annual report 2016 - sandee...s annual report 2016 5 our mandate and approach sandee addresses...

SANDEE Annual Report 2016

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Annual Report2016


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Research and writing workshops discuss key policy concerns in South Asia related to environmental economics and how economic research can help address them

SANDEE encourages multidisciplinary projects with a robust economic focus, cross-border collaborations and trans-boundary projects

Environmental economics plays a crucial role in assigning true costs to resources and development, as well as popularizing environmental management

The environmental costs of economic growth—for instance, pollution, environmental degradation, economic policies—could often go unaccounted

We have to act with urgency if the poor everywhere, and particularly the people of South Asia, are to avoid the dangers of rapid environmental development and degradation

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who wE ARESANDEE—The South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics—is a regional network that brings together analysts from across South Asia to address its environment-development problems. Its mandate is based on the premise that solutions to economic development concerns and environmental problems are integrally linked.

SANDEE is governed by a Management and Advisory Committee of senior scholars and policy makers from within

the South Asian region and without. An international group of faculty advisors support and mentor SANDEE’s researchers.

SANDEE operates with the help of a small Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal, hosted by ICIMOD (the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development). The network operates in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

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Published by: SANDEEP. O. Box 8975, E.P.C 1056,Lalitpur, NepalCopyright © 2016 SANDEE. All rights reserved.

Production team:

Anjali Dar Sengupta (Writer)

Neesha Pradhan ( Compilation)

Dwarika Aryal ( Graphic Designer)

Photo credits: Jitendra Bajracharya - Cover, p 2, p 3, p 5, p 9, p 17, p 18, p 20, p 21, p 22; Chandan Singha - p 8; SANDEE - p ii, p 7, p 10, p 11; Amalendu Jyotishi - p 4,; Naresh Newar - p 14 (buttom); Pranab Mukhopadhyay - p iii,; Roshan Sherchan - p 15; SANDEE - p iii, p 11,; GIZ - p 13,; IPS - p 14 (top)

This publication is available in electronic form at

www.sandeeonline.org.


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Contents

Blurbs for general use: ii

Who We Are iii

Letter from our Director 2

Vision and Mission 4

Our Mandate and Approach 5

Research 6

Training 10

Other Activities 13

Dissemination and Dialogue 15

Publications 17

Financial Overview and Sponsors 19

Our Team and Partners 20

Management and Advisory Committee 21

2017: The Year Ahead 22


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A LETTER fRom ouR DiREcToRDear friends,

2016 was another good year for SANDEE with researchers continuing to examine the links between environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and economic development. Two of our institutional research partnerships concluded successfully. One of them, in partnership with the UN Environment Programme and ICIMOD, studied the costs and benefits of reducing deforestation and degradation in Nepal. The other, in partnership with ICIMOD, the G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development in Almora, India, and the Institute of Economic Growth in Delhi, studied the value of cultural and ecosystem services in the Kailash Sacred Landscape in India and Nepal.

SANDEE researchers presented their work and learnt from others in a number of international conferences. To give a few examples, Tshering Thinley spoke about his research at the Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative meeting in Duke University, USA. He measured how much electrification reduced firewood collection in Bhutan as households acquired more electrical cooking appliances. Chandan Singha reported on his research on the factors prompting farmers to adopt soil conservation measures in Darjeeling, India, at the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists’ annual conference in Zurich in June. Nandakaji Budhathoki showed that Nepali farmers’ perceptions of climate change were quite imperfect and that most of their agricultural adaptations were to changes in markets and technology rather than climate change. This work was presented at the SIDA Development Economics conference in Stockholm in August.

SANDEE grantees published their work in a variety of highly regarded international journals, including Environmental and Resource Economics, Ecological Economics, and Environment and Development Economics.

SANDEE research continued to inform policy-making in South Asia. In partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change of India, and GIZ, SANDEE organized a two-day workshop on Valuing, Managing, and Investing in Ecosystem Services in South Asia in New Delhi in April. SANDEE-ites continued to be involved with policy-making around REDD+ in Nepal.

I am happy to report that SANDEE founder Sir Partha Dasgupta became the Chair of the Management and Advisory Committee.

E. Somanathan Executive Director


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SANDEE Associates and Faculty in INSEESeveral SANDEEites have been elected to various positions in the Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE):

Pranab Mukhopadhyay (Faculty): President

Nandan Nawn (Trainee/Associate): Secretary

Kalyan Das (Grantee): Treasurer

Bibhu Prasad Nayak (Grantee): Joint Secretary

Saudamini Das (Grantee): EC member

Ramchandra Bhatta (Faculty Advisor for Maldives in 2007–08): EC member


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ViSioN To ensure that the people of South Asia, as one of the largest populations affected by changes in climate, have a voice in the development-environment policies of their villages, cities, regions, and countries.

miSSioN• Strengthenthecapacityof

individuals and institutions in South Asia to research and understand links among economic development, poverty, and environmental change.

• Encouragethedissemination and application of research to development policies and programs.


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ouR mANDATE AND APPRoAchSANDEE addresses development-environment problems in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Our mission is supported by four core activities.

RESEARchA competitive research grants program for research on the environment-development nexus in South Asia.

TRAiNiNgInternational and regional experts teach workshops that build skills in environmental and natural resource economics, policy analyses, and research methods.

oThER AcTiViTiESConferences and workshops to share insights and identify challenges to support communities.

DiSSEmiNATioN AND DiALoguEPublications, presentations, and curricular materials facilitate information sharing and networking among individuals and institutions.


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goALSponsor and

undertake research

in South Asia to

identify policy

and management

solutions that will

help achieve long-

term environmental

health and economic

well-being

SANDEE research addresses specific environment-development challenges, ranging from large-scale investigations to in-depth case studies.

SANDEE provides monetary and technical support to researchers from across South Asia, to study ideas for a sustainable future. In 2016, SANDEE’s research capacity building activities focused on mentoring researchers to whom grants were made in 2015 and earlier.1 Research support is based on a biannual research competition and meetings that help monitor and support the grants.

The biannual research workshops also serve to enhance our knowledge about local conditions and about emerging issues in the field. Experts from the policy and academic arenas are invited to discuss topical research and development issues. For instance, in December 2016, Dr Pavan Sukhdev of GIST Advisory, who headed ‘The Economics of Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity’ global study commissioned by the United Nations and European Commission, lectured at SANDEE’s Biannual Research and Training Workshop in Pokhara.

RESEARch: Understanding and Managing our Environment for a Better Future

1 Until funds two years ahead are assured, SANDEE cannot make new grants that last two years each.


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ouTcomE: institutional Research Partnerships concluded

A research project in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme and ICIMOD studied the costs and benefits of reducing deforestation and degradation in Nepal.

Another project in partnership with ICIMOD, the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (India), and the Institute of Economic Growth (India) studied the value of cultural and ecosystem services in the Kailash Sacred Landscape in India and Nepal.

The Secretariat (a) facilitates discussions between researchers and their SANDEE advisors; (b) offers support and advice on questionnaires, data management, econometric analyses, literature references, and reviews; and (c) supports the writing of the manuscripts.


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Research grants in 2016

Ecosystems’ management• ChangeofEconomicVulnerabilityDuetoLandUseChangefromRice(orcrop)toShrimp:A

Case Study of Satkhira District, Bangladesh manjur morshed Bangladesh• ContributionofsmalltankcascadesystemstoruraleconomyofSriLanka:Capturingnon-

market values Shamen Vidanage Sri Lanka• DegradationandTransformationofHomeGardensinWetZoneofSriLanka(StudyGrant) Badra Sriyani herath Sri Lanka

Policies and Programs for greener Development• TheImpactofsolarwaterpumpingsystemsonthewelfareoffarmersinIndia Eshita gupta India

others• CopingwithErraticWaterSuppliesandWillingnesstoPayforImprovedWaterQualityof

Rawalpindi City, Punjab, Pakistan Adiqa Kiani Pakistan


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Gender Issues in SANDEE Research While SANDEE does not specifically train its lens on gender issues, its focus on environmental and development issues often results in interplay between the two.

In a collaborative SANDEE–ICIMOD research project on cultural and ecosystem services in the Kailash trans-boundary landscape in India and Nepal, we found that women make up 50 percent of visitors to local cultural sites. This shows the special importance of these sites for women, but for whom opportunities for recreational and other travel tend to be far more restricted than those for men. In many parts of South Asia, women’s travel outside the home is often very limited.

Another component of the same study revealed that women were prevented from using household toilet facilities during menstruation. This highlighted the need for interventions to remove such gender discrimination.

In this region, during the dry season, some villages face water stress. This results in additional burden on women, who have to carry water from increasingly distant sources and maybe in exhausting circumstances. The study suggests that a gradual conversion of pine forests into mixed forests may help to improve water retention in the soil and improved availability in local water sources during the dry season, thus contributing to the overall welfare and well-being of women.


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goALTrain South Asian

researchers in

environmental and

natural resource

economics; develop

institutional

capacity as

researchers share

knowledge with

colleagues and

students

SANDEE aims to increase the number of South Asian professionals who can not only utilize economic tools to analyze environmental problems but who can then teach these tools to other colleagues. SANDEE courses offer budding researchers a way to strengthen skills; more experienced researchers and practitioners gain insight into local conditions and emerging issues.

SANDEE organized two training courses in 2016, and two biannual research and training workshops. We undertake a written evaluation by participants of each of our training programs, which are available on request.

Summer School in Environmental and Resource Economics May 9–26, 2016; Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

TRAiNiNg:Strengthening Human Capital


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This course continues to be the flagship course for strengthening teaching, research, and curriculum development in South Asia. It enables us to train teachers and thus improve curricula all over South Asia. It also strengthens our pipeline of research projects. This is an intensive course, equivalent to a one-semester graduate course in environmental and resource economics, which is focused on development issues. It provides participants with the knowledge and skills to teach and carry out research in this area. Economists interested in upgrading their knowledge and developing research proposals for later submission to SANDEE attended the course. The core faculty of the course were Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, Prof Jeff Vincent, Dr Mani Nepal, and Prof Maximilian Auffhammer. Twenty-six researchers from all the countries of South Asia attended the course.

winter School in Environment and DevelopmentFebruary 27–March 4, 2016; Hotel Country Villa, Nagarkot, Nepal

The objective of this workshop is to help researchers strengthen their analyses, writing, and communication skills. The workshop is designed mostly for SANDEE researchers/associates who are doing a project with SANDEE. The core faculty of the course were Prof A.K. Enamul Haque, Prof E. Somanathan, Dr Heman Das Lohano, and Dr Mani Nepal. Seven SANDEE research associates attended this workshop.


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workshop Participants in 2016

SANDEE trained 61 participants across four workshops in the region

Total Trainees by Country, 2016 (including Research and Training Workshops)

Percentage of female Trainees (2012–2016)

ouTcomE: highlights• SANDEEtrainingcourseswereattendedby33participantsonarangeof issues.

• 36percentoftheparticipantswerewomen.

• 12workingpapersand8policybriefswerepublished.

• SANDEEresearcherscontinuetoteachSANDEEmaterial,developnew curricula and grow professionally.


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goALBuild professional

skills in relatively

underserved

areas to enable

local researchers

to address their

communities’

environmental

concerns

oThER AcTiViTiES:Sharing insights to identify challenges and support communities Ecosystem Services in South AsiaApril 28–29, 2016; New Delhi, India

The key objective of this two-day workshop on ‘Valuing, Managing and Investing in Ecosystem Services in South Asia’—organized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India), GIZ, and SANDEE—was to improve understanding of the economic challenges and opportunities for conserving ecosystem services. The


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Regional consultation workshop on Bridging the climate information and communication gaps for Effective Adaptation Decisions: An integrated climate information management SystemJune 21–22, 2016; Colombo, Sri Lanka

This workshop was jointly organized by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, Department of Meteorology in Sri Lanka, Janathakshan, and SANDEE. The participants discussed various aspects of climate information products, agricultural value chains, and local knowledge and adaptations in agriculture. The discussion focused on identifying suitable strategies of communication and community mobilization, the climate information needs of farmers, and the selection of appropriate information products.

interaction Program on Research Policy interface: mainstreaming Payment for Ecosystem Services in NepalNovember 9, 2016; Kathmandu, Nepal

This half-day workshop was organized by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, ICIMOD, Green Governance Nepal, and SANDEE. During the workshop, Nepal’s Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation, Shankar Bhandari, said priority has been given to conservation programs at the community level to improve bio-diversity conservation and ecosystem.

studies presented and discussed included SANDEE research by Saudamini Das and J.R. Vincent on mangroves in Kendrapada district, Orissa; the restoration of various wetlands; wildlife-human conflict; policy instruments; and avenues for further research. Three key themes that emerged were (a) the need to establish the varied and sometimes hidden contributions of ecosystem services to people’s livelihoods and human welfare; (b) the importance of addressing conflicts by identifying multiscale trade-offs; and (c) evaluating multiple policy levers and linking the valuation of ecosystem services to these policy instruments, where appropriate.


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Policy solutions emerge through research, peer reviews, and discussions among stakeholders, via network development and leadership. SANDEE shortens the distance from research to policy by navigating these elements.

IThere were some eight presentations by SANDEEites in conferences or seminars across the world (some of these activities were sponsored by SANDEE but others were not). Since SANDEEites have a budget within their research activities for dissemination, this happens routinely through seminars or other means. However, what is interesting is the increasing number of presentations that are happening outside these SANDEE-supported channels.

Chandan Singha, Jagath Edirisinge, Prajna Mishra, Saudamini Das, Rajesh Rai, Nandkaji Budhathoki, Bishal Bhardwaj, Md. Belal Uddin, Dipendra Bhattarai, Wasantha Athukorala, Amalendu Jyotishi, Mahfuz Kabir

DiSSEmiNATioN AND DiALoguE: Finding Policy SolutionsgoAL

Advance the

understanding

of issues that

link poverty,

development, and

the environment to

provide academics

and policy makers

the opportunities to

create a better

future


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A Selection of conference and Seminar Presentations (2016)

SwiTzERLAND EAERE 22nd Annual Conference, Chandan Singha, Jagath Edirisinge, Prajna Mishra, Saudamini Das, Rajesh Rai

SwEDEN SIDA- Development Research Conference, Nandkaji Budhathoki, Bishal Bhardwaj, Md. Belal Uddin

SiNgAPoRE Workshop on Smart Villages and Resilience to Natural Disaster, National University of Singapore, Dipendra Bhattarai

SRi LANKA 26th Asian Economic Symposium, University of Peredeniya, Wasantha Athukorala

PAKiSTAN Asia-Pacific Policy Dialogue on Water, Energy and Food Security for Poverty Alleviation in Dry Land Regions, organized by UNESCO and PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Adiqa Kiani

iNDoNESiA APN (Asia Pacific Network for global change research) workshop on ‘Improving the Robustness, Sustainability, Productivity and Eco-efficiencies of Rice Systems throughout Asia’, jointly organized by University of Tasmania, Australia, and Bogor Agriculture University, Manjula Menon

iNDiA National seminar on ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Vision of Economic Development of India’, Amalendu Jyotishi

BANgLADESh Situation Analysis of Environmental Statistics for Developing Bangladesh Environmental Statistics Framework 2016, Mahfuz Kabir


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PuBLicATioNS2016 working Papers:1. weather Variability, Agricultural Revenues and internal migration: Evidence

from Pakistan - Heman Das Lohano (WP 101-16)

2. Rainwater harvesting and Rural Livelihoods in Nepal - Rishi Ram Kattel (WP 102-16)

3. Evaluating the Role of media in Averting heat Stroke mortality: A Daily Panel Data Analysis - Saudamini Das (WP 103-16)

4. Performance Assessment of crop insurance Schemes in odisha in Eastern india - Mamata Swain and Sasmita Patnaik (WP 104-16)

5. forest conservation outside Protected Areas: Three Decades of forest change in a central indian Tiger corridor - Shivani Agarwal, Harini Nagendra, and Rucha Ghate (WP 105-16)

6. The clean Development mechanism and Dynamic capabilities of implementing firms: Evidence from india - Aradhna Aggarwal (WP 106-16)

7. The Relative Efficiency of organic farming in Nepal - Khem Raj Dahal and Shiva Chandra Dhakal (WP 107-16)

8. Designing a Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme for the Sardukhola watershed in Nepal - Rajesh K Rai, Priya Shyamsundar, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta, and Mani Nepal (WP 108-16)

9. Negative carbon Leakage: Evidence from South Asian countries - Surender Kumar and Prerna Prabhakar (WP 109-16)

10. Distributional impacts of climate change on Smallholder Agriculture in Sri Lanka - Jagath C. Edirisinghe (WP 110-16)

11. Plastic Bag Ban in Nepal: Enforcement and Effectiveness - Bishal Bharadwaj (WP 111-16)

12. cost of controlling water Pollution and its impact on industrial Efficiency - Asha Gunawardena (WP 112-16)


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Peer–reviewed Publications (grantees, Associates and Staff)1. Das, S. (2016) Television is more effective in bringing behavioral change: Evidence

from heat-wave awareness campaign in India, World Development.

2. Zamand, M., and A. Hyder (2016) Impact of climatic shocks on child human capital: Evidence from young lives data, Environmental Hazards, doi: 10.1080/17477891.2016.1185003.

3. Hossain, S., F. Egenbrod, and F. Amoako (2016) Unravelling the interrelationships between ecosystem services and human well-being in the Bangladesh delta, International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology.

4. Khan, G., M.A. Ather, and A. Kiani (2016) Dynamics of Energy Consumption, Technological Innovations and Economic Growth in Pakistan, Journal of Business & Economics,Vol8No1,pp.1–29.

5. Agarwal, S., D. Rocchini, A. Marathe, and H. Nagendra (2016) Exploring the relationship between remotely-sensed spectral variables and attributes of forest vegetation under the influence of local forest institutions (2016). ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information 5: 117, doi: 10.3390/ijgi5070117.

6. Agarwal, S., H. Nagendra, and R. Ghate (2016) The influence of forest management regimes on deforestation in a Central Indian dry deciduous forest landscape. LAND 5: 27, doi: 10.3390/land5030027.

7. Somanathan, E., R. Gupta, and S. Dey (2016) Global Warming and local air pollution have reduced wheat yields in India. Climatic Change.

8. Somanathan,E.,A.Datta(2016)ClimaticPolicy&Innovationintheabsenceofcommitment. Journal of the Association of Environment and Resource Economists. 3(4): 917–955.

9. Udayakumara, E.P.N., W.D.T.M. Gunawardena, J.M.C.K. Jayawardhena (2016) Impacts ofAgriculturalPracticesonWaterQualityinUmaOyaCatchmentAreainSriLanka.Procedia Food Science Vol 6, pp. 339–343.


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fiNANciAL oVERViEw AND SPoNSoRS

Sponsors

50%


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ouR TEAm AND PARTNERSiNSTiTuTioNAL PARTNERS• Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, India

• Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Nepal

• GIZ, India, and Nepal

• Asian Centre for Development, Bangladesh

• Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka

• International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal

• G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, India

• United Nations Environment Programme

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Sri Lanka

• Institute of Economic Growth, India

• Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

iNTERNATioNAL fAcuLTy• Duke University, USA

• Cambridge University, UK

• University of Namur, Belgium

• INRA, France

• University of California – Berkeley, USA

• GIST Advisory, Switzerland Regional Faculty

• East-West University, Bangladesh

• Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan

• Goa University, India

• Third Pole

SEcRETARiAT• E. Somanathan, Executive Director

• Madan S. Khadayat, Research Associate

• Ashistha Joshi, Accountant

• Mani Nepal, Research Program Manager

• Neesha Pradhan, Program Associate

• Pranab Mukhopadhyay, Goa University, Technical Support

• Rajesh Rai, Environmental Economist


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mANAgEmENT ADViSoRy commiTTEEPartha Dasgupta (chair)Professor Emeritus, Cambridge University, UK

Bhim Adhikari IDRC representative Program Leader, Environmental Economics, Senior Program Specialist, IDRC, Canada

David molden Director General, ICIMOD, Nepal

Adil Najam Dean, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, United States

AnnaKarin Norling SIDA representative First Secretary, Research Advisor, SIDA, Sweden

A.K. Enamul haqueProfessor, East West University, Bangladesh

Priya ShyamsundarLead Economist, The Nature Conservancy, USA

E. Somanathan Executive Director, SANDEE, Nepal

SANDEE seretariat


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ThE yEAR AhEAD: 2017RESEARch 1. Collaborative and comparative analyses (ongoing)

2. Special research projects:

• TheEconomicsofSolidWasteManagementandDrainage:Sustainable Approach to making South Asian Cities Climate-resilient, in collaboration with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Bharatpur metropolitan city, Nepal, Sylhet Municipality, Asian Centre for Development, Institute of Water Management, Bangladesh. Funded by IDRC, Canada.

• BenefitandCostsofReducingDeforestationandForestDegradation in NE India, in collaboration with ICIMOD.

TRAiNiNg1. Winter School in Research Methods (March 27–31, 2017).

coNfERENcES, DiSSEmiNATioN AND commiTTEE SuPPoRT 1. Technical support to recent grantees for completing their

Working Papers.

2. Newsletters, policy briefs (ongoing).


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SANDEE

P.o. Box 8975, E.P.c 1056, Lalitpur, Nepal Street address: c/o icimoD, Kathmandu, Nepal

Tel: 977 1 5003222 fax: 977 1 5003299 Email: [email protected] web: www.sandeeonline.org

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