Vertical fiscal externalities and the environment

We show that imposition of a state-level environmental tax in a federation crowds out pre-existing federal taxes. We explain how this vertical fiscal externality can lead unilateral state-level environmental policy to generate a welfare gain in the implementing state, at the expense of other states, even absent any environmental benefits. Using a computable general equilibrium model of the Canadian federation, we show that vertical fiscal externalities can be the major determinant of the welfare change following environmental policy implementation by a state government. Our numerical simulations indicate that – as a consequence of vertical fiscal externalities – state governments can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 20 percent without any net cost to themselves.     

The impact of government subsidy and tax policy on the competitive decision-making of remanufacturing supply chains

In this paper, we consider a two-period competition model of a remanufacturing supply chain consisting of three members: a new product manufacturer, a recycler and a remanufacturer. The manufacturer supplies new products in the first period and the remanufacturer participates in the competition in the second period. We consider three scenarios in the second period: (1) there is no government subsidy in the competition; (2) there is only government subsidy in the competition; (3) there are both government subsidy and tax in the competition. First, we give the optimal decision-making of the manufacturer, the remanufacturer and the government in the three scenarios; second, we analyse changes in the decision-making of the manufacturer and remanufacturer in the three scenarios and compare their results. We analyse the effects of government subsidy and tax and their asymmetric use on manufacturers’ and remanufacturers’ decision-making variables and competitive performance. We also take consumer awareness of environmental protection into account and examine its impact on subjects’ decisions. Lastly, we operate a numerical example to show the results.     

The effects of breath alcohol concentration on postural control

Background: Two of the 3 standardized field sobriety tests that U.S. law enforcement uses at roadside checks have a postural equilibrium component to them. Those tests have been validated to detect impairment caused by blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.08 g/dL or above. Many medical and traffic safety associations support a lower limit, and one state, Utah, has passed a law to lower the limit to 0.05 g/dL. Many studies have examined the effects of alcohol on postural control (of which postural equilibrium is a component), with a consensus emerging that impairment is usually found at BACs greater than 0.06 g/dL. Most of these studies, however, had a relatively small number of subjects, usually between 10 and 30. The current study collected data from a much larger sample.

Objective: The objective of this study was to provide additional evidence that posture control is negatively affected at BACs greater than 0.06 g/dL or breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) of 0.06 g/210 L.

Method: This was a between-subjects study, with BrAC group as the independent variable (5 levels: 0.00, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.10 g/210 L); 4 measures of postural control as the dependent variables; and age, height, and weight as the covariates. Posture control was measured with a force-sensing platform connected to a computer. The feet's center of pressure (CoP) on the platform was recorded and the corresponding movement of the body in the anterior–posterior and lateral planes was derived. Participants (N = 96) were randomly assigned to one of the BrAC groups. Positive BrAC groups were compared to the zero BrAC group. Data were examined with hierarchical multiple regression.

Results: Adjusted for age, height, and weight, the main effect of lateral CoP with eyes open was not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant main effect of alcohol on anterior–posterior CoP excursion with eyes open and with eyes closed and lateral CoP excursion with eyes closed. For all 3 of those variables, only BrACs of 0.08 and 0.10 g/210 L produced differences against zero BrAC. Although the main effect of alcohol on Lateral CoP Excursion with eyes open was not statistically significant, the contrasts between 0 and 0.08 and 0 and 0.10 g/210L BrAC were in the hypothesized direction.

Conclusion: The current study did not directly address the issue of whether the sobriety tests are sensitive to BrACs of 0.05 g/210 L or above; rather, it provides additional evidence that postural control, one of the components of those tests, is relatively unaffected by BrACs lower than 0.08 g/210 L. Additional research is needed on the diagnostic characteristics of the sobriety tests at BrACs lower than 0.08 g/210 L.     

Welfare states and environmental states: a comparative analysis

A framework is presented for thinking about state intervention in developed capitalist economies in two domains: social policy and environmental policy (and, within that, climate-change policy). Five drivers of welfare state development are identified, the ‘five Is’ of Industrialisation: Interests, Institutions, Ideas/Ideologies, and International Influences. Research applying this framework to the postwar development of welfare states in the OECD is summarised, distinguishing two periods: up to 1980, and from 1980 to 2008. How far this framework can contribute to understanding the rise and differential patterns of environmental governance and intervention across advanced capitalist states since 1970 is explored, before briefly comparing and contrasting the determinants of welfare states and environmental states, identifying common drivers in both domains and regime-specific drivers in each. The same framework is then applied to developments since 2008 and into the near future, sketching two potential configurations and speculating on the conditions for closer, more integrated ‘eco-welfare states’.     

Global Trade in Exotic Pets 2006–2012

International trade in exotic pets is an important and increasing driver of biodiversity loss and often compromises the standards required for good animal welfare. We systematically reviewed the scientific and gray literature and used the United Nations Environment Programme ‐ World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP‐WCMC) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) trade database to establish temporal and geographical trade patterns of live exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles and to describe trends in research, taxonomic representation, and level of threat and legal protection of species traded. Birds were the most species‐rich and abundant class reported in trade; reptiles were second most abundant but unusually the most studied in this context; and mammals were least abundant in trade. Mammalian and reptilian species traded as pets were more likely to be threatened than expected by random. There have been a substantial number of Appendix I listed captive‐bred mammals and birds and wild‐caught birds and reptiles reported in trade to CITES. We identified the Middle East's emerging role as a driver of demand for exotic pets of all taxa alongside the well‐established and increasing role of South America and Southeast Asia in the market. Europe, North America, and the Middle East featured most heavily in trade reports to CITES, whereas trade involving South America and Southeast Asia were given most emphasis in the literature. For effective monitoring of and appropriate response to the international exotic pet trade, it is imperative that the reliability and detail of CITES trade reports improve and that scientific research be directed toward those taxa and locations that are most vulnerable. El Mercado Global de Mascotas Exóticas 2006‐2012     

企业环境寻求、污染密集型生产区际转移与环境监管

在当前强调产业结构调整的政策背景下,产业有序转移必须以有利于或者加强环境保护为基本目标。环境规制差异造成了不同经济地域之间污染密集型生产的比较优势调整,强化了高污染产业进行生产区位选择的动机,以规避来自政府的环境监管。环境治理成本的不同是高污染企业区际转移的重要驱动因素,企业环境寻求策略推动了污染密集型生产由环境规制强度高的地区向环境规制松弛地区的转移。企业污染密集型生产的区际转移受到环境要素产品生产比较优势的明显影响,这些环境要素产品与区际环境规制差异、企业市场内部化战略以及污染密集型产品的生命周期密切关联。借鉴一般均衡分析框架,可以明晰企业环境寻求策略下污染密集型生产转移的内在机制。一方面,环境成本差异决定了非环境友好产品生产转移的意愿,高强度的环境规制使得企业生产的边际环境治理成本和平均环境治理成本提高,污染密集型生产外迁的动力加强,生产效率高的企业对环境规制强度更加敏感。污染密集型生产承接地提高环境规制强度能形成对环境负面影响的有力对冲,遏制环境恶化趋势。另一方面,合理的区际环境政策差异能在产业有序转移中发挥重要作用。合理设定区际环境规制级差与碳信征信系统建设,加强分类监管与行业节能减排,建立拟承接生产项目的效率筛选机制,提高区域市场开放程度、降低产业优惠政策所形成隐性市场保护等环境监管手段是保证欠发达地区通过产业承接实现跨越式发展的关键所在。     

应用相平衡分配法建立湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准

采集湘江衡阳段29个站点的表层沉积物样品,测定沉积物中4种重金属(Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd)含量及赋存形态、以及孔隙水中重金属含量,根据相平衡分配法的基本理论,考虑参与沉积物-水相平衡分配的重金属组成,实测法计算重金属的沉积物-水相平衡分配系数(Kp),分别引用美国EPA制定保护水生生物不受重金属慢性毒性影响的基本连续浓度(CCC)和我国地表水环境质量标准(GB 3838-2002)Ⅰ类水质标准,建立两种湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准(SQC)进行对比分析,其中基于美国CCC建立的湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准与国内外研究成果相比可比性较好,4种重金属(Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd)的SQC值分别为64.62、55.57、1 360.40和2.34μg.g-1,此SQC具有保护长期生活于沉积物中的底栖生物不受重金属慢性毒性影响的意义.通过单因子评价法将湘江衡阳段沉积物中重金属总量与沉积物质量基准值(SQC)进行比较,结果表明,湘江衡阳段沉积物中Cd和Pb含量水平对底栖生物具有较大的慢性毒性影响,Cd污染不容忽视.     

近海沉积物对粪固醇的等温吸附和热力学研究

采用大连湾近海表层沉积物为吸附剂,粪固醇为吸附质,通过批量平衡法,研究了近海沉积物对12种粪固醇的吸附行为.结果表明,12种粪固醇在24 h吸附达到平衡后,5种粪固醇的指纹值变化趋于稳定;用Henry、Freundlich、Langumir、Dubinin-Radushkevich(D-R模型)、Temkin这5种等温吸附模型来拟合,其中Langumir模型不适合拟合沉积物对粪固醇的吸附数据,其他4种模型均能较好地拟合.D-R模型拟合效果表明,12种粪固醇的吸附平均自由能在7 071.1～9 128.7 J.mol-1之间,12种粪固醇的吸附过程主要是物理吸附的作用.Temkin模型拟合效果表明,加氢胆固酮(Kf=8.89×106)的Kf值最大,说明沉积物吸附加氢胆固酮之间的作用最大,加氢胆固酮更容易被吸附.热力学参数吸附焓ΔH0<0,熵变ΔS0<0,ΔG0<0呈现出放热反应,自发过程的特征.     

区域大气环境容量资源优化利用的博弈分析

大气环境容量是一种公共资源,合理利用和保护大气环境容量资源是大气环境改善的有效途径.从区域内各城市间的博弈行为出发,利用个人决策模型、整体决策模型、关系模型对区域内大气容量资源进行分析,揭示大气容量资源被过度使用的现象,针对城市监管不力、企业排污严重引起大气污染问题而提出帕累托改进模型,指出大气环境保护需要合作机制,联防联控.     

络合-超滤耦合工艺去除水中镍离子的研究

以聚丙烯酸钠(PAANa)和聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)作为络合剂,将其与镍离子络合后的溶液转移至超滤杯中,在0.1 MPa压力下通过聚醚砜超滤膜进行分离,研究pH值和络合剂/Ni2+装载质量比(L)对Ni2+去除率的影响,并根据朗缪尔等温模型拟合络合反应平衡常数.同时研究超滤时间对膜通量和Ni2+去除率的影响.结果表明,选用PAANa为络合剂,在pH值为8、L=5时,Ni2+的去除率达到最大值99.5%.PEI为络合剂时,Ni2+去除率在pH值为7、L为5时达到最大值93.0%.不同pH值条件下拟合得到的络合平衡常数表明,pH为7时最有利于络合反应.另外,单个络合剂单体所能结合的Ni2+个数随着pH值的升高而增大.研究结果还表明,在长达12 h的超滤时间内,PAANa为络合剂时,膜通量的衰减<10%;PEI为络合剂时,膜通量基本保持不变;Ni2+的去除率都基本保持恒定.因此,在合适条件下,络合-超滤耦合工艺能有效去除水中的镍离子.