EPS302 Who runs it all?

Which of the following best describes the concept of the "green state"?

• A state that allows markets to dictate climate policy without intervention.

• A government that actively structures and manages the transition toward sustainability.

• A government that subsidizes fossil fuel industries to ensure energy security.

• A state that passively regulates environmental activities.

The global energy transition is considered "fundamentally political" because:

• Political and financial risks shape which actors gain or lose during transition processes.

• Fossil fuels are more efficient than renewables.

• Market mechanisms alone can ensure an efficient transition.

• Renewable energy technologies are inherently unstable.

Which of the following instruments is not typically associated with green finance?

• Tariff escalation

• Blended finance

• Green bonds

• ESG integration

A developing country struggles to attract green bond investment due to weak regulation and small capital markets. This situation illustrates:

• High fossil fuel dependency only.

• Misapplication of carbon taxes.

• Institutional underdevelopment as a barrier to green finance.

• Overinvestment in carbon-based industries.

If a state offers retraining programs and income maintenance to workers displaced from coal mining, it is pursuing which policy approach?

• Just transition

• Fiscal austerity

• Structural adjustment

• Carbon leakage

Which of the following best distinguishes carbon taxes from Emissions Trading Systems (ETS)?

i. Carbon taxes fix the price of carbon; ETS fixes the quantity of emissions.
ii. ETS creates marketable permits; carbon taxes do not.
iii. Carbon taxes are politically easier to implement.
iv. ETS ensures revenue stability.

• A. ii and iii

• B. iii and iv

• C. i and ii
  
  
  

• D. i and iv

Which statement about the 'triple penalty' faced by developing countries in the energy transition is most accurate?

• High transition costs, limited finance access, and pressure to industrialize sustainably.

• Over-reliance on fossil fuels, lack of labor, and high inequality.

• Declining demand, aging population, and falling energy exports.

• Loss of technological advantage, trade imbalances, and youth unemployment.

Why does 'strategic credibility' matter in climate policy?

• It measures the profitability of carbon markets.

• It ensures governments maintain consistent policy commitments after investments are made.

• It assesses how quickly technologies can be patented.

• It determines if firms can influence electoral results.

According to the document, what percentage of new global electricity capacity in 2023 was renewable?

• 92%

• 50%

• 86%

• 65%

The term 'surveillance capitalism,' coined by Shoshana Zuboff, refers to:

• Extraction and commodification of human behavioral data by digital platforms.

• Use of government surveillance for national security.

• State control over data infrastructure.

• Taxation of online advertising revenues.