Publications

Adding fuel to fire? Social spillovers and spatial disparities in the adoption of LPG in India

Working paper by Suchita Srinivasan, Stefano Carattini on 8 Feb 2019

This paper investigates the role of ‘social spillovers’ – people learning from and imitating the behaviour of other people – in the adoption of new technologies, with a focus on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in India. The conclusions are important for policymakers seeking to hasten the switch to cleaner energy sources in developing countries. read more »

Sustainable growth in the UK: Seizing opportunities from technological change and the transition to a low-carbon economy

Policy publication by James Rydge, Ralf Martin, Anna Valero on 3 Dec 2018

Promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth is a priority for G20 governments, including the United Kingdom’s, reflecting the need to drive improvements in labour and resource productivity through more and better investments in innovation, infrastructure and skills. This special report for the LSE Growth Commission shows why it is sensible for environmental sustainability to […]

Social interactions and the adoption of solar PV: evidence from cultural borders

Working paper by Stefano Carattini, Martin Péclat, Andrea Baranzini on 5 Nov 2018

This paper investigates the role of ‘social spillovers’ in the adoption of new technologies. The authors find that the French-German language border in Switzerland acts as a barrier to social interactions and, eventually, to the adoption of new technologies – in this case solar PV. read more »

Adopt or innovate: Understanding technological responses to cap-and-trade

Working paper by Raphael Calel on 18 May 2018

This paper presents new evidence that the EU Emissions Trading System may have encouraged innovation rather than simply encouraging polluters to adopt existing abatement technologies. read more »

To build or not to build? Capital stocks and climate policy

Working paper by Elizabeth Baldwin, Yongyang Cai, Karlygash Kuralbayeva on 19 Jan 2018

To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, the use of fossil fuels must peak and then rapidly decline. This research investigates the impact of climate change policy on capital invested in fossil fuel power plants, especially coal – so-called ‘dirty’ assets. read more »

Intellectual property rights protection and the international transfer of low-carbon technologies

Working paper by Damien Dussaux, Antoine Dechezleprêtre, Matthieu Glachant on 16 Jan 2018

This study provides empirical evidence of the impact of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on low-carbon technology transfer in OECD and non-OECD countries. read more »

Consultation response: ‘Streamlined energy and carbon reporting’

Policy publication by Simon Dietz, Sini Matikainen, Bruno Rauis on 8 Dec 2017

This paper sets out responses to selected questions from the the UK government’s consultation on its proposal for a more streamlined and effective energy and carbon reporting framework. read more »

Geoengineering at the ‘edge of the world’: exploring perceptions of ocean fertilization through the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation

Working paper by Kate Elizabeth Gannon, Mike Hulme on 28 Sep 2017

This paper describes an opportunistic case study of the 2012 Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation’s ocean fertilization project. Anchored in notions of place and identity, the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation marks a novel entry point into social research on geoengineering, which enables a more situated engagement with ocean fertilization, in keeping with geographical traditions. The paper […]

What drives social contagion in the adoption of solar photovoltaic technology?

Working paper by Andrea Baranzini, Stefano Carattini, Martin Péclat on 17 Jul 2017

This research finds that households, businesses and farms are more likely to install solar panels if others in their neighbourhood have already done so, and in particular if existing installations … read more »

Designing industrial strategy for a low carbon transformation

Working paper by Jonathan Busch, Tim Foxon, Peter Taylor on 26 Apr 2017

The recent re-emergence of industrial policy as a legitimate pursuit of governments in Europe and the US has the potential to open up a new realm of policy action for climate change mitigation. This would aim to align efforts to secure national industrial opportunities with the development of low carbon industrial systems, in order to […]