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A range of extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs have been developed for managing electronic waste. In Canada, where efforts have led to more harmonised EPR programs, one province (Québec) has introduced regulatory measures beyond those adopted elsewhere in the country. We investigate the causes for this different approach, and stakeholder interests and interactions that influenced EPR design and implementation, in Québec. We also discuss how various actors have been affected by, and have responded to, Québec’s EPR program, and provide an update on how it has fared since coming into force in 2011. We conclude with some questions for further research. Québec’s regulation demonstrates a greater demand for and supply of support for maintaining local employment through refurbishing and reuse, and reducing the environmental impacts of products through modulated fees, both due to the regulator’s ideology and interest, and vocal stakeholders on the demand side. The Québec case shows that jurisdictions in which local firms and employment are least affected by regulation may be the most likely to experiment with novel policy instruments. At the same time, the fact that many provisions in the regulation are facing hurdles, five years after coming into force, demonstrates the hard realities of policy making and implementation, beyond the mere passing of legislation.
Stéphanie H. Leclerc; Madhav G. Badami. Extended producer responsibility for E-waste management: Policy drivers and challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 251, 119657 .
AMA StyleStéphanie H. Leclerc, Madhav G. Badami. Extended producer responsibility for E-waste management: Policy drivers and challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 251 ():119657.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStéphanie H. Leclerc; Madhav G. Badami. 2019. "Extended producer responsibility for E-waste management: Policy drivers and challenges." Journal of Cleaner Production 251, no. : 119657.
Delhi’s bus fleet is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) to address poor air quality. CNG has also been implemented in buses in other Indian cities. We evaluate the life-cycle costs (LCCs) of the Standard (high-floor), low-floor, and low-floor air-conditioned CNG buses and their diesel counterparts in India. Given the importance of fuel economy and fuel price for fuel costs, we analyze the sensitivity of the LCCs to these factors. Also, to assess the effect of fuel prices if they were market driven, we evaluate the LCCs of low-floor air-conditioned CNG and diesel buses in India, but with US fuel prices. Our study aims to inform decision-making regarding the implementation of CNG buses, in concert with an assessment of their environmental and health benefits. The LCCs for CNG are higher than for diesel, but CNG negatively affects the LCC of Standard buses proportionately more than for the low-floor buses. The LCC is significantly higher for the low-floor air-conditioned, relative to that of the low-floor, and in particular the Standard, CNG buses. The significantly higher LCCs for the low-floor and low-floor air-conditioned buses, even for diesel, raises the questions of whether these buses are justified by increased patronage, and how they affect transit supply and affordability. The fuel price and fuel economy of CNG are critical for the competitiveness of CNG relative to diesel buses. This, along with the wide variation in CNG and diesel prices, demonstrates the need for careful fuel pricing policies when CNG is implemented in bus transit.
Christian Krelling; Madhav G. Badami. CNG and diesel urban buses in India: A life-cycle cost comparison. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 2019, 14, 591 -605.
AMA StyleChristian Krelling, Madhav G. Badami. CNG and diesel urban buses in India: A life-cycle cost comparison. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation. 2019; 14 (8):591-605.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristian Krelling; Madhav G. Badami. 2019. "CNG and diesel urban buses in India: A life-cycle cost comparison." International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 14, no. 8: 591-605.
Auto-rickshaws play an important role in urban transport in India. Despite this role, auto-rickshaws and their drivers face considerable criticism from the public, the media and policy makers. There is a contentious public debate about the perceived faults of auto-rickshaws and their drivers, and the policies to address these issues in Indian cities. Our objective is to provide balance and nuance to this debate, and to enable the perspective of drivers to be more effectively considered, along with that of auto-rickshaw users and the wider travelling public, in policy-making. To this end, we critically discuss the criticism and underlying perceptions; highlight the niche role of auto-rickshaws in urban transport; and present an investigation of the realities and economics of auto-rickshaw ownership and operation. The actual congestion, safety and air pollution impacts of auto-rickshaws are at strong variance with the criticisms and perceptions on the part of the public, media and policy makers. The realities of auto-rickshaw operation are extremely challenging, and unlikely to place the driver and his family above the poverty line, which may drive some of the actions, such as not going by the meter. Finally, we critically assess policy recommendations to address the issues related to auto-rickshaws and their drivers, and offer our own suggestions regarding open permit systems, improved access to formal sector credit, a timetable for regular fare revision and the phasing out of auto-rickshaws with two-stroke engines.
Simon E. Harding; Madhav G. Badami; Conor C.O. Reynolds; Milind Kandlikar. Auto-rickshaws in Indian cities: Public perceptions and operational realities. Transport Policy 2016, 52, 143 -152.
AMA StyleSimon E. Harding, Madhav G. Badami, Conor C.O. Reynolds, Milind Kandlikar. Auto-rickshaws in Indian cities: Public perceptions and operational realities. Transport Policy. 2016; 52 ():143-152.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimon E. Harding; Madhav G. Badami; Conor C.O. Reynolds; Milind Kandlikar. 2016. "Auto-rickshaws in Indian cities: Public perceptions and operational realities." Transport Policy 52, no. : 143-152.
Highlights•We evaluate the performance of Delhi's public bus fleet from 1989–90 to 2010–11.•We do so to assess the effect of implementation of natural gas and low-floor buses.•CNG has had significant cost implications, affecting DTC's financial situation.•This situation may compromise the ability to provide public transit service overall.•Such policies should be analyzed broadly rather than only on environmental outcomes. AbstractFollowing a Supreme Court of India directive, the bus fleet of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) was converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) from around 1999 to 2000, to address the city's air pollution. We critically evaluate the operational and financial performance of DTC's bus fleet from 1989–90 to 2010–11 – that is, from ten years prior to CNG implementation until 10 years after – to assess how this performance was affected by the fuel switch, as well as the introduction of low-floor CNG buses.CNG implementation caused a significant reduction in the capacity to deliver transit service at DTC in the initial stages of the fuel transition. Also, it necessitated investments in buses at a considerable cost premium relative to their diesel counterparts. Operating costs per kilometre grew, due to increased fuel expenditures per kilometre, because of the lower fuel economy, and increased maintenance costs and breakdowns per kilometre, on the CNG buses. These costs were further exacerbated by the introduction of the low-floor CNG buses. Despite increased capacity due to the investments in the CNG buses, passenger-kilometres generally declined over our analysis period. As a result, operating costs per passenger-kilometre, and the ratio of operating costs to traffic revenues, have progressively worsened.We conclude that the financial situation resulting from these effects due to CNG implementation may have detracted from the ability to enhance transit capacity and provide transit service overall. Our study also demonstrates the need to analyze policies such as CNG implementation broadly, in terms of conflicts and trade-offs between environmental, and other (transit operation, socio-economic and equity) objectives, rather than narrowly in terms of only environmental outcomes.
Christian Krelling; Madhav G. Badami. Operational and financial performance of Delhi's natural gas-fueled public bus transit fleet: A critical evaluation. Transport Policy 2016, 47, 178 -188.
AMA StyleChristian Krelling, Madhav G. Badami. Operational and financial performance of Delhi's natural gas-fueled public bus transit fleet: A critical evaluation. Transport Policy. 2016; 47 ():178-188.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristian Krelling; Madhav G. Badami. 2016. "Operational and financial performance of Delhi's natural gas-fueled public bus transit fleet: A critical evaluation." Transport Policy 47, no. : 178-188.
Madhav G. Badami; Navin Ramankutty. Urban agriculture and food security: A critique based on an assessment of urban land constraints. Global Food Security 2015, 4, 8 -15.
AMA StyleMadhav G. Badami, Navin Ramankutty. Urban agriculture and food security: A critique based on an assessment of urban land constraints. Global Food Security. 2015; 4 ():8-15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMadhav G. Badami; Navin Ramankutty. 2015. "Urban agriculture and food security: A critique based on an assessment of urban land constraints." Global Food Security 4, no. : 8-15.
Modern food systems are characterized by a range of resource use, environmental, and socioeconomic impacts, resulting from choices made by various actors, including the public, who are “distanced” from these impacts, with important implications for sustainability. In order to make ecologically responsible food choices, the public will need information that is reliable, easily comprehensible, and that allows them to discriminate between these choices in terms of the range of impacts, and their trade-offs with factors such as market price. We illustrate, by means of a case study involving nine variations of two meals of similar nutritional energy content, some challenges and issues associated with estimating and integrating the diverse impacts of food systems, and explore the implications of our results for communicating these impacts in a manner that balances epistemic adequacy with heuristic usefulness in enabling ecologically responsible food choices.
Joël Thibert; Madhav G. Badami. Estimating and communicating food system impacts: A case study in Montreal, Quebec. Ecological Economics 2011, 70, 1814 -1821.
AMA StyleJoël Thibert, Madhav G. Badami. Estimating and communicating food system impacts: A case study in Montreal, Quebec. Ecological Economics. 2011; 70 (10):1814-1821.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoël Thibert; Madhav G. Badami. 2011. "Estimating and communicating food system impacts: A case study in Montreal, Quebec." Ecological Economics 70, no. 10: 1814-1821.
By providing affordable mobility to millions of people, two-wheeled motor (M2W) vehicles play a vital role in urban transport in India and other low-income Asian countries. At the same time, these vehicles contribute significantly to urban transport impacts and energy consumption, and are characterized by high emissions and traffic mortalities per passenger-kilometre. Given the importance of technology in the popularity of these vehicles and their transport impacts, this paper discusses the evolution of M2W vehicle technology in India, and contributory factors including market forces, environmental regulation, and industry R&D efforts. It then discusses technologies that we expect to be implemented for M2W vehicles in India over the next two or three decades, the likely implications of these technologies in terms of vehicle price, emissions, fuel economy and service life, and issues related to vehicle technology development and implementation. The paper shows that while the Indian M2W vehicle industry has achieved a transformation in innovation, product development and quality in response to market demands and environmental concerns, various technological and institutional challenges need to be addressed by this and the oil and vehicle servicing industries, and government agencies at all levels, to successfully deploy advanced vehicle technologies.
Narayan V. Iyer; Madhav G. Badami. Two-wheeled motor vehicle technology in India: Evolution, prospects and issues. Energy Policy 2007, 35, 4319 -4331.
AMA StyleNarayan V. Iyer, Madhav G. Badami. Two-wheeled motor vehicle technology in India: Evolution, prospects and issues. Energy Policy. 2007; 35 (8):4319-4331.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNarayan V. Iyer; Madhav G. Badami. 2007. "Two-wheeled motor vehicle technology in India: Evolution, prospects and issues." Energy Policy 35, no. 8: 4319-4331.
The rapid growth in motor vehicle activity in India and other rapidly industrializing low-income countries is contributing to high levels of urban air pollution, among other adverse socioeconomic, environmental, health, and welfare impacts. This paper first discusses the local, regional, and global impacts associated with air pollutant emissions resulting from motor vehicle activity, and the technological, behavioral, and institutional factors that have contributed to these emissions, in India. The paper then discusses some implementation issues related to various policy measures that have been undertaken, and the challenges of the policy context. Finally, the paper presents insights and lessons based on the recent Indian experience, for better understanding and more effectively addressing the transport air pollution problem in India and similar countries, in a way that is sensitive to their needs, capabilities, and constraints.
Madhav G. Badami. Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India. Environmental Management 2005, 36, 195 -204.
AMA StyleMadhav G. Badami. Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India. Environmental Management. 2005; 36 (2):195-204.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMadhav G. Badami. 2005. "Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India." Environmental Management 36, no. 2: 195-204.
Motor vehicle activity is growing rapidly in India and other less-industrialized countries in Asia. This growth is contributing to serious health and welfare effects due to vehicle emissions, and energy insecurity, acidification and climate change. This paper applies the problem-structuring tools of “value-focused thinking” to inform policy-making and implementation related to this complex problem in a difficult context, with specific reference to motorized two-wheeled vehicles, which play an important role in transport air pollution but also provide affordable mobility to millions with few other attractive options. The paper describes the process used to elicit and structure objectives and measures, based on interviews conducted by the author, and demonstrates how the objectives and measures can be used to more effectively characterize policy impacts, and create policy packages that have a better chance of long-term success.
Madhav G Badami. Environmental policy-making in a difficult context: motorized two-wheeled vehicle emissions in India. Energy Policy 2004, 32, 1861 -1877.
AMA StyleMadhav G Badami. Environmental policy-making in a difficult context: motorized two-wheeled vehicle emissions in India. Energy Policy. 2004; 32 (16):1861-1877.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMadhav G Badami. 2004. "Environmental policy-making in a difficult context: motorized two-wheeled vehicle emissions in India." Energy Policy 32, no. 16: 1861-1877.