Regional and sector environmental efficiency Empirical evidence using the Italian RAMEA

This paper develops empirical analyses using the NAMEA (National Accounting Matrix including Environmental Accounts) with reference to the Lazio region, Italy, where Rome is located. The data in our analysis are for 2000, the only year that both regional and national level data are available (national level data are available for the period 1990-2003). By comparing regional and national environmental sector intensities, we aim to demonstrate the utility of NAMEA and shift share analyses for environmental and industrial policy making. In referring to a regional framework, the analysis is very significant since it allows the investigation to focus on structural and idiosyncratic features compared to national averages, providing food for thought for regional development policy making, which is the key stone of economic development. It enables economic policies to be differentiated by regions, on the basis of the observed heterogeneity in economic-environmental relationships. We are aware of some rare examples at the international level, of regional analyses, and also a few national level studies, including the work carried out by Wuppertal Institute on environmental input-output methodologies (Nansai et al. 2007; Suh 2005; Huppes et al. 2005) including NAMEA like data that have covered mainly emission but also waste and materials (Nakamura 1999; Moll et al. 1999), the good quality Spanish data (Roca and Serrano 2007a,b). For an overview of the recent development of regional NAMEA (RAMEA) in Italy see the institutional site www.arpa.emr.it/ramea. Stauvermann (2007) and Goralzcyck and Stauvermann (2008) present some comparative environmental performances of a RAMEA EU project. At the international level there are some academic works, such as Ike (1999), Vaze (1999), and Keuning et al. (1999), which present and discuss some country specific NAMEA experiences, within the perspective of structural change analysis. Steenge (1999) provides a policy-oriented analysis with reference to the possible policy implications of NAMEA. There are a very few studies based on a proper environmental economics oriented perspective, for example Mazzanti et al. (2008), who exploit panel data for Italy to assess environmental Kuznets curves dynamics over 1990-2001.