空间视角下中国农业生态效率的收敛性与分异特征

基于1978—2016年中国省级面板数据,采用超效率SBM模型测算省际农业生态效率,在Kernel密度估计分析时空演变格局的基础上,将空间效应因素引入经典β收敛的检验过程中,建立空间计量模型估算其空间收敛性,并分区域、分时段讨论其分异特征。研究发现:①中国农业生态效率呈现出在波动中稳定上升的"双峰"分布特征,且波峰高度的差距在缩小,但整体仍处于较低水平,农业生态效率仍存在较大提升空间,东部地区农业生态效率增长较中西部地区更加明显;②中国农业生态效率存在显著的空间收敛性,空间条件β收敛的速度为0. 105,条件收敛速度显著快于绝对收敛,空间因素对收敛趋势具有加速效应,使得地区间农业生态效率的空间差异随时间推移呈现出进一步缩小的态势;③不同地区、不同时段的农业生态效率空间收敛性同样显著,空间收敛速度呈现出东北、中部、西部、东部依次递减的分布格局,且不同地区间收敛速度均大于经典收敛,这与区域间经济发展水平、农业技术条件、基础设施、资本流动性等各方面存在关联性,而除2004—2016年外,其他时段的空间收敛速度均高于经典收敛速度,且表现出逐步递减的变化过程。由于空间收敛性的存在,各地区应充分考虑到自身资源禀赋及农业经济发展水平的差异性,邻近地区之间应加强农业生产合作与交流,并建立完备的农业生态合作机制、生态政策联动机制。     

全要素能源效率与中国经济增长收敛性——基于动态面板数据的实证检验

能源效率是促进经济增长、减少能源消费的关键政策参数,研究能源效率与经济增长收敛性关系,对于揭示能源效率在我国地区经济增长中的作用,指导能源发展战略具有重要的理论和实践意义。本文选取1995-2009年中国29个省份的面板数据样本,运用DEA方法测算全要素能源效率,发现全国以及区域能源效率经历了一个先上升再下降的过程,中国省域全要素能源效率差异显著,但总体上各省份之间的差异呈现缩小趋势;将能源效率纳入内生经济增长模型进行实证检验,运用IV、DIFF-GMM和SYS-GMM方法证明中国经济增长条件收敛存在,能源效率系数显著为正,说明能源效率促进中国经济增长和收敛;运用纠偏LSDV估计方法分区域开展实证检验,研究认为,能源效率对东部和中部地区经济增长起到显著的促进作用,由此表明能源效率对经济发达地区作用更为显著。基于此,国家能源效率提升战略重点应放在东中部能源消费集中地区,从而通过节能技术"溢出"效应促进西部地区能源效率的提升,以促进地区经济增长的收敛。     

中国环境效率评价及其影响因素实证研究

环境效率是实际污染排放和潜在污染排放的一种度量。本文运用包含污染排放的环境DEA模型,测算了1998-2007年中国省际环境效率,检验了其收敛情况。结果显示,全国环境效率总体水平较低,省际、区域间差距较大,表明现阶段实行地区间减排合作、推动环保技术在区域间扩散的现实必要性;分别从20032、005年开始,省际、区域环境效率差距逐渐缩小,存在一定的收敛趋势;同时,本文采用Tobit模型分析了影响环境效率因素,研究发现人均GDP对提高环境效率具有积极影响,而工业比重上升、财政分权度的提高以及贸易自由化对环境效率具有显著的负面影响。最后,基于实证研究的结果,就减少地区污染排放、提高我国环境效率给出了相关政策建议。     

西部大开发十五年环境效率评价及其影响因素分析

西部大开发政策实施以来,西部地区实现了快于东部和中部的经济增长。正确认识西部地区经济增长中的环境成本,评价西部地区的环境效率具有重要意义。本文运用考虑非期望产出的超效率SBM模型测算了2000—2014年西部大开发以来的环境效率。研究发现:西部地区环境效率偏低,处于相对无效状态。西部地区环境效率明显低于传统效率,经济增长付出了较高的环境代价。西部大开发以来传统效率与环境效率之间的差距呈现先扩大后缩小的"倒U"型走势变化。西部地区省份环境效率在全国排名靠后,各省份的环境效率呈现出差异化的发展态势,其中重庆和四川排名不断提升,新疆排名逐步回落,内蒙古和广西在西部地区排名相对靠前且比较稳定,云南和陕西一直处于中间水平,贵州、甘肃、青海、宁夏排名相对靠后。西部地区环境效率2000—2003年上升,2004—2010年不断下降,2010—2014年趋于平稳。西部地区环境效率低于东部地区且差距大,也低于中部地区和全国平均水平。通过收敛性检验发现,西部地区各省份间的环境效率差距呈现先缩小后扩大的趋势;西部地区与东部地区间的环境效率差距逐渐扩大,与中部地区间的环境效率差距先扩大后缩小。本文同时采用了Tobit模型进行面板回归,实证分析了西部地区环境效率的影响因素。结果表明:经济发展水平、科学技术水平、能源消费结构、环保投资力度对西部地区环境效率具有显著影响;产业结构变化和对外开放程度对西部地区环境效率影响不显著;西部地区存在环境效率的库兹涅茨曲线。     

中国工业环境效率及其空间差异的收敛性

本文利用超效率数据包络分析方法,基于可持续发展工商理事会(WBCSD)的环境效率概念,构建了工业环境效率评价模型,分析了中国286个地级城市在2005-2010年间的工业环境效率的变化轨迹,基于此,利用变异系数和面板数据估计模型,分别对全国以及东、中、西部地区环境效率的空间差异的收敛性及其影响因素进行了分析。结果表明:在2005-2010年间,中国工业环境效率总体上有所降低,且基本呈现东高西低的空间格局,其中,东部地区的工业环境效率高于全国平均水平,但呈现逐年下降的趋势,中、西部地区的环境效率均低于全国平均水平,但呈现缓慢增长的趋势。中国以及东、中、西部地区工业环境效率的空间差异既存在绝对收敛,即:工业环境效率的空间差异随着时间尺的推移呈现逐渐缩小的趋势;也存在明显的东、中、西地理空间和高、中、低收入水平俱乐部收敛特征;还存在条件收敛特征,即:存在环境效率水平落后地区对发达地区的"追赶效应",城市规模、经济水平、财政能力和工业外向度对全国尺度环境效率的空间收敛过程具有促进作用,而工业增长能力则相反;不同区域的不同控制变量对环境效率的影响作用不同,城市规模、经济水平、财政能力对东部地区环境效率改善及其在区域间的收敛过程具有明显的促进作用;而中部地区城市规模、财政能力、工业增长能力与其工业环境效率之间存在明显的负向关系。城市经济水平、工业外向度则表现出促进作用;西部地区城市规模、经济水平与环境效率之间存在显著的正向关系。     

中国服务业碳生产率的空间收敛性研究

在经济服务化与低碳化的双重背景下,研究中国服务业碳生产率的演变轨迹,区域差异及空间收敛特征,对于推动中国服务业高质量发展具有重要的意义。采用2004—2016年中国30个省(区、市)的面板数据,对服务业碳生产率进行测度,并对其演变轨迹与区域差异进行分析,在此基础上,系统考察中国服务业碳生产率的空间收敛性。研究表明:①中国服务业碳生产率在整体上呈逐年增长态势,且呈现从东到西逐次递减的格局。②中国服务业碳生产率存在正向空间自相关关系,并且空间自相关程度表现出波动上升趋势。③全国与西部服务业碳生产率均不存在σ收敛,即服务业碳生产率的地区差异并未随着时间的推移而缩小;东、中部服务业碳生产率则在整体上呈现σ收敛特征。全国以及东、中、西部服务业碳生产率均存在绝对β收敛和条件β收敛,即服务业碳生产率落后地区对发达地区存在"追赶效应",各地区服务业碳生产率最终向自身的稳态水平趋同;空间效应加快了全国与东部服务业碳生产率的β收敛速度。④人均服务业增加值增长速度、部门结构以及能源消费结构对服务业碳生产率具有显著的负向效应,人力资本则对服务业碳生产率产生了显著的正向影响。据此,本文的政策启示如下:①重视服务业碳排放问题,构建服务业低碳绩效评估体系。②探索建立定期会商制度,加强服务业低碳技术的跨区域交流合作。③完善基础设施,促进要素空间互动和优化重组。④调整服务业能源结构与部门结构,推进人力资本积累和服务业稳增长。     

城乡收入差距时空演变与驱动因素的空间计量研究——以长江三角洲为例

推动城乡收入差距的缩小,是实现高质量发展的应有之义.采用变异系数、马尔科夫链和空间分析等方法,探讨2000～2018年长江三角洲城乡收入及其差距时空演变规律,并采用空间计量方法探究城乡收入差距演变驱动因素.结果 表明:(1)城、乡收入总体差距均呈现先上升后下降态势,但城镇收入高于农村、农村收入差距高于城镇,且城、乡收入"核心-边缘"格局具有较强稳定性.(2)不同城市间城乡收入差距呈现显著的"核心-边缘"格局,高值区的下降与低值区的扩大表明城乡收入差距的总体缩小;不同城市城乡收入演变的差异,表明未来缩小城乡收入差距的政策要因"地"制宜.(3)经济发展、人口流动、政府影响和对外开放都是影响城乡收入差距的重要因素,不同时期影响因素的差异表明相关政策制定要因"时"制宜.此外,一体化深入带来的空间溢出效应增强,表明相关政策制定要强化城市之间的互动.     

环境约束下中国地区能源全要素效率及其影响因素

当下中国经济发展面临以节约能源消费和减少CO2排放作为主要目标的经济结构转型压力。在能源约束条件下如何提高能源效率实现经济可持续增长,能源效率问题作为研究中国经济可持续增长是必要的且具有十分重要的现实意义。本文基于Metafrontier GML指数方法,构建动态综合的污染强度指标作为非期望产出,测算中国地区2004—2013年28个省份的绿色能源效率,进而对中国区域之间与区域内部技术效应进行分解,并对其收敛性和影响因素进行分析。研究结果发现,中国东部地区技术赶超、创新和领先效应是显著的,东部地区辽宁省技术"领先效应"并不明显,导致该地区能源效率并未有提高;中部地区的技术创新效应不明显,但能源效率均有明显提高;而西部地区只存在技术创新效应,此地区的技术前沿与全国范围的共同技术前沿差距较大,特别是此地资源型地区的技术改进效率不高。其次,通过对能源效率的σ收敛和β收敛进行检验,发现中国地区能源效率在2004—2013年存在σ收敛但是不存在绝对β收敛。再次,对影响能源效率的因素进行回归分析,结果发现技术"赶超效应"、"创新效应"和"领先效应"均对能源效率的提高存在正向作用,产业结构升级和能源价格对能源效率的提高存在促进作用,但是增强环境规制强度会抑制能源效率的提高。这就意味着提高能源效率,对于不同地区需要"因地制宜",特别是对于资源型地区,需加大促进技术创新政策力度,缩小地区技术前沿与全国技术前沿的距离,制定合理的环境规制政策,进而促进能源效率的提高。     

基于DEA的中国农地非农化效率及其变化

基于DEA和Malmquist TFP指数模型方法研究分析2000～2008年我国省域和区域层面农地非农化效率及其变化，为优化土地利用提供参考。研究结果表明：（1）省域层面各项平均效率水平一般，超过80%的省份农地非农化综合效率未达到有效状态；（2）农地非农化效率总体呈现东部地区>东北地区>中部地区>西部地区的状态，区域差距呈现缩小趋势；（3）农地非农化平均综合效率的提升主要源于纯技术效率的贡献，而生产效率的明显改善得益于技术进步；（4）东部和东北地区农地非农化综合效率有所下降，中西部地区综合效率呈现上升趋势，西部地区上升显著。通过研究发现：现阶段我国农地非农化存在要素资源的利用不充分现象，效率提升潜力较大；西部地区农地非农化规模集聚能力与其他地区差距较大；东部地区存在农地非农化效率损失；虽然中西部地区农地非地化效率变化提升明显，但能否成为农地非农化指标增加的依据还值得进一步探讨     

农业劳动生产率区域差异与农业用能强度收敛性

农业能源的消耗及其增长长期没有引起足够的重视,作为农业大国,在推进现代农业发展的同时,全面考察农业能源的利用效率,对于农业以及整体经济的可持续发展具有重要的现实意义。本文通过对β收敛模型的适当改进,构建了具有时滞因子的调整模型,分别考察了区域农业劳动生产率的收敛性和区域农业用能强度的收敛性,在此基础上进一步分析了农业用能强度随农业劳动生产率变化的收敛或发散情况。结果表明:第一,总体上我国农业劳动生产率是收敛的,即我国农业劳动生产率呈现不断提高的趋势。其中,中部地区农业劳动生产率的收敛速度最快,半生命周期最短,其次为东部地区,西部地区农业劳动生产率的收敛速度在三者中最慢;第二,我国区域农业用能强度也具有收敛性,即我国农业用能效率也呈现不断提高的趋势。具体到不同类别,尽管煤、油、电使用效率都呈现出收敛性,但是电的使用效率最高,而油的使用效率最低,同时,我国农业用能效率主要体现在农业用电上;第三,我国区域农业用能效率的差距在一定程度上也是区域农业劳动生产率差距的结果,并显示出个体属性差异、区域差异和结构特征。就政策建议而言,推动农业生产技术进步,增强农业用能的替代弹性,优化农业用能结构以及通过资本驱动农业发展和培育农业人力资本等途径是提高农业能源使用效率的适宜选择。     

WSSD 2002, Latin America and Brazil: Biodiversity and Indigenous People

Latin America comprehends notable variations in terms of natural environment, availability of natural resources, living standards, and demographic patterns. Latin America is a mosaic of cultures, post- and pre-Columbian. The rich variety of life forms discovered and described by chroniclers and traveling naturalists in the Neotropics contributed to the proposal, in mid-XVIIIth century, of a new system of classification and a scientific code of nomenclature for all organisms. Biodiversity was, for many centuries, a source of resources to be exploited in natura. In scientific circles, its inventory became the domain of taxonomists. But modern technology showed how important the miriad of life forms really are as sources of chemical molecules to be engineered as drugs and reassembled as novel manufactured products. We are on the brink of a new agricultural and medical revolution, thanks to the techniques of genetic engineering, which will lead eventually to the elimination of hunger and malnutrition.In this essay, the Brazilian environmental and social heterogeneity will serve as an example to illustrate some key points, which have influenced sustainability policies. The Amazon deforestation and indigenous knowledge (IK), subjects often associated with areas of high biodiversity, are usually the focus of environmental debates. The importance of IK in integrating development, reducing poverty and sustainability are considered together with the intellectual property rights of native populations.In the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Implementation Plan, a few paragraphs were dedicated to Latin America, because of the pre-existing Action Platform on the Road to Johannesburg 2002, approved in Rio de Janeiro in October 2001. This paper calls attention to the need to draw up specific environmental policies for a region which shows an extremely high cultural and biological diversity, associated with a high availability of forests and water, among other resources.     

Household water in rural asia: a case study of the construction of a piped water system in Bangui,Ilocos Norte,Philippines

In early 1980 an extension agent was assigned to the rural municipality of Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines to work on development projects – in particular the improvement of the supply of safe water for drinking and sanitation. After many months of visiting spring sites and meeting with community leaders, a small part of the municipality was selected to build a gravity fed piped water system. Although the system took many months to plan, identify funding and construct, the 600 community members were ultimately rewarded with house to house connections that enabled them to achieve per capita water consumption levels above the minimum levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Of course, money was critical to ensure the project’s success, but many other factors played an equally critical role. For instance, without the active participation of the community and the unwavering support of the community leadership the project would not have survived the initial planning stage. Also, the extension agent played a critical role by acting as a conduit between funding agencies, the Bureau of Public Works and the community. The primary lesson to be learned from this experience is that the success of rural development projects is largely driven by the synergy between the community, technical support, financial support, and agents of change such as extension agents. If any of these ingredients had been lacking, the project result would likely have been far different.     

The Phenomenon of Pseudoviviparity in Alpine and Arctomontane Grasses (DeschampsiaBeauv., FestucaL., and PoaL.)

It is known that pseudoviviparous plant taxa are most numerous in the Arctic and high mountain regions, where they sometimes account for a noticeable part of the local flora and play an important phytocenotic role. The complex of pseudoviviparous taxa is an interesting model for investigating the processes of hybridogenic speciation, as various mechanisms stabilizing the hybrid genetic systems proved to be effective in them. In particular, this concerns vast and taxonomically complex groups such as the genera Deschampsia, Festuca, and Poa.In this paper, published data on the taxonomy, chromosome numbers, and distribution of pseudoviviparous grasses in the Arctic regions and subarctic mountain systems are reviewed.     

Human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), as evidenced by data from a duplicate diet study, indoor air, house dust, and biomonitoring in Germany

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are used as flame retardants in a wide variety of products. As part of the Integrated Exposure Assessment Survey (INES), this study aimed to characterize the exposure of an adult German population using duplicate diet samples, which were collected daily over seven consecutive days, and indoor air and house dust measurements. Our study population consisted of 27 female and 23 male healthy subjects, aged 14–60 years, all of whom resided in 34 homes in southern Bavaria. In these 34 residences the air was sampled using glass fiber filters and polyurethane foams and the dust was collected from used vacuum cleaner bags.The median (95th percentile) daily dietary intake of six Tetra- to HeptaBDE congeners was 1.2 ng/kg b.w. (3.3 ng/kg b.w.) or 67.8 ng/day (208 ng/day) (calculated from the 7-day median values of each study subject). Concentrations in indoor air and dust (cumulative Tri- to DecaBDE congener readings) ranged from 8.2 to 477 pg/m³ (median: 37.8 pg/m³) and 36.6 to 1580 ng/g (median: 386 ng/g), respectively. For some congeners, we identified a significant correlation between air and dust levels.The median (95th percentile) blood concentration of total Tetra- to HexaBDE congener readings was 5.6 (13.2) ng/g lipid. No significant sex differences were observed, but higher blood concentrations were found in younger participants. Using a simplified toxicokinetic model to predict the body burden from exposure doses led to results that were of the same order of magnitude as the measured blood concentrations.Based on these measurements and given our exposure assumptions, we estimated for the total tetra- to heptabrominated congener count an average (high) comprehensive total daily intake of 1.2 ng/kg b.w. (2.5 ng/kg b.w.). Overall, our results suggest that dietary exposure is the dominant intake pathway at least in our study population, responsible for 97% (average intake) and 95% (high intake) of the total intake of an adult population.     

A new general mechanistic river model for radionuclides from single pulse fallouts which can be run by readily accessible driving variables

This paper presents a new general, process-based river model for substances such as radionuclides from single pulse fallouts. The new model has been critically tested using data from 13 European rivers contaminated by radiocesium from the Chernobyl accident. This modelling approach gives radionuclide concentrations in water (total, dissolved and particulate phases; and also concentrations in sediments and fish, but the latter aspects are not discussed in this paper) at defined river sites. The model is based on processes in the upstream river stretch and in the upstream catchment area. The catchment area is differentiated into inflow ( approximately dry land) areas and outflow ( approximately wetland) areas. The model also accounts for time-dependent fixation of substances in the catchment. The catchment area sub-model is based on a previous catchment model, which has been tested with very good results for radiocesium, radiostrontium and Ca-concentrations (from liming operations). The new river model is simple to apply in practice since all driving variables may be readily accessed from maps and standard monitoring programs. The driving variables are: latitude, altitude, continentality, catchment area, mean annual precipitation, soil type (percentages or organic and sandy soils), fallout and month of fallout. Modelled values have been compared to independent empirical data from 10 rivers sites (91 data on radiocesium in water) covering a wide domain (catchment areas from 4000 to 180 000 km(2), precipitation from 500 to 960 mm/yr and fallout from 1700 to 660 000 Bq/m(2)). The new model predicts very well--when modelled values are compared to empirical data, the slope is perfect (1.0) and the r(2)-value is 0.90. This is good giving the fact that there are also uncertainties in the empirical data, which set a limit to the achieved predictive power, as expressed by the r(2)-value.     

Conservation, commercialisation and confusion: harvesting of Ischyrolepis in a coastal forest, South Africa

Harvesting of non-timber forest products is an integral component of rural livelihoods throughout the developing world. At times this is at odds with conservation objectives. Reconciliation of the two requires examination of local level contexts and needs. This paper reports on the harvesting needs for Ischyrolepis by a rural community in South Africa, against the setting that they had recently been prohibited from harvesting by the local conservation officials. Interviews were conducted with conservation officials to understand the reasoning for the prohibition. Local demand for Ischyrolepis was assessed by household surveys, as well as in-depth interviews with traders. The density and size class distribution of Ischyrolepis was determined using transects. The total annual demand for Ischyrolepis was determined to be approximately only 2.7% of the standing crop. The bulk of the annual demand was for small-scale trade, the income from which was a primary source of income for the few harvesters. Very little evidence could be found indicating that harvesting was damaging the resource or its habitat, and local knowledge suggested that the abundance of the species was stimulated by harvesting. Even if market demand were to increase, the size of the shoots required means that less than 20% of the standing crop could be harvested annually. Current regulations around harvesting are in a state of revision, and hence confusion prevails regarding if harvesting is permissible, and if so, under what conditions, which is detrimental to both conservation and livelihoods. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Radionuclide content of building materials and associated gamma dose rates in Egyptian dwellings

Studies have been carried out to determine the natural radioactivity in some building materials (bricks, tiles, marble and ceramics) and their associated radiation hazard. The radioactivity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured using a gamma spectrometer with a Hp–Ge detector. The activities of ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U were measured using an alpha-spectrometer with a surface barrier detector after applying a radiochemical procedure. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U isotopic ratios were calculated. The radium equivalent activities and the radiation hazard index associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. A computer program was developed and applied to calculate the dose rate a person will receive from the walls of a room constructed from the studied building materials.     

Education for Sustainable Development: The Johannesburg Summit and Beyond

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg during 26 August and 4 September 2002, was a truly remarkable event, not least because it identified and committed the world community to what has to be done to realise Agenda 21 objectives. Discussion begins with the "means of implementation" of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPI). Education for, and raising awareness of, sustainable development are the key commitments in the "means of implementation". The issues central to these commitments are discussed. The crucial role of moral philosophy in education for sustainable development is then discussed. Defining the "problem" as lack of progress (in fact negative progress between Rio and Johannesburg) towards global sustainable development, a cause–effect relationship of the "problem" is developed based on a systematic and logical analysis. It shows that the "cause" is West's profoundly materialistic, environment-degrading and exploitative attitude and activities to satisfy grossly unsustainable, hedonistic and insatiably avaricious Western life-styles – life-styles that are held up by the West as "ideal" fruits of economic "development" to be aspired by all. The "effects" are pollution of air, water and soil; mounting loss of biodiversity, ecosystems and species; relentlessly widening north–south divide, etc. It is argued that while science and technology can address some of the "effects", they cannot address the "cause". Only moral philosophy can by fundamentally re-orienting moral values genuinely to respect nature and the environment. Based on sound and tested principles of Educational Psychology, a proposal is then made for including moral philosophy in the formal curricula (content and pedagogy) of primary, secondary and higher education for instilling in children and young people genuinely environment-respecting moral values. To this end a generic syllabus for the secondary level is proposed. Finally, it is argued that if the scientific community really believes that science or technology alone can radically change the pervasive environment-degrading moral values to those that genuinely respect the environment, thus paving the way to real global sustainability, then it must demonstrate how this could be done and explain why, despite their abundant science and technology, the developed nations are the biggest polluters and consumers with grossly unsustainable life-styles. Certainly, examples would be much more convincing than rhetoric or tired old clichés about how science and technology alone could deliver global sustainable development.