Digital divide

The digital divide is the unequal access to digital technology, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the internet. The digital divide creates a division and inequality around access to information and resources. In the Information Age in which information and communication technologies (ICTs) have eclipsed manufacturing technologies as the basis for world economies and social connectivity, people without access to the Internet and other ICTs are at a socio-economic disadvantage, for they are unable or less able to find and apply for jobs, shop and sell online, participate democratically, or research and learn. Historical background The historical roots of the digital divide in Europe reach back to the increasing gap that occurred during the early modern period between those who could and could not access the real time forms of calculation, decision-making and visualization offered via written and printed media. Within this context, ethical discussions

The Political Economy of Climate Policy

Alexandra Quandt

The topic of the here presented work is the influence of firms on climate policy. This thesis analyses the impact of firms’ influence on the acceptance of climate policy, its effectiveness, and implementation. Hereby, the mediation of private interest is understood as social barrier on the design and implementation of effective climate policy. The work is empiric, dealing with the features of Swiss and European climate policy in two case studies. The thesis follows an interdisciplinary approach combining theories from economics, business strategy and political sciences. In a mixed‐ methods approach, it analyses the positions of the business community on climate policy, the different channels of interest group influence and the impact on policy output. Thereby, the focus of the analysis is on the positions and interactions between business interest associations and political decision‐makers. The results show that there is a pluralist picture of firms’ positions on climate policy. According to their economic short‐term interests, firms tend to block or defend the detailed features of climate legislation. By contrast, business associations have an incentive to exaggerate their stated positions strategically, which questions the reliability of their positions in the process of political consultation. The analysis shows further that private interest is asymmetrically represented in the political decision‐making process. In Switzerland, a small group of private actors enjoys privileged access to policy‐makers on the expense of public interests. This influence by special interest groups impedes effective policymaking and causes a democracy‐deficit. As a result, interest group influence inhibits effective decision‐making, which reduces societal welfare. Furthermore, a comparative case study on self‐regulation of the European and Swiss automotive industry demonstrates that there is a trade‐off between acceptance and environmental effectiveness in climate policy design. The work concludes that a fair stakeholder dialogue, the dissemination of knowledge, transparency in political decision‐making, and the integration of scientific expertise should be enhanced for ensuring effective implementation of politically acceptable and environmentally effective climate policies and measures.

EPFL2012

Social barriers to implementing climate legislation - Private actors' influence on the Swiss CO2 law

Alexandra Quandt

The influence of firms on the elaboration of climate policy in a democratic system is quite controversial. Firms do not form a solid bloc of opponents to environmental regulation. Some firms even expect to gain from such regulation, either because they offer goods and services that will allow other firms to comply with the regulation or because they are in a better position to comply than their competitors. As a result, the detailed features of climate policy are more important than the general thrust. Firms and industry associations could try to influence those features rather than oppose the policy upfront. Building on the literature on interest group influence, this paper contributes to the issues of acceptability and effective implementation of climate policy measures. The paper investigates how the positions of the Swiss business community are transmitted into the decision making process of the Swiss CO2 law. Data for the empirical analysis are drawn from the two consultations on the Swiss CO2 law and the word protocols of the Swiss Parliament.

2010

The Political Economy of Climate Policy

Alexandra Quandt

EPFL2012

The farmer, the worker and the MP. The digital divide and territorial paradoxes in Switzerland

The Political Economy of Climate Policy

Social barriers to implementing climate legislation - Private actors' influence on the Swiss CO2 law

The farmer, the worker and the MP. The digital divide and territorial paradoxes in Switzerland

The Political Economy of Climate Policy

Social barriers to implementing climate legislation - Private actors' influence on the Swiss CO2 law