Search

• Increasing share in Global Value Chains worsens the internal distribution of income. • Participation is key for achieving economic upgrading, but it presents negative effects on inter-country inequality. • We find "smile curve" relationships between position in global value chains and intra-country inequality in developed countries, Latin America, and East & Southeast Asia. • Regarding inter-country inequality, the results suggest opportunities for catching-up in Latin America and Africa associated to their specialization in the tails of these chains. Recent economic growth cannot be understood without considering the emergence of Global Value Chains (GVCs). However, recent literature has highlighted that economic upgrading cannot be taken as a granted result of the involvement in GVCs, and it does not necessarily lead to positive social outcomes. We explore whether the recent performance of countries in the GVCs has significantly conditioned the intra- and inter-country inequalities. Using a combined multisectoral-multiregional (MRIO) and econometric approach, we analyze 67 countries during 1995–2018. Regarding involvement in GVCs, we look into "smile curves", in reference to the quadratic relation between position and inequality. The results show different geographical patterns. For intra-country inequality, we find significant "smile curves" in Developed, African, Latin American, and Asian countries, so these can reduce internal inequalities by moving to intermediate positions in GVCs. For inter-country inequality, results suggest opportunities for catching-up in Latin America and Africa by specializing in the tails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While considerable attention has been directed to the national‐level impacts of global value chains, far less attention has been focused on the way in which global production fragmentation has affected regional economies. Using some measures derived from a multiregional, multisectoral input–output model, this paper analyzes the position and share of EU regions in Global Value Chains (GVC). The spatial determinants of these two dimensions are explored using spatial econometric methods to capture the influence of neighboring regions on these outcomes. Empirically, the focus is on a set of NUTS2 European regions for the most recent year (2010) of the EUREGIO database. Our results confirm the hypothesis of spatial dependence between regions conditioning the engagement and position GVCs, suggesting that global production processes are influenced by regional and local factors. In particular, spatial spillover effects play a significant role conditioned by both geographical proximity and similarity of production structures. The results show that sharing certain characteristics, some of them associated to their degree of proximity and the neighbouring situation of regions condition their specialization, participation and positioning in GVC, generating some important insights informative for the formulation of regional development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the economic and environmental effects of three scenarios of change for the electricity sector in Spain, in line with the European Union targets: (1) to address the low trade with the rest of Europe, increasing the integration with the European network; (2) to enhance environmental sustainability, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, while decreasing the use of brown energy sources; and (3) increasing the competitiveness of the Spanish electricity sector. To this end, we develop a computable general equilibrium model, with 72 productive sectors, eleven of which are energy sectors, where electricity is disaggregated into five production technologies and transmission, distribution, commercialization, and related activities. The model is calibrated on a previously developed input-output table with this detailed disaggregation for Spain for 2013. Our results suggest potential improvements in production and trade, and reductions in CO 2 emissions in scenario 2 are also observed. • We address the effects of three policy scenarios for electricity sector in Spain. • We analyze the effects of increasing trade, renewables, and competitiveness. • We construct and disaggregate a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. • CGE distinguishes the businesses of the sector and the production technologies. • We found improvements in production and trade and reductions in CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality and availability of water are affected by numerous variables, through which the evaluation of water uses from different perspectives, and policy proposals to save water have now become essential. This paper aims to study water use and the water footprint from a river basin perspective, taking into account regions, sectors, and municipalities, while considering the physical frontier along with the administrative sectors. To this end, we have constructed a multi-regional input-output table for the Ebro river basin, disaggregating the primary sector into 18 different crops and 6 livestock groups. We pay special attention to crop production because it is the most water-consuming industry. The construction of the multi-regional input-output model represents an important contribution to the literature, in itself, since, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first to be built for this large basin. We extend this multi-regional input-output model to assess the water footprint by sectors and regions within the basin. We use these data to propose two scenarios: reallocating final demand to reduce the blue water footprint (scenario 1), and increasing value added (scenario 2). These scenarios outline the opportunity costs of saving water in socioeconomic terms in the basin. In another application, we downscale the multi-regional input-output model results at the municipal level and depict them using a geographical information system, identifying the hotspots and the areas that would pay for the socioeconomic opportunity costs of saving water. Our results suggest that saving 1 hm3 of blue water could cost around €41,500 of value added if we consider the entire basin. However, this water re-allocation implies losses and gains at the municipal level: some municipalities would reduce value added by more than €30,000, while others would gain more than €85,000 of value added. These tools and results can be useful for policy makers when considering re-allocating water. The contribution and the novelty of this paper is the construction of the multiregional input-output model for the Ebro river basin, and its link with geographical systems analysis at the municipal level. • We have constructed a multi-regional input-output table for the Ebro river basin. • We extend the model to assess the water footprint by sectors and regions. • We develop a strategy to downscale the results at the municipal level. • We evaluate the trade-off between saving water and value added. • Using GIS software, we show the spatial distribution of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the era of globalisation over the last half century, there has been an increase in the exchange of agricultural and food products. This internationalisation process has led to intense environmental pressures on a global level, which has been the case of water resources. This paper studies the determinants of global virtual water trade flows between 1965 and 2010. Using panel data techniques, we have evaluated and quantified the explanatory factors of bilateral virtual water transfers between 70 countries as a result of agri-food trade. We have used the well-known trade gravity equation to explain exchanges of water embodied in agricultural goods on the basis of economic, geographical, institutional and environmental factors. The analysis considers economic country heterogeneity in order to evaluate how trade impacts water resources depending on different development patterns. Our main findings indicate that the traditional economic, institutional and geographic factors played a key role as drivers of virtual water bilateral trade flows between 1965 and 2010. In addition, the natural endowments also exerted a notable influence on these trends. Highlights • The long term determinants of VWT are assessed using a gravity model. • Changes in the country and product composition of VWX and VWM happened from 1965. • Environmental endowments notably determine VWT trends. • Considering income heterogeneity reveals notable divergences in the drivers of VWT. • Dynamic analyses offer a broader framework to study impacts on water through trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Sigma convergence in Europe is studied from a new perspective, multi-sectoral and multi-regional of income generation. • There is a clear breakpoint in the process of European convergence, around 2008, corresponding to the international crisis. • Increase in the role of trade in explaining the domestic and total evolution of income in Europe. • Differential contribution of sectors according to their technological nature. • Need to include the productive structure and structural change in the analysis of global processes such as convergence. Abstract The promotion of economic, social, and territorial cohesion has been one of the main pillars of the construction of the European Union. This general principle has been manifest in the objectives of achieving a higher level of economic convergence, territorial competitiveness, and fostering employment creation in EU countries. The recent economic crisis has implied profound changes, not only in the path of growth but also in the structural and technological characteristics of EU countries, with these elements highly conditioning their inter-dependencies, economic outcomes, and convergence. This paper analyzes the role that the evolution of economic structures has played in the evolution of recent convergence in Europe expanding the traditional measures of economic convergence extended to a multi-regional input-output framework. Our study shows a trend towards convergence among EU countries and a significant breakpoint with the arrival of the economic crisis in 2008. Moreover, we observe a continuous change in the role of different components, raising the participation of trade (intra and extra European trade) in income for most of the countries and sectors analyzed. In addition, the different behavior of services, in particular, knowledge intensive services in the EU countries notably condition income generation in countries. Nevertheless, our results show that despite services economy explains significantly income growth in Europe over the period 2000–2014, income growth in Eastern Europe countries has notably relied on the positive reliance of manufacturing sectors (particularly medium and low technology sectors), and the expansion of conventional services, with a lower representativeness of the knowledge intensive sectors. Domestic and intra-EU markets are dominant, although also with an increasing share of extra-EU exports. The opposite can be said for central EU economies, which a smoother evolution over the period but a clear dominance of the knowledge intensive services and, in some cases, the high and medium-high technology industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the construction and analysis of a disaggregated input-output model and its extension to a social accounting matrix (SAM) for the Spanish economy in 2013. Our focus is the specific disaggregation of the electricity industry into the generating, transmission, distribution and marketing businesses, which were decoupled in 1997 under legislation prohibiting any single company from conducting more than one of them. The multi-sectoral framework also allows disaggregation of electricity generating by production technologies (wind, nuclear, conventional thermal, hydropower, solar and other technologies). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper in which this information is presented in a multi-sectoral framework for the Spanish economy, which is enormously dependent on the electricity industry. The structural analysis reveals the industry's role in Spain and the importance of its activities. None of the electricity generating businesses is a Rasmussen key sector, and generating and distribution are both capital-intensive activities. Meanwhile, conventional thermal and hydropower generating together make up more than 50% of total output in value terms, while nuclear power accounts for only around 7%. Finally, imports and exports of electricity are small, and almost all demand is covered by domestic production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attitudes of young people arise from an intense interaction with their social groups of reference, and in this work we examine the extent to which this background conditions the individual environmental attitudes of the young. Using data provided by the PISA 2006 survey for the European Union, we test for the influence of the family, the characteristics of the school, and the social interactions or school peer group on attitudes toward the environment. The existence of social interactions, as well as the important role of family characteristics and school activities, are confirmed. The results allow us to emphasize the importance of the social context of the adolescent, and the need to take this into account as a channel that amplifies the influence of specific environmental education strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households, as consumers of goods and services through their lifestyles and spending choices, drive environmental change. Using a recent (2008) social and environmental survey of Spanish households, we evaluate the effects of improvements in environmental awareness, and of changes induced by regulations and carbon taxes. We consider these drivers of behavioral change for different income levels. A range of scenarios including the adoption of energy efficient appliances, modal shift to public transport, healthier diets, and the associated carbon emissions and job effects, are estimated using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. Our results suggest that reductions in carbon dioxide, methane, and sulphur dioxide emissions may be compatible with increases in income and reductions in unemployment. Modal shift to public transport is shown as a successful economic and environmental policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While economic and environmental policies and strategies are largely designed at the international, national or regional level, the environmental impacts of these measures are often felt at a more geographically-localized level. In particular, the effects on water resources, especially regarding water pollution and water stress, are usually localized in very specific hotspots. In this work, we acknowledge these facts and attempt to identify the linkages among the 17 regions in Spain (a semi-arid country with significant geographical variations in water availability), the European Union (EU), and the Rest of the World (RW), while also looking at the local effects of those interactions. In particular, we study the grey water footprints (a measure of the assimilation capacity of water resources) of production, at both the regional and business level, with spatially explicit information, and the extension of those footprints throughout the supply chain, while also computing the water footprints of consumption at the regional level. This process is a combination of a detailed computation of grey water footprints from production, from agriculture (from diffuse pollution), and from more general economic activities (from point source pollution), with a multiregional input–output model that encompasses the 17 Spanish Regions, the EU, and the RW. We also identify hotspots and vulnerable areas, linking the grey water footprints from production originating in these areas to final-consumer responsibilities. As an example of the potential of the combined methodology, we design and evaluate the effects on grey water footprints of scenarios of import substitutions in Spain. Our results show strong final demand in regions such as Madrid and Catalonia, and in net exporting regions such as Andalusia, Aragon, Castile and Leon, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Navarre. Some of these regions contain areas that are clearly vulnerable to nitrates and other pollutants, and parts of these regions, most obviously in Andalusia and Extremadura, suffer water stress, which leads us to question the sustainability of the relationships between the structure of production and trade and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making the link between the different economic scales-local, regional, and global-and the impacts associated with more global behavior is a natural extension of traditional environmentally extended input-output (I-O) modeling. In this article, we highlight the capabilities of combining the meso level (i.e., regional) I-O models with geographical information systems (GIS) and micro data to lower the spatial scale. This methodology lets us provide information to municipalities (what we call the micro scale) on their water footprints (WFs) at a lower spatial level than that of Spanish regions (what we call meso scale), at which economic I-O data are available. Based on a multiregional I-O model for the Spanish regions, we analyze the local water impacts of tourism activity in Spain. We focus on the explicit spatial identification of areas of strong final demand (normally the most populated) tracking back the associated footprints to the original hotspots or vulnerable areas (micro scale), where most water withdrawal had taken place. The spatial divergence between the production and the consumption responsibilities arise because consumers and producers usually have very different characteristics, particularly with respect to tourism. We find highest geographic dispersion of WFs of consumption arising from domestic tourism, followed by domestic household consumption, and finally foreign tourism WF. Foreign tourism WF is more concentrated in time and space. Foreign tourism in Andalusia requires directly and indirectly (WF) 617 cubic hectometers (hm3) and in Madrid 440 hm3, indicating that such tourism in both regions accounts for some of the highest water intensities per euro (€) spent by a foreign tourist, around 0.1 cubic meters/€. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globalization process of the last half century entailed a growing trade in agricultural and food products. As a result, water has been transferred among countries, embodied in these goods. This paper studies the evolution of virtual water flows over the long term, analyzing the main driving factors through Decomposition Analysis. It contributes to the existing literature by offering a dynamic and economic interpretation of the historical changes in virtual water trade flows. In particular, this study points to a gradual increase in virtual water exchange, related to the upsurge of agricultural and food products trade in the world from 1965 to 2010. Although the origins and destinations of virtual water have changed, North America stands out as the primary net exporter of virtual water. Europe and Asia, on the other hand, with a high dependency on foreign water resources, appear as net importers of virtual water. Despite improvements in agricultural yields and the reallocation of production, the virtual water trade continues to increase globally via these significant commercial exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The primary purpose of this paper is to examine youth addiction and other justifications for adolescent smoking, and how they affect the level of consumption.Methods:Data from the Spanish ‘State Survey on Drug Use among High School Students’ aged between 14 and 18 years old were used in this paper. To account for the nature of the cigarette consumption data, several count data models were estimated in order to select the one that best fits adolescent smoking consumption.Results:Most adolescent smokers smoke because it relaxes them, and about a quarter of them recognize that they are addicted. Moreover, the latter group smoke 44% more cigarettes than the rest (IRR = 1.444), revealing the strong addictive nature of tobacco, even at early ages. Moreover, parents’ smoking increases the probability of smoking and has an impact on the level of consumption.Conclusions:The implications of these findings offer insight for parents, researchers, educators, and cessation interventionists, as awareness of self-reported and other predictors held by smoking youth creates a vantage point to facilitate changes in smoking behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study of the environmental footprints of various sectors and industries is increasingly demanded by institutions and by society. In this context, the regional perspective is becoming particularly important, and even more so in countries such as Spain, where the autonomous communities have the primary responsibility for implementing measures to combat environmental degradation and promote sustainable development, in coordination with national strategies. Taking as a case study a Spanish region, Aragon, and significant economic sectors, including agriculture and the food industry, the aim of this work is twofold. First, we calculate the associated environmental footprints (of emissions and water) from the dual perspectives of production (local impacts) and consumption (final destination of the goods produced by the agri-food industry). Second, through a scenarios analysis, based on a general equilibrium model designed and calibrated specifically for the region, we evaluate the environmental implications of changes in the agri-food industry (changes in the export and import pattern, as well as in consumer behavior). This model provides a flexible approximation to the environmental impacts, controlling for a wider range of behavioral and economic interactions. Our results indicate that the agri-food industry has a significant impact on the environment, especially on water resources, which must be responsibly managed in order to maintain the differential advantage that a regional economy can have, compared to other territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1860, the Spanish agricultural sector has undergone an intensive process of development resulting in important structural changes, not only in the sector itself, but also in the relationship of the agrarian system to natural resources. This paper studies the evolution of domestic water consumption as a consequence of increasing agricultural production, as well as the impact that the growing need for water had on the construction of infrastructure for irrigation. To that end, we examine the water consumed in the production of vegetable and animal goods for five different years: 1860, 1900, 1930, 1962 and 2010. From these results, a detailed analysis of the trends in water consumption and changes in compositional patterns is carried out. We determine to what extent the development of the agricultural sector conditioned the construction of new irrigation infrastructure. Finally, a Decomposition Analysis (DA) is applied to analytically identify and quantify the main explanatory factors behind that evolution, and to understand the increase in agricultural water consumption over the long term. Our findings show the large pressures on water resources exerted as a result of the expansion of the Spanish agricultural sector during the last 150 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper aims to analyse the impact on water consumption of trade expansion in the first era of globalisation. To that end, we have chosen the case of Spain, a semi-arid country with significant cyclical water shortages. More specifically, we are interested in answering the following questions. What volume of water was required for exports of agricultural and food products? How did this variable evolve over time? Which factors drove this evolution? In short, we wish to understand the impact on water resources of Spain's entry into world agriculture and food markets. Firstly, we examine virtual water trade flows in the long run. Secondly, we attempt to disentangle certain major driving forces underlying these trajectories. In order to establish the role played by trade in the final net balance of water, a Decomposition Analysis (DA) is applied. Our findings show the great pressures that the first globalisation imposed on not only domestic but also foreign water resources. Trade volumes as well as trade patterns were essential factors driving rising virtual water flows, while yield improvements contributed smoothly to moderation in the expansion of water flows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Changes in production structures and modifications of patterns of consumption are key factors in the fight against environmental harm. Initiatives such as Agenda 21, promoted by the UN, highlight the need to evaluate the relationships among factors of production and consumption, innovation and demographics, and the environment, in the attainment of sustainable development. In this context, our work studies in depth those factors underlying the economic activity of households, in a representative group of European Union countries and the US. Within the framework of an input–output model, a Structural Decomposition Analysis is considered in order to identify the weight that growth in demand, changes in patterns of consumption, changes in the distribution of income, the substitution of inputs, and changes in energy intensity have all had on the evolution of CO2 emissions. The work specifically seeks to identify common patterns and differential behaviors among productive sectors in the European social environment. The results show that growth in demand, and therefore in production, largely absorbs the limited effect of technological and efficiency improvements and the incipient changes observed in consumption patterns. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to examine how technology, processes of input substitution, and changes in final demand, all of which underlie economic growth, influence water consumption. This analysis is undertaken for Spain during a significant socio-economic period, from 1980, the beginning of the democratic era, to 2007, the onset of the current economic crisis. To this end, we construct water consumption series linked to a time series of input–output tables generated for the Spanish economy, and we develop a structural decomposition analysis to study mainly changes in water consumption embodied in final demand. We find that the growth in Spanish demand (all other things being constant) would have implied an increase in water consumption almost three times the growth actually observed. However, this demand effect is largely offset by technology and intensity effects, mainly due to changes in agricultural crops. Given the importance of the demand growth, the final demand effect is also analyzed in detail, broken down by categories as well as level and composition. Household demand and the increase of exports appear as key explicative factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We construct a multiregional input-output model for Spain, in order to evaluate the pressures on the water resources, virtual water flows, and water footprints of the regions, and the water impact of trade relationships within Spain and abroad. The study is framed with those interregional input-output models constructed to study water flows and impacts of regions in China, Australia, Mexico, or the UK. To build our database, we reconcile regional IO tables, national and regional accountancy of Spain, trade and water data. Results show an important imbalance between origin of water resources and final destination, with significant water pressures in the South, Mediterranean, and some central regions. The most populated and dynamic regions of Madrid and Barcelona are important drivers of water consumption in Spain. Main virtual water exporters are the South and Central agrarian regions: Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Castile-Leon, Aragon, and Extremadura, while the main virtual water importers are the industrialized regions of Madrid, Basque country, and the Mediterranean coast. The paper shows the different location of direct and indirect consumers of water in Spain and how the economic trade and consumption pattern of certain areas has significant impacts on the availability of water resources in other different and often drier regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking to advance our knowledge of water flows and footprints and the factors underlying them, we apply, on the basis of an extended 2004 Social Accounting Matrix for Spain, an open Leontief model in which households and foreign trade are the exogenous accounts. The model shows the water embodied in products bought by consumers (which we identify with the Water Footprint) and in trade (identified with virtual water trade). Activities with relevant water inflows and outflows such as the agrarian sector, textiles, and the agri-food industry are examined in detail using breakdowns of the relevant accounts. The data reflect only physical consumption, differentiating between green and blue water. The results reveal that Spain is a net importer of water. Flows are then related to key trading partners to show the large quantities involved. The focus on embodied (or virtual) water by activity is helpful to distinguish indirect from direct consumption as embodied water can be more than 300 times direct consumption in some food industry activities. Finally, a sensitivity analysis applied to changes in diets shows the possibility of reducing water uses by modifying households' behavior to encourage healthier eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore the influence of peer behaviour on student marijuana consumption. Our hypothesis is that, in contrast to the traditional measures of peer group effects carried out at class or school level, the use of a closer peer group, which we relate to the group of friends, is more relevant in the explanation of marijuana consumption. On the basis of the data provided by the 2004 Spanish Survey on Drug Use in the School Population, we estimate a probit model in which two alternative peer variables are introduced. The results show that, once the effect of the closer peer group is controlled for, the effect of classmates' behaviour on the student is insignificant. Moreover, the closer peer group effects are asymmetric in their magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyse the environmental impacts of the Spanish economy by way of water and atmospheric pollution on the basis of a Spanish Accounting Matrix for 1999. Only households were taken as an exogenous account. The pollution measures are estimated for seven categories of pollution: three atmospheric pollutants (CO2, NOx and SOx) and four indicators for water (waste water, nitrogen, metals and biological oxygen demand (BOD)). The environmental data base was obtained from the Spanish Statistical Institute. The analysis reveals that pollution in Spain is closely linked to food production, energy, extractive industries and paper manufacturing. We show that services, taken as a whole, are major polluters, though this is due to the volume of household expenditure they represent rather than their pollution potential as such. We also show that the Spanish economy avoids a great deal of pollution by importing inputs, which pollute where they are produced. Finally, the study also provides per capita pollution values for the aforementioned seven pollutants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the hypothetically bi-directional relationship which links marijuana consumption and school failure among students. To that end, we propose a simultaneous probability model, which is estimated by using the information provided by the three consecutive waves from the Spanish Surveys on Drug Use in the School Population [(1996, 1998 and 2000). Spanish Government''s Delegation for the National Plan On Drugs, Madrid, Spain]. Our results confirm that whilst marijuana consumption is a determinant for school failure among Spanish students, we do not find evidence in the opposite direction. Moreover, explanatory variables, such as the presence of smokers at home, a mono-parental situation or unhealthy habits, among others, are good predictors for both marijuana consumption and school failure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyse structural and technological change in the Spanish economy between 1980 and 1994 using the input–output tables of 1980, 1986, 1990 and 1994. First we obtain and compare four linkage components throughout the period for each of the nine aggregate sectors in which the industries are grouped. Second, using Structural Decomposition Analysis, we obtain a technological effect and a demand effect for each of the previous components. These pressures show that the process of the technological modernisation of the Spanish economy is strongly linked to the growth of the high- and medium-technology industries and the service industries, and the different contribution of these industries to the improvement of productivity. On the one hand, the technology industries increase productivity by using better technologies. On the other hand, the service industries do not raise it significantly and even reduce it by increasing their unit costs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the relationships between production processes and water pollution based on the recent Satellite Water Accounts (SWA) (INE (Spanish National Statistics Institute), 2002) and the 1997 input–output tables for the Spanish economy. The study focuses on four pollutants [biological oxygen demand (BOD), metals, nitrogen and phosphorus) and seven sector blocks. Firstly, we identify the roles of the various sector blocks as generators and consumers of each type of pollution. Secondly, we examine how pollution responds to changes in unit coefficients of pollution and final demand patterns to obtain the shadow prices for the different pollutants. The results obtained provide a sound basis for the design of improvements in environmental policy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Against the background of the water limitations that often appear in Spain, the aim of this paper is to study the behaviour of the productive sectors of the Spanish economy as direct and indirect consumers of water. To that end, we employ input–output analysis, with the particular methodology being based on the linkages analysis known as the Hypothetical Extraction Method (HEM). We have introduced three modifications to this method. First, the valuation is made in terms of water consumption. Secondly, we obtain the components of the impacts of each block of activity into which the economy is divided, with these components being described as the internal effect, mixed linkage, net or external backward linkage, and net or external forward linkage. Thirdly, this methodology is used to detect key sectors. Our results confirm the marked importance of the Agriculture, Food and Other Services blocks as regards the direct and indirect consumption of water in general. We also find that Other Services, Chemicals, Metals and Electronics and Agriculture blocks play an important role in explaining the consumption of drinking water. Moreover, the HEM analysis allows us to classify productive sectors according to their forward or backward linkage character in a way that is more precise than that permitted by earlier methods. Finally, this methodology can be extended to other types of environmental pressures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to construct and apply a model for the allocation of water between two competing users, namely irrigation and hydropower. The model is applied in a case study of a specific water system located in North Eastern Spain. Starting with an irrigation-hydropower joint income function, we develop a constrained maximization process that takes into account the environmental, institutional and actual priority of the water rights. The resulting solution can be useful as a guide for potential bargains between users. Furthermore, we evaluate the results for different supply (precipitation) and water allotments (increase in irrigated land). The results show that there are sufficient incentives so as to reach agreements that lead to improvements in a Pareto sense without side payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The countries in the Mediterranean basin increasingly specialized in Mediterranean agricultural products for exports throughout the twentieth century. In this context, the main objective of this paper is to quantify and discuss on the impacts that this growing Mediterranean exports specialization generated on water resources over the last century. To that aim, we focus on the water embodied in Mediterranean exports, the trends followed by dams' construction and the area equipped for irrigation as well as on the evolution of blue water stress. Our findings point at an intense expansion of Mediterranean virtual water exports between 1910 and 2010 that went along with the construction of water infrastructure. It enabled water-intensive crops to be grown in arid regions, but also, exacerbated blue water stress. We also find important regional divergences, highlighting the role of Spain as a super exporter of Mediterranean crops. Finally, we observe that the trends and patterns of trade flows and the subsequent pressures on water resources are highly conditioned by political, economic and technological developments. • Mediterranean blue VWX grew by a factor of 4.4 between 1910 and 2010. • Water infrastructure was essential for the long-term Mediterranean specialization. • From 1960 dam capacity increased fifteen fold and irrigated land doubled. • Spain became a super exporter of blue water and shows low water productivity. • Irrigation water stress intensified, particularly in the southern shore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International trade in ecological values is used to estimate the evolution of unequal ecological exchange of Latin America with developed regions, in the context of enhancing global value chains (1990–2015). The conceptual framework of unequal ecological exchange is operationalized using a multiregional input-output model to estimate the ecological exchange of Latin America with both developed and undeveloped regions, measured by 22 indicators representative of land use, water consumption, carbon emissions, and raw materials. The results suggest that this unequal exchange persists, even with more intensive results following the trends of international fragmentation of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Computable General Equilibrium models are widely used in the literature to analyse the global effects of certain events with economic repercussions. The intensity of these events is usually justified, although somewhat vaguely. Based on the implementation of new technologies to certain production processes, we analyse the economic impacts of a replacement in the energy supply, from classical to renewable sources. In particular, this work focuses on the pig sector, due to its relatively high off-grid energy use, taking Aragon (Northern Spain) as a case study because of the significance of the sector in this region. A partial equilibrium approach to evaluate this replacement is first addressed. This partial analysis provides the intensity level of the impact of the change. On the basis of these data, the impact of the energy replacement is simulated using a Computable General Equilibrium model developed for the regional economy of Aragon. Findings show a slight increase in (pig) production and exports, and suggest the convenience of combining partial equilibrium analysis, which involves a mix of engineering and economic issues, to estimate the endogenous increase in efficiency, with general equilibrium models. Highlights • Economic impacts of replacing classical energy with renewable sources are addressed. • Partial equilibrium analysis is combined with a general equilibrium model. • Pig sector is important and presents a high off-grid energy use in Aragon (Spain). • We simulate an endogenous technological improvement in the use of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of water resources has traditionally been studied by accounting for the volume of water removed from sources for specific uses. This approach focuses on surface and groundwater only and it ignores that international trade of products with substantial amounts of embodied water can have an impact on domestic water resources. Using current economic and environmental data, we conduct a consumption-based assessment of virtual water flows in the European Union (EU27). We find that the total water footprint (WF) of 2,280 cubic meters (m3) per capita for the EU27 mostly consists of green water use (precipitation stored as soil moisture), which is omitted in the conventional water accounting. Blue water (surface and groundwater.) and gray water use (the volume of freshwater needed to dilute pollutants to meet the applicable water quality standards), which are targeted by current EU water policies, only make up 32% of the total WF. We also find that Europeans imported 585 cubic kilometers (km3) (109 m3) of virtual water, or around 28% of global virtual water trade flows, in 2009. Within Europe, Germany is a key net importer of water through the trade of products in agriculture, the food industry, the chemical sector, and electricity generation. Countries in Southern and Eastern Europe have specialized in water-intensive agriculture and are key exporters of virtual water despite experiencing physical scarcity of water. Our results suggest that there is a need to reconsider water policy in the EU to address water transfers occurring through trade and to grasp the interlinkages between green, blue, and gray water-which are likely to become more important in water-scarce parts of Europe, with a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can science regarding water scarcity be reflected in informative indices to advance evidence-based water policies? Our research aimed to explore this by linking the water scarcity and virtual water (VW) flows assessments with the water policies in India. The novel contribution of the research is establishing the link between the hydrologic-economic use-institutions aspect of water scarcity. On a national scale, the assessment revealed an increase in net VW-imports embodied in food grains from 89,235 × 109 L, i.e., GL (1996–2005) to 207,452,974 GL (2005–2014). There was a shift from net VW-exports (−2124 GL) to net VW-imports (84,504 GL) embodied in oilseeds. Zooming into the sub-national scale we found that water scarcity is being concentrated in highly water-scarce zones due to their VW-exports to other highly water-scarce zones. A concerning finding was that states with highest net VW-exports lack governance of scarce water resources through a state-specific water policy, e.g. Punjab, Haryana. Our research concludes that the virtual nature of embodied water necessitates water policies to be reflective of the visible evidences of unsustainable VW-flows. It also points out an urgent need to rethink current water policies in the context of a science-policy interface, to inform decisions and actions on the mitigation of water scarcity. • Lack of assessment on differential water scarcity to support policy decisions. • Assessed inter-state virtual water flows to gauge concentration of water scarcity. • Identified highest outflows from highly water-scarce Punjab, India (−5.982 PL/yr). • Current water policies lack science-policy interface to mitigate water scarcity. • Scope for informing sub-national water policy responses through virtual water flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity prices have risen sharply in Spain in recent years, to the point where they are now among the highest in the EU. The scant competition between power utilities, changes in the law, and the tariff deficit (accumulated debt in favour, mainly, of the electricity firms), have driven up the cost of electricity, affecting numerous other industries such as irrigated agriculture, a sector that has significantly increased its electricity consumption as a result of modernization processes over the past twenty-five years. We examine these issues through a case study of an irrigation scheme in Spain that provides irrigation water and infrastructure to 58 farming communities in north-eastern Spain, and is highly representative of the Ebro Valley. Based on the results of direct estimations and simulations of different tariffs, we propose the lowering of capacity-based tariffs to reduce sector problems and cut energy costs, especially for farmers. We also raise the possibility of increasing self-consumption, a complementary measure for many farmers and for medium-size firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional raw-milk cheeses face a competitive market. To survive, they need to adapt to modern market demands without compromising their unique character. Adding autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as starter cultures to pasteurised milk has been contemplated to address this challenge. In this work, autochthonous Lactococcus lactis L1C21M1, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei L1B1E6, and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides L1B1E6 from Pico cheese – a traditional product of the Azores Islands (Portugal), manufactured from raw cows' milk – were used with the goal of controlling the growth of coagulase-positive staphylococci and enhancing proteolysis. Addition of autochthonous LAB to pasteurised milk afforded control over coagulase-positive staphylococci. When pasteurised milk was inoculated with an autochthonous lactococcal or leuconostoc culture, more extensive, deeper proteolysis resulted than in artisanal cheese. However, the values obtained were still too low compared with those of the corresponding PDO criteria. As such, there may be a need to revise these specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The etiology of preeclampsia (PE) is unknown and the only treatment is removal of the fetus and placenta. The critical changes of this state include the increase of vascular resistance and hypoperfusion in the uteroplacental microcirculation that predispose to hypoxia and ischemia and, therefore, increased oxidative stress through 8-isoprostane, which is characterized by damage to the placenta and endothelium. We undertook this study to compare oxidative stress in pregnant women with PE. Methods: A case-control, cross-sectional and comparative study was undertaken. Pregnant women between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation with and without PE were recruited. Venous blood samples were taken for determination of 8-isoprostane. Obstetrical variables were measured and 8-isoprostane by radioimmunoassay. SPSS v.11 for Windows was used for descriptive statistics. Mean ± standard deviation, correlation and χ2 were used for comparison between groups. Results: We studied 45 patients: 20 with PE (44.6%) and 25 without PE (55.4%). The average for 8-isoprostane in preeclamptic patients was 699.2 ± 38.6 pg/dl and without PE was 113.9 ± 52.4 pg/dL (p <0.01), gestational age 32.1 ± 2.6 and 35.1 ± 1.8 weeks, birth weight 1880 ± 238 g and 2787 ± 312 g, respectively. Apgar at birth was similar in both groups. Conclusions: We found statistical differences in the 8-isoprostane levels in both groups. There was no correlation in perinatal results in both groups according to 8-isoprostane levels. These results could be the basis for the use of antioxidants in the management of PE to counteract tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Childhood obesity is an important risk factor for the development of insulin resistance (IR) and its co-morbidities. However, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) rather than obesity appears to have a determining role in the development of IR. Adiponectin is considered a key molecule for protection against metabolic abnormalities related to IR. Several studies have documented that lower adiponectin concentrations are related to VAT, but the results are still controversial. We undertook this study to assess the association between VAT and adiponectin concentrations with respect to body mass index (BMI) and pubertal stage in children and adolescents. Methods: Eighty five subjects were studied (46 prepubertal and 39 pubertal) and classified according to BMI into obese and normal weight groups. All participants were given a clinical examination. Glucose, insulin, lipid profile and adiponectin were measured. VAT was estimated using helical computed tomography. Results: In the prepubertal group, obese children had lower adiponectin concentrations than nonobese subjects (p <0.001) but not in pubertal group (p = 0.67). When the total population was subclassified according to VAT, those with higher VAT had greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, post-load glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR (p <0.001) compared to those with less VAT. HDL-C and adiponectin values trends to diminish as VAT increased (p = 0.005 and p = 0.015, respectively). Conclusions: Adiponectin concentrations are inversely associated with VAT in children. The higher amount of VAT is related to metabolic abnormalities including lower values of adiponectin, which could confer a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The DD genotype of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has been suggested as a major contributor of diabetic nephropathy in several populations. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether micro/macroalbuminuria is associated with ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in Mexican Mestizos with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A total of 435 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, of whom 233 had albuminuria, were characterized for the ACE I/D polymorphism by the polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Clinical and biochemical characteristics and frequencies according to DD, ID and II genotypes in patients with and without albuminuria showed no significant differences. However, only females with micro/macroalbuminuria showed higher frequency of a DD genotype than those without albuminuria (27.9%, 21.2% and 10.5%, respectively; P ≤ 0.044). In addition, female patients with macroalbuminuria without dialysis showed no significant differences with patients undergoing dialysis. Conclusion: The ACE DD genotype is a risk factor for the development of renal disease in Mexican Mestizo females with type 2 diabetes, indicating a possible DD genotype-associated sex effect in renal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.—Studies have demonstrated that high serum leptin levels are associated with aging. However, we do not know whether hyperleptinemia is a relevant risk factor for high blood pressure (HBP) in the elderly. Objective.—To determine the relationship between hyperleptinemia and HBP in the elderly. Design.—A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out in a convenience sample of 70 healthy elderly persons comprising 46 women (mean age, 67 ± 5.8 years) and 24 men (mean age, 73 ± 7.5 years), and a group of 91 elderly persons with HBP, comprising 62 women (mean age, 67 ± 8.2 years) and 29 men (mean age, 70 ± 0.3 years).We measured serum leptin levels through the radioimmunoassay method. Results.—The elderly subjects with HBP had significantly higher leptin levels than the healthy elderly subjects (P = .02). Furthermore, in female elderly subjects we observed a statistically significant correlation between systolic blood pressure and leptin (r = 0.37, P = .003), as well as systolic blood pressure and age (r = 0.29, P = .02), but not with diastolic blood pressure. In male elderly subjects, there was no correlation between leptin and systolic blood pressure or leptin and diastolic blood pressure. However, hyperleptinemia as risk factor for HBP was nearly 5 times higher in men than in women (men, odds ratio = 18.0, 95% confidence interval 3.2-100.9, P < .001 vs women, odds ratio = 3.33, 95% confidence interval 1.4-7.4, P = .003). Conclusions.—Our data suggest that hyperleptinemia was a significant risk factor for HBP elderly individuals, mainly in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Honduras. With the availability of a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV), the causative agent for cervical cancer, the Honduran Secretary of Health undertook a cost-effectiveness analysis of introducing the HPV vaccine to support their national decision-making process. Methods A national multidisciplinary team conducted this analysis with the CERVIVAC model, developed by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization's ProVac Initiative. The cumulative costs and health benefits of introducing the HPV vaccine were assessed over the lifetime of one single cohort of 11-year-old girls. We assumed a three-dose series with 95% vaccination coverage of the cohort using a mixture of school-based and facility-based delivery. To estimate national cervical cancer cases and deaths, we used United Nations demographic projections and GLOBOCAN estimates based on registry data from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Based on estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Division of Intensified Cooperation with Countries (ICO), we assumed that 70% of cervical cancer would be due to vaccine types HPV16 and HPV18. We used a vaccine dose price of US$ 13.45 and evidence from the scientific literature to estimate vaccine effectiveness. National information was used to estimate health service utilization and costs of cervical cancer treatment. All costs and health benefits were discounted at 3%. Results Upon fully vaccinating 86,906 11-year old girls, 2250 (undiscounted) cervical cancer cases and 1336 (undiscounted) deaths would be prevented over the lifetime of the cohort. After discounting future health benefits at 3% per year, the equivalent cases and deaths prevented were 421 and 170. HPV vaccination is estimated to cost around US$ 5 million per vaccinated cohort, but this would be offset by around US$ 1 million in avoided costs borne by the government to treat cervical cancer. Furthermore, 4349 discounted disability adjusted life years (DALYs) could be avoided at a cost of US$ 926 per DALY avoided, making HPV vaccination in Honduras a highly cost-effective intervention. Discussion The net cost of HPV vaccination per DALY avoided is less than the WHO threshold for cost-effectiveness. However, at a cost of around US$ 5 million per vaccinated cohort, an important element to consider in this discussion is the budgetary implications that the introduction of the HPV vaccine would cause for the country. Conclusions When comparing the costs and benefits of HPV vaccine introduction in Honduras, it is clear that this intervention would be highly cost-effective and that the intervention would greatly reduce cervical cancer disease. For these reasons, it is in the country's best interest to explore financing opportunities that could support the vaccine's introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]