Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy Working Papers & Policy Briefs
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Covering the period 1998-2006.
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- PublicationDublin Town Planning Competition: Ashbee and Chettle's The New Dublin - A Study in Civics(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 1998)The image of a neo-classical, grand Dublin, "the second city of the empire" which is familiar to many, owes much to the foresight and guidance provided by Dublin's Commissioners for the Making of Wide and Convenient Streets and Ways. But behind and alongside the grandeur and the splendour of Georgian Dublin there was another reality, a population of deprived, under educated, poor and unemployed living in slums in back alleys, mews courts and lanes and especially concentrated in the western half of the city (Warburton et al, 1818). But in the 19th century following the Act of Union of 1801, and especially in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, there was a sharp fall in agricultural prices and the consequent economic decline of much of the country was to affect both Dublin's gentry and its poor - a poor population swollen by an influx from "the poverty stricken countryside as Dublin literally became another pool of Bethesda", (Larkin, 1998).
680 - PublicationEnvironmental indicators for the urban environment : a literature review(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 2000)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; A vast body of literature exists on the genesis and evolution of environmental indicators of all varieties. This document attempts to track the somewhat complicated progress of urban environmental indicators, where they are in usage and to what avail. It also emphasises the search to narrow down the range of 'ideal' indicators. The literature suggests that as experience and practice with indicators grows both in Ireland and world-wide the key set of urban environmental indicators can help policy makers and the public track sustainability issues more effectively. Indicators thus have a valuable role to play in the future of sustainable planning for urban areas.818 - PublicationCost-benefit analysis of a resource and environmental survey of Ireland(University College Dublin. Department of Environmental Studies, 2001-11)
; The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) has proposed that a national geochemical and airborne geophysical survey of Ireland be undertaken. Together with independent input from the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, this would cover the whole county. The proposed survey has been termed the Resource and Environment Survey of Ireland (RESI). This paper contains an ex-ante cost-benefit analysis of the GSI’s proposal. This analysis reveals a benefit-cost ratio of 5.0.1146 - PublicationA theory of the impediments to environmental tax reform(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 2001-12)
; Environmental Tax Reform (ETR) is widely accepted to be a policy with desirable environmental, and other economic effects. The question arises then as to why its implementation has been so patchy. There is a broad literature on the economic impact of ETR, however, there have been very few research efforts devoted to understanding the roles and imperatives of the public, policy-makers, businesses and other stakeholders who are addressed by ETR. This paper examines the impediments to environmental tax reform. Focus groups were formed comprising of members of the general public and these provided a forum for detailed reactions to the ETR concept. Interviews were conducted with policy makers and key business people in an attempt to identify both the patterns of thinking behind ETR and the main obstacles to its introduction. Having presented the results, a theory of the main impediments to ETR is developed. The principal potential impediments to ETR include: mistrust of the government, implausibility of the policy, means of hypothecation, information asymmetries, the political system, the structure of government, the macroeconomic environment, the impact on competitiveness, inequity between sectors, regressivity, elasticities and the level of the tax, terminology, and the marketing of ETR.289 - PublicationEnvironmental and wider economic implications of modifications to environmental tax reform(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 2002-03)
; The most common definition of Environmental Tax Reform (ETR) is the use of the revenue from environmental taxes to reduce distortionary labour taxes. However, the PETRAS project has shown that there are a number of social and political impediments to implementing such reform. This paper firstly outlines some of the environmental and economic implications of environmental taxes generally. It goes on to explore three broad approaches to ETR, based on the allocation of the tax revenues, and explores the environmental and economic implications of each approach and the likelihood of political and social acceptance. Particular attention is paid to ameliorating regressive impacts and impacts on competitiveness. It is concluded that some combination of hypothecating a proportion ofrevenues to environmental projects and diverting rest to reduce labour taxes is probably the best approach in light of the results of the project. The balance should depend upon local labour market and macroeconomic conditions, the extent to which environmental projects are already funded and the extent of government failure. Funding should only provided to environmental projects if it can be shown that, in themselves, they are economically efficient. In addition, it is most important that a proportion of the funds be used to ameliorate any regressive impacts. It is also important to bear in mind that hypothecation or recycling of revenue is not the same as a tax shift, which is a reform of the entire system, so some of these approaches may take away from the integrity of ETR. The paper concludes with some of the initiatives that are likely to be necessary to facilitate social and political acceptance of this approach to ETR.222 - PublicationEmissions trading regimes and incentives to participate in international climate agreements(University College Dublin. Environmental Institute, 2003)
; ; ; 920 - PublicationInstitutional requirements(University College Dublin. Environmental Institute, 2003)
; ; ; 146 - PublicationAllocating allowances in greenhouse gas emissions trading(University College Dublin. Environmental Institute, 2003)
; ; ; 124 - PublicationIssues in emissions trading : an introduction(University College Dublin. Environmental Institute, 2003)
; ; 114 - PublicationGreenhouse gas abatement costs and market based instruments(University College Dublin. Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, 2004-04)
; For policy intervention to be effective, we need to know where such intervention is likely to have most effect. There is literature emerging on this from a variety of sources. This paper synthesises some of this information as well as looking at the literature on policy interaction in seeking the least cost abatement options. The first section assesses the latest European Commission report which examines a least-cost route for the EU Member States, and then examines the latest IPCC Mitigation report and work done by Ellerman and Decaux (1998) in examining marginal abatement curves. The abatement cost analyses that have been undertaken do provide broad guidelines as to where the least cost (more economically efficient) opportunities for abatement lie, and this is a crucial step in ensuring that economic resources are not wasted. Interestingly, abatement of the non CO2 gasses, notably methane and nitrous oxide, emerge in many studies as relatively low cost options.353 - PublicationAn investigation into waste taxes and chargesThis paper reviews the potential for problems regarding public acceptability of environmental taxes with: a review of waste charges literature; a review of the literature on environmental attitudes; and a case study - the municipal waste charge protests in Ireland in 2003 and 2004. These public protests against new waste charges demonstrate the necessity for good advertisement and public relations when introducing a new tax. Rather than explain the polluter pays principle and simultaneously providing a good selection of options for recycling and composting, some municipalities jumped straight into the new tax (for a service that had originally been free of charge and covered by general taxes). Outbreaks of public revolt occurred, with people blockading the streets and refusing to let the collection trucks down their road. We seek to identify the reasons why there was so much resistance to this charge and examine the lessons for the introduction of other environmental taxes and charges in the future. The literature on the various types of municipal waste charge is discussed with a view to seeing if pay-by-weight tends to be more politically acceptable as there is a real incentive and control over the amount of waste collected for landfill or incinerator. The key figures in the Irish waste charge revolts were interviewed in an attempt to gain insights into their reasoning about the acceptability failure of the charge and design measures that could have been taken to avoid this outcome. Reasons for the revolt included: that protesters missed the point of local authorities being recently made responsible for covering the costs of municipal waste (rather than central government); they did not see the polluter-pays principle as related to the public; they felt the government was attempting to double-tax them; they were worried that privatisation meant that the charges could be free to rise exponentially in the future. The findings of the study are analysed to see what, if any, international lessons can be learned from the problems with public acceptance of this environmental charge. The following should be in place to encourage the success of new public taxes and charges: Good alternatives for the taxed behaviour; justification for the tax; terminology of the tax; trust in government; administrative simplicity; gradual introduction; willingness to fine-tune and adapt; community group leader support; and professional marketing and advertising schemes.
434 - PublicationStimulating the use of biofuels in the European Union : implications for climate change policy(University College Dublin. Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, 2004-12)
; ; The substitution of fossil fuels with biofuels has been proposed in the European Union (EU) as part of a strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, increase security of energy supply and support development of rural communities. In this paper, we examine this opportunity, by focusing on one of these purported benefits, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The cost of subsidising the price difference between European biofuels and fossil fuels per tonne of CO2 emissions saved is estimated to be €174-269. Without including the benefits from increased security of energy supply and employment generation in rural areas, the current costs of implementing biofuel targets are high compared with other available CO2 mitigation strategies, including biofuel imports. The policy instrument of foregoing some or all of the excise and other duties now applicable on transport fuels in EU15, as well as the potential to import low cost alternatives, mainly from Brazil, are addressed in this context.2005 - PublicationTowards planning recommendations to encourage the growth of farmers markets as an element of revitalising rural areas(University College Dublin. Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, 2005-03)
; In theory, farmers’ markets can provide a win-win situation in terms of revitalising rural areas, increasing viability of small and part-time farms, re-connecting the consumer with the source of food, providing good quality food at reasonable cost, adding complexity to the social fabric of the market town and increasing numbers of shoppers. This paper reviews the white and grey literature on the economic, social and environmental benefits of farmers’ markets. However, there remain a large number of problems in relation to establishing and maintaining farmers’ market. They range from issues with traditional market rights to a lack of support from local authorities and agricultural groups. This paper uses an Irish case study based on interviews and literature to analyse these obstacles from a planning point of view. Other issues that are examined include problems with finding suitable locations, management and promotion issues, insurance, health and hygiene, and the importance of farmers’ markets in the promotion of local agriculture. Recommendations are made for the future planning and management of farmers’ markets in Ireland.439 - PublicationQuality of life and location-specific amenities : a subjective well-being approach(University College Dublin. Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, 2005-07)
; ; In recent years, economists have started using socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics to explain self-reported individual happiness or satisfaction with life. Using data disaggregated at the individual and regional level, this paper shows that while these variables are relevant, consideration of amenities such as climate, environmental and urban conditions, typically employed in hedonic wage and housing regressions, is critical when analysing subjective well-being. Location-specific factors are shown to have a direct impact on life satisfaction, suggesting that their effect on quality of life is not fully captured by compensating differentials in housing and labour markets.312 - PublicationPublic attitudes towards solid waste landfill infrastructure : changes in perception over space and time(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 2005-11)
; ; One of the most controversial planning issues internationally is the siting of waste disposal infrastructure in local communities. Compensation is viewed as a possible solution to siting difficulties in many countries. However, existing empirical evidence is conflicting as to whether or not compensation-based siting has reduced opposition to such developments. Thus, before compensation policy can be considered as the solution for recognising social costs and introducing equity into the waste planning system, it is important to understand why people reject waste disposal infrastructure developments and if this rejection continues over the lifetime of facility operations. This paper utilises information gathered through ex-ante – ex-post surveys to fully examine the effects of distance, local authority consultation efforts, experience and other factors, on attitudes towards nonhazardous solid waste landfill developments in potential and actual host communities. Our findings suggest distance proxies expectations of environmental risk in communities with no experience of living with landfill infrastructure. Conversely, distance does not play a significant role in explaining attitudes to landfill development in communities familiar with the development. Familiarity and consultation by authorities are consistently important, even after a landfill has been in operation for a number of years, but in this case these results may capture a feeling of “having served our time” prevalent in these types of communities.731 - PublicationValuing the environment using the life-satisfaction approach(University College Dublin. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, 2006-05)
; ; This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical and methodological framework clarifying the relationship between non-market environmental valuation techniques, in particular hedonic and life-satisfaction methods. The paper shows how life satisfaction scores can be used to test correctly the equilibrium condition in location markets required by the hedonic approach and that in the absence of equilibrium, the life-satisfaction approach is still a theoretically valid valuation technique. Valuation using the life-satisfaction approach suffers from caveats associated with the cardinalisation of utility, however. Using data from Ireland, we apply this framework to the valuation of amenities linked to respondents’ dwelling areas using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).880 - PublicationEffectiveness of fiscal and other measures to manage greenhouse gas emissions from the automobile sector : evidence from Europe(University College Dublin. Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, 2006-05)
; ; This paper models annual new car average CO2 emissions intensity in EU Member States over the period 1995-2004. It attempts to explore the relationship, if any, between national vehicle and fuel taxes and the EU voluntary agreement in reducing CO2 emissions from the passenger car fleet. Our results indicate that (i) vehicle taxes are likely to be significant in reducing CO2 emissions intensity of passenger cars, and that (ii) the CO2 emissions intensity of EU new passenger cars has fallen over the time period studied. We hypothesise that this time trend may be attributable to the voluntary agreement.355 - PublicationEnvironmental amenities and subjective well-being : testing the validity of hedonic pricing(University College Dublin. Planning and Environmental Policy, 2006-06)
; ; This paper proposes a subjective well-being approach to test the equilibrium condition implicit in hedonic pricing. Contrary to the conclusions of previous studies, we show that both approaches are not complementary but, rather, they are alternative ways of computing implicit prices of environmental amenities. They are equivalent when the equilibrium condition holds but, in the absence of such equilibrium, only the subjective well-being approach is theoretically correct. In an empirical application, we find that (i) the total impact of location-specific amenities on self-reported well-being is not fully captured through compensating differentials in labor and housing markets, indicating that implicit prices derived using the hedonic approach would be incorrect and thus suggesting caution in its application, and (ii) environmental factors are as important as the most critical socio-economic and socio-demographic factors in explaining subjective well-being.358 - PublicationA spatial econometric analysis of well-being using a geographical information systems approach(University College Dublin. Planning and Enviornmental Policy, 2006-07)
; ; In recent years, economists have being using socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics to explain self-reported individual happiness or satisfaction with life. Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), we employ data disaggregated at the individual and local level to show that while these variables are important, consideration of amenities such as climate, environmental and urban conditions is critical when analyzing subjective wellbeing. Location-specific factors are shown to have a direct impact on life satisfaction. Most importantly, however, the explanatory power of our happiness function substantially increases when the spatial variables are included, highlighting the importance of the role of the spatial dimension in determining well-being. This may have potentially important implications for setting priorities for public policy as, in essence, improving well-being could be considered to be the ultimate goal of public policy.789 - PublicationFiscal incentives and urban regeneration in DublinUrban development policies have major and immediate impacts on the development and construction processes and have been the subject of major initiatives in recent years particularly in the housing and urban regeneration areas, which are the subject of this paper. Government and policy makers carry out significant market interventions with major market implications on an ongoing basis. Despite the importance of the subject there has been a noticeable lack of evidence-based research in the area. This study in addressing the evolution of policy and its implications hopes to inform the debate on urban regeneration policies in Ireland. From 1986 to 2006 fiscal incentives for urban regeneration have formed a major component of urban development policies. The extent to which such initiatives influence the property market can be gauged from the numbers of completed and ongoing developments, which have benefited from the scheme. This paper focuses on the evolving role of fiscal incentives in urban regeneration, their impact on development and implications for the market of their termination.
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