Perspectives on the Economics of the Environment in the Shadow of Coronavirus: Novel Policy Research on the Resource Exporters-Energy Policy Nexus During the Coronavirus Pandemic
This Perspectives article offers a novel form of article, drawing together short, focussed pieces from a wide group of authors addressing the plethora of issues which such a fundamental challenge as the coronavirus pandemic generates. These provide critical and reflective perspectives on the energy, environmental, socio-economic and policy paths that may be taken in the near and further future—strategies that could lead mankind either on roads to a much more sustainable development, or along paths that could bring about more instability, inequality and further energy and environmental pressures. The target audiences are policy makers and companies, but also researchers who want quick yet sufficiently detailed knowledge about particular analyses relating to COVID-19 and issues in energy and environmental economics. In a contribution specific to oil exporting economies, Shehabi argues that the novel issues raised by the coronavirus pandemic bring new trade-offs of energy policy between short-term gains and long-term sustainability, creating an urgent need for critical, quantitative, policy-focused research in the resource exporters-energy policy nexus. Thus, it is critical for fast policy-focused research to address the resource exporters-energy policy nexus, especially in two areas involving energy transition, economic recovery, and long-term effects of energy and carbon pricing policy on the environment. Shehabi argues that for oil exporting countries, the current crisis increases the opportunity cost of moving to greener alternatives and that, for some regions, stimuli packages may reallocate funds away from green investments.
Shehabi, M. in Schumacher, I., et al. (2020). Perspectives on the economics of the environment in the shadow of coronavirus. “Novel policy research on the resource exporters-energy policy nexus during the Coronavirus pandemic” Environmental and Resource Economics, 76, 447–517. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-020-00493-2.
