Tag Archives: behavioural economics
Litter in Szentendre: personal failure and policy failure
On a walk in Szentendre by the Danube yesterday, the distinction between personal failure and policy failure was clearly visible. This is the failure of individuals to be civilised citizens: And this: In contrast, this is policy failure: The combined … Continue reading
A Seasonal Tale: The Brilliant Economists of Easter Island
In trying to explain belief economics, I was reminded of a seasonal story: the tale of the utterly brilliant economists of Easter Island. Despite the historical inaccuracies, it nonetheless makes a startling case. Belief Economics is the study of why … Continue reading
Stimulus and response in the EU ETS
We use a carbon tax or an emission trading scheme to stimulate investment in clean technology. The logic of this idea is based on several steps: we charge people for emitting CO2 and as a result some will find ways … Continue reading
Priming as policy: forest schools and nuclear power
It takes five years to educate a child from the age of five to ten. It takes between ten and twenty years to build a nuclear power station in a democracy. We should consider carefully the implications of this in … Continue reading
Prosperity, possessions and flying
In a recent article published in the Guardian, L Hunter Lovins describes how a new narrative might be emerging about the economy. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/oct/10/challenge-narrative-possessions-equal-prosperity In the rich world we are realising that we don’t need possessions to achieve prosperity, happiness and … Continue reading