Areti Kontogianni | University of the Aegean (original) (raw)
Papers by Areti Kontogianni
Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 2015
Economic valuation of marine ecosystem services is strongly anchored within the logic of Marine S... more Economic valuation of marine ecosystem services is strongly anchored within the logic of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). An inventory and critical assessment of marine valuation studies was conducted within the European Union funded Policy-oriented marine Environmental Research for the Southern European Seas (PERSEUS) research project ( http://www.perseus-net.eu/ ) and this information was fed into a suitable, spatially explicit valuation database, namely Valuation database for Marine Ecosystem Services of Southern European Seas (V-MESSES), with the objective of providing monetary values for Southern European Seas (SES) to be used in cost–benefit and cost-effectiveness applications. At present, the database contains 93 studies offering over 110 value estimates for four categories and 20 subcategories of marine ecosystem services covering all regions of Mediterranean and Black Sea. The database enables so far the estimation of the aggregated value of all ecosystem service...
Combining qualitative and quantitative understanding for exploring cross-sectoral climate change ... more Combining qualitative and quantitative understanding for exploring cross-sectoral climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability in Europe Citation for published version:
Energy Efficiency, 2021
Consumers are assumed to compare the upfront costs to the discounted value of future savings in e... more Consumers are assumed to compare the upfront costs to the discounted value of future savings in energy expenditures when deciding whether to invest in a more energy-efficient product. This assumption presupposes that consumers have the energy-related knowledge, are familiar with the concept of discounting, and use a subjective discount rate, known as the implicit discount rate (IDR). However, the related literature suggests that consumers usually suffer from energy-related financial illiteracy and tend to apply IDRs much higher than the market interest rates owing to market and behavioral failures. This paper wishes to contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to promote energy efficiency across the residential sector using the results of a stated preference survey among 992 Greek consumers. The survey provides empirical evidence on the heterogeneity in the energy efficiency-related IDRs. More importantly, it is one of the few studies to look directly at investment literacy in the field of energy efficiency. To this end, a choice-experiment, the focus of which is to examine whether consumers can recognize the most cost-efficient alternative products, is being conducted. The estimated probabilities of having selected the most optimal choice are then regressed against attitudinal and socio-demographic variables to investigate the factors that affect investment literacy. The results suggest that preferences, behavioral biases, external barriers, and socio-demographic factors are important sources of heterogeneity in the estimated IDR and the energy-related investment literacy of the consumers. The outcomes and the limitations of the survey leave space for future research.
Energy Efficiency, 2021
It is widely acknowledged that energy labels guide consumers towards more energy-saving appliance... more It is widely acknowledged that energy labels guide consumers towards more energy-saving appliances. However, the effectiveness of energy labelling schemes should not be taken for granted; the quality and the amount of information, as well as the way that information is displayed on energy labels may affect consumers’ choices. The paper presents the results of a choice-based experiment conducted in Greece on a random sample of 992 individuals. The respondents were assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (i) a labelled experiment without additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Control sample); (ii) a labelled experiment with additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 1); (iii) a non-labelled experiment without additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 2); and (iv) a non-labelled experiment with additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 3). The results indicate that including annual operating cost estimates in the refrigerator energy labels do not affect the consumers’ choices due to the relatively low annual operating cost of the refrigerator. Thus, from a policy perspective, energy saving campaigns should better focus on other social benefits deriving from reductions in energy use.
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2018
The development of adaptive policies for the management of dynamic and complex ecosystems, such a... more The development of adaptive policies for the management of dynamic and complex ecosystems, such as marine and coastal environments, asks for flexible and innovative tools which account for multifaceted issues, uncertainties and cope with a wide range of future conditions. To date, several tools and methods to support the design and implementation of adaptive policies have been developed by the research community (e.g. data processing and management, stakeholder analysis and participatory methods, numerical and simulation models, assessment approaches). The paper proposes a (four) step-wise methodology to review, analyze, classify and select existing tools dealing with social, economic and environmental issues. Firstly, existing toolboxes were retrieved. Secondly, an in-depth analysis was performed to classify their potential for the development and implementation of adaptive policies in marine areas. Thirdly, selected tools were included in the 'Database of tools and methods' of the wider Adaptive Marine Policy Tool Box, designed within the EU-FP7 PERSEUS project (Policy-oriented Environmental Research in Southern European Seas) to support policy makers with the application of an Adaptive Policy Framework. Finally, a review process was performed based on several qualitative criteria and expert judgment, which allowed to identify a set of valuable 'flag tools' useful to implement each step of the Adaptive Policy Framework.
Economies, 2019
While there is a considerable debate regarding the choice of proper discount rates for assessing ... more While there is a considerable debate regarding the choice of proper discount rates for assessing climate change projects and policies, only a tiny body of literature emphasizes “what to discount”. Usually, climate change economic assessments rely on tools and methods that employ strong simplifications, assuming, among others, given and fixed preferences about the values of man-made and environmental goods. Aiming to fill a gap in the literature, this paper leaves aside the issue of discounting and focuses on the nature and impact of preference uncertainty on the economic estimates of future climate change damages on ecosystem non-market goods and services. To this end, a general random walk-based stochastic model is proposed, combining a number of parameters, e.g., the growth of income, depletion of environmental assets, the elasticity of income and demand, and the change in preferences towards the environment. The illustrative application of the model shows that the value of enviro...
This policy report synthesises the evidence base on the costs and benefits of adaptation. It draw... more This policy report synthesises the evidence base on the costs and benefits of adaptation. It draws on the research, analysis and review of the ECONADAPT project, funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme. The key messages are summarised below. • The knowledge base on the costs and benefits of adaptation has evolved significantly in recent years. There are now many more studies at national, regional and local scale, with coverage in both developed and developing countries. • In terms of the coverage by sector and risk, estimates of the costs and benefits of adaptation have moved beyond the previous focus on coastal zones and now extend to water management, floods, agriculture and the built environment. However, major gaps remain for ecosystems and business/services/industry. • The methods for identifying options and assessing costs and benefits have also changed. More recent studies use iterative climate risk management, which puts more emphasis on current climate va...
Environmental Science
This group report gives an overview of applications of and issues in integrated assessment (IA) a... more This group report gives an overview of applications of and issues in integrated assessment (IA) applied in the coastal zone area in Europe. We conclude that there are various reasons why IA is sometimes not successful. For instance, integrated assessment tends to be highly specific, dialogues are seldom an integral part and environmental thresholds are uncertain. A way forward would be to have an alternative framework that could fulfil some of these needs, which is proposed at the end of the chapter.
Abstract. The paper confirms public understanding of scientific evidence regarding the health ris... more Abstract. The paper confirms public understanding of scientific evidence regarding the health risks of sunbathing. Many people value having a tan, but know that getting one is risky. Public awareness, understanding and perception of the health risks of sunbathing ...
Acta Innovations, 2020
The current paper aims at enhancing the existing literature of studies discussing the parameters,... more The current paper aims at enhancing the existing literature of studies discussing the parameters, which formulate the phenomenon of the energy efficiency gap in hotels. Specifically, the obtained outcomes, as resulted by the conduction of a stated preference survey are presented and discussed. The survey was carried out on a representative sample of hotels in Greece in the context of the “Consumer Energy Efficiency Decision making (CONSEED)” project. Emphasis was given on various issues related to the energy efficiency gap, such as the impact of EU labelling scheme, the linkage of the pro-environmental behaviour with the willingness to invest in more energy-efficient technologies and equipment, the lack of information about electricity prices and the imperfect understanding of energy operating costs. The findings of the survey can be used to explain the role of the behaviour in the decision-making procedures for the further promotion of energy efficiency. Theoretical models can be d...
The longstanding quest for properly integrating stakeholder perceptions and attitudes into enviro... more The longstanding quest for properly integrating stakeholder perceptions and attitudes into environmental decision making has not yet reached a definite answer. Particularly in a river basin context, the interaction of economic activities, ecological factors and social values contribute to an increase in the complexity of policy options and the likelihood of intervention failures. Conflicts between users, their relationship with the State and their interaction with the natural environment must be analyzed in depth. This paper attempts to analyze the active stakeholder groups in the river basin of Axios in northern Greece applying the methodological tools of stakeholder analysis and focus groups. Special attention is paid to their perceptions about risk, values of the coastal environment, and the role of State and individual responsibilities.
Marine Policy, 2015
The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires all Member States to establish a progr... more The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires all Member States to establish a program of measures to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) of their marine waters, which should be justified on economic grounds. So far, however, only limited efforts exist to support, from a scientific perspective, marine policy-and decision-makers to this direction. This paper describes a first effort towards closing this gap and improving existing marine policymaking processes as regards the prioritization and selection of measures and policies towards coastal and marine resources management. More specifically, the paper presents an expert judgment-based weighting framework named 'MeTaLi'. The tool provides a cost-effectiveness ranking algorithm of alternative measures (e.g. command-andcontrol, economic, etc.) within the framework of MSFD by means of fuzzy and stochastic analysis. A pilot application of 'MeTaLi' in Greece for three selected MSFD descriptors is also discussed, aiming to evaluate the tool and allow drawing conclusions for real conditions. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of research findings and methodological challenges related to marine policy issues.
Energies
A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in... more A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in energy consumer behavior. The models highlight the hidden potential of energy savings from policies that target the so-called behavioral anomalies. Nevertheless, whether these patterns are repeatable or not is not clear, because the efforts to determine the transferability or generalizability of these models are practically nonexistent. This paper uses a unique collection of empirical data from five EU countries collected within the CONSEED project to refine and develop further the standard consumer decision model, validate it for policy purposes, and elaborate on its transferability between countries. The pooled samples allow for a more reliable investigation of the relative importance of the factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and beliefs towards energy investment decisions. Based on the statistical tests conducted to evaluate the “transferability” of the pooled models (i.e., the...
Non-market valuation approaches for estimating the social value of biodiversity and individual sp... more Non-market valuation approaches for estimating the social value of biodiversity and individual species need to enhance their policy relevance. The concept of service-providing unit (SPU) may help achieve this objective by promoting the systematic quantification of the key components of nature that provide services for human wellbeing. The present paper is the first application of the SPU concept in stated
Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 2015
Economic valuation of marine ecosystem services is strongly anchored within the logic of Marine S... more Economic valuation of marine ecosystem services is strongly anchored within the logic of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). An inventory and critical assessment of marine valuation studies was conducted within the European Union funded Policy-oriented marine Environmental Research for the Southern European Seas (PERSEUS) research project ( http://www.perseus-net.eu/ ) and this information was fed into a suitable, spatially explicit valuation database, namely Valuation database for Marine Ecosystem Services of Southern European Seas (V-MESSES), with the objective of providing monetary values for Southern European Seas (SES) to be used in cost–benefit and cost-effectiveness applications. At present, the database contains 93 studies offering over 110 value estimates for four categories and 20 subcategories of marine ecosystem services covering all regions of Mediterranean and Black Sea. The database enables so far the estimation of the aggregated value of all ecosystem service...
Combining qualitative and quantitative understanding for exploring cross-sectoral climate change ... more Combining qualitative and quantitative understanding for exploring cross-sectoral climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability in Europe Citation for published version:
Energy Efficiency, 2021
Consumers are assumed to compare the upfront costs to the discounted value of future savings in e... more Consumers are assumed to compare the upfront costs to the discounted value of future savings in energy expenditures when deciding whether to invest in a more energy-efficient product. This assumption presupposes that consumers have the energy-related knowledge, are familiar with the concept of discounting, and use a subjective discount rate, known as the implicit discount rate (IDR). However, the related literature suggests that consumers usually suffer from energy-related financial illiteracy and tend to apply IDRs much higher than the market interest rates owing to market and behavioral failures. This paper wishes to contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to promote energy efficiency across the residential sector using the results of a stated preference survey among 992 Greek consumers. The survey provides empirical evidence on the heterogeneity in the energy efficiency-related IDRs. More importantly, it is one of the few studies to look directly at investment literacy in the field of energy efficiency. To this end, a choice-experiment, the focus of which is to examine whether consumers can recognize the most cost-efficient alternative products, is being conducted. The estimated probabilities of having selected the most optimal choice are then regressed against attitudinal and socio-demographic variables to investigate the factors that affect investment literacy. The results suggest that preferences, behavioral biases, external barriers, and socio-demographic factors are important sources of heterogeneity in the estimated IDR and the energy-related investment literacy of the consumers. The outcomes and the limitations of the survey leave space for future research.
Energy Efficiency, 2021
It is widely acknowledged that energy labels guide consumers towards more energy-saving appliance... more It is widely acknowledged that energy labels guide consumers towards more energy-saving appliances. However, the effectiveness of energy labelling schemes should not be taken for granted; the quality and the amount of information, as well as the way that information is displayed on energy labels may affect consumers’ choices. The paper presents the results of a choice-based experiment conducted in Greece on a random sample of 992 individuals. The respondents were assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (i) a labelled experiment without additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Control sample); (ii) a labelled experiment with additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 1); (iii) a non-labelled experiment without additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 2); and (iv) a non-labelled experiment with additional information on the estimated cost of energy (Treatment 3). The results indicate that including annual operating cost estimates in the refrigerator energy labels do not affect the consumers’ choices due to the relatively low annual operating cost of the refrigerator. Thus, from a policy perspective, energy saving campaigns should better focus on other social benefits deriving from reductions in energy use.
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2018
The development of adaptive policies for the management of dynamic and complex ecosystems, such a... more The development of adaptive policies for the management of dynamic and complex ecosystems, such as marine and coastal environments, asks for flexible and innovative tools which account for multifaceted issues, uncertainties and cope with a wide range of future conditions. To date, several tools and methods to support the design and implementation of adaptive policies have been developed by the research community (e.g. data processing and management, stakeholder analysis and participatory methods, numerical and simulation models, assessment approaches). The paper proposes a (four) step-wise methodology to review, analyze, classify and select existing tools dealing with social, economic and environmental issues. Firstly, existing toolboxes were retrieved. Secondly, an in-depth analysis was performed to classify their potential for the development and implementation of adaptive policies in marine areas. Thirdly, selected tools were included in the 'Database of tools and methods' of the wider Adaptive Marine Policy Tool Box, designed within the EU-FP7 PERSEUS project (Policy-oriented Environmental Research in Southern European Seas) to support policy makers with the application of an Adaptive Policy Framework. Finally, a review process was performed based on several qualitative criteria and expert judgment, which allowed to identify a set of valuable 'flag tools' useful to implement each step of the Adaptive Policy Framework.
Economies, 2019
While there is a considerable debate regarding the choice of proper discount rates for assessing ... more While there is a considerable debate regarding the choice of proper discount rates for assessing climate change projects and policies, only a tiny body of literature emphasizes “what to discount”. Usually, climate change economic assessments rely on tools and methods that employ strong simplifications, assuming, among others, given and fixed preferences about the values of man-made and environmental goods. Aiming to fill a gap in the literature, this paper leaves aside the issue of discounting and focuses on the nature and impact of preference uncertainty on the economic estimates of future climate change damages on ecosystem non-market goods and services. To this end, a general random walk-based stochastic model is proposed, combining a number of parameters, e.g., the growth of income, depletion of environmental assets, the elasticity of income and demand, and the change in preferences towards the environment. The illustrative application of the model shows that the value of enviro...
This policy report synthesises the evidence base on the costs and benefits of adaptation. It draw... more This policy report synthesises the evidence base on the costs and benefits of adaptation. It draws on the research, analysis and review of the ECONADAPT project, funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme. The key messages are summarised below. • The knowledge base on the costs and benefits of adaptation has evolved significantly in recent years. There are now many more studies at national, regional and local scale, with coverage in both developed and developing countries. • In terms of the coverage by sector and risk, estimates of the costs and benefits of adaptation have moved beyond the previous focus on coastal zones and now extend to water management, floods, agriculture and the built environment. However, major gaps remain for ecosystems and business/services/industry. • The methods for identifying options and assessing costs and benefits have also changed. More recent studies use iterative climate risk management, which puts more emphasis on current climate va...
Environmental Science
This group report gives an overview of applications of and issues in integrated assessment (IA) a... more This group report gives an overview of applications of and issues in integrated assessment (IA) applied in the coastal zone area in Europe. We conclude that there are various reasons why IA is sometimes not successful. For instance, integrated assessment tends to be highly specific, dialogues are seldom an integral part and environmental thresholds are uncertain. A way forward would be to have an alternative framework that could fulfil some of these needs, which is proposed at the end of the chapter.
Abstract. The paper confirms public understanding of scientific evidence regarding the health ris... more Abstract. The paper confirms public understanding of scientific evidence regarding the health risks of sunbathing. Many people value having a tan, but know that getting one is risky. Public awareness, understanding and perception of the health risks of sunbathing ...
Acta Innovations, 2020
The current paper aims at enhancing the existing literature of studies discussing the parameters,... more The current paper aims at enhancing the existing literature of studies discussing the parameters, which formulate the phenomenon of the energy efficiency gap in hotels. Specifically, the obtained outcomes, as resulted by the conduction of a stated preference survey are presented and discussed. The survey was carried out on a representative sample of hotels in Greece in the context of the “Consumer Energy Efficiency Decision making (CONSEED)” project. Emphasis was given on various issues related to the energy efficiency gap, such as the impact of EU labelling scheme, the linkage of the pro-environmental behaviour with the willingness to invest in more energy-efficient technologies and equipment, the lack of information about electricity prices and the imperfect understanding of energy operating costs. The findings of the survey can be used to explain the role of the behaviour in the decision-making procedures for the further promotion of energy efficiency. Theoretical models can be d...
The longstanding quest for properly integrating stakeholder perceptions and attitudes into enviro... more The longstanding quest for properly integrating stakeholder perceptions and attitudes into environmental decision making has not yet reached a definite answer. Particularly in a river basin context, the interaction of economic activities, ecological factors and social values contribute to an increase in the complexity of policy options and the likelihood of intervention failures. Conflicts between users, their relationship with the State and their interaction with the natural environment must be analyzed in depth. This paper attempts to analyze the active stakeholder groups in the river basin of Axios in northern Greece applying the methodological tools of stakeholder analysis and focus groups. Special attention is paid to their perceptions about risk, values of the coastal environment, and the role of State and individual responsibilities.
Marine Policy, 2015
The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires all Member States to establish a progr... more The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires all Member States to establish a program of measures to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) of their marine waters, which should be justified on economic grounds. So far, however, only limited efforts exist to support, from a scientific perspective, marine policy-and decision-makers to this direction. This paper describes a first effort towards closing this gap and improving existing marine policymaking processes as regards the prioritization and selection of measures and policies towards coastal and marine resources management. More specifically, the paper presents an expert judgment-based weighting framework named 'MeTaLi'. The tool provides a cost-effectiveness ranking algorithm of alternative measures (e.g. command-andcontrol, economic, etc.) within the framework of MSFD by means of fuzzy and stochastic analysis. A pilot application of 'MeTaLi' in Greece for three selected MSFD descriptors is also discussed, aiming to evaluate the tool and allow drawing conclusions for real conditions. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of research findings and methodological challenges related to marine policy issues.
Energies
A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in... more A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in energy consumer behavior. The models highlight the hidden potential of energy savings from policies that target the so-called behavioral anomalies. Nevertheless, whether these patterns are repeatable or not is not clear, because the efforts to determine the transferability or generalizability of these models are practically nonexistent. This paper uses a unique collection of empirical data from five EU countries collected within the CONSEED project to refine and develop further the standard consumer decision model, validate it for policy purposes, and elaborate on its transferability between countries. The pooled samples allow for a more reliable investigation of the relative importance of the factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and beliefs towards energy investment decisions. Based on the statistical tests conducted to evaluate the “transferability” of the pooled models (i.e., the...
Non-market valuation approaches for estimating the social value of biodiversity and individual sp... more Non-market valuation approaches for estimating the social value of biodiversity and individual species need to enhance their policy relevance. The concept of service-providing unit (SPU) may help achieve this objective by promoting the systematic quantification of the key components of nature that provide services for human wellbeing. The present paper is the first application of the SPU concept in stated