ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Author: SARASIBAR IRIARTE MIREN.
Year: 2005.
University: PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA [www.unavarra.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS HUMANAS Y SOCIALES.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA.

Summary: The thesis is divided into two parts: the study of climate change as a legal fact in the first part and environmental functions of forests in the second half. The first part, in turn, consists of four chapters. The first one deals with the conceptual framework of climate and climate change, in terms of technology and the law. The second chapter is entitled "The policy on climate change in the international arena and community." Regarding international politics, explores the Convention United Nations Framework on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and Agenda 21. On the political community, is a reference to the VI Action Program Environmental Program and the European Climate Change. In the third chapter on "The Spanish politics to climate change," outlines the steps and actions that Spain has taken to combat global warming. I refer to the administrative organization on climate change, which emphasizes the National Council for Climate and the Spanish Office for Climate Change. On the legislative front, describes the treatment he receives climate change in the rules regarding the protection of air, in the rules and forest, in a very condensed, with regard to emissions trading. Already at the non-legislative, I programs, strategies and other tools to pursue as a goal the reduction of the adverse effects on climate change. The fourth chapter is a summary of what was seen in previous chapters to summarize and emphasize the central aspects of those who served and also liaise with the contents of the second, which is about the environmental functions of forests in relation to the change climate. This second part begins, in the first chapter, describing the historical development of forestry policy and explaining the existing legal framework. After exposing the Spanish forestry policy throughout history, analyzes the existing forest policy both at the community level, international and Spanish, stressing the Forestry Act (LM) and references the Act assumes, as a result of the Kyoto Protocol on the sink function of forests. Reference is also made to the legislation and forest autonomous powers of local authorities in the forestry sector. The second chapter, which is the "Conceptual Framework: concept and functions of forests," has two fundamental objectives that are, on the one hand, the clarification and differentiation of two concepts, and forest and bush on the other hand, refers the various environmental functions of forests, with particular emphasis on the role of forests as a carbon sink. "The role of forests as environmental sink in the context of sustainable forest management" is the third chapter which begins outlining the importance of the principle of environmental integration, which aims to achieve sustainable development in general and, therefore, also attributed to climate change. It also points out that this principle of environmental integration, which aims to achieve sustainable development in general, and hence also attributable to climate change. It also points out that this principle of integration implemented in the forestry sector, resulting in sustainable forest management, a basic principle in the LM. The last chapter, the longest, "The main building as a measure to the sink function of forests," explores the administrative building as the most suitable means for developing the sink function, as provided the LM. It encourages the use of forest biomass energy waste as a renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and thus contribute to the fight against climate change. Like the LM was studying law autonomy has developed legislation in this regard. Lastly, I refer to rural development policy, namely 8, to a 363 yuda to forestry, as a political booster for the forest sector and, consequently, to pursue the sink function by the forests.

Author: ORTEGO OSA JESÚS.
Year: 2006.
University: PAÍS VASCO [www.ehu.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.

Summary: This thesis provides a multidisciplinary approach to the notion of socio conflict, a historical analysis of the conflicitivdad socio in Bolivia (1985-2003), and a case study on environmental conflicts in the Carrasco National Park (Bolivia) to develop a proposal Methodological Conflict Transformation in Protected Areas. The study provides the local nature of the conflicitividad socio-Protected Areas in Latin America and proposed, from the vision of local players, the possibility of establishing global changes in the policies of conservation and development.

Author: Muñoz Cabré Miquel.
Year: 2006.
University: AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA [www.uab.es].
Place of defense: Facultat de Ciències.
Place of preparation: ICTA.

Summary: The two main contributions of this dissertation are: 1. a comparison between two types of policy instruments for the promotion of renewable electricity, namely quotas and feed-in laws; and 2. a proposal for harmonization of feed-in laws in the European Union. This dissertation is structured in five parts. Part I explains the deregulated electricity sector and the existing renewable electricity technologies. Among these technologies, the ones with the highest growth rates in the last decade are solar photovoltaic and wind power. Part I also explains the main attributes and impacts of renewable electricity technologies. Part II describes the existing support schemes, policies, measures and financing strategies for the promotion of renewable electricity. The two most important policy instruments are quotas and feed-in laws. Under a quota system, a target (the quota) is mandated for renewable electricity, and a market for renewable electricity certificates is created, to achieve the established target in a cost-efficient way. Under a feed-in law scheme, renewable electricity generators are guaranteed that all their renewable electricity will be bought at a minimum price. Besides quotas and feed-in laws, other schemes and policies are described, such as tendering systems, voluntary markets, tax credits, clean energy funds, net metering, subsidies, and public research and development. Part II also addresses aspects such as grid access, definitions and standards, administrative issues, target setting, awareness and education, financing strategies, and risk management. Part III describes country case studies. Because this dissertation does not pretend to be a compendium of data or existing policies in all countries, a few countries in the European Union have been selected. The selection of countries was broadly made for the following reasons: Germany and Spain because they illustrate successful feed-in systems; Denmark because it is also one of the pioneers of wind power and feed-in laws and illustrates the negative effects of policy changes; France because it illustrates a system hostile to renewables; the Netherlands because it is an example of multiplicity of policies; Ireland because it is an example of tendering systems; Sweden as an example of voluntary markets and green taxes; and the United Kingdom as an example of quotas. The United States is also described, as well as the context of the European Union, particularly with regards to Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of renewable electricity. Part IV provides a comparison between feed-in-laws and quota systems in respect of efficiency, effectiveness, induced innovation, efficiency under uncertainty, administrative issues, regulatory risk, funding, discrimination among technologies and geographical dispersion. Part IV concludes that feed-in laws are superior policy instruments with regards to all those aspects, in some cases based on theory and in some on empirical evidence. Part V elaborates policy proposals for the harmonization of feed-in laws in the European Union. In particular, it proposes a methodology for harmonization based on a feed-in law with a modular and transparent premium for renewable electricity producers. This premium considers technology costs, some grid services, political incentives and national priorities. The proposed approach includes flexibility mechanisms to update and revise premiums, to avoid windfall profits for producers, and to share technology innovation benefits with electricity consumers while maintaining incentives for innovation. The flexibility mechanisms include a profitability threshold, an automated premium revision, and a target revision trigger. The proposals on Part V are based on the review of the main features of the German and Spanish feed-in laws. Other considerations necessary for harmonization and not described elsewhere in the dissertation are also taken into account in Part V, such as ownership of rights derived from renewables, and exceptions for small non-commercial produc 8 ers and 2d6 energy-intensive industries.