SOEE 5582: Tools and Techniques in Ecological Economics
Assignment 2: Research report and supporting materials
Topic: Input-Output Analysis
(50% of final grade, estimated time: 47 hours)
Aims and objectives
· Critical understanding of environment-society interactions or input-output analysis
· Ability to perform and interpret calculations using Python
· Formulation of a research report
Submission deadline: Wednesday, 5th May, 2 pm
Reports should be submitted electronically through Minerva, with supporting materials (e.g. code in .ipynb files) submitted by email to the topic leader (Anne Owen, a. .uk) before the deadline. Any request for an extension should be made to the SEE student support office on SEE- .uk before the submission deadline.
Writing and referencing
A high standard of writing and critical analysis is expected for this assignment. You are strongly encouraged to prepare an early draft of your report, have it reviewed by a fellow student, friend, or at one of the university’s writing workshops, and incorporate any edits prior to submission.
Students are expected to use the university’s version of the Harvard referencing style (and to reference rigorously!). Guidance on how to include citations within text and how to reference different types of material using the Harvard style is provided at: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/referencing.
Report structure
The 2000-word report should be structured like an academic paper. You are encouraged to follow this general structure:
1. Introduction: should include aims and objectives, project structure, choice and justification of data selection, critical understanding of the wider literature (both directly relevant and background material for context).
2. Methodology: should include a clear description of the methodology used, as well as a critical discussion of the strengths and limitations of the methodology.
3. Results: should include a description of the results obtained (as well as relevant graphs, tables, and figures), a critical evaluation of the results obtained and an understanding of their uncertainties and limitations.
4. Discussion and Conclusion: should include a critical interpretation of your results, both with respect to your specific objectives and the wider existing literature, and a synthesis of the main conclusions.
Supporting materials
As well as the 2000 report, students should email the relevant topic leader any supporting materials they used for processing their data. These can include, for example, data in .xlsx files, and Jupyter notebook (.ipynb) files.
Input-Output Analysis option
Assignment
In this assignment, you will write Python code to compile an Environmentally Extended Multiregional Input-Output (MRIO) database. You will use the WIOD database introduced in class to calculate the consumption-based account for a country of your choice (but not the UK). You will then create scenarios exploring how the consumption-based emissions might change for some point in the future based on real-world evidence that you have found. You can choose the future year because it may depend on the data and specific policies that you have found for your country.
1. Compile an Environmentally Extended MRIO database with the WIOD database provided.
2. Calculate the CO2 consumption-based account for your chosen country for the years 1995-2009. You may want to compare the consumption-based account with the production-based account.
3. Use your MRIO database to investigate future scenario(s). Your scenarios can alter:
a. Final demand. You could investigate how a future population might spend more in total (due to increases in population); buy more of some goods and less of other goods; and change where they buy their goods from
b. Carbon intensity of production. Will some industries produce the same amount of output with fewer carbon emissions in the future?
4. You will want to calculate several different future scenarios, each showing an alternative future carbon footprint. Try to base your futures on real-world evidence. Find examples of policies that may alter consumption behaviour or the efficiencies of industry. Does your country have a target for reducing emissions? You can use evidence from your country of choice or assume that your country might follow best practice policies from a similar country.
5. Analyse and interpret your results
6. Write up an individual report of your findings including a critical discussion of advantages and limitations of this approach/model and possible applications. Make sure you connect your work to the wider literature. Make sure you also submit your Python code.
References:
Use this paper to reference the input-output data:
Timmer, M. P., Dietzenbacher, E., Los, B., & Stehrer, R. (2015). An Illustrated User Guide to the World Input – Output Database: the Case of Global Automotive Production. Review of International Economics, 23(3), 575–605. http://doi.org/10.1111/roie.12178
Other useful references:
For evaluating Consumption Based Approaches and input-output analysis:
Afionis, S., Sakai, M., Scott, K., Barrett, J., & Gouldson, A. (2017). Consumption-based carbon accounting : does it have a future? WIREs Clim Change, 8, 1–19. http://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.438
Wiedmann, T., Wilting, H. C., Lenzen, M., Lutter, S., & Palm, V. (2011). Quo Vadis MRIO? Methodological, data and institutional requirements for multi-region input–output analysis. Ecological Economics, 70(11), 1937–1945. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.06.014
For citing the input-output methodology:
Kitzes, J. (2013). An Introduction to Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis. Resources, 2, 489–503. doi:10.3390/resources2040489
Miller, R. E., & Blair, P. D. (2009). Input-output analysis: foundations and extensions. Cambridge University Press.
For thinking about scenarios:
Barrett, J., & Scott, K. (2012). Link between climate change mitigation and resource efficiency: A UK case study. Global Environmental Change, 22(1), 299–307.doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.11.003
Scott, K., Giesekam, J., Barrett, J., & Owen, A. (2018). Bridging the climate mitigation gap with economy-wide material productivity, 1–14. doi:10.1111/jiec.12831
Wiebe, K. S., Bjelle, E. L., Többen, J., & Wood, R. (2018). Implementing exogenous scenarios in a global MRIO model for the estimation of future environmental footprints. Journal of Economic Structures. doi:10.1186/s40008-018-0118-y
Assessment
In each of these categories, the presentation of the work (e.g. written style, clarity of expression, correct use of references, consistent referencing system, spelling, grammar and layout) will be assessed.
1
Introduction (20 %)
Distinction
Merit
Pass
Fail
Clarity of aims and objectives
Research project structure (coherence and flow)
Critical understanding of literature and wider context
2
Methodology (20 %)
Distinction
Merit
Pass
Fail
Critical understanding of Input Output analysis. Explain the methods used and calculate the footprint correctly
Choice and justification of data for scenario modelling. What evidence have you used for scenarios?
Application of environmentally extended input output analysis (assessed through the supporting material you email us, e.g. data, code, etc.)
3
Results (30 %)
Distinction
Merit
Pass
Fail
Description and presentation of results obtained from applying environmentally extended input output analysis
Critical evaluation of your results, both in themselves and in the context of the wider literature
Analysis of uncertainties and limitations
4
Discussion and conclusion (30 %)
Distinction
Merit
Pass
Fail
Critical interpretation of your results, both with respect to your specific objectives and the wider existing literature and including strengths and limitations of the methodology.
Synthesis of the main conclusions