This paper examines how product relatedness and the breadth of technological search affect the path-dependent development
of export specialisations across countries documented in prior research. The results of the econometric analysis in this paper
show that broader technological search in an industry has a positive impact on the development of comparative advantages in
the product lines it exports. The interplay between product relatedness and the scope of technological search has a two-edged
character. On the one hand, broader technological search supports adjustments and consolidations of the export baskets on
the extensive margin. This contributes to weaken path-dependency. On the other hand, it fosters the competitiveness of products
that are related to current export specialisations, and thereby promotes path-dependency on the intensive margin of trade.
These results differ across countries with different levels of technological capabilities.
Silvia Scherhaufer, Anna Happenhofer, Ina Meyer, Florian Part, Mark Sommer, Peter Beigl
in: Sardinia 2019 – 17th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium. Proceedings
Book chapters, contributions to collected volumes, S. Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, November 2019
The decarbonisation of the energy and mobility sector is in progress, making products such as photovoltaic and wind power
plants but also electric vehicles relevant in terms of amounts installed or registered in Austria. These three product groups
contain mass relevant components such as metals, glass or plastics but also valuable materials in low quantities which require
adequate recycling in terms of resource efficiency and prevention of pollution with harmful substances. This conference paper
presents a baseline assessment of main product types and their material composition used in Austria and the current status
of recycling.
Two major international frameworks provide landmarks for future development paths: the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
and the Paris Climate Agreement. Monitoring the progress towards achieving the individual goals must take into account a multitude
of synergies and trade-offs. In this paper we use composite indices to analyse climate and energy policies in selected EU
member countries. These results show that, in general, the improvements regarding energy efficiency, emissions and deployment
of renewables have been moderate in the period under observation (2005–2015). This hints at the time needed for restructuring
to take place, which underlines the importance of credible political commitments to climate targets, the implementation of
ambitious instruments and the need for stability in the guiding frameworks to effectuate substantial changes. In addition,
the analysis of the selected countries shows that they are characterised by very specific energy systems (complemented by
specific social structures), and this determines the challenges that each country must overcome on the way to decarbonisation
and sustainable development. While the SDGs are to be implemented on a global scale, it is necessary to adapt them to the
characteristics of a given country or region. Reliable and long-term quantitative data that is comparable across countries
or regions and that takes into account the social dimension is required to be able to monitor the overall progress of SGD
implementation.
Maria Winkler-Dworak, Eva Beaujouan, Paola Di Giulio, Martin Spielauer
Family patterns in Western countries have substantially changed across the 1940 to 1990 birth cohorts. Adults born more recently
enter more often unmarried cohabitations and marry later, if at all. They have children later and fewer of them; births take
place in a non-marital union more often and, due to the declining stability of couple relationships, in more than one partnership.
These changes have led to an increasing diversity in family life courses. In this paper, we present a microsimulation model
of family life trajectories, which models the changing family patterns taking into account the complex interrelationships
between childbearing and partnership processes. The microsimulation model is parameterised to retrospective data for women
born since 1940 in Italy, Great Britain and two Nordic countries (Norway and Sweden), representing three significantly different
cultural and institutional contexts of partnering and child bearing in Europe. Validation of the simulated family life courses
against their real-world equivalents shows that the simulations not only closely replicate observed childbearing and partnership
processes, but also give good predictions when compared to more recent fertility indicators. We conclude that the presented
microsimulation model is suitable for exploring changing family dynamics and outline potential research questions and further
applications.
Die bestehenden europäischen Abgabensysteme sind aus Nachhaltigkeitssicht nicht mehr zeitgemäß. Sie basieren stark auf der
Besteuerung der Arbeit, wobei nach wie vor in vielen Abgabensystemen von einem (in der Regel männlichen) Hauptverdiener auf
der Basis eines Normalarbeitsverhältnisses und einer weiblichen Zuverdienerin ausgegangen wird. Lenkungssteuern zur Bewältigung
der großen Herausforderungen in Klima- und Umweltpolitik werden zu wenig genutzt, und der Beitrag der Abgabensysteme zu verteilungspolitischen
Zielsetzungen hat langfristig abgenommen. Um die europäischen Abgabensysteme zukunftsfähig zu machen, ist ein fundamentaler
Umbau mit einer Umschichtung der Abgabenlast weg von Arbeitseinkommen hin zu Emissionen bzw. Ressourcen- und Energieverbrauch
einerseits sowie zu Vermögen und höheren Einkommen andererseits erforderlich. Wie in kaum einem anderen Politikbereich haben
Strukturreformen im Abgabensystem das Potential, die verschiedenen Dimensionen der Nachhaltigkeit gleichzeitig zu adressieren.