1,728,001 research outputs found
Economics of the bioeconomy: reflections on conceptual challenges and pathways
No full textThe main objective of this chapter is to discuss the future of economic research applied to the bioeconomy in order to identify challenges and potential pathways for conceptual, theoretical, and operational innovation. The paper integrates an original literature review with a collection of insights from discussions and conclusions of the chapters included in this handbook. The starting point is the persistence of the drivers that have pushed the development of the bioeconomy, accompanied by the exponential increase in technology opportunities. A growing role for economic research is justified by the evidence of trade-offs among different sustainable development objectives attached to the bioeconomy and by the need to expand the understanding of social, economic, and management aspects of this meta-sector, even more so when it is interpreted as a major wave of change in human history. Given the comprehensive nature of the bioeconomy, research is needed in a number of diversified directions and adopting a “biodiverse” set of approaches with a strong tendency towards combinations of methods and theories. The interplay between the economic representation of biological and technological features of innovative processes, the better understanding of individual and collective behaviour, and the system vision in a transformation framework are at the core of future research
Bioeconomy and ecosystem services
No full textThe increasing demand for food, energy, and biodiversity, as well as the need for natural capital conservation and resilience to climate change, are major challenges worldwide. The transition towards the bioeconomy can concretely improve the provision of private and public goods that enhance human well-being. Despite the growing literature, contributions, trade-offs, and conflicts of bioeconomy development within ecosystem services provision still need to be addressed satisfactorily. This paper aims to investigate the possible pathways for building a sustainable and resilient transition towards the bioeconomy, with a focus on ecosystem services, based on a literature review and content analysis. The sustainability of the transition towards the bioeconomy is grounded in replacing carbon-based production and processes, but the bioeconomy involves much more. In particular, the focus on the provision of ecosystem services broadens the scope of investigation and highlights the need to address a wide variety of inputs while connecting this with perceptions, decision-making, and governance systems. New conceptual and empirical approaches to research and decision-making are needed for a transformative approach to these challenges
Water Policy, Productivity and Economic Efficiency
No full textThis special issue aims to encourage debate and dialogue on water policy in this perspective, focusing on the future of water as a productive factor; in particular, high quality papers illustrating original research or comprehensive reviews are sought on the following issues:
•Economic analysis of experiences and open issues with innovative management of water for crop production.
•Production and efficiency effects of innovative policy instruments and mechanisms (water markets, auctions, pricing mechanisms).
•Ex-post and ex ante policy evaluation approaches, methods and tools, and their application to cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis of water policy measures from the point of view of economic efficiency and productivity.
•Efficiency effects of coordination between water policy and specific sector policies (e.g. agriculture, energy).
•Water policy and viability of economic sectors in the context of drought and climate change.
•Water policy and wider economic and social issues (global economy, international markets, food security).
•Water policy and competitiveness
Grano duro: innovazione farà rima con organizzazione
No full textIl coordinamento è uno dei fattori ritenuti più importanti per il potenziamento della competitività nelle filiere agricole italiane, soprattutto in un contesto come quello attuale, sempre più contraddistinto dalla liberalizzazione dei mercati, dalla pressione concorrenziale e dal progressivo assottigliamento e disaccoppiamento del sostegno pubblico. Nonostante la crescente esigenza di intensificare le relazioni di filiera, la diffusione di forme contrattuali innovative è inferiore alle attese. Nella filiera del grano duro permane una vasta diffusione (stimata oltre il 70% del mercato) dei tradizionali contratti “a pronti”, basati sul largo impiego del “conto deposito”. È noto che in tali contratti i vincoli tra venditore e compratore sono ridotti al minimo. Ma la libertà di modificare in ogni annata il rapporto tra produttore ed intermediario commerciale ha un costo non trascurabile in termini di programmazione, omogeneità dei lotti e qualità della materia prima. Si presentano i risultati di uno studio circa le prospettive e le motivazioni dell’uso di contratti a consegna differita (“in avanti”) presso la filiera del grano duro (Viaggi, Zanni, 2010; 2011). L’indagine è stata svolta attraverso la raccolta ed analisi delle opinioni di un gruppo di operatori della filiera e ricercatori, rilevate mediante un metodo basato sull’interazione tra esperti consultati separatamente, seguendo un processo per approssimazioni successive (metodo Delphi)
Supply of bioeconomy products
No full textThe main objective of this paper is to review key topics in production economics applied to the bioeconomy. First, we address the representation of harvesting of natural resources and illustrate the implications for their optimal use and sustainability. Second, we deal with the topic of increased separability in components of biomass and enlargement of options for products design, and discuss implications for supply and market organisation. We argue that in both cases further research is needed with a view at the new bioeconomy technologies and related organisational forms. Addressing the specificities of the bioeconomy through a practicable technology representation aimed at supporting economic conceptualisation is key for the “distinctivity” and usefulness of this field of research
Viaggi nella Turchia, nell Persia, nell'Indie : fatti sei volte nello spatio di quaranta anni per tutte le strade... /
No full textTít. en anteportada : "Parte prima de viaggi nella Turchia, Persia et India".MTSD 0211-1.Mode of access: Internet
Incentivi, aspettative e timing nel disegno delle politiche agro-ambientali: un’analisi empirica in Emilia Romagna
No full textL’obiettivo del lavoro è valutare diverse opzioni di disegno delle misure agro-ambientali, includendo esplicitamente tra i fattori rilevanti nel processo decisionale privato i costi di transazione e l’incertezza. La metodologia proposta è basata su modelli di simulazione dell’adozione di pratiche agro-ambientali attraverso l’approccio real options, includendo i costi di transazione privati e simulando gli effetti delle diverse aspettative degli agricoltori sui prezzi futuri delle commodities. Le alternative di politica sono rappresentate da diversi livelli di pagamenti e diverse durate del contratto agro-ambientale. Il modello è applicato ad un caso di studio nella Provincia di Ferrara, area nella quale sono simulate diverse pratiche per la produzione di paesaggio, quali la creazione di siepi, boschetti e laghetti. I risultati mostrano come sia l’incidenza dei costi di transazione, sia le aspettative, rappresentino elementi determinanti la scelta di aderire alla pratiche agro-ambientali. Il lavoro mostra ulteriori possibilità di aumento dell’efficacia delle politiche agro-ambientali
A Digital Edition of Dei Viaggi di Messer Marco Polo, Gentilhuomo Venetiano (Giovanni Battista Ramusio, Navigationi et Viaggi, II, 1559)
No full textThe paper presents the general outline of the Project A Digital Edition of Dei Viaggi di Messer Marco Polo, Gentilhuomo Venetiano (Giovanni Battista Ramusio, Navigationi et viaggi, II, 1559)», along with an assessment of its recent updates
Circularity and bioeconomy: towards a circular bioeconomy
No full textThe objective of this paper is to review the literature on the current economic research on the bioeconomy and circular economy, and to derive lessons learned, gaps and implications for further research in view of the integration of the two concepts into that of circular bioeconomy. The sample of papers reviewed is composed of 83 articles extracted from the Scopus database and characterised by considering the two concepts jointly. The literature shows that the bioeconomy is not implicitly circular and that the circular economy does not substitute the concept of bioeconomy. On the hand, circularity has some commonalities with concepts at the core of the bioeconomy, such as the cascading approach, and is potentially complementary to emerging attributes advocated for the Bioeconomy, such as sustainability and resilience. This brings to the need of a better formalisation of the concept of circular bioeconomy especially in the field of economics. In addition, the results point out that intertwining factors affect the potential development of a circular bioeconomy, such as specific policies, education systems, social acceptance, market structure and resource availability. Lastly, a large part of the literature connected to circular bioeconomy tries to go beyond circularity as a mere technicism and rather highlights the need for a comprehensive societal and business transformation rather than a simple transition in this direction
Water Management and Institutional Adaptation Strategies in the Irrigation Sector: Two Experiences in Emilia-Romagna
No full textClimate change is putting pressure on economic sectors, especially agriculture, because of the increase of extreme events, like water scarcity and droughts, that call for impellent adaptation strategies in water management oriented toward the lining of water demand up to future water availability. The EU institutions have worked intensely in recent years for defining a policy guidance on the quantitative management of water resources to complement the Water Framework Directive. The outcome is a Blueprint for the safeguard of water resources which stresses, inter alia, the necessity of implementing in the recent future measures that induce a more rational use of water resources such to reduce the inefficiencies and to improve the allocation mechanisms by fostering, whenever possible, the equalization between water needs and economic values of water use. The chapter proposes the study of two experiences of irrigation water management in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna whose outcomes thoroughly reflect the achievement of the recent policy objectives. The first is the case of the irrigation district Tarabina, in which a change in the tariff system from area-based to volume-based has yielded a more equitable distribution of water and related costs among users along with a remarkable reduction in water use. The second is the experience of the institution of voluntary irrigation boards for the management of small water harvesting catchments and related infrastructures whose governance is inspired by use efficiency criteria, with an opening toward the allocation mechanism of water transfers. A polyhedric approach for the management of water resources in the light of climate change is essential for the correct analysis of current issues and for the implementation of suited adaptation strategies that reflect the potentialities of governance improvements in line with the recommendations provided by the EU institutions
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