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Public Confidence in Digital Security Policy

Both economic and security policies increasingly rely on opportunities to use and analyze personal data. These opportunities are, however, not universally considered to be positive bythe general public. This applies to digital surveillance in particular. DIW Berlin has analyzed how much trust the general public has in surveillance measures such as communicationsdata retention or the storage of flight ...

Unobservable, but Unimportant? The Influence of Personality Traits (and Other Usually Unobserved Variables) for the Evaluation of Labor Market Policies

Many commonly used treatment effects estimators rely on the unconfoundedness assumption (“selection on observables") which is fundamentally non-testable. When evaluating the effects of labor market policies, researchers need to observe variables that affect both treatment participation and labor market outcomes. Even though in many countries it is possible to access (very) informative administrative ...

Technical Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Potentials of Biochar Soil Incorporation in Germany

Biochar is a carbon-rich solid obtained from the heating of biomass in the (near) absence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis. Its deployment in soils is increasingly discussed as a promising means to sequester carbon in soils and, thus, to help mitigate climate change. For a wide range of feedstocks and scenarios and against the baseline of conventional feedstock management, we calculate the technical ...

Coal Power Endangers Climate Targets: Calls for Urgent Action

by Pao-Yu Oei, Claudia Kemfert, Felix Reitz, Christian von Hirschhausen in: DIW Economic Bulletin 8/2014Coal-fired power stations are responsible for around a third of Germany’s carbon emissions. Failure to reduce the persistently high level of coal-fired power generation threatens Germany’s climate targets for 2020 and 2050 and undermines a sustainable energy transition. Calculations ...

Nuclear Power: Phase-Out Model Yet To Address Final Disposal Issue

by Christian von Hirschhausen, Felix Reitz in: DIW Economic Bulletin 8/2014Three years after the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima one observes a certain momentum with regard to lifetime extensions as well as some interest in new building ofnuclear power plants. Advocates of nuclear power argue in term of low-cost electricity generation, a secure supply as well as a contribution against climate change. ...

European Energy and Climate Policy Requires Ambitious Targets for 2030

by Claudia Kemfert, Christian von Hirschhausen, Casimir Lorenz in: DIW Economic Bulletin 8/2014In January 2014, the European Commission proposed a framework for its climate and energy policy up to 2030. It includes targets for reducing greenhouse gases and using renewable energies, but no specific targets for increasing energy efficiency. By 2030, greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 40 percent ...

Europe Needs To Further Diversify Its Gas Imports: Seven Questions to Claudia Kemfert

Europe Needs To Further Diversify Its Gas Imports: Seven Questions to Claudia Kemfert

European Natural Gas Supply Secure Despite Political Crises

by Hella Engerer, Franziska Holz, Philipp M. Richter, Christian von Hirschhausen, Claudia Kemfert in: DIW Economic Bulletin 8/2014Natural gas makes a major contribution to European energy supply. Consequently, the political crisis between Russia and Ukraine increases fears of the consequences of Russia suspending natural gas supplies to Ukraine and the European Union. The last time this occurred was ...

European Natural Gas Supply Secure Despite Political Crises

Natural gas is a significant contributor to European energy supply. Hence, the political crisis between Russia and Ukraine increases fears of the consequences of Russia suspending natural gas supplies to Ukraine and the European Union. The last time this had occurred was in the winter of 2009 when Russia and Ukraine disputed about the price of natural gas and transit costs. However, the European Union ...

Europe Needs to Further Diversify Its Gas Imports: Seven Questions to Claudia Kemfert