Difference in the net value of ecological services between natural and artificial forests in China

Land degradation is a global problem that seriously threatens human society. However, in China and elsewhere, ecological restoration still largely relies on a traditional approach that focuses only on ecological factors and ignores socioeconomic factors. To improve the effectiveness of ecological restoration and maximize its economic and ecological benefits, a more efficient approach is needed that provides support for policy development and land management and thereby promotes environmental conservation. We devised a framework for assessing the value of ecosystem services that remain after subtracting costs, such as the opportunity costs, costs of forest protection, and costs for the people who are affected by the program; that is, the net value of ecosystem services (NVES). To understand the difference between the value of a resource and the net value of the ecosystem service it provides, we used data on VES, timber sales, and afforestation costs from China's massive national afforestation programs to calculate the net value of forest ecosystem services in China. Accounting for the abovementioned costs revealed an NVES of ¥6.1 × 10¹² for forests in 2014, which was 35.9% less than the value calculated without accounting for costs. As a result, the NVES associated with afforestation was 55.9% less than the NVES of natural forests. In some regions, NVES was negative because of the huge costs of human-made plantations, high evapotranspiration rates (thus, high water opportunity costs), and low forest survival rates. To maximize the ecological benefits of conservation, it is necessary to account for as many costs as possible so that management decisions can be based on NVES, thereby helping managers choose projects that maximize both economic and ecological benefits.     

Economies of scale in global iron-making

In this paper, we investigate the presence of economies of scale in the global iron-making industry for integrated steel plants, iron making being the first stage in the steel-making process. Iron making depends on basic commodities, such as iron ore, coke and various forms of energy, required in the operation of the blast furnace, which can be classified as essential inputs and used in fixed proportions to produce iron. A generalized Leontief cost function is estimated using panel data for 69 integrated plants, such a specification being appropriate for technologies with essential inputs that are used in fixed proportions in production. A significant scale effect is observed due to the existence of fixed costs and a linear dependence of the cost function on production. Under a simple linear cost function, a rough estimate of the breakeven scale of plant, where costs equal revenue, is 4.5 Mt per year. Competitiveness, as measured by the ratio of plant average cost per tonne to best practice cost per tonne, can be shown to be positively related to the scale of production as well as the cost of essential inputs. Therefore, low-cost producers are also often producers with low raw material costs and production levels below the estimated breakeven scale of operation. Labor costs, although significant, are comparatively less important as a driver towards low costs.     

最优环境税:庇古法则与税制协调

从经济学的角度对国外关于最优环境税的经典理论——庇古法则及近十年来研究的前沿内容——一般均衡模型等作出阐释，并在外部性理论的基础上通过一个一般均衡模型考察环境税的效率特性和在次优情形下最优环境税的决定因素。随后是对我国开征环境税的几点思考：环境税的课征范围应暂定为排放各种废水、废气（烟尘）和固体废弃物的行为。环境税税率的确定可以采用“反复迭代”的方法，即“环境效益优先，兼顾税收协调和收入分配等效应。”其他相关问题的处理，如环境税和其它政策手段的配合使用，环境税税收的使用等。     

京津冀地区钢铁行业协同减排成本-效益分析

京津冀地区是我国钢铁行业布局最集中的区域,也是大气污染治理的重点区域之一.分析京津冀地区钢铁行业各类治污手段中长期减排的成本-效益,对于选择最经济有效的减排路径、加快推动该地区大气环境质量达标意义重大.基于能源环境、环境分布、人群健康效益评价等模块构建多模型耦合方法,以2015年为基准年,以每5 a为时间节点,设计了京津冀地区钢铁行业规模-结构、规模-技术、规模-末端治理、综合减排4种协同减排情景,计算各情景下2015—2030年京津冀地区钢铁行业主要污染物(SO₂、NO_x、PM₁₀、PM_2.5、CO₂)的减排成本与效益,比较获取治污减排的最优路径方案.结果表明:①基于减排成本计算,规模-末端治理减排情景成本最低,分别为规模-结构、规模-技术减排情景投入的15.18%、23.94%;综合减排情景下治污减排潜力最大,但综合成本最高.②基于环境税效益评价方法、人群健康效益评价方法计算显示,人群健康效益评价方法计算的减排效益高于环境税效益评价方法,表明污染减排的潜在人群健康效益更高;基于两种减排效益方法,4种协同减排情景中综合减排效益分别为10.78×108、76.14×108元,高于规模-结构、规模-技术、规模-末端治理减排情景效益.③基于环境税效益评价方法,4种协同减排情景的效益-成本比表现为规模-末端治理减排情景(0.46) >规模-技术减排情景(0.24) >综合减排情景(0.15) >规模-结构减排情景(0.10);基于人群健康效益评价方法4种协同减排情景的效益-成本比依次为规模-末端治理减排情景(8.35) >综合减排情景(1.07) >规模-结构减排情景(0.57) >规模-技术减排情景(0.65),表明规模-末端治理减排情景的减排路径最优.研究显示,京津冀地区钢铁行业应基于环境质量底线目标要求,综合考虑减排潜力、减排成本与收益,以规模-末端治理为主要途径,选取协同减排的最优路径.      

深圳市综合水质指数研究及其在水资源资产评估上的应用

自然资源资产评估技术是开展自然资源资产负债表实践和实行环境责任离任审计的重要技术支撑。水资源作为一项重要自然资源,如何有效评估水资源资产是不可回避的问题。论文以深圳市为研究区域,一是采用综合污染指数法和主成分分析法,以总氮、氨氮、总磷、化学需氧量、生化需氧量、固体悬浮物为指标参数构建了深圳市综合水质指数以评价水资源综合水质。二是以该综合水质评估模型为基础,通过采用治污成本法分析综合水质与治污成本间的关系,从而构建深圳市景观水和饮用水资源的价值量评估模型。论文还以深圳市大鹏新区为试点开展了水资源价值量评估,评估结果显示,2015年大鹏新区景观水和饮用水资源的价值量分别为3.60亿、0.35亿元。     

牛粪-化肥配施对水稻田氮磷迁移转化的影响

在控制外源N输入量相同的前提下,通过田间小区实验,探讨有机肥与化肥不同施用量（牛粪施用量：5,10,20t/hm²）对稻田田间土-水界面氮磷迁移转化特征的影响.结果表明：控制稻田水中NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N、TN和TP输出的最佳时期分别为施肥后的第5,30,7,20d,且TN和TP浓度随时间变化符合单指数衰减方程（0.7444≤R²≤0.9724;1.1×10^-6≤F≤0.0055）.采用牛粪部分代替化肥的施肥方式,在一定范围内能降低稻田退水中TN、TP输出负荷（41.8%、36.0%、64.3%;20.3%、39.1%、48.9%）,还可以降低稻田水中N/P,降低水体富营养化风险.同时,牛粪的施用可提高土壤中脲酶和磷酸酶的含量,促进氮磷向植物可吸收形态转化.综合经济成本和生态效益核算,采用10t有机肥代替无机肥的处理是相对经济环保的施肥方法,该施肥方式下,氮磷年输出负荷分别为17.70,1.26kg/hm².     

连续采样与五日法采样效果及费用的对比分析

通过对连续采样与五日法采样五种方法监测结果及所需费用的比较，得出连续采样方法监测结果更具有代表性，合理性，一次性投资大，但运行费用并不高的结论。     

GHG emission reductions and costs to achieve Kyoto target

Emission projection and marginal abatement cost curves (MACs) are the central components of any assessment of future carbonmarket, such as CDM (clean development mechanism) potentials, carbon quota price etc. However, they are products of very complex,dynamic systems driven by forces like population growth, economic development, resource endowments, technology progress and so on. The modeling approaches for emission projection and MACs evaluation were summarized, and some major models and their results were compared.Accordingly, reduction and cost requirements to achieve the Kyoto target were estimated. It is concluded that Annex I Parties‘ total reduction requirements range from 503--1304 MtC with USA participation and decrease significantly to 140--612 MtC after USA‘ s withdrawal. Total costs vary from 21--77 BUSD with USA and from 5--36 BUSD without USA if only domestic reduction actions are taken. The costs would sharply reduce while considering the three flexible mechanisms defined in the Kyoto Protocol with domestic actions‘ share in the all mitigation strategies drons to only 0--16%.     

边际机会成本与自然资源定价浅析

采用边际机会成本理论,对自然资源定价的原理和方法进行阐述,并比较了各种方法在实际应用中的适用条件,以及相互之间的优劣,为自然资源开发中的环境损失估算提供理论支持.