This paper investigates the economic valuations individuals make about the degradation of the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Lion, in the western Mediterranean. A choice experiment has been conducted to quantify in monetary terms the social costs associated with two key aspects of degradation of the marine ecosystem: (i) the loss of critical habitats, and (ii) the risk of jellyfish outbreaks. We apply choice models to analyse the preference structure of residents and visitors for alternative ecosystem resilience scenarios. The focus of the modelling approach is on inference about welfare valuations and their relationship to the characteristics of the participants in the choice experiment, their perceptions of the importance of ecosystem services, attitudes to tourism, and trust in environmental policy-making institutions. We detected a number of significant linear and non-linear effects, and discuss the implications of our findings for marine environment protection policies.

Coastal areas around the world are threatened by an accelerated sea level rise (SLR), storm surges and coastal flooding related to climate change. These threats, together with the land use pattern of coastal areas, could create a dangerous mix for coastal communities and could result in major socio-economic and environmental consequences. Apart from human settlements, seaports are likely to be most vulnerable to climate change because they are located at areas exposed to SLR and storm surges or at mouths of rivers susceptible to flooding. To remain efficient and resilient, seaports must anticipate the impacts of climate change and proactively prepare for SLR, increased flooding, and more frequent extreme storm events. This paper presents the analytical and empirical aspects of an integrated vulnerability index (VI) for small raft harbours based on the methodology of the IPCC for coastal vulnerability assessment. Six corresponding steps are adopted to assess the fishing ports VI (VIP-F) considering geophysical and socio-economic parameters. The proposed index is applied to 47 fishing boats and small commercial harbours of Lesvos, Greece. The proposed methodology can be adapted for assessing the vulnerability of major ports.

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 possibility of creating a “universal” model of EE from the pooled model), it can be argued that the models are transferable in specific cases since attitudinal factors and demographic characteristics play a significant role. Although the pooled models are validated, any extrapolation of the above-mentioned findings to specific populations in terms of “space” (i.e., country) and “target” (e.g., sectors and technologies) should be approached with caution from a policy perspective.