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In this dissertation, we leverage predictive and prescriptive analytics to develop decision support systems to promote the use of renewable energy in society. Since electricity from renewable energy sources is still relatively expensive, there are variety of financial incentive programs available in different regions. Our research focuses on financial incentive programs and tackles two main problem: 1) how to optimally design and control hybrid renewable energy systems for residential and commercial buildings given the capacity based and performance based incentives, and 2) how to develop a model-based system for policy makers for designing optimal financial incentive programs to promote investment in net zero energy (NZE) buildings. In order to customize optimal investment and operational plans for buildings, we developed a mixed integer program (MIP). The optimization model considers the load profile and specifications of the buildings, local weather data, technology specifications and pricing, electricity tariff, and most importantly, the available financial incentives to assess the financial viability of investment in renewable energy. It is shown how the MIP model can be used in developing customized incentive policy designs and controls for renewable energy system.

In this study, employees are given autonomy in effort allocation across two tasks - complex and simple tasks, where the return to the organization is significantly higher for the complex task requiring high skill than for the simple task requiring low skill. An unavoidable feature of multi-task settings is that effort expended on one task detracts from effort that can be expended on another task. This effort trade-off among tasks becomes problematic when the returns from different tasks are unequal, with important consequences for a firm's overall performance. The design of management accounting control systems in such multi-task setting is difficult because organizations have to achieve multiple objectives: to improve productivity on both simple and complex tasks (i.e., performance) and to direct employee effort to more complex tasks given that the complex tasks are more valuable to firms (i.e., effort allocation). In a laboratory experiment, I examine the effects of two motivational mechanisms, financial compensation and relative performance information (RPI), on employee performance and effort allocation between simple and complex tasks. I find that the effects of RPI and financial compensation are independent such that each motivational mechanism affects performance and effort allocation separately. In addition, I find that the effects of RPI or financial compensation depend on whether a worker is a top performer or a bottom performer. Also, findings demonstrate that the effects of these motivational mechanisms on employee effort allocation and performance depend on the complexity of the task. Future research studies and managers who design incentive systems should consider the implementation of different types of incentives for different performer levels. Organizations should consider the degree of complexity of the tasks that workers must perform in multi-task settings.

The primary goal of this study is to identify the influence of auditor incentives in audit quality and how and why it influences the auditor in practice in south Asian countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This research will be relevant to authorities like audit firms, regulators, practitioners, and academics and it will be helpful to make the standard setup to establish the methods or procedures to offer the incentives which can be matched with the global context.  Theoretical concepts are based on previous research and publications regarding incentives, technological use in audit, auditor motivation, auditor behaviour, audit report and audit quality. Literature was used to derive the research gap and research questions. According to the literature, there is no universal definition to define the audit quality and presently, it is applying the standard frameworks to overcome that requirement. In this study, the authors also identified such frameworks and were mainly concerned about the Knechel et al, (2013) and IAASB (2014). According to the Knechel et al, (2013), the authors recognized the audit quality indicators under input, process, context, and outcome.  The study is conducted based on the Interpretivism paradigm as qualitative research concerning subjective viewpoints of ontology and humanist ways. For this thesis purpose the authors use semi-structured interviews with auditors from big four, private firm and large local audit firm in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as it helps to develop the findings, because these sorts of interviews provide detailed answers to the questions, interviewer can change the questions during the interview session according to the answer of the interviewee. From each country six participants have been chosen to conduct the interview.  The findings shows that auditor incentives have influenced on audit quality. Auditors who are highly motivated with incentives can produce audit report with free of misstatement. Moreover, Bangladeshi audit firms are not using technology and automation for auditing and accounting system except big four, whereas Sri Lankan audit firm are conducting their auditing and accounting through automation. Finally, the authors found that the Incentives, it may be financial or non-financial, are motivating the auditors and then auditors are doing their best effort to deliver the quality audit report.

The digital reality is within this current moment debated and something that affects people. Upcoming years in real estate in general, it will be crucial of developments within the industry concerning digital solutions. The processes, business and approaches that have affected an industry for a very long time are changing in its foundations. Owning a property or managing an object in the coming years in an increasingly digitized world will bring new types of demands on organizations that intend to participate in the development. For a long time, digitization has existed as a concept seeming exciting and interesting. Smart devices have taken a larger part of time through telephones, televisions and likewise. Banking processes have evolved through phones and other digital tools to provide new variations of banking services. Airports have developed digital check-in services, which mean that you are actually virtually on the plane before you arrive at the airport. The development of these banking and tourism services changes the market and companies have been able to take part of the market by providing new solutions.  In development and innovation, there is a term used repeatedly, the idea of a “disruptive innovation”. More explicitly, a new innovation that destroys the previously functioning market. As a concrete example, the previously well-functioning camera - today largely exchanged for the digital camera. Or the previously mentioned development of banks and flight processes. It has previously been functioning markets, however, these new processes and innovations have eliminated earlier working solutions by performing better.   The study investigates possibilities closer if there are potential "disruptive innovations" in facility management and digital key control. The thesis has been focusing on the consequences of digital keys by using a model to analyse the impact on work in a future process. The physical key is one of the most ancient innovations that have been refined and developed over the centuries. With the new digital reality, it may be possible to find a new process that create better functions. / Kommande år i fastighetsförvaltning i allmänhet kommer det att vara avgörande för utvecklingen inom industrin med digitala lösningar. De processer, affärer och tillvägagångssätt som har påverkat en bransch under en mycket lång tid är på väg att förändras i grunden. Äga en fastighet eller förvalta ett objekt de närmaste åren i en alltmer digitaliserad värld kommer att medföra nya typer av krav på organisationer som avser att delta i utvecklingen och vara aktuell på marknaden. Under lång tid har digitalisering funnits som ett koncept som synes spännande och intressant. Smarta enheter har tagit en större del av tiden via telefoner, tv-apparater och liknande. Bankprocesser har utvecklats genom telefoner och andra digitala verktyg för att ge nya variationer av banktjänster. Flygplatser har utvecklat digitala incheckningstjänster, vilket innebär att du faktiskt är på planet innan du kommer till flygplatsen. Utvecklingen av dessa bank- och turismtjänster förändrar marknaden och företagen har kunnat ta del av marknaden genom att erbjuda nya lösningar. Inom utveckling och innovation finns det ett begrepp vilket används återkommande, en idé om en ”disruptive innovation”. Mer explicit, att en ny innovation förstör den tidigare fungerande marknaden, där det konkreta exemplet är den tidigare väl fungerande kameran vilken idag i stor omfattning är utbytt till den digitala kameran. Eller den tidigare nämnda utvecklingen av bank och flygprocesser. Det har tidigare varit fungerande marknader, dock har nya processer och innovationer slagit ut tidigare fungerande lösningar.  I det här arbetet har möjligheterna undersökts närmre ifall det går att finna potentiella ”disruptive innovations” inom fastighetsförvaltning. Den fysiska nyckeln är en utav de mest antika innovationerna som genom årtusenden och århundranden har förfinats och utvecklats. Med den nya digitala verkligheten kan det vara möjligt att finna en ny process vilken fungerar på ett bättre sätt.

Šiame darbe siekiama ištirti paskatų tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms taikymo ypatumus naujose Europos Sąjungos šalyse – Lietuvoje, Latvijoje, Estijoje, Lenkijoje, Vengrijoje, Slovakijoje, Čekijoje ir Rumunijoje. Darbe atskleidžiami paskatų tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms (TUI) teoriniai aspektai, analizuojamos šiuolaikinės TUI tendencijos, keliamos hipotezės apie atskirų šalių teikiamas paskatas tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms ir jų patrauklumą. Šioms hipotezėms patvirtinti ar paneigti vykdomas dviejų etapų tyrimas, kuriuo parodoma, kiek apskritai ir kokias paskatas teikia pasirinktos šalys, taip pat nustatomi paskatų tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms reitingai, kuriais parodomas skirtingas kiekvienos šalies teikiamų paskatų patrauklumas. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, jog visos nagrinėjamos šalys teikia skirtingas paskatas tiesioginėms užsienio investicijoms. Įvertinus šalis pagal suminį paskatų investicijoms reitingą, patraukliausios šalys investuotojams yra Vengrija, Rumunija, Latvija. Galiausiai pateikti atlikto tyrimo ribotumai bei rekomendacijos tolesniems šios srities tyrimams. / This paper deals with analyzing investment incentives for foreign direct investment (FDI) concentrating on new European Union countries’ practices (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Romania). Firstly, the theoretical aspects of FDI incentives are described, then modern trends of FDI are examined and hypotheses about the range and attractiveness of investment incentives in selected countries are formulated. In order to confirm these hypotheses, the carried out research is divided into two stages, where quantity and variety of investment incentives is estimated and summary score of FDI incentives’ attractiveness is attributed to each country, showing how much the incentives’ system is well-favoured by investors. The results of the research identifies a wide range of investment incentives that are currently offered in new EU countries. Also, in conformity with the attributed summary score of FDI incentives, the most attractive countries are Hungary, Romania and Latvia. Finally, the limitations of this research and recommendations for further studies are presented.

x, 59 p. / Governments around the world provide financial incentives to encourage renewable energy generation and energy conservation. The primary goals of these efforts are to mitigate climate change and improve long-term energy independence by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The consensus in the energy incentive literature is that performance-based incentives, which fund energy output, are more cost efficient than investment-based incentives, which fund capital input. This thesis uses a 30-year case study of Oregon's Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) program to argue that investment-based energy incentives are moderately cost efficient relative to other state performance-based incentives and can be an effective driver of clean energy deployment. However, this analysis also finds that there are significant opportunities to improve the cost efficiency of investment-based energy incentive programs by targeting least cost projects. Namely, 50% of the first year kilowatt-hour electricity returns of the BETC program could have been achieved at 10% of the cost. These lessons from historical BETC spending should guide policymakers, NGO.s, and businesses who aim to make targeted use of fiscally-constrained energy incentive programs. / Committee in charge: Laura Leete, Chair; Ron Mitchell, Member; Grant Jacobsen, Member

Inom ramen för denna kandidatuppsats görs en analys av fastighetsmäklarens rätt till ersättning vid bostadsköp mellan privatpersoner. Vilka ersättningsformer påverkar fastighetsmäklarens incitament i form av prestation i förhållande till att denne förväntas agera oberoende parterna emellan. Fastighetsköp i form av bostadsköp mellan privatpersoner är ofta stora ekonomiska affärer. Det gör det extra viktigt att allt sker på rätt sätt samt att både säljare och köpare blir nöjda. Bostadsaffärer kan vara komplexa och det kan uppståen del oklarheter och osäkerheter kring inte sällan oviktiga detaljer vilket gör att de flesta väljer att ta hjälp av en fastighetsmäklare. Mäklaren ansvarar för att sköta allade praktiska moment som uppkommer genom hela processen. I gengäld förväntar sigmäklaren ersättning i form av provision när affären är klar. För att mäklaren ska ha rätt till sin ersättning krävs att rekvisiten i 23 § 1 st. FML är uppfyllda. När så är fallet blir även uppdragsgivaren, som i de flesta fall är säljaren, skyldig att betala dennes ersättning. Inom ramen för fastighetsmäklarens uppdrag har denne en del skyldigheter och regler att förhålla sig till. Bland annat ska denne agera utifrån god fastighetsmäklarsed (8 § FML) och därmed utföra sitt arbete med stor omsorg. Detta gäller hela tiden, oavsett situation, när mäklaren är iklädd sin yrkesmässiga roll. Under arbetets gång har jag främst använt mig av kommenterad lagtext, artiklar, debattartiklar, tidigare rättsfall i form av NJA och beslut från Fastighetsmarknadens Reklamationsnämnd. Jag har även genomfört ett antal intervjuer men aktiva fastighetsmäklare. Jag utgår ifrån individen som nyttomaximerande och att säljaren i detta fall är den som är uppdragsgivare. För att undersöka de ekonomiska incitament som mäklare har utgår jag ifrån tre olika ersättningsformer; fast arvode, rak provision samt provisionsstege. Jag har kommit fram till att förhållandet mellan ersättning till mäklaren som ofta bestäms utifrån slutpris samt det ekonomiska incitament som mäklaren har i förhållande till att denne förväntas agera oberoende säljare och köpare emellan inte allt för sällan kan komma att bli en svår balansgång. Det finns också anledning att tro att det råder en viss informations asymmetri mäklare oc huppdragsgivare emellan. / In this bachelor of science thesis an analys is made of real estate brokers and their right of financial compensation, in the case of property purchases between private idividuals. What different forms of financial compensation can affect real estate brokersand what financial incentives exists when they have to act impartial between sellers and byers. Property purchases between private individuals are often major financial deals.That makes it extra important that everything is done in the right way and that both seller and byer are satisfied. Property transactions can be very complex and there maybe some uncertainties about important details. Therefore most people take help from a real estate broker. The real estate broker is responsible for taking care of all the practical things that comes with the process. In return, he or she expetct financial compensation. In order for the real estate broker to be entitled to the compensation, the conditions in 23 § 1 act FML must be required. The seller of the property is most often the client who has to pay the broker. The broker has a lot of obligations and rules to follow. Among other things, he or she must act on the basis of sound estate agent practice. This applies at all times when the broker is dressed in his professional role. During the course of my work I have mainly used annotated legal texts, articles,debate articles, previous court cases and decisions of Fastighetsmarknadens Reklamationsnämnd (FRN). I have also interviewed a few real estate brokers who are working on the swedish real estate market. I assume that the individual is maximized in use and that the seller always is the client of the broker. I want to investigate financial incentives of real estate brokers and will use three different forms of financial compensation; fixed commission, straight commission and commission bast on steps. I have realized that the financial incentives of the broker may vary depending on the type of financial compensation and that it sometimes can be hard to act impartial between seller and byer. There is also reason to believe that there is a certain information asymmetry between clients and real estate brokers.

In Sweden, the retail sector is responsible for 8% of the total supply chain waste. Although the number is relatively small, the retail sector is of key importance for food waste minimization since retail stores collect large amounts of food and connect with consumers and producers in a limited, clearly defined number of places. Therefore, initiatives or policies implemented in retail may have major implications. The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) concludes that prevention of food waste and redistribution to humans are the only actions that contribute to Target 12.3, aiming to halve food waste per capita from both retail and consumer levels as well as reduce food losses in the production and supply sectors by 2030. Also, research concludes that the median benefit-cost ratio for reducing waste in the supply chain is 14:1, and that unawareness of this business case is a reason for insufficient implementation of food waste reduction. In the latest years, authorities and researchers have increased focus and emphasized importance of industry collaboration to reduce supply chain food waste; however, there are more scarce findings in literature on incentives for food waste reduction from a retailer perspective. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to understand barriers and incentives for prevention of food waste and price reduction, conversion and donation of surplus food from a retailer perspective, and thereby identify opportunities to increase incentives. A multiple case study of nine retailers from the three major Swedish retail corporations was chosen as methodology, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers working in each store. The results show internal and external barriers for reduction, the major ones being the business objective to always ensure consumer satisfaction and variability in demand (prevention); inefficient label creation due to health and safety regulations (conversion) and lack of available partnerships (donation). In terms of initiative prioritization, financial benefits are found to be the major driving force for waste reduction, why food waste prevention is the most favourable option and reduction initiatives prioritize expensive products. Also, the incentive for food waste reduction depends strongly on business case awareness and integration efficiency, where the study identifies opportunities to increase incentives when: i) retailers are aware of the business case of reducing food waste, but discouraged by certain constraints; ii) retailers are unaware of the business case; and iii) there is no existing business case / 8% av Sveriges totala matavfall uppkommer i livsmedelsbutiker. Trots denna relativt låga siffra är butikerna avgörande för minimering av matavfall: de samlar stora mängder mat på ett begränsat antal platser och implementerade initiativ och policy får därmed stor verkan. Kungl. vetenskapsakademin (IVA) har konstaterat att förebyggande av matavfall och omfördelning av överskott till människor är de enda initiativ som signifikant bidrar till att nå Förenta Nationernas hållbarhetsmål 12.3, att halvera matsvinnet per person i butik- och konsumentled, och minska matsvinnet längs hela livsmedelskedjan. Studier visar att det finns ett tydligt business case för reducering av matsvinn, att initiativ i genomsnitt genererar 14 gånger så stor finansiell vinning som kostnad för aktörer i livsmedelskedjan, men att många aktörer saknar vetskap om detta. Myndigheter och forskare har de senaste åren i en allt större utsträckning ägnat fokus åt, och betonat vikten av, samarbete i livsmedelskedjan för att reducera matavfallet. Mindre fokus har ägnat åts livsmedelsbutikernas incitament att genomföra de initiativ som anses nödvändiga för att matavfallet i Sverige ska reduceras. Syftet med studien var därför att, från ett butiksperspektiv, förstå rådande hinder och incitament för förebyggande matavfall samt prisreduktion, förädling och donering av överskottsmat, och därigenom identifiera möjligheter att öka dessa incitament. Studien genomfördes i form av en fallstudie av nio livsmedelsbutiker från de tre största livsmedelskedjorna i Sverige, där semistrukturerade intervjuer hölls med ansvariga från varje butik. Resultaten visar interna och externa barriärer för reduktion av matavfall, av vilka de signifikanta är att ständigt tillfredsställande av konsumenters önskemål och variation i efterfrågan (förebyggande av matavfall), ineffektivitet i tillverkning av innehållsförteckningar (förädling), samt avsaknad av fungerande partnerskap (donering). Finansiell vinning är den största drivkraften för reduktion av matavfall, varför matavfall helst förebyggs och dyra produkter prioriteras. Det råder en generell osäkerhet kring den optimala strategin för att reducera matavfall, samt bristande tid att ägna initiativ. Incitament för reduktion av matavfall beror därför i stor utsträckning på vetskap om ett initiativs business case, samt hur effektivt det kan integreras i butikens verksamhet. Möjlighet att öka incitament finns därmed där: i) livsmedelsbutiker har vetskap om ett business case, men förhinder att agera; ii) livsmedelsbutiker saknar vetskap om ett business case); och iii) det saknas ett business case.

What strategies really work against the intense loss of native habitat? How can we improve forested areas around the world? The creation of protected areas - natural reserves aiming at preserving biodiversity and ecological relations in pristine environments - has been the main strategy against land surface transformation and the loss of natural capital. Recently, financial incentives have promptly become the most promising and accepted new strategies for conservation, and several experiences were implemented, particularly in the tropics. However, we urge to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms, both old and new, and several researchers have argued that econometric methods, traditionally used in impact evaluation of development, health, and education policies, should be applied in assessing the impacts of interventions for environmental conservation. Our goal in the present study is to estimate the effectiveness of two popular financial incentives against native vegetation loss in Brazil: payments for ecosystem services (PES) and the intergovernmental fiscal transfer based on ecological criteria - the Ecological ICMS. We used a counterfactual approach, which seeks adequate control groups in order to estimate what would have happened in the absence of the intervention - i.e., we search for additional gain or additionality. Payment for ecosystem services programs were evaluated regarding the promotion of additional native forest areas while the Ecological ICMS was assessed for its ability to promote new legally protected areas for conservation. We evaluated two of the oldest and most well established payment for ecosystem services programs in the Atlantic Forest, located in the Cantareira Water System, near the metropolis of São Paulo: the \\textit{Produtor de Água} (Water Producer) in Joanópolis and Nazaré Paulista (SP), and the \\textit{Conservador das Águas} (Water Conservationist), in Extrema (MG). In total, 83 rural properties contracted by the programs, and 83 properties selected as control units, were mapped using satellite images available in Google since 2003 and evaluated for the presence of regeneration and deforestation in three moments: before the program, at the time of program implementation and after program implementation. We show that PES programs positively affect the area under regeneration inside contracted rural properties, but does not affect deforestation. The average effect on regeneration was 0.69\\% of property area per year, which means that in 0.69\\% of the evaluated property area there would be no regeneration of native vegetation were it not for PES programs intervention. This result shows the additional effect of PES programs on regeneration of native forest but also shed light that this is a slow process. Secondly, the effect of the Ecological ICMS mechanism was evaluated regarding the expansion of Conservation Units - protected areas for conservation. We compared 2,481 municipalities from eight states in the Atlantic Forest region, in a panel data (i.e., longitudinal database) covering the period from 1987 to 2016. We show that municipalities under the incentive of the ecological ICMS law, when compared to control municipalities not subject to the same mechanism, present a small increase in area of new conservation units in the first years of law existence. However, this effect decreases over time disappearing about 10 years after the approval of the law. In addition to the temporary effect, we show that protected areas created, particularly by local governments, are preferably Environmental Protection Areas (APA) - a category that imposes few restrictions on land use and promotes little contribution to the conservation of natural resources. In order to estimate the effect of the Ecological ICMS on regeneration and deforestation processes, we accessed a national database on land use change between 1985 and 2017. However, observing deforestation patterns throughout this historical data series, it called our attention the possible existence of electoral cycles affecting deforestation - which gave rise to the third chapter of the thesis. We analyze deforestation (percentage deforested over previous forested area) in a panel with 2,277 municipalities within the Atlantic Forest region, from seven states of the South and Southeast, considering the period from 1991 to 2014. We demonstrate the existence of electoral deforestation cycles, linked to state elections in five observed states and municipal elections in three states. We also show evidence that elections in which the incumbent is losing by a large margin of votes tend to be the events with greater observed deforestation, and that party alignment between mayor and governor parties can also contribute to an increase in deforestation during municipal elections. Financial mechanisms, at least in the way they have been designed to date, are limited as major instruments in achieving the goals of conservation and restoration of native forests. In addition, eventhough there is a major effort to create new mechanisms and increase conservation gains, it is of concern that these gains can be offset by losses due to political motivations, even in the region of the country with one of the most stringent legislations for tropical forests in the world / Quais estratégias realmente funcionam contra a intensa perda de habitat nativo? Como podemos aumentar nossas áreas de florestas? A criação de áreas protegidas - reservas naturais com o objetivo de preservar a biodiversidade e as relações ecológicas de ambientes pristinos - tem sido a principal estratégia contra as transformações na superfície da Terra e a perda de habitat nativo. Recentemente, incentivos financeiros se tornaram rapidamente promissores e populares instrumentos para a conservação ambiental, e diversas experiências foram implementadas, particularmente nas florestas tropicais. No entanto, carecemos de avaliações sistemáticas sobre a efetividade destes mecanismos, antigos e novos, e diversos pesquisadores argumentam que métodos da econometria, tradicionalmente usados na avaliação de políticas de desenvolvimento, saúde e educação, devem ser aplicados na avaliação dos impactos das intervenções para a conservação ambiental. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estimar a efetividade de dois dos mais populares incentivos financeiros no combate à perda de vegetação nativa no Brasil: os pagamentos por serviços ambientais (PSA) e a transferência fiscal intergovernamental com base em critérios ecológicos - o ICMS Ecológico, concebido e implementado no Brasil de forma inédita. Para estas avaliações, nos baseamos na abordagem contrafactual, que busca adequados grupos de controle com o objetivo de estimar o que haveria ocorrido na ausência da intervenção estudada, isto é, se houve ganho adicional ou adicionalidade. Os programas de pagamento por serviços ambientais foram avaliados quanto a promoção de áreas adicionais de floresta nativa enquanto que o ICMS Ecológico foi avaliado quanto a sua capacidade de promover novas áreas legalmente destinadas à conservação de recursos naturais - as Unidades de Conservação. Avaliamos dois dos mais antigos e bem estabelecidos programas de pagamento por serviços ambientais na Mata Atlântica, localizados no Sistema Cantareira, ao redor da região metropolitana de São Paulo: o Produtor de Água, em Joanópolis e Nazaré Paulista (SP), e o Conservador das Águas, em Extrema (MG). No total, 83 propriedades rurais contratadas pelos programas, e 83 propriedades selecionadas como controle, foram acompanhadas por imagens de satélite disponíveis no Google desde 2003 e avaliadas quanto a presença de regeneração e desmatamento, em três momentos: antes dos programas, no momento da implementação e após um período de operação dos programas. Mostramos que os programas de PSA afetam positivamente a área em regeneração dentro das propriedades rurais contratadas, mas não afeta o desmatamento. O efeito médio sobre a regeneração foi de 0.69\\% da área da propriedade ao ano, o que significa que em 0.69\\% da área das propriedades avaliadas não haveria regeneração de vegetação nativa não fosse a intervenção dos programas avaliados. Esse resultado mostra o efeito adicional dos programas de PSA sobre o processo de regeneração de floresta nativa mas nos revela também que se trata de um processo lento. Na segunda etapa da pesquisa, foi estimado o efeito do mecanismo do ICMS Ecológico sobre a expansão de Unidades de Conservação. Comparamos 2.481 municípios de oito estados na região da Mata Atlântica, em um painel (i.e. base de dados longitudinal) compreendendo o período de 1987 a 2016. Demonstramos que municípios sob o incentivo da lei do ICMS Ecológico, quando comparados com municípios controle não sujeitos ao mesmo mecanismo, apresentam um pequeno aumento em área de novas unidades de conservação nos primeiros anos de existência da lei. No entanto, este efeito decresce ao longo do tempo desaparecendo cerca de 10 anos após a aprovação da lei. Além do efeito temporário, mostramos que as áreas protegidas criadas, particularmente pelos governos locais, são preferencialmente Áreas de Proteção Ambiental (APA) - categoria que impõe poucas restrições ao uso da terra e que traz pequena contribuição à conservação dos recursos naturais. Com o intuito de estimar o efeito do ICMS ecológico sobre processos de regeneração e desmatamento, acessamos uma base de dados nacional sobre mudança no uso da terra no período entre 1985 e 2017. Observando os padrões de desmatamento ao longo desta série histórica, nos chamou a atenção a possível presença de ciclos eleitorais afetando o desmatamento - o que deu origem ao terceiro capítulo da tese. Analisamos o desmatamento (percentual desmatado sobre a área prévia de floresta) em um painel com 2.277 municípios na região da Mata Atlântica, dos sete estados do Sul e Sudeste, considerando o período de 1991 a 2014. Nós demonstramos a existência de ciclos eleitorais de desmatamento, ligados às eleições estaduais, em cinco dos estados observados, e municipais, em três estados. Também mostramos evidências de que as eleições nas quais o incumbente está perdendo por uma ampla margem de votos tendem a ser os eventos com maior desmatamento observado, e que o alinhamento entre o partido do prefeito e do governador também pode contribuir para o aumento do desmatamento durante as eleições municipais. Os mecanismos financeiros, ao menos na forma que foram concebidos até o momento, se mostram bastante limitados como instrumentos majoritários no alcance das metas de conservação e restauração de florestas nativas. Além disso, se existe um grande esforço para que novos mecanismos sejam criados e que se possa ampliar os ganhos em conservação, é preocupante que estes ganhos possam ser compensados por perdas decorrentes de motivações políticas, mesmo na região do país na qual vigora uma das legislações mais rígidas sobre florestas tropicais do mundo