The overall objective is to study the optimal environmental policy in the mining sector and to analyse the choice of policy instruments under lobbying with a special emphasis on the formation of the lobby groups. Through its research results obtained using dynamic optimization methods, game theory and an array of dissemination and communication efforts, the project will help to improve the currently applied policies in Europe.

CMCC role

MILO is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships. CMCC co-hosts the project together with Ca’Foscari University and offers scientific supervision to the Fellow, Dr. Pauli Lappi.

Activities

The first activity is to analyze the optimal environmental policy of the mine by emphazising the optimal instrument choice and its relation to the current policies, enforcement design and optimal mineland rehabilitation. The second activity is to study the choice of environmental policy under lobbying, by analyzing the ranking of instruments under lobbying and by incorporating lobby formation and its effects into the analysis. The third activity is to combine the understanding from the previous activities to investigate the environmental policy of the mine, when the lobbyist affect the policy formation by comparing the policy under lobbying to the optimal policy studied in first activity.

Expected results

Expected results include extended theoretical understanding on the optimal environmental policy for a mine, empirical results offering practical guidance for policy makers and understanding on the effect of lobby groups and their formation on the policy choice. By analysing lobbying the research offers a more positive perspective on the choice of instruments and fills gaps in the literature related to lobbying and policy instruments.

Partner

Fondazione CMCC – Centro euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici