The evaluation of climate policy: theory and emerging practice in Europe

Climate policy is a relatively young and dynamic area of public policy making. However, its development has attracted far more attention than the results it delivers in practice, which of course are the concern of policy evaluators. This article attempts to provide the first systematic cataloging of the emerging patterns of policy evaluation undertaken in different parts of the European Union. Theories of policy evaluation suggest that these evaluation practices should acknowledge the inherent complexity of climate policy making, be reflexive by questioning official policy goals, and be participatory. A meta-analysis of 259 climate policy evaluations suggests that current practice engages with some but not all of these issues. This article concludes by analyzing the implications of this finding for those in the academic and practitioner community who are keen to understand the extent to which climate policy evaluation is delivering on its promises.     

Empower,not impose!—Preventing academic procrastination

ABSTRACT

In the frame of the goal setting process between supervisor and student while writing a thesis, it is hypothesized that mutually set goals (participation) and writing down the results of the meeting (recording) can prevent procrastination and increase engagement of the student. With a questionnaire relating to the latest written thesis (n?=?97, academic sample), the effects of goal setting characteristics (recording, participation) and task characteristics (ambiguity, control) on engagement and procrastination were examined. Results of a multiple mediation model indicate that recording indirectly influences engagement and procrastination through its effect on ambiguity. Moreover, participation indirectly influences engagement through its effect on control. It is concluded that goal setting characteristics and task characteristics can affect student’s procrastination. Thus, the present research provides criteria for how supervisors can prevent students from procrastinating.     

Reconstruction of a real car-pedestrian-accident. Part I: Generating an individual digital topographic image of the victim

The aim of forensic biomechanics is the reconstruction of traumatic events based on the pathological findings in the victim's morphology, the accident traces and the car damages. The use of forensic documentation tools (e.g. Streifenlichttopometrie) enables 3-dimensional and proportional accurate documentation of the victim's body, of its injuries and of the car damages with submillimeter precision. The generated topographic image serves as input for a multi-body system model of the victim. It allows further to determine exactly the contact points between car and victim for a computer simulated dynamical reconstruction of the impact situation. In the case of an accident involving a car and a pedestrian the generation and application of computer aided 3-dimensional reconstruction models are shown.     

Date-rape-supporting and victim-blaming attitudes among high school students in a multiethnic society: Israel

This study examined the extent to which a multiethnic sample of 900 Israeli high school students supported date-rape and victim-blaming attitudes and the predictors of such support. Findings indicate wide support for stereotypes justifying sexual coercion by time and the location of the date, the victim's behavior, and the minimization of the seriousness of date rape. A regression analysis indicates that students' gender and age are the strongest predictors of rape-tolerant and victim-blaming attitudes. Socioeconomic status and religious orientation explain a small proportion of the variance in the support of such attitudes. By contrast, no significant relationship is indicated with ethnicity. Alternative sex-education and rape-prevention programs must address date-rape and victim-blaming attitudes and make students of both genders aware of various factors that continue to be misread as an invitation to have sex and put them at high risk of experiencing sexual coercion on a date.     

Neue Konstruktionstypen für Offshore-Windenergieanlagen im Genehmigungsverfahren nach der SeeAnlV

Das Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH) prüft im Genehmigungsverfahren für Offshore-Windparks auf Grundlage der Antragsunterlagen die möglichen Auswirkungen, die das Vorhaben insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Seeschifffahrt und die Meeresumwelt haben kann. Die Konstruktion der Anlagen wird regelmäßig in einem gesonderten Zertifizierungsverfahren begutachtet (vgl. § 5 Abs. 2 SeeAnlV). In den bisher vorliegenden Genehmigungen ² hat das BSH als Genehmigungsbehörde lediglich abstrakt festgelegt, dass die Konstruktion und Ausstattung der Anlagen dem Stand der Technik entsprechen und die der Gründung dienenden Bauwerke von einer anerkannten Stelle zertifiziert sein müssen. Entsprechende Nachweise seien rechtzeitig vor Baubeginn vorzulegen. Diese Genehmigungspraxis des BSH begegnet im Hinblick auf neue Konstruktionstypen rechtlichen Bedenken. Aus der Genehmigung können über Nebenbestimmungen nur solche Details ausgeklammert werden, von denen die Erfüllung der Genehmigungsvoraussetzungen der SeeAnlV nicht abhängen kann. 1) Die Autoren sind Rechtsanwälte des Berliner Anwaltsbüros Gaßner, Groth, Siederer & Coll.2) Genehmigung des Offshore-Windparks Borkum-West vom 9. 11. 2001, des Offshore-Bürger-Windparks Butendiek vom 18. 12. 2002 sowie des Offshore-Windenergieparks Nordsee-Ost vom 9. 6. 2004.