环境规制的蓝色红利效应研究

利用中国工业企业数据库2004~2009年制造业企业数据,以清洁生产目录标准的政策实施为外生冲击事件,基于倍差估计法（DID）实证检验了环境规制对企业盈利能力、盈利质量、波特效应和管理创新成本等蓝色红利的影响.结果发现：环境规制显著提升了制造企业的利润率和企业的现金流充裕性,改善了企业的盈利能力和盈利质量;环境规制显著降低了企业管理创新成本,但波特效应不显著.环境规制的蓝色红利效应存在地方策略互动、企业规模和所有制的异质性：地方政府之间的策略性不合作抑制了环境规制蓝色红利效应.企业规模的扩大提高了管理创新成本,但强化其他相关的蓝色红利效应.环境规制对国有企业的利润率、现金流以及全要素生产率的改善作用强于非国有企业,但更有助于降低非国有企业的管理创新成本.     

不同工况下轻型车油耗试验驾驶方式评价

在一台性能稳定的汽油车上由同一驾驶人员按平顺、粗暴和正常3种驾驶方式分别进行NEDC （新欧洲行驶工况）、FTP75（美国认证工况）以及WLTC （世界统一轻型车测试循环）工况油耗试验,采用能量变化率（ER）、距离变化率（DR）、能量经济性变化率（EER）、绝对速度改变率（ASCR）、速度平方根误差（RMSSE）以及惯性做功改变率（IWR）6个指标作为驾驶质量评价指标,通过分析计算每次试验各项评价指标及其与燃料消耗量变化的相关性,确定了油耗试验驾驶方式的合理性边界条件.结果表明,对于WLTC和FTP75工况,平顺驾驶和粗暴驾驶均会导致评价指标变大或者变小,驾驶方式与评价指标呈规律性变化;对于NEDC工况,不同的驾驶方式对NEDC工况油耗影响较小.油耗试验的边界条件,WLTC工况的EER为（0.25±0.47）%、ASCR为（1.20±0.97）%、RMSSE为（0.85+0.15）km/h、IWR为（2.15±1.27）%时,可认为油耗试验的驾驶方式较为合理;FTP75工况的EER为（-0.09±0.69）%、ASCR为（-0.59±0.42）%、RMSSE为（0.88+0.34）km/h以及IWR为（-0.69±1.66）%时,油耗试验的驾驶方式较为合理.     

Elementary Structural Units of the Biosphere

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

浅谈我国冰雹的分布规律及其保险对策

本文从冰雹灾害的分布规律着手,研究我国雹灾对策形式之一——雹灾保险,在对世界各国雹灾保险借鉴的基础上,选择我国雹灾保险的模式,建立适合我国国情的雹灾保险。     

地方环境立法中若干关系问题的探讨

根据我国宪法和地方组织法等的规定,对地方环境立法中的若干关系问题,从理论和实践的结合上作了探讨。     

MULTIPLE CRITERIA ANALYSIS FOR WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE NITRA BASIN1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the implementation of one element of a decision support system (DSS) for regional water quality management, applied to the Nitra River Basin in Slovakia. A model-based, aspiration-led methodology for multicriteria decision support has been used for the study. Several reusable, modular software tools have been developed and implemented: a problem-specific generator to produce the core part of the mathematical programming model, tools for the generation and interactive modification of multicriteria problems, and a solver for the resulting mixed-integer optimization problem. Provided in the paper are the following: a complete formulation of the mathematical model (including the imbedded water quality model), a summary of the aspiration-reservation-led multiple criteria optimization approach applied to decision support, and an overview of results that illustrate the applied approach and provide some interesting insights to the case study.     

The Precautionary Principle and Chemicals Regulation: Past Achievements and Future Possibilities (8 pages)

Background, Aim and Scope

The paper investigates the development of the institutional basis of the present modes of chemicals regulation and management, with special attention to interrelations with the precautionary principle. Main Features: The paper elucidates on how the precautionary principle has been shaped in relation to chemicals regulation and management since Carson's Silent Spring (years before the principle was confirmed as a policy-principle in German and European legislation. Furthermore, it is examined how the precautionary principle interacted with the development of the present chemicals regulatory regime, in a complex interplay within the OECD and Member Countries. The present modes of precaution in the new EU chemical legislation – REACH – are investigated with respect to the precautionary principle, and tested against two contemporary problems; brominated flame retardants and endocrine disrupting substances. Results: The analysis demonstrates the changing character of the integration of the precautionary principle. The main tendencies are from implicit to more explicit precaution and from a closed expert-orientation towards a more deliberative approach to scientific knowledge and uncertainty. The results demonstrate that the precautionary principle is manifest in both the design of the testing strategy and in policy provisions. In particular, the substitution of hazardous substances with less hazardous is important. Discussion: Despite explicit attention to the precautionary principle, is the present reformulation of the European Chemicals policy in danger of falling into loop-holes that equal problems related to the present regulation of existing chemicals? 'Precaution' has been reduced virtually to an abstract concept that is more or less devoid of practical meaning in the regulatory process. Conclusions: It is concluded that the role of the precautionary principle in chemicals regulation will require continued scrutiny in the future shaping of the REACH strategy. Perspectives: Continued development of robust and precaution-based chemicals regulation will have to involve both new data-generation strategies and new forms of political decision-making, with special attention given to transparency and deliberative policymaking.     

Good news for environmental self-regulation? Finding the right link

We investigate the stock market response to firm disclosure of positive environmental information and the link from that information to environmental outcomes. We classify environmental media releases by informational content and value relevance, and assess the abnormal stock returns of each type of event. While announcements of future environmental activities lead to the largest favorable stock market reactions, there is no guaranteed link from this type of information to environmental outcomes. Further analysis of the abnormal returns shows that the magnitude of the stock market reaction depends on firm financial characteristics across all event types rather than on firm environmental performance. Our results indicate that the ability for voluntary environmental information disclosure to induce environmental self-regulation is limited to the extent that firms are able to follow through with their announcements of planned environmental activities.     

Did the Clean Air Act cause the remarkable decline in sulfur dioxide concentrations?

Over the last three decades, ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) air pollution have declined by approximately 80%. This paper tests whether the 1970 Clean Air Act and its subsequent amendments caused this decline. The centerpiece of this legislation is the annual assignment of all counties to SO₂ nonattainment or attainment categories. Polluters face stricter regulations in nonattainment counties. There are two primary findings. First, regulators pay little attention to the statutory selection rule in their assignment of the SO₂ nonattainment designations. Second, SO₂ nonattainment status is associated with modest reductions in SO₂ air pollution, but a null hypothesis of zero effect generally cannot be rejected. This finding holds whether the estimated effect is obtained with linear adjustment or propensity score matching. Overall, the evidence suggests that the nonattainment designation played a minor role in the dramatic reduction of SO₂ concentrations over the last 30 years.