Urban Network Economics and the Environment: Insights and Perspectives

Abstract

Recent research in the field of network economics has shown how explicitly modelling the network structure of social and economic relations can provide significant theoretical insights, as well as account for previously unexplained empirical evidence. Despite their critical importance to many environmental problems, network structures and dynamics have been largely disregarded by the environmental economics literature. This paper aims to begin to fill this gap by analysing how networks can provide new insights for both theory and practice, and identifying several avenues for future research. The paper addresses questions pertaining to a wide range of issues, including the adoption and diffusion of green technologies, access to and distribution of natural resources, common-pool resource management and governance, and the stability of international environmental coalitions.

Unconventional Determinants of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The Role of Trust

“…by exhibiting the neighbours' level of cooperation), attempting to stimulate agent's trust in a shared effort towards climate change mitigation (e.g. Both policy-makers and practitioners may look with interest at the recent evidence showing how, for instance, green technologies such as solar photovoltaic systems spread over neighbourhoods through social interaction, as shown by Bollinger and Gillingham (2012; see also Currarini et al, 2014). More generally, reducing inequalities, improving institutional quality and enhancing education (especially teaching cooperation) should contribute to building trust (Knack and Keefer, 1997;Zak and Knack, 2001).…”

“…Given that these represent major tasks, from a policy and governance perspective it may thus be important to use the already existing trust networks (see Catney et al, 2013) and overcome the social barriers hampering the emergence of new ones (Catney et al, 2014). Both policy-makers and practitioners may look with interest at the recent evidence showing how, for instance, green technologies such as solar photovoltaic systems spread over neighbourhoods through social interaction, as shown by Bollinger and Gillingham (2012; see also Currarini et al, 2014). Finally, improving the quality, quantity and understanding of data on trust (and on social norms more generally, pro-environmental behaviour, environmental collective action and environmental policy) would allow substantial advancement in this research area.…”