The efficiency of the public intervention on the environment:Evidence based on non-parametric and parametric approaches

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 183; pp. 744 - 759
• Main Authors: Meleddu, Marta, Pulina, Manuela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 10.05.2018
• Subjects: air; biodiversity; compliance; decision making; Environment; Europe; Full and partial frontier DEA; higher education; Malmquist; Post-DEA; Public expenditure; technological change; tourism; Europe; Q56; Post-DEA; Malmquist; Environment; C1; Q20; Public expenditure; Full and partial frontier DEA
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.134

This paper evaluates the efficiency of the allocation of public resources aimed at complying with the European environmental directives. A full and partial frontier Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is applied to a panel of decision-making units (i.e. a set of regions), with a specific focus on the air & water and biodiversity sectors. The Malmquist productivity index allows one to analyse regional productivity change; while a post-DEA, based upon Simar-Wilson approach, allows one to explore the factors that affect the performance. Overall, a specific group of regions outperform for air & water intervention while the reverse outcome is obtained for biodiversity. The findings also show a rather low technological change, especially for biodiversity. The post-DEA indicates that an increase in the tourism and agricultural activity exerts a negative impact on the air & water public efficiency, while has a positive influence on biodiversity. Higher education in technical subjects also increases performance.