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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]

• Cooperation, most important determinant of innovation output for Spanish KIS firms. • R&D intensity and size, also main determinants for Spanish firms. • No differences between manufacturing and service firms, only nuances in intensity. • Main determinants of innovation output did not change because of the 2008 crisis The aims of this paper are to identify the main determinants of the innovation output indicators (product, process, organization, marketing, products new to the firm, and products new to the market) of Spanish knowledge-intensive service (KIS) firms, to compare them with those of other categories of non-knowledge-intensive service (NoKIS) firms and manufacturing firms, and to analyze their evolution over the period 2004–2012, that is, immediately before and after the 2008 crisis. We used PITEC panel micro data, selecting and grouping firms into four categories according to their sector of activity and their intensity in use of technology and knowledge. The empirical results of our study confirm that the main determinants of innovation output are the following: cooperation with other partners to innovate, R&D intensity, and the size of the firm. These determinants are relevant not only for KIS firms but also for all the other categories. However, the influence of cooperation is more important for KIS firms for all of the innovation output indicators except for process innovation. Finally, with respect to the evolution of the main determinants over the period under study, the results show that they were not really affected by the crisis. Although all of the indicators for innovation output show clear influences of the economic cycle, the main determinants are not only the same, but their influence remains basically stable throughout the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Since the introduction of the concept in the late nineties, Internet addiction has been a growing phenomenon becoming a public health issue that cannot be ignored nowadays. Focusing on adolescents, previous research has analyzed the prevalence of excessive Internet use and determined several predictors such as socio-demographic characteristics, personality traits or emotions. To move on this topic, this paper draws attention to the relationship between parents and their children. Using a nationally representative sample of 37,486 students aged 14–18 years old in Spain, an under researched European country, this study finds that care received from parents [B = −0.141, SE = −0.033] and parents' knowledge about where [B = −0.065, SE = −0.032] and with whom [B = −0.232, SE = −0.032] the adolescent is while he/she goes out at night are associated with lower levels of excessive Internet use. In turn, fixing clear rules does not help reduce excessive Internet use. These results, together with the influence of other control variables, offer important insights and implications to prevent adolescents from excessive Internet use. Highlights • Prevalence of excessive Internet use (EIU) among adolescents in Spain is evaluated. • A nationally representative of students aged 14–18 years old in Spain is used. • Care received from parents is associated with lower levels of EIU. • Parents' knowledge about where and with whom the adolescent is also reduces EIU. • Fixing clear rules both at home and away from home does not help reduce EIU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract During the last two decades, a relevant development of renewable energy sources for electricity generation has been observed in Spain. Their diffusion has provoked deep changes that at times have been controversial. The large penetration of renewables under the recent economic conditions has affected power plants, triggering changes in the regulatory framework. In Spain, the use of Combined Cycles Gas Turbines (CCGTs) for complementing intermittent renewables is meant to ensure the security of supply. This paper aims toward a better understanding of the effects of renewables deployment and the modifications of the regulatory framework in terms of resource and capacity support schemes. Highlights • A relevant development of RES has been observed in the Spanish electricity system. • A substantial loss of generation was detected for Spanish CCGT. • National regulatory framework in the field of electricity changes continuously. • A clear regulatory position should be taken in order to re-order the electricity sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This research aims to analyse the impact of feed-in tariffs, feed-in premiums, and capacity payments on electricity generation by source. It also assesses their consequences for interactions between electricity sources, while considering the market price. Monthly data for Spain, from January of 2010 to February of 2017, and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach were used. The results reveal that both feed-in tariffs and feed-in premiums appear to contribute negatively to electricity production from wind. Capacity payments appear to encourage fuel and natural gas producers to bid low and increase electricity production from renewable resources. Highlights • This paper considers feed-in tariffs, feed-in premiums and capacity payments. • It uses monthly data and an autoregressive distributed lag approach. • The interactions between electricity sources are assessed, while studying the market price. • The feed-in system is found to contribute negatively to electricity generation from wind. • Capacity payments are found to decrease the uncertainty felt by controllable-source producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • In the cases studied, pricing and non-pricing measures are used to encourage efficient use of water at the household level. • In all areas, non-pricing measures have had a greater impact on water consumption decisions compared to pricing measures. • Replacement of collective water meters with individual meters has been one of the measures with the greatest impact on reducing per capita water consumption. • Education and awareness campaigns for water conservation and promotion of water-saving technologies have had a major impact on water consumption. Abstract This paper provides an overview of pricing and non-pricing measures to reduce domestic water consumption at the household levels in five urban areas in Spain. Analyses are based on questionnaires sent to water utilities that provide water services in the metropolitan areas of Barcelona and Seville, the cities of Malaga and Saragossa and the region of Madrid. Our main contribution is that, compared to studies that are based on estimates of the water demand function, we asked directly the managers of the utilities on the effectiveness of the measures implemented. We found that all areas studied have implemented pricing and non-pricing measures to encourage the efficient use of water and that reduction in per capita water consumption has been the result of periods of drought, accompanied in certain cases by water restrictions and pricing and non-pricing measures. In all five areas studied, the utilities believe that non-pricing measures have had a greater impact on water consumption decisions compared to pricing measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Hourly-resolved model to investigate highly-renewable electricity generation in Spain. • Correlation analysis of time series to create 900 combinations used in simulations. • Transition paths evaluated based on security of supply, CO 2 emissions, and renewable share. • Short-term phase-out of nuclear and coal power plants proven to be feasible. Abstract Two alternative paths to achieve highly-renewable electricity generation in peninsular Spain are investigated in this paper. Every transition path comprises a description of the installed and decommissioned generation and storage capacities, from 2017 to 2030, as well as a hypothesis on the evolution of the electricity demand. The electricity mix for every hour within the transition path is determined through a dispatch algorithm that prioritizes electricity from renewable energy sources. The simulation is run for 900 different combinations of time series representing the hourly capacity factors of different technologies, as well as the electricity demand. This robust approach allows the evaluation of the transition paths based on the statistical distribution of several defined assessment criteria, such as security of supply, CO 2 emissions or renewable share in electricity generation. The feasibility of a Spanish power system with high renewable penetration is investigated not only in a future reference year but throughout the transition path. In particular, a progressive and simultaneous phase-out of nuclear and coal power plants in the short-term is proven to be feasible. Furthermore, the results sensitivity is analyzed including scenarios with a delayed nuclear phase-out, lower hydroelectricity generation due to more frequent and severe droughts caused by climate change and higher annual increment for the electricity demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Head and neck cancers are the sixth most common cancers in men, accounting for approximately 6% of all incident cancers. The highest incidence rates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers were registered in Pakistan, India, France, Slovakia and Brazil. This paper presents predictions of incidence rates of the most common cancers in the head and neck in Spain. Objective: This paper presents predictions of incidence rates of the most common cancers in the head and neck regions for the period 2003–2017, grouped in periods of five years (2003–2007, 2008–2012, 2013–2017), based on incidence data from five Population-Based Cancer Registries in Spain. Methods: Cancer registries published in Cancer Incidence in Five Continents vols. VII–IX with a minimum of 15 years of continuous data were selected. The selected topographies were: oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx and hypopharynx. Predictions were made using the Nordpred program, utilizing the age–period–cohort model. Results: For the period between 2013 and 2017, 4542 cases of head and neck cancers were predicted for men and 810 for women, with a proportion of 5.6 men to one woman. Cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and hypopharynx in men presented an increasing number of cases due to demographic changes, but the risk will be reduced by 2% for oral cavity cancer, 28% for laryngeal cancer, 3% for hypopharyngeal cancer and 4% for grouped locations. Oropharyngeal cancer in men has a predicted increase of 47% due to risk. Predictions for the female gender suggest an increment in all locations, with an increased risk of 24% for the oral cavity, 37% for the larynx, and 67% for grouped locations. Conclusion: Predictions show a reduction in gender difference in the incidence of head and neck cancers. There was a reduction in incidence rates for men and an increase for women, evidencing changes in exposure to tobacco and alcohol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the past few decades, economists have defended the use of market-based instruments (MBI) in environmental and climate policy. There have been many papers which have compared the costs of attaining environmental objectives with MBIs and with command and control instruments. However very few have compared different MBIs in examining these costs. This paper seeks to analyse various MBIs for CO2 mitigation from the viewpoint of cost-effectiveness, using an AGE (applied general equilibrium) model for the case of Spain. A distinction is drawn between (1) quantity instruments, which represent different extents of a market for emission permits; and (2) price instruments, which represent different types of tax. Each instrument can affect different segments of the emission sources and therefore can have very different effects on the economy as a whole. We show how MBI can help to minimise mitigation costs, but also how taxes and tradable emission permits that are limited or constrained by many exemptions and distortions can raise costs considerably. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: This paper serves to document and make known the folk medicinal uses of animals and animal products in the western part of the province of Granada (Andalusia, Spain), analyzing not only the species used, the administration methods and the ailments treated, but also the cultural implications of this traditional knowledge and the large percentage of magico-religious or ritual practices. Materials and methods: The information was gathered through semi-structured open interviews of a total of 42 people, as a part of an in-deep ethnobiological research in 16 different municipalities within the study area. The use-value index was calculated for highlighting the most important species for the population. Results: In this part of Granada, 26 different animals have been employed in the treatment of 26 conditions from 10 different pathological groups, amounting 150 total reports (7% of the total ones including plant and animal medicinal resources). Although some of the uses were included in several classical and anthropological works, most remain unpublished. Cultural and environmental implications are discussed. Conclusions: The traditional use of animals in medicine is low known for southern Europe. 26 species constitute a significant number of animals used, considering the socio-economic and cultural context in which the study area is situated, and its small size. Albeit the main part of the information presented in this paper can be more important in an historical or anthropological standpoint, most of the medicinal resources presented have not been deeply studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to understand how inland terminals are developed in relation both to ports and to other inland terminals within a national system. The paper builds on previous work developing inland terminal taxonomies and applies them to the Spanish case, with supplementary focus on the relations between the “dry port” and “extended gate” concepts. Theoretical contributions include both the importance of development direction (land-driven vs sea-driven) and the identification of an emerging spatial disparity in port development strategies between coastal and inland nodes. In Spain, ports retain an interest in inland terminals through minority shareholdings but they are not the primary investors. The principal ports using Spanish inland terminals are Barcelona and Valencia, both of which are also developing logistics zones within their ports. Furthermore, while the ports are developing closer IT links with these inland locations, this does not necessarily indicate greater than normal levels of cooperation. A study of the Spanish system thus raises questions about whether the increasing academic focus on “dry ports” actually signals any change in strategies of port development or intermodal terminal operation. Therefore the final aim of this paper is to question the use of the “dry port” terminology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim of the study: This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on pharmaceutical plant uses in the Riverside of Navarra. Thereby, it will extend and complement a recent previous study carried out in the Northern Navarra. This paper aim to collect, analyse and evaluate the ethnobotanical knowledge about medicinal plants in the Riverside of Navarra (Iberian Peninsula) with 2554.4km2 and 144,674 inhabitants. Material and methods: We performed semi-structured interviews with 147 informants (mean age 76years; the percentage of men and women was almost 50%) in 34 locations, identified the plants reported and analyzed the results, comparing them with those from other territories. Results: The informants reported data on 90 medicinal plants belonging to 39 botanical families. This work is focused on human medicinal plant uses, which represent 99% of the pharmaceutical uses (541). The species with the highest number of cites are Santolina chamaecyparissus ssp. squarrosa, Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis and Urtica dioica. All different plant parts are used; aerial part is exploited more frequently than other plant parts. Most of the listed remedies use a single ingredient, typically soaked in water. The percentage of internal uses is three times higher than external uses. Conclusions: The main ailments treated are digestive troubles, dermatological problems, and respiratory affections. Informants reported 11 new or scarcely cited uses for 8 medicinal plants. For 50% of the species (4) we have not found bibliographical references in the scientific literature and 50% have only one or two references. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper contributes a critical view of the development of grid-connected photovoltaic systems (GCPVS) in Spain during the period 1998–2008 by looking into the different actions that were intended to promote this technology. The Spanish photovoltaic (PV) sector has undergone bullish development in the recent years, but its underlying factors still lack systematic identification and analysis. Accordingly, this paper collects and presents detailed data for describing this evolution. It also makes a special case of the particular promotion of PV systems on roof and goes further to analyze how these actions have affected GCPVS evolution as well as the magnitude of their impact on its performance. The exponential growth of installed cumulative PV power at the end of this period, which largely exceeded the target set for 2008, is canvassed by building an analogy with feedback control systems. In this approach, market response or the PV power attained is considered as the system output, while the different regulation changes are regarded as control actions aimed at enabling GCPVS to hit the energy target. Such an analysis allows determining the most significant delays and control actions that explain the system''s performance. Hence, this study suggests an alternative framework to support the formulation and assessment of energy policy as it puts the emphasis not only on the evolution of the system per se but rather on the performance of the system against the energy target. In this regard, it might contribute to enhance the promotion mechanisms of green technologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Medical waste is potentially dangerous since it may contain pathogenic agents. As a result, medical waste management requires that institutions take decisions, and implement a wide range of measures in order to reduce health risks. In this respect, many European countries have enacted legislation and good practice guidelines to define, classify, and treat medical waste. In reference to Spain, even though no specific national law has as yet been passed to regulate medical waste management, 13 of its regional governments have adopted regulations concerning medical waste management to guarantee health and environment protection. This paper presents the results of a study of the regional legislation in Spain. In our research, certain differences were detected regarding the criteria used for sorting, collection, storage, transport, treatment, and disposal practices. It was found that these differences in waste management criteria could have health implications as well as environmental and economic consequences, both inside and outside healthcare installations. The paper also proposes a set of general criteria upon which medical waste management should be based. Effective medical waste management should include the following: (i) a clear definition of medical waste and of the scope of legislation concerning it; (ii) basic principles to promote the reduction of the amount of waste generated at a source; (iii) a homogeneous classification of this waste; (iv) the implementation of environment-friendly waste treatment technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Traditional buildings are important features of the rural landscape and a valuable documental source about rural technology and ways of life in the countryside. For the last 60 years many traditional farm buildings have lost their original function because of the great changes in the European agricultural sector. Their respectful conversion to adopt new activities provides economic, socio-cultural and landscape benefits for promoters and the whole rural community. Traditional wine caves used for the production and storage of wine are particular good examples of redundant rural buildings needing for viable new uses. The aims of this paper are to present the architectural features of these agro-industrial spaces and to discuss suitable new uses for them. The technical, socioeconomic and legal contexts of the reuse are also examined in the paper. The use of traditional wine cellars in the production of high-quality artisanal wines, cheeses and cured meats, for cultural activities, as restaurants, or in the production of mushrooms, among others, are viable reuse proposals according to the current needs in the Mediterranean rural areas. Nevertheless, special care must be taken when restoring these spaces in order to respect the identity and the aesthetic appeal of the ancient cellars and not to come into conflict with the planning and building regulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of biomass resources for power generation offers numerous benefits of interest for political decision-makers: fuel security, rural and industrial development, ecological benefits. In Spain, policy instruments have been used since 1980 to stimulate biomass power generation. However, the diffusion outcome by 2007 was very disappointing: only 525MW. This paper argues that two factors lie at the core of this: the conceptualization of biomass resources by political decision-makers in the instruments used, and the desire that policy instruments be in line with market liberalization principles. These generated a persistent economic obstacle for biomass power generation, and impeded the development of markets for the supply of biomass resources. The policy learning regarding the heterogeneity of biomass resources, and the investors’ expectations on risks, profitability and resource markets was very slow among political decision-makers. The paper contributes to the understanding of diffusion outcomes by proposing to analyse diffusion by means of five indicators: types of resources, technologies, developers, motivations to invest and project sizes. Besides, the paper shows the usefulness of investigating policy instruments in terms of their risk and profitability characteristics. This enables a better understanding of the diffusion patterns and outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article mainly discusses whether the introduction or increase of tourism taxation should be addressed through specific or general indirect taxation. With this aim, the paper describes the concept of tourism taxes and presents the several reasons that back their use. The paper also offers some numerical exercises comparing the effects of specific and general tourism taxation in Spain, a developed country with a sizeable tourism industry. The article suggests that both specific and general taxes on tourism would be able to yield improvements in terms of revenues and internalization of costs without hampering the economy. Yet, in comparative terms, general indirect taxes may be a more feasible, equitable and neutral way to obtain tax revenues from tourism activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyses the institutional foundations of the mussel production sector in Galicia, which is one of the leading producers in the world. After demonstrating the importance of the sector and presenting the theoretical framework and an historical introduction, the paper formulates an agenda of institutional analysis topics from a positive perspective. This agenda includes the problem of the common pool, the role of the State, the legal norms, the property rights system, the organisation of the sector, the rules and public policies and the status quo. This paper presents a case analysis dealing with the relationships between institutions and economic organisation, and furnishes evidence and relevant knowledge for the elaboration of comparative analysis in the economics of natural resources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper discusses the extinction pattern of the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary (PTB) ostracod assemblages at the Almonacid de la Cuba section (Cordillera Ibérica, NE Spain), which has been recently proposed as auxiliary boundary stratotype for the PTB. The ostracod record shows that the main Early Jurassic ostracod extinction event occurred not at the end of the Pliensbachian, but near the top of the Mirabile ammonite Subzone, Tenuicostatum ammonite Zone (Early Toarcian). On the basis of the evaluation of PTB ostracod record, a new causal explanation for the Early Toarcian ostracod turnover is proposed. This paper suggests that a reorganization of surface and deep-water circulations caused by the opening of the Hispanic Corridor could have generated a mild cooling episode, finally affecting the survival of healdioid ostracods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we refer to the Open Web to the set of services offered freely to Internet users, representing a pillar of modern societies. Despite its importance for society, it is unknown how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the Open Web. In this paper, we address this issue, focusing our analysis on Spain, one of the countries which have been most impacted by the pandemic. On the one hand, we study the impact of the pandemic in the financial backbone of the Open Web, the online advertising business. To this end, we leverage concepts from Supply–Demand economic theory to perform a careful analysis of the elasticity in the supply of ad-spaces to the financial shortage of the online advertising business and its subsequent reduction in ad spaces' price. On the other hand, we analyze the distribution of the Open Web composition across business categories and its evolution during the COVID-19 pandemic. These analyses are conducted between Jan 1st and Dec 31st, 2020, using a reference dataset comprising information from more than 18 billion ad spaces. Our results indicate that the Open Web has experienced a moderate shift in its composition across business categories. However, this change is not produced by the financial shortage of the online advertising business, because as our analysis shows, the Open Web's supply of ad spaces is inelastic (i.e., insensitive) to the sustained low-price of ad spaces during the pandemic. Instead, existing evidence suggests that the reported shift in the Open Web composition is likely due to the change in the users' online behavior (e.g., browsing and mobile apps utilization patterns). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present context of COVID19 pandemics has highlighted the vulnerability of tourism. Sustainable tourism needs to be thoroughly implemented to confront this and other crises; and sustainable tourism pedagogies must accompany the process, especially in terms of students' professional skills essential for overcoming crisis situations. This paper seeks to evaluate the Degrees of Tourism in Spain from the perspective of both students and teachers in order to show to what extent they consider students to be sufficiently qualified so as to address the challenges required in the tourism sector to deal with this and other crises. To answer this question, we have turned to Sustainable Tourism Pedagogy (STP), a framework for the critical analysis of tourism studies based on six areas of literacy that this article will use for empirical analysis. The STP core literacies have been evaluated in a statistically validated questionnaire addressed to 393 respondents and data analysis has been performed with analytical descriptive techniques. The results show: i) that Tourism Degrees do not meet the needs of today's students, especially because of a major lack of sustainability issues, ii) significant gaps between the perception of teachers and students, iii) that there are calls for a more sustainable tourism pedagogy in Higher Education. This paper concludes by highlighting the urgent need to revise official national programmes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Andalusia, Spain, has an important tradition in the fishing industry that makes it one of the areas of the European Union where fisheries policies have a great significance for the population. In order to analyse the sector, a total number of boats to be surveyed was set at 10% of the total population: 202 boats of the total of 2027 in the census. The sample was distributed among the four fishing techniques and gear. This paper deals comprehensively with the so-called “artisanal fleet”, with the aim of presenting a new approach in the policies for reducing the risk in this important fisheries sector. We discuss relevant issues related to fishing vessel safety according to the typology of the vessel. The specific risks are summarized. In each type of fishing various specific tasks have to be performed that entail characteristic kinds of risk. The paper concludes that specific risks presented in this study could contribute to maritime safety. Policy implications: policies that reduce specific risks will be effective in reducing fisherman injuries. The present study is part of the presentation of results of the research project financed by the Regional Government on the state of Safety of the artisanal or craft fishing fleet, analyzing, in this case, the typical occupational risks entailed in the fishing activity. Policymakers should find the results of this study useful in developing regulation and enforcement mechanisms for reducing fishing vessel injuries and total losses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper aims to theorize the major aspects of the Spanish–Moroccan rebordering since Spain joined the European Union in 1986. The paper starts by providing a brief historical–geographical overview of the evolution of this border. Afterwards, the core of the theoretical discussion is addressed. The theorization follows a three-fold structure that scrutinizes the geopolitical, functional, and symbolic aspects of the Spanish–Moroccan border reconfiguration. Taking the general Spanish–Moroccan border as the point of departure, the analytical framework is gradually channeled towards the (EU)ro-African border scenarios constructed around Ceuta and Melilla, the two North-African cities under Spanish sovereignty. In doing so, the paper describes how the tripartite rebordering process has shaped the contemporary geography of these peculiar segments of the land border between the EU/Spain and Morocco. To conclude, this paper underlines how the Spanish–Moroccan border is rooted in an increasing divergence between the implementation of EU external border securitization needs and the management of free-trade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper shows the study carried out in a doctoral thesis about windmills in south-east Spain, in the area of Campo de Níjar in the province of Almeria. It intends to pay homage to Spanish windmills as a way of commemorating the fourth centenary of the masterwork of Spanish Literature, ‘Don Quixote’ in which the silhouette of the windmill is a pervading symbol. Wheat milling has been an important factor in the socio-economic development of rural Spain for centuries. The type of mill used depended on the energy resources available, wind or water. In the Campo de Níjar (Almeria, Andalusia, Spain), wind is the principal energy source, and therefore, windmills were widely used, as in other areas of Spain. In this paper, we study the technological conditions of these old windmills, we carry out a wind evaluation of the area, and we calculate the power and momentum of these windmills with a discussion of the results found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores how urban planning in a European, regional capital—Valencia—is shaped by economic globalization and political restructuring. Employing the vocabulary and concepts of the emerging literature on scale, this paper examines how planning efforts—like Valencia’s massive new redevelopment project, the City of the Arts and Sciences—are driven by the wider “re-scaling” or “re-territorialization” of the European political economy. This is a case study that moves beyond abstract theorizations about scale to the complex details of planning strategy in a regional context. More, it argues that an analytical shift from abstract theory to the empirical detail of a European city reveals two basic points. First, the re-scaling of Europe is more contested locally than this literature would suggest, negotiated politically as planners attempt to “re-scale” urban spaces. Second, the planned re-scaling of the city is about more than just space, but is also about the cultural landscape. Planned efforts to transform cities like Valencia in the image of global capitalism or European integration must navigate these complex, cultural politics. Theories of European re-scaling must account for the cultural politics in which planning is embedded, since planners must surely do so. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The studies carried out to evaluate and select a candidate site for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) construction in Spain are presented in this paper. The ITER design, completed in July 2001, considered a number of technical requirements that must be fulfilled by the selected site. Several assumptions concerning the ITER site were made in order to carry on the design before final site selection. In the studies undertaken for ITER site selection in Spain, the referred technical requirements and assumptions were applied across the whole of Spain and two areas were identified as being preferential. These areas are on the Mediterranean coast and are situated in the Catalan and Valencian regions. A comparative evaluation based on technical characteristics for the concrete plots, proposed within the preferential areas, has been done. The result of these studies was the selection of a site that was deemed to be the most competitive—Vandello´s (Tarragona)—and it was proposed to the European Commission for detailed studies in order to be considered as a possible European site for ITER construction. Another key factor for hosting ITER in Spain, is the licensing process. The present status is summarised in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The low energy efficiency of the European building stock is both a social and environmental issue. However, plans and studies on energy retrofitting interventions do not usually evaluate the impact of these measures on households' energy affordability. This paper analyses and compares the effect of alternative retrofitting strategies on thermal energy services' affordability in Spanish vulnerable households. This analysis was carried out by applying the Required Thermal Energy Expenditure model proposed in previous studies to several 2030 residential building stock scenarios, setting 2020 as a baseline. Therefore, this work proposes a methodological approach to assess the impact of the considered energy efficiency interventions on energy poverty in winter (WEP) and summer (SEP) and carries out both a 'social cost' and a cost-benefit analysis. The dwelling's thermal-enclosure retrofitting stands out as a very WEP-reduction and social-cost effective measure. Instead, replacing old thermal systems with more efficient ones would have a higher impact on SEP. Combining both kinds of retrofitting measures could reduce heating and cooling required expenditures by, respectively, 49% and 59%, and decrease the WEP and SEP share, correspondingly, by 35% and 63%. These results might inform policymakers to enhance the targeting and design of energy efficiency programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water stress is rapidly increasing in many Mediterranean coastal zones mainly due to expansion in agriculture and tourism. In this paper, we focus on the Sierra de Gador–Campo de Dalias aquifer system (southeastern Spain) in order to assess the capability of water stable isotope analysis (δD–δ18O) to refine the understanding on recharge of this karstic aquifer system. Different types of surface and groundwater were sampled along an altitudinal gradient from the recharge zone in the mountains to the coastal plain. Surface water is restricted to local runoff, collected in closed reservoirs. Runoff amounts, collected in three of these reservoirs were monitored together with the precipitation in their catchments. Meteorological maps were used to detect the origin of the precipitation generating the majority of the runoff. The results were compared to literature data on local and regional precipitation. The use of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition has proved to be a useful tool to explain the origin of groundwater in a Mediterranean karstic system. Such studies are, however, not numerous and are often limited to local scale recharge for fast-reacting systems. This paper focuses on the δ18O–δD relationships of local precipitation to explain the isotopic variability of a large karstic aquifer system. The isotopic compositions of groundwater sampled along an altitudinal gradient from the recharge zone to the coastal plain are well displayed, in a δD–δ18O diagram, on a mixing line connecting a pole of Mediterranean waters to a pole of Atlantic waters. The Atlantic signature predominates in the shallow groundwater of natural springs, reflecting the rainfall which produced the local runoff sampled. The Mediterranean signature is mainly restricted to deep groundwater from boreholes in the coastal plain. The existence of a degree of spatial separation of groundwater types demonstrates that groundwater flow in a complex karstic system is not always continuous. The Mediterranean signature of deep groundwater could be due to past extreme rainfall events during which connectivity between recharge and reservoir exists, while at the same time the Atlantic signature of recent winter rains dominates in shallow groundwater. The assumption that an equilibrium in isotopic composition is established within a continuous aquifer and that therefore a slope lower than 8 in a δD–δ18O diagram indicates evaporation is not necessarily valid. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Spain exemplifies the development of renewable energy in general and photovoltaic solar energy in particular, influenced to a major extent by public regulation. Without suitable caution regarding the approaching world crisis, the regulatory framework gave rise to the fact that Spain would rank second worldwide in 2008 in terms of installed photovoltaic (PV) solar energy. Yet a serious financial and economic crisis still in its infancy started to lead to readjustments, while the new regulatory framework put a stop to the construction of new PV plants. Many companies and investors either went bankrupt or saw their performance levels dwindle. Although the academic literature has analyzed some general aspects related to this boom-and-bust of the Spanish photovoltaic solar sector, no studies have been carried out on a company level. In order to fill this void, this paper analyses the economic and financial performance of Spanish companies involved in photovoltaic solar energy production over the period 2006–2015. The results, based on a longitudinal population sample of around 5469 companies from the sector, show the economic hardships they have experienced, especially smaller enterprises. An improvement in the most recent situation is also noted. The international implications of the Spanish case for scholars, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders worldwide, as well as avenues for further research, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2004 and 2013, Spain applied a series of regulations that prompted a rapid expansion of the CSP sector. Most of this capacity was based on a proven technology that involved limited technical and financial risks (50 MWe, parabolic trough, synthetic HTF, 7.5 h thermal energy storage and wet cooling). This paper provides an introduction to CSP technology and a detailed review of these regulatory frameworks. This information has been used to evaluate the economic viability of a CSP plant representative of those deployed in Spain. The results evidence the limited competitiveness of this form of CSP, which is attributable not only to its elevated capital costs but also to high fixed operating costs per unit of output and limited revenues from power sales. Although generation capacity may be increased through hybridization with NG, this is also a loss making activity due to the limited efficiency of single cycle technology. With exceptions, the policy strategy followed in Spain had limited success at promoting technology advances with potential to achieve higher generation capacity, improved revenues, reduced costs and increased dispatchability. This form of CSP may still be attractive in isolated locations, where real power generation costs may be significantly higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to assess the impacts of the economic crisis in Spain on the transport expenditure of households from 2006 to 2014 and how transport authorities reacted to cope with the decreasing public resources and transport demand. The approach is based on quantitative and qualitative sources of information: the Spanish Household Budget Survey and in-depth interviews with public transport policy makers from six metropolitan areas. Transport is one of the household expenditure items that is the most affected by the crisis. The average amount spent on transport fell to its lowest value in 2013, dropping by 37% in six years. The proportion of budget spent on transport was reduced by a majority of households, whatever the residential location or purchasing power, with the exception of the poorest. Households reacted promptly to the crisis by reducing their purchases of new cars; their spending on transport use was affected less significantly. Poor households or those living in low-density areas were least able to reduce their transport costs. To cope with the crisis, public transport authorities reduced transport supply and increased fares. They also implemented other measures to bring in extra income which had no impact on transport services. The research concludes that sustainability-oriented transport policies promoting public transport and the reduction of car dependency, together with sustainable land-use policies, may help to limit the household transport budget and the impacts of an economic crisis on mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In times of economic crisis in the destination country, migrants might decide to stay or leave. Having obtained dual citizenship facilitates both options: on the one hand, it allows for a secure stay, without fear of losing residence permits. On the other hand, it allows for either a connected return or new cross-border mobility options, especially in the case of citizenship from the EU. It can also be considered a significant milestone in someone’s migratory trajectory, especially among those who started their migration as undocumented. This paper discusses the ways in which dual citizens interpret this status after the 2008 economic crisis in Spain and shows how it provided many with the opportunity to embark on new migrations within the EU. Drawing on 80 interviews with dual citizens born in Colombia and Ecuador who resided in Madrid and London, the authors argue that dual citizenship is understood as a resource that offers a sense of personal security and an enhancement of one’s position in the global hierarchy of citizenships. Respondents in this study do not consider formal citizenship as a necessary step for emotional belonging, which they base on their daily interactions and relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the emergence of the terroirist social movement in Spain and the controversies arising from it. We assess its role in transforming the Spanish wine scene and wine regions from the combined perspective of rural and social movement studies. Spain boasts the largest surface area of vineyards and the largest volume of wine exports of any country, yet it also sells the cheapest wine and lacks wine zoning policies, which makes Spain unique among traditional wine-producing countries. Considering this situation, a group of terroir -driven winemakers are challenging the Spanish industrial wine establishment. They have built networks in rural areas throughout the country and are actively involved in local grassroots movements, aiming to produce quality wines with added value, recover neglected wine regions and grape varieties, and reinstate traditional wine culture. While the movement displays certain elite and populist tendencies, it remains radical in its attempt to challenge a deep-seated economic model dominated by large companies with a powerful lobby that influences the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen warnings alerting about the presence of invasive species has been claimed as fundamental in the strategies addressed to manage aquatic invasions. A great volume of online information coming from fishermen and ordinary citizens, about detection of new species in their communities is currently available. Unfortunately, it is not always implemented as a useful tool by agencies, and within stakeholders protocols, to prevent and manage biological invasions. In this work, we have used as a case study the wels catfish Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758. Online blogs, webpages, videos, magazines, and newspapers, were searched for news about the presence and spread of S. glanis in the Iberian Peninsula until June 2016. This information was compiled with official reports (scientific papers and regional and national governmental reports) to create a map showing the putative current pattern of S. glanis invasion through Iberian freshwater ecosystems. The current situation pointed to Silurus ’s presence in six of the seven main river basins of the Iberian territory. Since non-official reports need post-alerts confirmations, we have also set up a molecular pilot study designing genus specific primers to detect this species in environmental DNA (eDNA) from the reported locations. In the pilot study, primers were tested on eDNA samples extracted from experimental aquariums and on real environmental samples taken from different basins in Spain (Ebro, Douro and Tagus). In all these basins S. glanis was detected. Official S ilurus reports were confirmed with two molecular markers in five out of the six cases (83%) assayed in this work, and in two out of three non-official reports (66%) coming from fishermen websites and newspaper reports. The proposed combined strategy (citizen alerts and the eDNA detection method) can be a helpful tool in early detection of invasive species allowing fast and effective management actions by stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to analyse biodiesel market acceptance in Spain. In particular, we study the intention to use biodiesel by Spanish diesel car drivers and the factors explaining this intention. To achieve this goal, we developed a model of the intention to use biodiesel based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour but extended in two ways. The first one consists of the inclusion of two new predictors of the intention to use (environmental self-identity and biodiesel knowledge) and the second, the extension of the model to take into account the two barriers in the adoption of biodiesel in the market (potential price premium and limited availability in the petrol stations). This model has been specified as an ordered probit and estimated using data from a survey conducted in Spain. Results indicated that apart from the attitudes towards biodiesel use, the most important factors explaining the intention to use biodiesel are the biodiesel knowledge and the environmental self-identity, in other words, the new predictors in the Theory of Planned Behaviour model. In addition, the effects of all the factors (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, biodiesel knowledge, environmental self-identity and socio-demographic characteristics) on the intention to use were different, depending on the price and the availability of the biodiesel in the market. Thus, we can conclude that to analyse the intention to use biodiesel, different price and availability scenarios should be taken into account. Empirical results indicated that to increase biodiesel use, the best option is to increase biodiesel knowledge and environmental self-identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, groundwater-fed irrigation has sustained the social and economic development of La Mancha, Spain. Without much initial regulation and control, groundwater resources and aquifer levels decreased dramatically, threatening agriculture and also highly valuable groundwater-dependant wetland ecosystems. This paper presents as a historical analysis of the different policy tools used to manage and regulate groundwater abstraction in the Western Mancha Aquifer after Spain approved its 1985 Water Law. It analyses the panoply of control and management instruments laid out by the state to counter the resource depletion trend, demonstrating the necessity by regulatory bodies to complement soft incentives (carrots) with the threat of sanctions and groundwater access limitations (sticks). As this case study shows however, each policy modality has its legal and practical loopholes which can be negotiated and exploited by groundwater users to their own advantage. Improvements in groundwater levels starting in 2010 seem to be linked to aquifer recharge following an unprecedented wet cycle rather than the effectiveness of the policy tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incentives have played a major role in wind power development in Spain, having allowed the country to reach top worldwide positions in terms of wind power penetration but having also contributed to a structural cost-revenue unbalance. Feed-in tariff and premium schemes had been in force in Spain since the inception of wind power until the adoption of an auction-based support framework in 2016. So far, auctions have resulted in no incentives being allocated to any new wind farm. The present paper analyses the historical evolution of wind power support schemes in Spain and assesses the long run impact of the newly adopted policies on the future evolution of wind capacity and system costs through a behavioral stochastic System Dynamics model. Results show that the current lack of incentives will entail limited wind capacity growth, below the goal set in Spain's Renewable Energy Plan 2011–2020. Incentive levels required to meet specific goals in terms of capacity growth and system costs are computed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How have the recent real estate, mortgage and financial crises affected different countries, territories and cities? How have the different public and private stakeholders behaved and how accountable have they been for the origin and development thereof? What links are there among the local, national and global contexts in the crises? Recent geographic research ought to attempt to answer these questions, but there have, however, been few in-depth studies on the link between urbanisation, financial markets and the global crisis. The present paper analyses one of the principal causes of Spain’s recent evolution: urbanisation of the territory, the start and consequences of housing bubble; our study emphasises the differential elements in relation to the crisis in other countries. We study in greater depth the municipality of Torrelodones, which constitutes a reference due to the appearance of a residents’ movement opposed to the development process and which is a perfect example of the dynamics that led to the economic and social crisis. We describe in detail the lack of any strategic vision, participation or transparency in town planning decision-making, the processes by which reports and inspections were doctored, and the mechanisms of corruption of public decision-making in town planning. Finally, we analyse the concrete manner in which huge losses in mortgage markets occurred, with the collapse of the real estate bubble and the financial markets, which subsequently forced a State bailout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies on performance evaluation in the cultural sector are based on the efficiency assessment of a network of institutions. Nevertheless, very few works take territorial divisions as the case study. Under this approach, we design a spatial production function which merges several cultural resources in order to optimize the impact of a regional system of cultural institutions in terms of cultural production and use of services provided. The aim of this paper is therefore to evaluate the efficiency of cultural heritage institutions in Spain from a regional perspective. We take regional networks of museums and libraries as emblematic case studies over a long period, from 2002 to 2020. We first apply a dynamic-network DEA model to measure efficiency, which allows the production function to be divided into stages and time intervals, considering inter-reliant inputs between production phases and time lapses. We also apply truncated regression models to study the effect of external variables on regional cultural efficiency, especially those related to socioeconomic conditions in regions, the scope of the cultural and tourist sector, and institutional indicators. Results show that regional cultural efficiency depends on the level of training and on the demographic structure rather than on economic wealth. Differences are also found between the goals of cultural production and cultural consumption (visitor impact). These findings might prove useful for policy implications regarding resource allocation vis-à-vis defining and accomplishing cultural purposes at a regional scale, and also for revealing causes of inefficiency with a view to improving quality in institutions –which ultimately drives economic development. • We evaluate the efficiency of cultural institutions from a regional perspective. • We use DNDEA to measure regional efficiency and truncated regression to evaluate external effects. • The stage on cultural consumption impact is always more efficient than cultural production, both in museums and libraries. • Regional cultural efficiency depends on the level of training rather than economic wealth. • Cultural sector size affects efficiency in programming and tourism controls impact success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores Spanish pesticide policy with a focus on developments during the last decade. Spain is one of the greatest global consumers of conventional pesticides and leader in various related rankings among European Union countries. However, reviews of pesticide policies examining the key plans, facts, strategies and stakeholders are largely lacking. In providing an overview of Spanish responses to the European Directive 2009/128/EC on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, this article contributes to filling this research gap. Spanish National Action Plans lack measurable quantitative objectives for reduction in the use of conventional pesticides and further implementation of Integrated Pest Management. Spanish National Action Plans also lack strategies for informing citizens about pesticide residues, and efficient means of keeping up to date with the authorisation of new active substances and delivery of pesticide use and sales data, in time and form. Moreover, there are no clear trends in conventional pesticide use reduction and sales, despite a significant reduction in the use of the more toxic active substances. Overall, this paper reveals various important shortcomings and incongruences in Spanish pesticide policy, which deserve further scholarly exploration and should be a matter of concern for public bodies. • Spain is one of the greatest global consumers of phytosanitary products. • Spain presents problems regarding pesticide residues in food, water and rivers. • Citizen concerns about pesticides are among the highest in Europe. • Important policy shortcomings should be addressed by public bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of buyback welfare enhancing opportunities is conditioned to the ability of government agencies to place bids consistent with the shadow price of irrigators. However, methods used to inform buyback programmes to date either rely on ex-post trading data that is not readily available in most regions worldwide; or compensate projected foregone income, and thus ignore the effects that buyback may have on other relevant attributes determining utility. This paper uses revealed preference methods to elicit the parameters of a multi-attribute objective function that mimics the observed behavior of irrigators in the overexploited Segura River Basin in SE Spain. Objective functions are used in a series of simulations in which water allocation is progressively constrained to ex-ante reveal the shadow price of water using two alternative compensation measures: i) the foregone income, a proxy of the shadow price typically used in the literature; and ii) the compensating variation that addresses foregone utility. Results show a relevant gap between the two methods For example, restoring the balance in the basin through purchase tenders would demand an investment of million 2400+ EUR (9.6+ EUR m −3 ) attending to the foregone income method, and million 950+ EUR (3.8+ EUR m −3 ) (−60.3%) with the foregone utility method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Castrocontrigo rock art, located in the southwestern area of the León province (Spain), is one of the Neolithic rock art occurrences in northwest Iberia. The showings comprise three schematic panels within two rock shelters characterised by the presence of anthropomorphs and sun-forms. This paper deals with the digital description and documentation of the two shelters using non-invasive procedures based on portable white-light scanner, photogrammetry and digital image enhancement. The acquisition of 3D digital information in combination with the application of image enhancement tools aimed to improve visualization and analysis of motif's degradation by delamination and water runoff. Additionally, enhancement was used to reveal the presence of new motifs in poorly preserved sectors of the studied panels aiming at their conservation. The generation of photorealistic models from the outcrops aims also to better visualization of the motifs from different angles and perspectives, providing valuable qualitative and quantitative information for archaeologist, historians and the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repowering of already installed wind farms is considered one of the most promising and cost-effective short-term strategies to scale-up wind capacity. In this study, we apply Markowitz's mean-variance (MV) portfolio optimization theory to explore alternative repowering actions in Spain. The efficient portfolios – a direct outcome of the MV optimization – offer optimal repowering alternatives to current wind farm generation mixes. They deliver the highest possible average power output (yield) for a given level of supply risk. Different repowering scenarios are considered in this paper that range from a full restructuring of the existing wind generation mix to restricting by certain amounts the percentage of down-/uprating of each reference region. Results show that, depending on the configuration of the MV portfolio optimization problem, hourly fluctuations in the aggregate power supply can be reduced as much as 12–31%, while retaining the current level of energy productivity. In addition, for the level of energy supply risk experienced with the existing portfolio of Spanish wind farms; we can derive more efficient mixes that boost-up productivity by 16–55%. This work aims at providing valuable insight for energy policy-making in the direction of optimally repowering future renewable generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last few decades, the European Union has been promoting the use of PPPs in order to accelerate the development of the TEN-T for ensuring economic, social and territorial cohesion and increasing accessibility within the EU. To that end, several mechanisms have been put at the disposal of the Member States to enhance transport infrastructure of interest for the EU. This paper conducts a review of the main funding programs implemented by the EU authorities in order to evaluate to what extent the European support has been rightly channelled to PPP projects. To that end, a multiple regression model has been applied to road PPP projects in Spain to analyse whether those PPP projects with EU financial backing ultimately have a higher economic performance compared to those projects not receiving such a support. The research concludes that there is a positive correlation between receiving European financial support and the good economic performance of those projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel poverty can be defined as “the inability to afford adequate warmth in the home”. The concept was firstly developed due to health risks related to cold among low income households. However, in the last few decades, especially since the summer heat wave of 2003 that caused 35,000 deaths across Europe, a lot of research has been conducted about the health risks related to high temperatures. Along with advances in knowledge related to the health risks associated with inadequate temperatures, several directives of the European Commission related to energy regulation urge Member States to develop their own fuel poverty definitions. This need of a methodological development for new definitions poses several questions. First, what should be the temperature thresholds for the overheated season? But, furthermore, are existing temperature baselines adequate for the Spanish context and climate? This paper presents a preliminary approach to define these new temperature thresholds for the Spanish context through the adaptive comfort model criteria. For that purpose, a statistically representative dwelling building typology of vulnerable household spaces was used to analyze indoor thermal temperatures and hence, to establish minimal energy requirements so as to achieve minimal habitability conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how product innovation and competition dynamics have driven the evolution of product efficiency in the Spanish auto market. We have collected data on more than 75 technical product features and discounted prices for a representative sample of car models commercialized within a 5-year period (2010–2015). Product efficiency is measured for each period by means of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). This technique identifies a best-buy technological frontier by comparing the price and product features of the different models. Furthermore, we track the dynamic evolution of product efficiency by computing and decomposing Malmquist indexes measuring the overall improvement in the car models analyzed. The decomposition of the Malmquist index brings new insights to the assessment of product innovation. First, the frontier shift indicates how much each model should have improved to simply maintain its comparative competitive appeal. Second, the catching-up effect indicates whether a model is getting closer to or farther away from the new (shifted) best-buy frontier. In the period analyzed we find important improvements in product features that were accompanied by price cutting. Both factors have contributed to significantly expand the best-buy frontier outwards. Audi, Volkswagen, Honda, BMW, Kia, Hyundai, Peugeot, Renault and Seat are identified as the brands that have contributed more to expand this frontier. In turn, Renault, Peugeot and Seat show the largest catching-up effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about hydrological drought risk and irrigation water supply reliability have grown in recent years due to the increasing demand for water for irrigation and other uses, and the decline in water availability due to climate change. Hydrological drought insurance hedging against water supply gaps can be a key instrument for adapting irrigated agriculture to this new scenario, since it improves the resilience of the irrigation sector, which is having to cope with increasing uncertainty and vulnerability. The objective of this paper is to assess farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for index-based hydrological drought insurance under different policy designs, considering several different amounts of insured capital, insurance deductibles, and contract terms. To that end, it uses a discrete choice experiment as the valuation method and the Sector BXII irrigation district (southern Spain) as a case study. The results show that farmers would be willing to pay for the proposed hydrological drought insurance, stating a higher preference for policy designs with lower amounts of insured capital, lower deductibles, and shorter contract terms. Moreover, the results also show the existence of heterogeneity among farmers' preferences, depending on their socio-economic characteristics. Finally, we compare the distribution of farmers' WTP for different policy design options of the proposed insurance with the commercial premium estimated using actuarial analysis. The comparison confirms that only the options with lower levels of insured capital present a mean WTP below the commercial premium, while the rest of the policy design options would need to be subsidized like other agricultural insurance schemes to make them attractive to most farmers. • Farmers are willing to pay for hydrological drought insurance. • Farmers prefer policies with low levels of insured capital, low deductibles, and short contract terms. • WTP is heterogeneous depending on farmers' socio-economic characteristics. • Only policy designs with low levels of insured capital are currently commercially viable. • Once the new drought insurance is implemented, it will become more attractive for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the impact of land use patterns associated with compact population on the costs of provision and maintenance of urban public services for local entities, controlling for other factors. The aim is to develop an econometric analysis using a panel data set of municipalities of the Spanish Mediterranean area and Madrid in the period 2006–2014. The estimations derived from the study confirm one main hypothesis and indicate that compact population impacts positively on the decrease of municipal costs of urban public services. This study suggests that municipal planning instruments of local entities could contribute to efficiently manage their budgets, as well as orients public policy in terms of its local land use decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we test the hypothesis of convergence in a set of twelve of the main tourism source markets of Spain over a time period that ranges from January 2000 to September 2015. We analyse the potential convergence by following an econometric strategy consisting of three different methodologies. Firstly, we test for the presence of full convergence in the dataset by means of the panel stationary test developed by Hadri (2000). Next, we conduct a robustness check for the full convergence hypothesis by considering the potential existence of structural breaks in the dataset through the test proposed by Carrion-i-Silvestre et al. (2005). Finally, the hypothesis of club convergence (Philips and Sul, 2007) is also tested. The results point to absence of full convergence even when controlling for structural breaks while three different clubs of convergence are found. We discuss potential policy implications that can be extracted from these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The European market for cannabis derivatives is being transformed. The cultivation of cannabis within the EU and the shift of demand from hashish to domestic marihuana are key aspects of this transformation. Spain, formerly central to the trade of Moroccan hashish, is becoming a marihuana-producing country. The emergence of "import-substitution" has been researched in other EU countries, but thus far the Spanish case remains undocumented.Methods: This paper is based on analysis of data of 748 cannabis plantations seized by Spanish police in 2013. The sample comprises reports of seizures identified through a survey of online news and police reports. "Event-analysis" methods were applied to these sources.Results: The analysis offers a typology of plantations, a profile of participants and the different production systems, and a model of regional distribution. Half of the plantations were small (less than 42 plants) and half contained between 100 and 1000 plants, with an average size of 261 plants. About three-quarters of plants were cultivated indoors using stolen electricity. 86% of all plants seized were from large-scale plantations (more than 220 plants). Most plantations were located along the Mediterranean coast, where population and tourism are concentrated. Over three-quarters of those indicted by police were Spanish (85%). Among the foreign owners of big plantations, Dutch nationals predominated. The number of seized plants by province was directly associated with the number of grow shops (β=0.962, p<0.001).Conclusion: The rise of large-scale cannabis plantations in the Spanish Mediterranean coast is increasingly replacing import of Moroccan hashish. Indoor cultivation supported by grow shops, that provide the technology and know-how, seem to be the dominant form of organization in this emerging industry. Large-scale plantations may have met most of the demand for marihuana in 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]