http://hdl.handle.net/10197/29 Sat, 25 May 2013 02:22:53 GMT 2013-05-25T02:22:53Z http://researchrepository.ucd.ie:80/bitstream/id/2550/gpep.jpg http://hdl.handle.net/10197/29 http://hdl.handle.net/10197/1227 Fiscal incentives and urban regeneration in Dublin Williams, Brendan Urban 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. Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/1227 2006-10-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/1226 The functional urban region of Dublin : the evolution of the new functional urban region of Dublin and its influence on future regional planning and development Williams, Brendan This paper investigates the land transformation process and growth pattern emerging in the functional Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The process is considered in the light of the growth pattern of the GDA, which is analysed based upon economic and social statistical evidence. The emergence of discontinuous patterns of development and rapidly expanding functional urban areas has been observed in many developing city regions. Two contrasting trends have emerged with an urban regeneration driven return of development to the central areas of economically strong cities and a concurrent significant dispersal of housing and employment activities development in a sprawl type manner. It is recognised that such patterns have significant implications for the long-term urban development of regions such as Dublin. This paper will include empirical evidence on development patterns emerging, which it is expected will assist in evaluating the effectiveness of policy measures. In particular the methodology of the paper was designed to include a focus on the critical issues which emerged over the period from 1994 to 2002 and their continuing impact on the regions urban development pattern to 2006.This period reflected the regions transition from an underperforming area in terms of economic development to rapid and sustained economic development. Local policy measures and responses are analysed as both a response to and shaping force in such urbanisation. The paper argues that the absence of an effective strategic decision-making process at the functional regional level negates national development policy aspirations. A methodology is proposed to develop a regional understanding of current and proposed patterns of development and their influence on urban form. The paper will include a contrast between stated policy aims, analysis of development data and conclusions on likely future trends. The conclusions will explore the likely future development trends in the functional urban region and their implications for policy making and development. Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/1226 2006-10-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/890 Cost-benefit analysis of a resource and environmental survey of Ireland Bullock, Craig; Clinch, J. Peter 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. Thu, 01 Nov 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/890 2001-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/889 A spatial econometric analysis of well-being using a geographical information systems approach Brereton, Finbarr; Clinch, J. Peter; Ferreira, S. (Susana) 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. Sat, 01 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/889 2006-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/888 Environmental amenities and subjective well-being : testing the validity of hedonic pricing Brereton, Finbarr; Clinch, J. Peter; Ferreira, S. (Susana) 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. Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/888 2006-06-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/887 Valuing the environment using the life-satisfaction approach Ferreira, S. (Susana); Moro, Mirko; Clinch, J. Peter 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). Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/887 2006-05-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/886 Quality of life and location-specific amenities : a subjective well-being approach Brereton, Finbarr; Clinch, J. Peter; Ferreira, S. (Susana) 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. Fri, 01 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/886 2005-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/872 Effectiveness of fiscal and other measures to manage greenhouse gas emissions from the automobile sector : evidence from Europe Ryan, L. (Lisa B.); Ferreira, S. (Susana); Convery, Frank J. 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. Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/872 2006-05-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/871 Public attitudes towards solid waste landfill infrastructure : changes in perception over space and time Gallagher, Louise; Ferreira, S. (Susana); Convery, Frank J. 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. Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/871 2005-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/870 Stimulating the use of biofuels in the European Union : implications for climate change policy Ryan, L. (Lisa B.); Convery, Frank J.; Ferreira, S. (Susana) 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. Wed, 01 Dec 2004 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/870 2004-12-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/833 Issues in emissions trading : an introduction Convery, Frank J. Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/833 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/832 Allocating allowances in greenhouse gas emissions trading Bohm, Peter; Convery, Frank J. Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/832 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/831 Emissions trading regimes and incentives to participate in international climate agreements Buchner, Barbara; Carraro, Carlo Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/831 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/830 Institutional requirements Egenhofer, Christian; Fujiwara, Noriko Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/830 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/829 Linking emissions trading and project-based mechanisms Lefevere, Jürgen Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/829 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/826 An investigation into waste taxes and charges Dunne, Louise This 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. Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/826 2004-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/825 International trade and competitiveness effects Klepper, Gernot; Peterson, Sonja Convery, Frank J.; Dunne, Louise This policy brief identifies the major elements that determine the trade and competitiveness effects of the introduction of an emission-trading regime. These effects depend most of all on the breadth of the emissions trading system. One scerario is a national trading system that functions independently of other economies adopting similar policies. The effects of such a unilateral policy are similar to those of other unilateral economic policies such as taxes on emissions. The American SO2-trading or the Danish CO2 emissions trading system for electricity producers are examples of such systems. The second type of system is the EU-trading scheme or the proposed Kyoto-trading scheme for greenhouse gases. They both involve a larger number of economies in the same trading system and the policies will have repercussions on economies not participating, as opposed to the national scehemes where such repercussions are negligible. Lastly, a global emissions trading system would cover all economies. The trade and competitiveness effects of such a system are quite different from those of a unilateral system in a small economy. This policy brief will discuss these three cases consecutively and identify the different trade and competitiveness effects. It begins with an outline of some common reactions of an economy to the introduction of emissions trading. Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/825 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/824 Towards planning recommendations to encourage the growth of farmers markets as an element of revitalising rural areas O'Donoghue, Donogh; Dunne, Louise 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. Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/824 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/823 Greenhouse gas abatement costs and market based instruments Dunne, Louise; Convery, Frank J. 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. Thu, 01 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/823 2004-04-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/822 Environmental and wider economic implications of modifications to environmental tax reform Clinch, J. Peter; Dunne, Louise 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. Fri, 01 Mar 2002 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/822 2002-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/821 Environmental indicators for the urban environment : a literature review Pender, Anne; Dunne, Louise; Convery, Frank J. 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. Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/821 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10197/820 A theory of the impediments to environmental tax reform Clinch, J. Peter; Dunne, Louise 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. Sat, 01 Dec 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10197/820 2001-12-01T00:00:00Z