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Pasture, grazing, and meat production in Kazakhstan
No full textThe rising demand for meat and animal products has strained land resources and created a livestock sector responsible for 20% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, linked to desertification, deforestation, water contamination, and biodiversity loss. Quantifying this strain remains difficult due to livestock mobility and variable grazing intensity. This dissertation focuses on Kazakhstan, a country with vast grasslands and a long pastoralist history, which shifted from transhumant nomadism to Soviet-era sedentary grazing and partially back to mobile systems post-Soviet. Livestock numbers peaked near the end of the Soviet period, declined in the 1990s, and have since rebounded. Overgrazing was common, but restricted movement left distant pastures unused, and the true carrying capacity of Kazakh grasslands remains unclear. With current livestock expansion—especially beef—sustainable (re)use of grasslands is critical. Recurrent fires are key to maintaining biodiversity and ecological function, and grazing influences fire regimes more than climate factors, though this relationship is poorly understood. Kazakhstan’s history offers a unique context to study grazing’s impact on fire occurrence. Part one presents a spatial model assessing grazing demand; in 2015, about half of pastureland was used, mostly at low intensity. A 31% increase in beef production could occur without intensification. Part two correlates grazing intensity (2001–2019) with burned area, controlling for climate variables. Grazing demand showed a strong negative relationship with burned area and explained more variation than climate factors. Part three explores horsemeat as a beef alternative: nutritionally superior, similar in taste, and lower in methane emissions. However, horses require more land, and full conversion would likely reduce overall meat consumption. Horses are well suited to support both meat production and fire mitigation.Der steigende Fleischkonsum erhöht den Druck auf Landressourcen und macht die Tierproduktion für etwa 20% der menschengemachten Treibhausgasemissionen verantwortlich. Sie trägt zur Wüstenbildung, Abholzung, Wasserverschmutzung und zum Verlust von Biodiversität und Ökosystemleistungen bei. Die Quantifizierung des ökologischen Fußabdrucks ist schwierig, da Weidetiere mobil sind und Flächen unterschiedlich intensiv nutzen. Diese Dissertation untersucht Kasachstan, ein Land mit großer Weidefläche und wechselvoller Weidegeschichte: vom transhumanten Nomadentum über sowjetische Sesshaftigkeit bis zur teilweisen Rückkehr mobiler Weidewirtschaft. Der Viehbestand erreichte seinen Höhepunkt gegen Ende der Sowjetzeit, fiel in den 1990er Jahren und steigt seither wieder. Überweidung war verbreitet, doch entfernte Weiden blieben ungenutzt. Die Tragfähigkeit der Graslandsysteme ist weitgehend unbekannt. Angesichts der Expansion der Viehwirtschaft, insbesondere im Rindfleischsektor, ist eine nachhaltige (Wieder-)Nutzung entscheidend. Ein räumliches Modell zeigt, dass 2015 etwa die Hälfte der Weideflächen genutzt wurde, meist mit geringer Intensität. Eine 31% Steigerung der Rindfleischproduktion wäre ohne Intensivierung möglich. Die jährliche Weideintensität (2001–2019) korreliert negativ mit der verbrannten Fläche, stärker als klimatische Variablen. Pferdefleisch bietet eine nachhaltige Alternative: Es ist ernährungsphysiologisch hochwertig, verursacht weniger Methan, erfordert aber mehr Fläche. Eine Umstellung würde den Fleischkonsum senken. Pferde sind aufgrund ihrer Mobilität, Robustheit und Fleischqualität besonders geeignet, sowohl zur Fleischproduktion als auch zur Brandminderung beizutragen. Eine koordinierte Ausweitung der Weidewirtschaft mit Fokus auf Pferdehaltung könnte ökologische Funktionen sichern und Risiken reduzieren
Examining the financial development channels affecting economic growth in Turkey
No full textIn the early 1980s, Turkey took steps towards financial liberalization. Accordingly, policymakers have implemented policies for the development of the financial system. Since then, developments in the banking sector have driven economic growth and met the private sector's demand for funds. The research problem involves analyzing the relationship between financial development and economic growth in Turkey, which is crucial in determining the effectiveness of policies implemented for financial development. Determining the source through which financial development is vital for economic growth is also critical in designing these policies. This research examines the channels through which financial development impacts economic growth in Turkey. By using data from 1974 to 2023 for Turkey, this study conducted a Granger causality test based on VECM and the Toda Yamamoto method to analyze the causal relationship between economic growth and financial development. The analysis also included impulse response functions. Our study reveals that financial development contributes to economic growth. Policymakers should implement policies that prioritize the development of the financial system
Theoretical perspectives and conceptual framework for online grocery shopping: Adapting to environmental circumstances and influencing internal factors
No full textIn recent years, the availability of online grocery shopping (OGS) has increased globally. However, considerable uncertainty persists regarding its future development and associated economic challenges. OGS providers face a dual challenge: they must achieve sustained growth in an increasingly competitive market while ensuring long-term profitability. Consequently, some providers have been forced to downsize their workforce, exit specific markets, or undergo acquisitions by competitors. This research aims to reduce this uncertainty by offering theoretical perspectives and a conceptual framework that integrates both external and internal factors influencing OGS. Specifically, the framework accounts for environmental circumstances —comprising global , market-specific , and consumer-specific circumstances —as well as internal factors , such as strategic orientation and operational effectiveness . Applying this framework offers valuable insights for both academic research and industry practice. For scholars, it establishes a foundation for further investigation into OGS implementation. From a managerial perspective, the framework serves as a strategic tool for systematically adapting OGS to external conditions while optimizing internal operations to enhance its viability and success
Carbon pricing, border adjustment and renewable energy investment: A network approach
No full textAn increase of e100 per tonne in the EU carbon price reduces the carbon footprint but lowers GDP due to higher energy costs and carbon leakage. Using a dynamic multi-sector, multi-country model augmented with an energy block that includes endogenous renewable energy investment, we analyze the macroeconomic and emissions effects of a carbon price. Investment in renewable energy mitigates electricity price increases in the medium term, leading to a smaller GDP loss (up to -0.4%) and a larger emissions reduction (24%) in the EU. Neglecting renewable energy investment overestimates the negative economic impact. We also find that a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reduces carbon leakage but slightly hurts GDP and inflation as the competitive gain is offset by the higher costs of imported intermediate inputs
Regionalentwicklung und Regionalpolitik im Lichte von NIMBY
No full textEin neuer, polit-ökonomisch fundierter Ansatz der Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung rückt die NIMBY-Interessen (Not In My Backyard) städtischer "Insider" in den Mittelpunkt. Wir zeigen, dass ein quantitatives Modell neue Erkenntnisse über die deutschen Städte und Regionen liefert. Da dieser Ansatz Wohlfahrtsdifferentiale zwischen den Städten und Regionen impliziert, ergeben sich neue Perspektiven und Hebel für die Regionalpolitik. Diese kontrastieren mit einigen zentralen Einsichten des gegenwärtig in der Regionalanalyse und Politikberatung dominierenden Paradigmas des räumlichen Gleichgewichts bei freier Mobilität der Arbeitskräfte.A new political economy-based approach to urban and regional development puts the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) interests of urban "insiders" centre stage. Based on the analysis of Gehr and Pflüger (2025), we show that a quantitative model sheds new light on German cities and regions, and receives strong external validation. As this approach implies welfare differentials between cities and regions, new perspectives and levers for regional policy emerge. These contrast with some of the central insights of the paradigm of spatial equilibrium with free labour mobility that currently dominates regional analysis and policy advic
Laws, aid, and change: The effect of gender-mainstreamed aid on legal provisions shaping women's economic opportunities
No full textThis study examines the relationship between gender-related aid and legal frameworks governing women's economic opportunities. Using data from 116 countries (2009-2022), we analyze how significant (SGRA) and principal (PGRA) gender-related aid influence the Women, Business, and Law (WBL) Index, which measures women's access to employment, credit, and entrepreneurship. Results from fixed-effects models show that SGRA consistently improves WBL Index components, while PGRA significantly impacts marriage, parenthood, and mobility regulations, with modest effects on workplace and entrepreneurship measures. PGRA substantially affects marriage, parenthood, and mobility regulations while demonstrating more modest impacts on workplace conditions and entrepreneurship measures. These observations underscore the complexity of addressing gender inequality and the necessity of targeted, multifaceted approaches to overcome legal restrictions, entrenched social norms, and economic barriers. The research offers valuable insights for policymakers and donors on the transformative potential of gender-mainstreamed aid initiatives in fostering a more equitable world
An Analysis of the Drivers of Microfinance Rating Assessments
No full textRating assessments of microfinance institutions (MFIs) are claimed to measure a combination of creditworthiness, trustworthiness, and excellence in microfinance. Using a global data set covering reports from 304 microfinance institutions, this study suggests that these ratings are mainly driven by size, profitability, and risk. The overall results suggest that microfinance ratings convey information similar to that communicated by traditional credit ratings. All results are remarkably consistent across rating agencies. The determinants of the rating grades are found to be the same in all subsamples
Disconnecting women: Gender disparities in the impact of online instruction
No full textWe study the impact of online instruction with a field experiment that randomly assigns 1,344 university students to different proportions of online and in-person lectures in multiple introductory courses. Increased online instruction leaves men's exam performance unaffected but significantly lowers women's performance, particularly in math-intensive courses. Online instruction also reduces women's longer-run performance and increases their study dropout. Exploring mechanisms, we find that women exposed to more online lectures report greater difficulty in connecting with peers, less engaging instructors, and lower course satisfaction. Our findings suggest that shifting toward more online instruction may disproportionally harm women
Just transition concept: The state-of-play
No full textThe just transition (JT) concept is in vogue. Presently, an array of forces has adopted the JT concept, either as a goal or policy. Since its emergence within the trade union movement in the 1990s as a response to global warming, multilateral bodies, civil society organisations, and corporations, have endorsed just transition with intentions to use it as a guide in their actions and interventions to mitigate climate change. To comply with international treaties, national and subnational governments are also introducing hard and soft laws to facilitate what they regard as just transitions. In addition to above uses, the JT concept has moved into the academe and is utilised in diverse economic sectors such as energy, food and agriculture, healthcare, finance and tourism. After years of climate denialism, corporations and business associations have achieved what has been their goal since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, recognition as a key non-state actor in climate negotiations (Mousu, 2020). Viewed positively, the popularity of the JT concept reflects a "growing awareness of and concern about deepening inequalities between the world's rich and poor, and how the climate and environmental crises, and efforts to address them, are accentuating them" (Stevis, Morena and Krause, 2020, 4). Considering its spread, attempts are underway to operationalise the concept. To enhance its utility and simplify the expansive use of JT concept, Harrington (2022) makes a distinction between climate and non-climate transitions. Climate-related transitions require shifts away from large-scale greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation by sectors that are potential carbon sinks. Non-climate transitions involve changes required in sectors such healthcare, agriculture and food production. (...
Crisis of globalisation and imperialist structures
No full textThe aim of the article is to show that although most countries in the Global South have been able to reduce absolute poverty, with a few exceptions they have not succeeded in catching up with the countries of the Global North. The conclusion of the article is that, especially after the neoliberal revolution in the 1980s, exploitative structures between developed and less developed countries have intensified, which in several dimensions resemble imperialism before World War I. The expansion of global value chains and foreign direct investment from the 1990s onwards has done nothing to change this. This result is explained by various theoretical approaches - absolute and comparative cost advantages, increasing economies of scale and global value chains. Only comprehensive industrial policy and ultimately an alternative model of globalisation can change the current crisis of globalisation