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Global hidden spillover effects among concurrent green initiatives
Li An1, Jianguo Liu2, Qi Zhang3
1College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|January 26, 2024
Summary
Green initiatives face budget cuts during economic downturns. Analyzing 15 global sites reveals initiatives can either decrease gains by up to 100% or increase them by 310%, guiding future environmental policy.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Policy
- Sustainability Science
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Global economic contractions threaten environmental initiatives.
- Understanding initiative interactions is crucial for policy continuity.
- Synergistic or antagonistic effects of green policies are under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spillover effects between concurrently implemented green initiatives.
- To identify factors influencing positive and negative interactions among environmental policies.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for optimizing green initiative portfolios under budget constraints.
Main Methods:
- Empirical data collection from 15 diverse global sites.
- Systematic analysis of policy interactions, behavioral influences, and outcome gains.
- Quantitative assessment of spillover effects, including co-benefits and losses.
Main Results:
- Spillover effects are highly variable, ranging from significant losses to substantial co-benefits.
- One initiative can decrease another's gains by 22%–100%.
- Conversely, one initiative can enhance another's gains by 9%–310%.
Conclusions:
- Strategic selection of green initiatives based on spillover effects is vital for economic and environmental goals.
- Prioritizing initiatives with co-benefits and halting those with spillover losses can preserve environmental progress during budget cuts.
- This approach supports achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals amidst economic challenges.
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