Institute for Applied Environmental Economics / TME

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TME profile

The Institute for Applied Environmental Economics - TME - is an independent, international operating research and consultancy group, based in Voorschoten (near The Hague). TME is specialised in the economics and management of environmental and natural resources issues and focusses on deeper insights into sustainable development.

The research and consultancy is provided to governments, companies and non-governmental organisations. The basic philosophy is that each party has to play its own role in the society's quest to contribute economic development in balance with environmental qualities:

- companies have to improve the value to cost ratio of businesses taking into account the demands with respect to environment and resources;

- governments (and international institutions) have to develop cost-effective policies and implement sound regulations to foster environmentally sound innovations;

- non-governmental organisations have to develop sound and forceful demands for progress and commit stakeholders.

Based on this philosophy TME provides support in four areas:

Policy Support

Assessment of investments, costs, effects and statistical basis to support political decision making, to avoid mismatch of funds and social resistance to inadequate actions.

Policy Instruments

Assessments and evaluations of alternatives for policy implementation: taxes, deposit refunds on products, tradable emission permits and agreements.

Market Development

Assistance with life cycle management, development of markets and innovations to translate environmental demands into business opportunities.

Cleaner Production

Assistance to companies and environmental authorities with feasible and efficient solutions and development of policy support.

The staff of TME has extensive experience with strategic policy studies into sustainable development and with translation of the stakeholders demands into business opportunities. To provide independent and reliable services to clients, TME develops and uses advanced computer models.

Since the establishment of the company in 1992, TME has developed several models, amongst others:

- CO2L: sophisticated, yet easy to use model to calculate a carbon footprint of your company, company processes and/or products

- MOSES: Model On Sustainable Environmental-economic Scenario's is a model to assess the costs and effects of policy alternatives, given some environmental goals

- 2l cc ("tool cost curves"): a computer tool to estimate marginal abatement cost curves

- Global Footprint for Companies: by anology with the Ecological Footprint for consumers a model that calculates the footprint of companies

- PIA: Product Improvement Analysis to execute life cycle assessments in accordance with international accepted standards

- DuWo 2040: a simulation model on the costs and effects of reducing energy and water use in a living district to sustainable levels (DuWo = Duurzaam Wonen = Sustainable Housing), e.g. reduction of the use of non-renewables by a factor 20

- Eco-balance: a material flow model on company level

TME strives for innovative approaches towards environmental economics in co-operation with research institutes, consultancy and engineering groups. To attain the progress, the staff participates and organizes seminars, workshops and experts networks. To do so, TME fosters the exchange of experiences and new concepts.