An important criterion for the design of urban water prices is the affordability of water supply for poor customers. This paper presents a typology of water pricing options which policy-makers have at their disposal in order to address affordability. A review of theoretical insights and...

In virtually all EU Member States, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is complemented by support schemes for electricity generation from renewable energy sources (RES-E). This policy mix has been subject to strong criticism. It is mainly argued that RES-E schemes contribute nothing to...

In view of the failure of international negotiations on climate protection and the improbability of a trend reversal in the climate changes that have already occurred, the option of climate change adaptation is becoming more and more important in climate change policy. A large number of...

Angesichts erfolgloser internationaler Klimaschutzverhandlungen und einer kaum zu erwartenden Trendumkehr bereits eingetretener klimatischer Veränderungen gewinnt die Option der Anpassung an den Klimawandel immer mehr an klimapolitischer Bedeutung. Zahlreiche Länder haben durch die Konzeption...

The literature on policy convergence has identified numerous aspects and possible causal drivers of convergence. We classify and condense these into a comprehensive framework, which is operationalized for support policies for renewable energy sources in the EU. Our analysis advances the...

In this paper, we employ a public choice perspective to analyze the development of policies for renewable energy sources (RES) in the EU in general and in Germany more specifically. In doing so, we explain the main characteristics of current RES policies in the EU by reference to the...

Mit wachsenden Anteilen erneuerbarer Energien (EE) an der Stromerzeugung gewinnt das Problem ihrer Markt- und Systemintegration an Bedeutung. Für eine langfristig effiziente Stromversorgung stellt sich zunächst die Frage, wie EE in den regulären Steuerungs- und Vergütungsprozess des...

In this paper, we analyze the rationale for an energy policy mix when the European Emissions Trading scheme (ETS) is considered from a public choice perspective. That is, we argue that the economic textbook model of the ETS implausibly assumes 1) efficient policy design and 2) climate protection...