中国出口隐含碳排放影响因素研究——基于反事实法的分析

中间消耗的"消耗规模与部门构成"是影响中国出口碳排放的重要因素。基于世界投入产出数据库(WIOD)1995—2015年数据,在部门归类与形式变换基础上,本文选取"单位产出碳排放量"、"完全消耗系数"与"出口值"为中国出口隐含碳排放的影响因子,构建"因子变动—反事实构造—效果评价"分析框架,借助规模指数与结构指数对影响因子的变化动态进行描述,并通过反事实构造对"因子变动"的影响效果进行评价。研究发现:"单位产出碳排放量"规模指数单调递减,Spearman偏度系数为右偏态,说明相比于意愿产出而言,非意愿产出"碳排放量"具有内在的规模不经济;"中间消耗"规模指数与碳偏向性指数在截面上始终处于高位水平,时序上出现了显著的递增趋势,说明中国单位出口值的中间消耗量偏大,消耗投入在结构上偏向于高碳部门,与"技术前沿国"美国存在显著"技术差距";"出口值"规模指数呈现"平缓扩张——快速攀升——V型震荡"的阶段性特征,结构指数经历了以基期2002年为顶点、"先下降、后上升、再平稳"的变化轨迹,说明"出口值"作为最具弹性的影响因子,受"亚洲金融危机"、"加入世界贸易组织"与"美国次债危机"等外部冲击的影响明显,对出口碳排放的推动作用存在伸缩性与阶段性差异。从"因子变动"影响效果来看,中国产出、中间消耗与出口的部门构成具有内生关联,均显著偏向于高碳部门,对出口隐含碳排放增长产生了叠加性的"正向"扩张效应。基于此,本文认为,总量控制与结构优化的视角需从产品环节向中间消耗环节扩展,现阶段应深化要素市场改革,加速要素禀赋升级,借力要素价格机制与差别化产业规制政策,从上游环节抑制出口碳排放的输入来源。     

The difference conservation makes to extinction risk of the world's ungulates

Previous studies show that conservation actions have prevented extinctions, recovered populations, and reduced declining trends in global biodiversity. However, all studies to date have substantially underestimated the difference conservation action makes because they failed to account fully for what would have happened in the absence thereof. We undertook a scenario‐based thought experiment to better quantify the effect conservation actions have had on the extinction risk of the world's 235 recognized ungulate species. We did so by comparing species’ observed conservation status in 2008 with their estimated status under counterfactual scenarios in which conservation efforts ceased in 1996. We estimated that without conservation at least 148 species would have deteriorated by one International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List category, including 6 species that now would be listed as extinct or extinct in the wild. The overall decline in the conservation status of ungulates would have been nearly 8 times worse than observed. This trend would have been greater still if not for conservation on private lands. While some species have benefited from highly targeted interventions, such as reintroduction, most benefited collaterally from conservation such as habitat protection. We found that the difference conservation action makes to the conservation status of the world's ungulate species is likely to be higher than previously estimated. Increased, and sustained, investment could help achieve further improvements.     

Quantifying biases in marine-protected-area placement relative to abatable threats

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a critical defense against biodiversity loss in the world's oceans, but to realize near-term conservation benefits, they must be established where major threats to biodiversity occur and can be mitigated. We quantified the degree to which MPA establishment has targeted stoppable threats (i.e., threats that can be abated through effectively managed MPAs alone) by combining spatially explicit marine biodiversity threat data in 2008 and 2013 and information on the location and potential of MPAs to halt threats. We calculated an impact metric to determine whether countries are protecting proportionally more high- or low-threat ecoregions and compared observed values with random protected-area allocation. We found that protection covered <2% of ecoregions in national waters with high levels of abatable threat in 2013, which is ∼59% less protection in high-threat areas than if MPAs had been placed randomly. Relatively low-threat ecoregions had 6.3 times more strict protection (International Union for Conservation of Nature categories I–II) than high-threat ecoregions. Thirty-one ecoregions had high levels of stoppable threat but very low protection, which presents opportunities for MPAs to yield more significant near-term conservation benefits. The extent of the global MPA estate has increased, but the establishment of MPAs where they can reduce threats that are driving biodiversity loss is now urgently needed.     

Estimating the mitigation effect of Tokai earthquake measures on housing damage: a counterfactual approach

This paper evaluates the mitigation effect of Tokai earthquake measures on housing damage using a counterfactual approach. It focuses on those measures that stimulate ex‐ante investment in disaster prevention in the supposedly affected area, including earthquake‐proof retrofitting and improved housing construction; the effect of the measures on housing losses is estimated monetarily. The study compares factual disaster damage computed using a real distribution of houses with counterfactual damage to a hypothetical housing distribution that would occur if the measures were not implemented. The key findings are: (i) the disaster mitigation effects of Tokai earthquake measures on housing amount to approximately JPY 18 billion (USD 0.18 billion) for Yamanashi Prefecture and JPY 0.26 trillion (USD 2.6 billion) for Shizuoka Prefecture, which would be at the centre of the event; (ii) a before–after comparison biases estimates of the mitigation effect; and (iii) statistically, the measures do not mitigate the housing damage predicted for an earthquake in Tokai.     

Statistical matching for conservation science

The awareness of the need for robust impact evaluations in conservation is growing and statistical matching techniques are increasingly being used to assess the impacts of conservation interventions. Used appropriately matching approaches are powerful tools, but they also pose potential pitfalls. We outlined important considerations and best practice when using matching in conservation science. We identified 3 steps in a matching analysis. First, develop a clear theory of change to inform selection of treatment and controls and that accounts for real-world complexities and potential spillover effects. Second, select the appropriate covariates and matching approach. Third, assess the quality of the matching by carrying out a series of checks. The second and third steps can be repeated and should be finalized before outcomes are explored. Future conservation impact evaluations could be improved by increased planning of evaluations alongside the intervention, better integration of qualitative methods, considering spillover effects at larger spatial scales, and more publication of preanalysis plans. Implementing these improvements will require more serious engagement of conservation scientists, practitioners, and funders to mainstream robust impact evaluations into conservation. We hope this article will improve the quality of evaluations and help direct future research to continue to improve the approaches on offer.     

Cause-effect relationships in analytical surveys: an illustration of statistical issues

Establishing cause-effect is critical in the field of natural resources where one may want to know the impact of management practices, wildfires, drought, etc. on water quality and quantity, wildlife, growth and survival of desirable trees for timber production, etc. Yet, key obstacles exist when trying to establish cause-effect in such contexts. Issues involved with identifying a causal hypothesis, and conditions needed to estimate a causal effect or to establish cause-effect are considered. Ideally one conducts an experiment and follows with a survey, or vice versa. In an experiment, the population of inference may be quite limited and in surveys, the probability distribution of treatment assignments is generally unknown and, if not accounted for, can cause serious errors when estimating causal effects. The latter is illustrated in simulation experiments of artificially generated forest populations using annual plot mortality as the response, drought as the cause, and age as a covariate that is correlated with mortality. We also consider the role of a vague unobservable covariate such as `drought susceptibility'. Recommendations are made designed to maximize the possibility of identifying cause-effect relationships in large-scale natural resources surveys.     

选择性转移、转移成本与中国城乡收入差距变动

本文通过构建由城镇正规、非正规与农村农业部门组成的农村劳动力择优向城镇转移情形下的三部门经济生产和分配模型,对我国20世纪90年代初期以来存在极强选择性和具有高昂转移成本下的城乡劳动力转移对我国城乡收入差距可能产生的影响进行了理论分析,并根据模型对影响进行了数值模拟实验。研究结果表明,农村劳动力的择优转移和转移成本会内生性地引致我国城乡收入差距的扩大。究其原因,主要在于农村中相对优质的劳动力进入到城镇就业,在给城镇居民带来更多回报率较高投资机会的同时,而农业则由于优质人力资本的流出而大大延滞了其发展速度,这种"一促一抑"、"一荣一损"的内在机制势必引致城乡收入差距的扩大,同时转移成本的存在会放大收入差距扩大的程度。进一步地,通过把劳动力选择性转移与随机转移和劣者淘汰不同情形下我国可能出现的城乡收入差距进行对比的反事实分析表明,20世纪90年代初期以来在我国农村大量劳动力不断向城镇转移就业的过程中,劳动力很强择优转移的特性在城乡收入差距进一步扩大中贡献了约1/3的份额,而往返流动的转移成本在城乡收入差距扩大中产生了大约1.2倍的乘数效应,这是本研究得到的两个重要量化结果。为了缩小我国城乡收入差距,文章建议要为农民工市民化创造便利条件,为城乡间资本要素自由流动提供便利渠道,需要将城镇化建设与新农村建设很好地结合,特别是要最大限度地释放农村经济社会发展的自身活力以让农村能人能够在当地更好地施展才干。     

A framework for evaluating the impact of the IUCN Red List of threatened species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, a species extinction risk assessment tool, has been guiding conservation efforts for over 5 decades. It is widely assumed to have been instrumental in preventing species from moving closer to extinction and driving recoveries. However, the impact of the IUCN Red List in guiding conservation has not been evaluated. We conducted, transcribed, and coded interviews with experts who use the IUCN Red List across a range of sectors to understand how the list is used in conservation. We developed a theory of change to illustrate how and why change is expected to occur along causal pathways contributing to the long-term goal of the IUCN Red List and an evaluation framework with indicators for measuring the impact of the IUCN Red List in generating scientific knowledge, raising awareness among stakeholders, designating priority conservation sites, allocating funding and resources, influencing development of legislation and policy, and guiding targeted conservation action (key themes). Red-list assessments were the primary input leading to outputs (scientific knowledge, raised awareness), outcomes (better informed priority setting, access to funding and resource availability, improved legislation and policy), and impact (implemented conservation action leading to positive change) that have resulted in achievement of IUCN Red List goals. To explore feasibility of attributing the difference made by the IUCN Red List across themes, we studied increased scientific knowledge, raised awareness, access to funding and resource allocation, and increased conservation activity. The feasibility exploration showed increased scientific knowledge over time identified through positive trends in publications referring to the IUCN Red List in the literature; raised awareness of the list following high IUCN activity identified by peaks in online search activity; an increased proportion of conservation funding bodies requesting IUCN Red List status in the application process; and, based on interviews with Amphibian Specialist Group members, red-list assessments were essential in connecting relevant stakeholders and ensuring conservation action. Although we identified the IUCN Red List as a vital tool in global conservation efforts, it was challenging to measure specific impacts because of its ubiquitous nature. We are the first to identify the influence of the IUCN Red List on conservation.     

市场分割对能源效率的影响研究

探究能源效率的影响因素并有针对性地提出对策建议是实现"十三五"节能目标的前提条件。本文利用1986—2014年的省际面板数据,基于随机前沿分析和反事实计量方法,重点考察了市场分割对能源效率的影响。结果显示:1市场分割显著地抑制了能源效率的提升;2在考虑市场分割的情形下,能源效率从1986年的0.413提升到了2014年的0.739,年均增速为2.1%,但能源效率依然有较大的改善空间,如果能够消除市场分割的不利影响,能源效率平均每年将会获得1.5%的额外提升;3在样本考察期内,由于市场分割导致的直接能源损失平均每年约为1 200万t标准煤,若考虑市场分割产生的其他间接影响及其动态效应,这一数字估计值会更高;4产权结构改革、对外开放、产业结构升级以及节能法的颁布促进了能源效率的改善,而金融发展规模、政府干预以及以煤炭为主的能源消费结构不利于能源效率的提升。以上研究结论蕴含的政策含义是:为提高能源效率,需要加强市场一体化建设,打破省际壁垒,整合国内市场。鉴于市场分割可能是一些地方政府的占优策略,因此,需要中央政府来进行推动。一方面,中央政府可以通过加强监管和查处力度直接惩罚市场分割行为,另一方面,中央政府还可以通过转移支付的方式鼓励落后地区积极主动融入国内整体市场。当然,提高能源效率,也需要诸如推进产权结构改革,提高对外开放水平,优化产业结构与能源消费结构,改善金融发展效率,减少政府干预以及完善能源政策法规等其他措施的共同跟进。     

农地整治对农户生计策略的影响分析——基于PSM-DID方法的实证研究

论文先对农户生计策略类型进行细分,利用倾向得分匹配-双重差分方法（Propensity Score Matching-Difference in Differences,PSM-DID）排除其他混杂因素,探讨农地整治在生计资本差异下对农户生计策略的影响效用,并运用多种匹配方法和反事实检验法对估计结果进行稳健性检验。结果表明：1）农地整治的实施能够显著改变二兼型农户的生计策略,但并不能显著改变专业型或多兼型农户的生计策略;2）农地整治对传统兼业型、现代兼业型、非农兼业型农户生计策略有显著影响,传统兼业型、现代兼业型农户比重显著增加,而非农兼业型农户比重显著减少,说明农户能够通过调整自身生计策略适应农地整治带来的变化,农地整治促进了农户生计多样化;3）通过多种匹配方法及反事实法开展稳健性检验,证实论文主要估计结果是稳健的。建议针对不同类型农户家庭需求制定差别化的鼓励政策;充分利用当地产业特色,依托农地整治与现代农业政策,带动现代兼业型农户发展区域特色农业或休闲农业。