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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.
M. Skourtos; D. Damigos; C. Tourkolias; A. Kontogianni. Efficient energy labelling: the impact of information content and style on product choice. Energy Efficiency 2021, 14, 1 -19.
AMA StyleM. Skourtos, D. Damigos, C. Tourkolias, A. Kontogianni. Efficient energy labelling: the impact of information content and style on product choice. Energy Efficiency. 2021; 14 (6):1-19.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Skourtos; D. Damigos; C. Tourkolias; A. Kontogianni. 2021. "Efficient energy labelling: the impact of information content and style on product choice." Energy Efficiency 14, no. 6: 1-19.
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.
Areti Kontogianni; Dimitris Damigos; Michail Skourtos; Christos Tourkolias; Eleanor Denny; Ibon Galarraga; Steffen Kallbekken; Edin Lakić. Model Validity and Transferability Informing Behavioral Energy Policies. Energies 2021, 14, 3122 .
AMA StyleAreti Kontogianni, Dimitris Damigos, Michail Skourtos, Christos Tourkolias, Eleanor Denny, Ibon Galarraga, Steffen Kallbekken, Edin Lakić. Model Validity and Transferability Informing Behavioral Energy Policies. Energies. 2021; 14 (11):3122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAreti Kontogianni; Dimitris Damigos; Michail Skourtos; Christos Tourkolias; Eleanor Denny; Ibon Galarraga; Steffen Kallbekken; Edin Lakić. 2021. "Model Validity and Transferability Informing Behavioral Energy Policies." Energies 14, no. 11: 3122.
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.
D. Damigos; A. Kontogianni; C. Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. Dissecting subjective discount rates and investment literacy for energy-efficient investments. Energy Efficiency 2021, 14, 1 -20.
AMA StyleD. Damigos, A. Kontogianni, C. Tourkolias, M. Skourtos. Dissecting subjective discount rates and investment literacy for energy-efficient investments. Energy Efficiency. 2021; 14 (3):1-20.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Damigos; A. Kontogianni; C. Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. 2021. "Dissecting subjective discount rates and investment literacy for energy-efficient investments." Energy Efficiency 14, no. 3: 1-20.
This paper wishes to add to the rich literature of studies exploring the reasons behind the energy efficiency gap. To this direction, it presents the results of a stated preference survey conducted on a representative sample of Greek households via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) in the context of the “Consumer Energy Efficiency Decision making (CONSEED)” project. The survey was designed and conducted so as to reach every type of household and gather information on the factors influencing households’ energy efficiency choices. The emphasis was given on certain issues that previous studies identified as needing further research, such as the impact of EU labelling scheme on consumers’ decision-making, the connection between pro-environmental behaviour and willingness to invest in more energy-efficient appliances and the role of peer effects, misinformation about current electricity prices and imperfect understanding of energy operating costs on the energy efficiency gap. The findings of the survey are not an end-to-itself but a vehicle for behavioural research in energy efficient decisions. The data collected and analysed can be used to populate theoretical models regarding energy efficiency gap and determine the degree to which each factor contributes to the phenomenon. Moreover, they could help decision-makers in better understand the energy paradox, and, thus, could contribute to crafting better public policy responses that would maximise private and social benefits associated with the adoption of energy-efficient choices.
D. Damigos; A. Kontogianni; C. Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. Behind the scenes: Why are energy efficient home appliances such a hard sell? Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2020, 158, 104761 .
AMA StyleD. Damigos, A. Kontogianni, C. Tourkolias, M. Skourtos. Behind the scenes: Why are energy efficient home appliances such a hard sell? Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020; 158 ():104761.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Damigos; A. Kontogianni; C. Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. 2020. "Behind the scenes: Why are energy efficient home appliances such a hard sell?" Resources, Conservation and Recycling 158, no. : 104761.
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 environmental losses is significantly affected by the change in preferences. By doing so, the model allows the analyst to visualize future paths of preference evolutions and to bring future values of damaged environmental assets realistically to the fore. If these elements are neglected when estimating climate change-related future damages to environmental goods and services, the results may be too narrow from a policy perspective.
Michalis Skourtos; Dimitris Damigos; Areti Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; Alistair Hunt; Hunt. Embedding Preference Uncertainty for Environmental Amenities in Climate Change Economic Assessments: A “Random” Step Forward. Economies 2019, 7, 107 .
AMA StyleMichalis Skourtos, Dimitris Damigos, Areti Kontogianni, Christos Tourkolias, Alistair Hunt, Hunt. Embedding Preference Uncertainty for Environmental Amenities in Climate Change Economic Assessments: A “Random” Step Forward. Economies. 2019; 7 (4):107.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMichalis Skourtos; Dimitris Damigos; Areti Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; Alistair Hunt; Hunt. 2019. "Embedding Preference Uncertainty for Environmental Amenities in Climate Change Economic Assessments: A “Random” Step Forward." Economies 7, no. 4: 107.
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. Kontogianni; Dimitris Damigos; T. Kyrtzoglou; Christos Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. Development of a composite climate change vulnerability index for small craft harbours. Environmental Hazards 2018, 18, 173 -190.
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, Dimitris Damigos, T. Kyrtzoglou, Christos Tourkolias, M. Skourtos. Development of a composite climate change vulnerability index for small craft harbours. Environmental Hazards. 2018; 18 (2):173-190.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; Dimitris Damigos; T. Kyrtzoglou; Christos Tourkolias; M. Skourtos. 2018. "Development of a composite climate change vulnerability index for small craft harbours." Environmental Hazards 18, no. 2: 173-190.
E. Furlan; S. Torresan; P. Ronco; A. Critto; M. Breil; A. Kontogianni; M. Garmendia; M. Pascual; D. Sauzade; M. Skourtos; A. Marcomini. Tools and methods to support adaptive policy making in marine areas: Review and implementation of the Adaptive Marine Policy Toolbox. Ocean & Coastal Management 2018, 151, 25 -35.
AMA StyleE. Furlan, S. Torresan, P. Ronco, A. Critto, M. Breil, A. Kontogianni, M. Garmendia, M. Pascual, D. Sauzade, M. Skourtos, A. Marcomini. Tools and methods to support adaptive policy making in marine areas: Review and implementation of the Adaptive Marine Policy Toolbox. Ocean & Coastal Management. 2018; 151 ():25-35.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE. Furlan; S. Torresan; P. Ronco; A. Critto; M. Breil; A. Kontogianni; M. Garmendia; M. Pascual; D. Sauzade; M. Skourtos; A. Marcomini. 2018. "Tools and methods to support adaptive policy making in marine areas: Review and implementation of the Adaptive Marine Policy Toolbox." Ocean & Coastal Management 151, no. : 25-35.
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-and-control, 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.
A. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; D. Damigos; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou. Modeling expert judgment to assess cost-effectiveness of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive programs of measures. Marine Policy 2015, 62, 203 -212.
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, Christos Tourkolias, D. Damigos, M. Skourtos, B. Zanou. Modeling expert judgment to assess cost-effectiveness of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive programs of measures. Marine Policy. 2015; 62 ():203-212.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; D. Damigos; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou. 2015. "Modeling expert judgment to assess cost-effectiveness of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive programs of measures." Marine Policy 62, no. : 203-212.
A. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; M. Skourtos; Dimitris Damigos. Planning globally, protesting locally: Patterns in community perceptions towards the installation of wind farms. Renewable Energy 2014, 66, 170 -177.
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, Christos Tourkolias, M. Skourtos, Dimitris Damigos. Planning globally, protesting locally: Patterns in community perceptions towards the installation of wind farms. Renewable Energy. 2014; 66 ():170-177.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; M. Skourtos; Dimitris Damigos. 2014. "Planning globally, protesting locally: Patterns in community perceptions towards the installation of wind farms." Renewable Energy 66, no. : 170-177.
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.
A. D. Kontogianni; C. J. Emmanouilides. The cost of a gelatinous future and loss of critical habitats in the Mediterranean. ICES Journal of Marine Science 2014, 71, 853 -866.
AMA StyleA. D. Kontogianni, C. J. Emmanouilides. The cost of a gelatinous future and loss of critical habitats in the Mediterranean. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 2014; 71 (4):853-866.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. D. Kontogianni; C. J. Emmanouilides. 2014. "The cost of a gelatinous future and loss of critical habitats in the Mediterranean." ICES Journal of Marine Science 71, no. 4: 853-866.
A. Kontogianni; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou; Roy Brouwer; David Pearce. The Costs and Benefits of Implementing the European Urban Waste Water Directive in Greece. Cost–Benefit Analysis and Water Resources Management 2013, 1 .
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, M. Skourtos, B. Zanou, Roy Brouwer, David Pearce. The Costs and Benefits of Implementing the European Urban Waste Water Directive in Greece. Cost–Benefit Analysis and Water Resources Management. 2013; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou; Roy Brouwer; David Pearce. 2013. "The Costs and Benefits of Implementing the European Urban Waste Water Directive in Greece." Cost–Benefit Analysis and Water Resources Management , no. : 1.
A. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; A. Machleras; M. Skourtos. Service providing units, existence values and the valuation of endangered species: A methodological test. Ecological Economics 2012, 79, 97 -104.
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, Christos Tourkolias, A. Machleras, M. Skourtos. Service providing units, existence values and the valuation of endangered species: A methodological test. Ecological Economics. 2012; 79 ():97-104.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; Christos Tourkolias; A. Machleras; M. Skourtos. 2012. "Service providing units, existence values and the valuation of endangered species: A methodological test." Ecological Economics 79, no. : 97-104.
A. Kontogianni; Elpiniki Papageorgiou; L. Salomatina; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou. Risks for the Black Sea marine environment as perceived by Ukrainian stakeholders: A fuzzy cognitive mapping application. Ocean & Coastal Management 2012, 62, 34 -42.
AMA StyleA. Kontogianni, Elpiniki Papageorgiou, L. Salomatina, M. Skourtos, B. Zanou. Risks for the Black Sea marine environment as perceived by Ukrainian stakeholders: A fuzzy cognitive mapping application. Ocean & Coastal Management. 2012; 62 ():34-42.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Kontogianni; Elpiniki Papageorgiou; L. Salomatina; M. Skourtos; B. Zanou. 2012. "Risks for the Black Sea marine environment as perceived by Ukrainian stakeholders: A fuzzy cognitive mapping application." Ocean & Coastal Management 62, no. : 34-42.
Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) provides useful information for the cost and the environmental effectiveness of alternative management options in realising a given environmental goal. The purpose of this paper is to present factors that could be considered essential for the identification of the most cost-effective combination of the measures for water quality management. The reviewed literature focuses on the control of anthropogenic eutrophication. However, there seems to be no research case studies where all factors suggested in this paper are examined. Furthermore, tables could be used as a tool in order to facilitate the consideration of these quantitative and qualitative data.
B. Zanou; A. Kontogianni; M. Skourtos. Principles for the application of the cost-effectiveness analysis in water quality sector. International Journal of Water 2004, 2, 297 .
AMA StyleB. Zanou, A. Kontogianni, M. Skourtos. Principles for the application of the cost-effectiveness analysis in water quality sector. International Journal of Water. 2004; 2 (4):297.
Chicago/Turabian StyleB. Zanou; A. Kontogianni; M. Skourtos. 2004. "Principles for the application of the cost-effectiveness analysis in water quality sector." International Journal of Water 2, no. 4: 297.
M.S. Skourtos; A.Y. Troumbis; A. Kontogianni; I.H. Langford; I.J. Bateman; S. Georgiou; R. Turner; Jeroen Van Den Bergh; Roy Brouwer. Ecological and Socio-Economic Evaluation of Wetland Conservation Scenarios. Managing Wetlands 2003, 1 .
AMA StyleM.S. Skourtos, A.Y. Troumbis, A. Kontogianni, I.H. Langford, I.J. Bateman, S. Georgiou, R. Turner, Jeroen Van Den Bergh, Roy Brouwer. Ecological and Socio-Economic Evaluation of Wetland Conservation Scenarios. Managing Wetlands. 2003; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.S. Skourtos; A.Y. Troumbis; A. Kontogianni; I.H. Langford; I.J. Bateman; S. Georgiou; R. Turner; Jeroen Van Den Bergh; Roy Brouwer. 2003. "Ecological and Socio-Economic Evaluation of Wetland Conservation Scenarios." Managing Wetlands , no. : 1.