Primary end-users would be advisors applying environmental economic instruments on regional and governmental authorities.
The Swedish EPA and SwAM invite researchers to apply for funding for research projects of SEK 3 to 5 million distributed over three years (2021–2023). The total budget for the call is approximately SEK 30 million. The closing date for applications is September 7, 2020.
Aim
The aim is to produce knowledge that contributes to the development and reinforcement of applied environmental economics at governmental and regional authorities operating in relation to the Swedish Environmental Code or to the Swedish Environmental Objectives.
Challenges in environmental management
Several recent commissions and evaluations of environmental policy actions and interventions have emphasised the need to improve the use of environmental economic analysis(1,2,3,4,5,6).
The present in-depth evaluation of environmental policy published in 2019(7) emphasized that impact assessments of suggested environmental policies, initiated in an early stage, is an important mean to enhance the efficiency of environmental policy work. Furthermore, it stressed the importance of continuously evaluating current policies in order to increase knowledge and adapt them for increased efficiency.
Several assessments of the use of environmental economics in policy work, have recognised deficiencies. One significant explanation is that the analyses carried out in general are constrained by the interpretation of the regulation on impact assessment for new legislation(8). The interpretation of the beforementioned regulation has in many circumstances resulted in impact assessments that are initiated too late and with a narrow focus on direct effects. In-depth analysis of important drivers and incentive structures are missing, which constrains the ability to evaluate the effectiveness and likely consequences of proposed policies and their alternatives.
By this call The Swedish EPA and SwAM aim to enforce the use of applied environmental economics in public policy work. The call contains two broader themes: ex-ante analyses focusing on development of applied environmental economic analyses in deciding on and designing policy instruments, and ex-post analyses focusing on evaluation of already instituted policy instruments.
Priorities
The aim is to fund at least one project within each theme. Projects addressing both themes are also encouraged.
Ex-ante analyses focusing on applied environmental economic analyses in the process of deciding on and designing policy instruments
Here, we want questions raised regarding choice and design of policy instruments. Given simplified assumptions about behaviours of markets and market actors, it is possible to apply theories and methods to design the most effective and cost-efficient policy instruments to obtain first best policy solutions to environmental problems. On the other hand, governmental agencies generally must consider here and now complexities such as political will, other societal goals, international environmental problems, current policies and administrative costs related to policy implementation resulting in second best solutions.
Consequently, it is challenging to consider all aspects of a complex reality whilst designing policy instruments aiming to fulfil the Swedish environmental objectives. In other words, theoretical conceptualization of actor’s incentives and behaviours need to be applied in practice.
Questions that could be raised under this theme, in example, are:
- Implementation costs of applying new policy instruments or measures
- Liability regarding other societal objectives
- Accountability for monopoly, lobbyism and other institutional factors.
- Uncertainty and rapidity or abruptness of societal changes.
- The limitations of policy mandate on factors causing environmental problems e.g. emissions originating from outside Sweden/EU or when pollutants are not accountable (historical emissions).
- Assessment of effectivity and cost-efficiency over time under Sweden’s long-term climate goals and the Swedish environmental system including the generational goal.
Ex-post environmental economic analyses focusing on evaluation of instituted policy instruments
Here, we want questions raised regarding evaluation of policy instruments (ex post). In comparison to the number of impact assessments that are carried out, evaluations of existing environmental policy and policy instruments are rare. Particularly, there are few studies analyzing how different policies are contributing towards the fulfillment of the environmental quality objectives. A greater number of ex-post analyses would increase knowledge on different stages of policy formation such as design, communication, implementation, monitoring, acceptance, and compliance. There is also a need to plan for evaluation when designing environmental policy.
Questions that could be raised under this theme, in example, are:
- How does policy outcome predicted in ex-ante impact assessments differ from actual outcome of implemented policies?
- How does preconditions, observations, and recommendations for ex-post analyses differ between different types of policy instruments (e.g. evaluation of information effects, the effects of taxes, etc.)?
- How can policy instruments be designed to enable ex-post analysis without risking that the effect of the instrument gets skewed because of the way it was planned to be evaluated?
- How to design ex-post analyses when other policy instruments are implemented simultaneously or when relevant control groups are difficult to identify?
Practical instructions
It is important that the relevance for the Swedish EPA and SwAM is clearly stated in the application.
The main applicant must hold a PhD and conduct research at universities, colleges, research institutes, or government agencies carrying out research as part of their mandate. The main applicant should be affiliated with a Swedish organization with a Swedish corporate identity number ("organisationsnummer"). If the main and co-applicants have granted research funding from the Swedish EPA within earlier calls, any due final report should have been submitted and approved in order to be considered for funding within this call.
Granted researches are expected to participate in the Swedish EPA's annual research conference, annual project meetings, and to allocate resources for communication with the Swedish EPA, authorities and other stakeholders.
How to apply
The application is made electronically via the Swedish EPA's application portal Prisma. The application should preferably be written in English since it is reviewed by international experts. For further instructions see ”Instructions for applicants.” Please take note of the Swedish EPA’ policy for further use of data and information.
Important dates
- Deadline for application: 7 September 2020, 14:00 C.E.T
- Funding decision: January 2021
- Project start: February 2021
Contact information
Senior research officer Hannah Östergård
Email: hannah.ostergard@naturvardsverket.se
Phone: +46 10-698 16 81
Research secretary Kerstin Jansbo
Email: kerstin.jansbo@naturvardsverket.se
Phone: +46 10-698 14 56
References
- Svenska miljömål - för ett effektivare miljöarbete (Prop. 2009/10:155)
- Prop. 1997/98:145 svenska miljömål. Miljöpolitik för ett hållbart Sverige, s. 43
- Svenska miljömål - ett gemensamt uppdrag (Prop. 2004/05:150)
- Rapport Miljömålsrapporteringen – för mycket och för lite” (RiR 2005:1)
- Miljömålen i nya perspektiv - Betänkande av Utredningen om Miljömålssystemet” (SOU 2009:83)
- Tänk efter före! En ESO-rapport om samhällsekonomiska konsekvensanalyser (ESO 2018:5)
- Fördjupad utvärdering av miljömålen 2019 – med förslag till regeringen från myndigheter i samverkan (Naturvårdsverket, 2019)
- Förordningen om konsekvensutredning vid regelgivning (2007:1244)