heavily dependent on the industry for employment and electricity generation.

The Environmental Liability Directive and Liability of Parent Companies for Damage Caused by Their Subsidiaries (‘Enterprise Liability’)

This article discusses whether parent companies can, and, in light of opportunities for regulatory evasion and developments in corporate group liability, should be held liable under the ELD for environmental damage caused by their subsidiaries. Depending on the facts, a parent company could qualify as an operator of its subsidiary’s activities, but an extensive application of the operator definition to parent companies could have adverse effects on corporate risk management. Parent company liability could also be viewed as a remedy for the lack of mandatory financial security, but would not appear to meet a clear need and is unlikely to be the preferred policy option. Trends in corporate liability, however, may result in broader exposure of parent companies under the ELD. Outside the realm of the ELD, current developments and new thinking on corporate groups and supply chain liability may also exercise an influence on the way courts construe the ELD or other laws applicable to environmental damage. Several trends may join forces to inspire authorities to adopt creative approaches to construing and applying the ELD. First, the concept of limited liability is being questioned, either in general or as applied to corporate groups. Theories of enterprise liability or efficient investor liability are, to varying degrees, inconsistent with limited liability. Second, under the theory of corporate social responsibility, corporations are believed to have obligations towards society and the environment beyond their legal obligations. These moral obligations could easily become legal obligations once a sufficiently egregious case presents itself. Third, under the theory of supply chain responsibility, corporations increasingly have obligations towards their suppliers, customers, and business partners. Such responsibility may ground liability if damage arises and deep pockets are required to remedy the damage.Thus, even if the ELD remains unchanged, developments in corporate group liability in general may exercise influence on the way the ELD or related laws applying to environmental damage are construed. In the hands of authorities and courts deeply concerned about the deteriorating environment, the ELD’s limited scope might prove to be a weak barrier against the incoming tide of expanded corporate and supply chain liability.