The welfare of the population must be addressed when analyzing the country’s development says the New Zeeland prime minister Jacinda Ardern when launching a new way to measure the welfare of the country. DN asked three economists, one of them Runar Brännlund, about their views on the New Zeeland decision.
“- Can’t imagine any one claiming that GDP is an ideal way to measure development or welfare, it isn’t a good measure. However, it isn’t either or, all measurements are necessary. GDP fulfills it function, says Runar Brännlund, Professor of Economics at Umeå University.”
“- The New Zeeland solution appears to mimic what we call genuine savings or genuine investments that studies how all capital stocks such as natural, human and social capital, in a society changes, says Runar Brännlund.”
CERE's Runar Brännlund discuss the green shift in taxation with climate- and environmental minister Isabella Lövin.
The government wants to start taxing disposable items, plastic items, chemicals in textiles and shoes, waste and incineration. Furthermore, they want to review the subsidies given to companies that use fossil fuel. Runar Brännlund calls for calm and would rather see the taxation on a global level to avoid Sweden being taken off the market and the emissions continuing just in another country.
CERE’s Andrius Kazukauskas provides us with an article of Christmas past from a Swedish electricity point of view. Who does pay for our colorful Christmas lighting? Happy Holiday’s!
I have the brightest memories about Christmas time from my childhood. For me Christmas Eve was a very special day. At that time Christmas was associated with miracles and things for free, such as Christmas presents delivered by a mystical Santa Claus. This was a time for candies, oranges, nuts and other things. Luckily for me, Santa Claus was not associated with any budget constraints.
On one such night, the midnight of 25th of December 2015 to be precise, a miraculous gift was given to all of us living in Sweden. In one hour that night, electricity was sold for almost 0 €/MWh on the Nordpool day-ahead market (electricity wholesale market). Electricity for free! This is the lowest price on record during the last five years (maybe ever, I did not check the older data). As I am not a naïve child anymore, I wonder where this “present” came from. And a very low price of electricity around Christmas time is not a random coincidence since the electricity price tend to be low the last week of the year. Figure 1 depicts the average wholesale prices of electricity from week 48 till week 9 (winter season). Thus, a relevant question arises: who pays for our colorful Christmas lighting decorations? (click on headline to read more)
Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis is the premier organization for practitioners and all those who are interested in cost-benefit analysis. It is based in the US and has its own journal. The society organizes several important meetings and events throughout the year. Bengt Kriström has been elected to the Board of Directors 2018-2021.
