Q40 - Energy: GeneralNávrat zpět

In this paper, we present the results of a study examining whether the European Union, where countries act in common on many issues such as monetary policy, abolition of borders and mobilization of labour and capital, also constitutes a union in terms of energy security. From this point of view, whether the energy security risk in the European Union has converged or not is tested by using various analysis methods covering the period 1980-2018 for 17 EU countries. The findings of the study not only reveal whether individual countries converge to the group average but also show whether the group as a whole forms a convergent outlook. The linear unit root analysis indicates that each country is in a stochastic convergence process towards the group average. In addition, time series beta convergence analysis, which takes into account country- -specific structural break periods, is applied and the convergent-divergent situation of each country before and after the break is revealed. Following this determination of individual countries, whether the sample as a whole constitutes a convergent process is tested with sigma and panel beta convergence models and it is determined that the 17 countries subject to the analysis form a convergent outlook as a whole. A robustness check is also made via a nonlinear time series analysis and the previous findings are confirmed.

Environmental poverty is a global concern for developed and developing economies, particularly in light of sustainable development goals. Unlike previous research, this study evaluates the role of political risk index and income level on environmental poverty in developed regions, namely, OECD economies in the period 2004-2022. We also examine the role of renewable energy consumption. We initially developed a multidimensional index for assessing weighted average environmental poverty alongside a novel index to gauge political risk within OECD economies. We employ several panel econometric procedures, including cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity, CIPS unit root circle for identifying unit roots and Westerlund cointegration for long-run connection among variables. Besides, the study employed cross-sectional autoregressive distributive lags (CS-ARDL) to identify the short-run and long-run impact of explanatory variables on environmental poverty. The results show that variables are heterogenous and cross-sectionally dependent. Moreover, the unit roots are found within the unit root circle, implying that variables are static at the first difference and long-run equilibrium exists among variables. The empirical results confirm that the political risk index reduces environmental poverty. A one-percent increase in the betterment of the political risk index lowers environmental poverty by -0.022% and -0.034%, respectively. However, the results for PRI in the short run are inconclusive while effective in the long run. Since the OECD countries have lower political risk and effective PRI, economic and financial activities spur, which leads to the positive influence of income on environmental poverty. A one-percent increase in income level (GDP) increases environmental poverty in OECD countries by 1.21% and 1.34% in the short and long run. Conversely, the results for renewable energy consumption (REC) are negative in both the short and long run and we conclude that REC significantly reduces environmental poverty in the region. Besides, the robustness analysis employed through an augmented mean group (AMG) estimator is reported to have similar and robust results. The Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality test reports that REC and environmental poverty (ENVP) have bidirectional causal linkage and provide feedback to each other, while GDP and PRI have a unidirectional connection and no feedback effect is found. Relevant policies are inferred from the conclusions.

The energy transition process might face cognitive bankruptcy because of prevailing gender bias in the energy sector. Policy reorientation is needed to ensure diminishing of gender bias in the transition process. The political risk persisting within the economy, as well as among its international counterparts, also needs to be internalized within this framework. Existing regulatory infrastructure might possibly have an impact on shaping the dimensions of this association. The present study aims at analysing the effect of energy transition on gender inequality in the USA in light of political risk and regulations. Moderation effects are captured using marginal impact analysis. The estimation results show that although energy transition increases gender inequality, it is reduced in the presence of moderation. The policy framework developed in the study is aimed at attaining the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 and 7.

Exploring the political economy of clean energy development, this study appraises how political (de)stabilization influences the clean energy transition process in selected South Asian countries. Using yearly data spanning from 1998 to 2021, the results show that political stabilization facilitates the clean energy transition process by raising the share of renewables in the final energy consumption profiles of the concerned South Asian nations. Contrarily, political destabilization is found to inhibit the transition process. In addition, political stabilization is witnessed to partially offset the clean energy transition-inhibiting impact of rising carbon dioxide emissions across South Asia. Furthermore, the results endorse that financial development and receipts of international remittance contribute to the clean energy transition process while incoming foreign direct investments exert no impact in this regard. Accordingly, a couple of policies are recommended for the concerned South Asian nations.

The paper analyses impacts of environmental regulation on Czech power system. We employ MESSAGE modelling platform to construct a dynamic linear optimisation energy model of the Czech power system. We analyse regulation impacts on fuel use and CO2 emission, fuel-mix and technology-mix, induced investment and fuel and other O&M costs to generate electricity over the period 2006-2030. Negative external costs attributable to endogenously determined new level of air quality pollutants are quantified to make our cost-benefit analysis more complex. Overall, effects of four policy scenarios are assessed, including subsidies for renewable energy, increase in air quality charge rates and an introduction of the EU ETS in the Czech power system. Based on our simulation, we find that prospected 10-fold increase in charging of air quality pollutant would not have any significant effect on emission and would not bring any stimuli for change in technology and fuel mixes. Subsidy to renewable energy would result in their development; however, larger effect would appear in far future and only if new nuclear power units are not allowed to build. Auctioned EUA, especially above €15 per tonne of CO2, would be the only effective instrument with significant effects on power sector. Key factor on CO2 emission is whether scenario consists of new nuclear power units or these units are banned. Our simulation results hold even if we allow the key model assumption to vary, except, the discount rate that would have effect on whether more-investment intensive technologies are used to generate electricity.

The 19th Annual Conference of European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, EAERE-2012, was held in Prague at the end of June 2012. Leading environmental economists discussed new research outcomes and economic theory extensions related to economics of climate change, efficient pollution reduction, optimal use of natural resources, nonmarket valuation and green economy.