The financial additionality and viability of CDM projects allowing for uncertainty

Financial additionality and viability for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects is commonly demonstrated through deterministic internal rate of return (IRR) benchmark analysis, supplemented with a sensitivity analysis. This method is vulnerable to assumptions on cash flows (including that from carbon credits) and is unable to differentiate grades of separation from the benchmark. This paper examines the financial additionality test and viability in the presence of cash flow uncertainty, where IRR becomes a random variable. A case example project involving wind power is exampled. It is seen that the boundaries between acceptance and rejection as a CDM project based on financial additionality and viability tests become blurred, leading to possible alternative conclusions. Comment is given on false positives and false negatives, in terms of acceptance and rejection of projects.     

Vulnerability of wild indigenous agroforestry species to climate change in Niger State,Nigeria: A proxy analysis

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study assessed the vulnerability of five indigenous agroforestry trees to climate change: Adansonia. digitata, Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia...     

Dependence on forest resources and tropical deforestation in Ghana

In Ghana, forests provide many products on which the local population subsists. However, these resources are depleting due to a variety of factors including agricultural expansion and over-exploitation of forest resources. This paper presents an analysis of the level of local dependence on forest resources and its implications for forest management in Ghana. The paper also outlines the causes of continuing deforestation in the studied region from the perspective of the local residents and discusses what role they could play in addressing the problem. The aim is to share more light on the current causes of deforestation and make suggestions for improved community-based forest management practices that could help to reduce deforestation. Primary data was collected through personal interviews and focus group discussions with 431 household heads randomly selected from three Forest Districts in Ghana. The survey showed that income from agriculture constituted 60% of the average total rural household income. Forest income provided 38% of total household income, and off-farm income 2%. The four most highly ranked causes of deforestation are poverty-driven agriculture, lack of alternative rural wage employment other than farming, household population levels, and conflict in traditional land practices. This shows a shift in the view of local people who in the past were quick to blame logging companies and government policies for deforestation. The majority of the respondents depended on wild animals like snail, bush meat, wild honey and wild and cultivated vegetables. Given the reasons for deforestation, much thought needs to go into agroforestry practices (e.g. snail farming, bee keeping, fish farming, and vegetable production) in efforts to reduce deforestation, which are currently less promoted. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Comparative analysis of tolerance to pesticides in annelids

The tolerance of annelids (11 oligochaete and 13 leech species) to several organophosphate pesticides, polychloropinene, phenol, and copper sulfate was compared in an acute experiment. The dependence of pesticide resistance on specific biological and ecological features of the annelid species and their position in the phylogenetic series is discussed.     

Perception on untreated wastewater irrigation for vegetable production in Ghana

Using household-level survey data, this study investigates farmers’ perceptions on untreated wastewater use for irrigation of vegetable farms in urban and peri-urban Kumasi of Ghana. Empirical results from an ordered probit model show that there is some relationship between personal characteristics of farmers such as age, education and gender, and perceptions of farmers on health-related risks of untreated wastewater use for irrigation. Policy efforts should be geared toward updating the knowledge, skills and attitudes of producers through frequent training and workshops so that wastewater irrigation farmers in Ghana would better appreciate health-related risks of waster irrigation and how to adopt risk mitigating strategies. Further research for a more in-depth analysis on those relationships in the short-term with immediate emphasis on improving adoption of safer irrigation technologies among wastewater irrigation farmers is recommended.     

金融节能、金融发展对碳排放变化的影响研究

本文将金融节能与金融发展同时引入传统LMDI分解模型,并融合脱钩弹性指数,分析了两者对碳排放变化的影响机理。在此基础上,本文还检验了1997—2015年中国29个省区金融节能与金融发展的碳排放效应。研究发现:首先,尽管1997—2015年中国碳排放规模的扩张趋势较为明显,短期来看,这一演变仍然大体经历了三个阶段,即碳排放增量持续扩张期、碳排放增量波动下降期以及碳排放增量平稳期。其次,不仅金融节能、金融发展以及经济增长是在短期和长期诱发中国碳排放变化的三个最主要因素,而且前两者对中国碳排放变化的影响还大于后者。再次,金融节能对中国碳排放变化的短期和长期作用方向始终与金融发展对中国碳排放变化的短期和长期作用方向相反。最后,金融节能和金融发展与中国碳排放变化之间在短期内基本维持弱脱钩或强负脱钩两种状态,而在长期呈现强负脱钩状态,通过分解这些脱钩弹性状态的诱因,不仅直接影响和交互影响的作用方向始终相反,而且两者还分别在金融节能与中国碳排放脱钩弹性变动以及金融发展与中国碳排放脱钩弹性变动中发挥截然相反的作用。     

Social-ecological analysis of integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in Dedza, Malawi

Through the case of integrated agriculture-aquaculture in rural Malawi, this paper argues that hybrid research can reveal new interactions in social-ecological systems not evident when studies by social or natural methods independently. While recent research acknowledges the social and natural dimensions of aquaculture systems, studies often create an artificial divide by attempting to address each aspect in isolation. Social science research has overlooked the biophysical aspects of aquaculture, while scientific research has uncritically accepted orthodox explanations of environmental outcomes without addressing the social contexts of such systems. The social component of this research reveals that fish farmers in Malawi are rejecting practices which do not work in the local context (fertilization with pond mud) and adopting strategies that do work (irrigation with pond water). The physical component of this research compliments the social by elucidating that irrigation with pond water resulted in higher soil nutrient and moisture content. The paper concludes that small-scale aquaculture can make significant contributions to rural household food and income security in Africa and that hybrid research methods can improve our abilities to investigate the complex, connected nature of social-ecological systems.     

Shifting sands: changes in community perceptions of mining in Ghana

The contribution of mining to the Ghanaian economy has been substantial. The mining sector is currently a major foreign exchange earner and contributes to long-term capital formation and fiscal payment to the state. However, the industry continues to have adverse consequences on the lives of local community dwellers, most of whom are often unprepared to deal with these impacts. Often, new mining exploration takes place on land that provides land-based livelihood to many rural people. Ironically, compensation payments seem to worsen poverty in the mining communities and bring about the social conflicts. Hence, whilst communities are highly welcoming of mining companies during exploration, they become resentful during operation of the mine. Using two communities in the Asutifi District of Ghana as case studies, this paper presents a candid assessment of the changes that occur in respondents’ perception of mining during, before and after the inception of mining. It also examines the gender dimensions of the impacts of mining activities as well as the communities’ sources of information. Since public participation is an integral part of the environmental assessment process in Ghana, the paper concludes by recommending among others, precise channels of communication and dialogue before mining begins and during the operation of the mine, to increase awareness among community members.     

Non-timber forest products farming and empowerment of rural women in Ghana

United Nations estimates indicate that up to 70% of the world’s poor are female, and women in developing countries constitute the majority of the labour force, playing a key role in managing community resources and helping to improve food security and protect the environment. Increased attention in recent years has been focused on the potential role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in improving the incomes and health of women in developing countries. NTFPs farming and marketing are very critical for the economic empowerment of rural poor, particularly women. Despite this potential, the contribution of NTFPs farming to the empowerment of women remains largely undervalued and understudied. This paper examines the potential contribution of NTFPs farming in poverty reduction and livelihood improvement of women in Ghana using the Sefwi Wiawso District (SWD) and Bibiani-Bekwai District (BBD) in the Western Region of Ghana as a case study. The paper explores the contribution of NTFPs farming to the total annual income, acquisition of assets, health, and food security of women through participatory research methods. ANOVA and Pearson Correlation (p < 0.05) show that a significant association exists between total annual income of women, acquisition of assets, health, food security, and the income earned from NTFPs in the SWD and BBD. The study revealed that NTFPs can contribute significantly to the economic empowerment of women. The paper asserts that commercialisation of NTFPs will have a greater impact on women’s livelihoods and therefore any opportunity for increasing their involvement is very essential for the empowerment and sustainable development of rural communities in Ghana.     

People’s perceptions on the use of human excreta for biogas generation in Ghana

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This paper explored people’s perceptions on the use of human excreta for biogas generation in Ghana using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB)....     

Comparative analysis of inorganic elements in the muscle and liver of some fish species

Four fish species were collected: brown trout, grouper, spotted tail bass, and black crappie. Fish samples were thawed and dissected. The pieces of edible muscle and liver tissues were digested in a reagent-grade nitric acid, in a constant temperature shaking-water bath at 58°C. Thirteen inorganic elements were determined by flame atomic absorption.The significant findings of this report are that inorganic elements, mercury, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, and nickel with the exception of magnesium show elevated levels in the livers than in the muscles of all the four fish species. It seems magnesium concentration levels were consistantly higher in the muscles than in the livers of all four fish species. It is found that calculations of muscle-liver ratios indicate that ratios in the range of 0.5 are preliminary indicative of environmental static conditions, whereas ratios in the range of more than one are indicative of environmental improvement.     

Health risks analysis of energy systems: Issues and approaches

Health risk analysis of energy systems is affected by various principles of law. In this paper those principles are discussed and linked to measures of risk, such as risk rates and the expected value, and to the cumulative distributions. These measures of risk are related to health decisionmaking, including case law. Uncertainty defeats decisionmaking, although such uncertainty is properly derived from scientific analyses. There is a paradox, in that portraying the uncertainty forestalls decisions. Yet at present, science cannot do better. Risk analysis is the tool to help resolve this problem by identifying irreducible uncertainty, that uncertainty which is present in most human activities.     

The influence of carbon emissions disclosure on company financial value in an emerging economy

Few studies have been conducted on the impact of carbon emissions disclosure on firms’ financial performance in emerging economies. Furthermore, comparison between accounting-based measures and market-based ones remains limited. This article examines the effect of carbon emissions reporting on the financial value of South African companies for the period 2010–2015. Using panel regression approaches, the findings show that, in most cases, carbon emission disclosure generates a positive relationship with ROA (an accounting-based indicator) but a negative association with MVA (a market-based indicator). The article concludes that accounting-based indicators offer more explanatory power for corporate greening initiatives.     

Dynamics of leaf litter and soil respiration in a complex multistrata agroforestry system,Pernambuco, Brazil

High litter inputs in agroforestry systems contribute to soil microbial activity, soil fertility and productivity. Considering that the cycling of organic matter is essential to the maintenance of physical–chemical and microbiological properties of the soil, the aims of this work were to estimate the production, accumulation and decomposition of litter, and assess soil microbial respiration in a complex multistrata agroforestry system located in the north-east of Brazil. This agroforestry system has three strata formed by forest and fruit trees and species of multiple uses. During 3 years (2011–2013), leaf litter was sampled monthly to account for litterfall and quarterly to account for litter accumulation. The rates of litter decomposition were estimated using the ratio produced-to-accumulated litter, and the correlation between litter fall and rainfall was calculated. Precipitation data were provided by the water and climate agency of Pernambuco (APAC). Soil samples (0–15 cm) were also taken quarterly, simultaneously with the litter accumulation samples, and soil microbial respiration was assessed using the capture, by a KOH solution, of the evolved CO₂. The annual production of leaf litter was stable in the 3 years of study in this agroforestry system, and the monthly input of litter to the soil was influenced by rainfall, being higher in the dry seasons. The accumulated litter on the ground was constant, as was microbial activity (respiration) through time. The estimated litter decomposition rates were 1.49 (first year), 1.33 (second year) and 1.42 (third year), being considered rapid rates of decomposition. This guarantees (to the farmer) that this system is capable of maintaining soil fertility and eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers.     

不同碳减排政策对内外资企业竞争力的影响比较

一方面,由于我国内外资企业的生产效率和碳排放效率差距较大,不同的碳减排政策势必会对内外资企业的市场竞争力带来不同的影响;另一方面,已有文献大多在完全竞争的框架下对不同减排政策的实施效应进行分析,而事实上我国碳减排政策所覆盖的产业大多是不完全竞争甚至是寡头垄断。由此,我们基于内外资企业存在低碳技术差距这一新的研究视角,通过构建两阶段博弈模型来比较分析相同碳强度减排目标下强制减排、碳税与碳交易等三种减排政策对内外资企业产量、市场份额及其社会总产量的影响,从而有利于我国从妥善处理内外资关系的角度制定更有针对性的减排政策。结果表明:(1)三种减排政策都降低了内资企业的产量和市场份额,且内外资企业低碳技术差距越大时内资企业的市场份额下降越多。(2)强制减排降低了社会总产量,碳税和碳交易同等幅度地减少了社会总产量。(3)最优税率仅仅是减排目标的增函数。(4)市场出清的碳交易价格和碳税税率相等,且其数值仅与减排目标正相关,而与碳排放权的分配无关。(5)碳交易比碳税更有利于"保护"内资企业的市场竞争力。相关政策启示如下:(1)尽快确定普适的碳排放核算标准,核算出各行业内外资企业的低碳技术差距;(2)尽快在全国范围内启动碳交易机制,建立促进缩小内外资企业低碳技术的机制;(3)在碳交易市场条件不成熟的行业可以率先推出碳税政策;(4)政府应该根据内外资企业低碳技术差距来对不同行业采取最适宜的减排政策,而非"一刀切"。     

Comparative experimental analysis of the effect of convective heat losses on the performance of parabolic dish water heater

This paper reveals comparative experimental analysis of the effect of variation of natural and forced convection heat losses on the performance of prototype parabolic dish water heater with coated and non-coated receivers. With the above-described system, hot water needs in domestic applications can be fulfilled instantly. A parabolic dish collector was used for instant water heating. Design of solar parabolic dish collector consists of truncated cone-shaped helical coiled receiver made up of copper at focal point. Instantaneous efficiency of 63% and 48% has been achieved with coated and non-coated receivers. This prototype has been evaluated for its performance with water flow rate of 0.0076 kg/s during the months of April and May 2010 at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India (latitude: 16.42° North, longitude: 74.13° West).     

Involving local farmers in rehabilitation of degraded tropical forests: some lessons from Ghana

The role of community-based plantation development in forest rehabilitation and poverty alleviation is a pressing issue for the government of Ghana. In this paper, we present an analysis of the prospects of a community-based plantation using taungya systems and indigenous trees as means to forest rehabilitation and livelihood improvement in Ghana. The project management strategies, communication process and incentive mechanism and their impact on local participation are discussed with the aim to recommending a mechanism through which local farmers can best be involved in rehabilitation of degraded sites in the future in Ghana. Data were collected through a survey using personal interviews of 431 farming households and ten key informants from ten communities living in scattered hamlets in and around forests reserves. The results show a high rate of local participation in project tree planting activities. Four years after the project’s initiation, about 250 ha of plantations had been established using twelve priority indigenous and one exotic species and farmers had indicated improvement in their farming practices and availability of food and forest products. Restoring forest quality as a timber resource and associated values, getting money, food stuff and timber and non-timber for domestic use, and having access to fertile land for farming were the top three issues prioritised by respondents as motivational factors for engaging in the project activities. Overall, this project demonstrates that reversing tropical forest degradation is possible. For this we need local involvement in tree domestication combined with activities that addresses livelihood needs and environmental concerns. This case also demonstrates the prospects of utilising indigenous tree species, not only exotic species that dominated tree planting in the past, for plantations and landscape rehabilitation in Ghana. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Enhancing viability of biofuel-based decentralized power projects for rural electrification in India

Decentralized power generation, using locally available biofuels from non-edible oilseeds, is an option for rural electrification in many developing countries. However, due to prevailing high price of non-edible oilseeds, such as Jatropha curcas, the cost of electricity generation is very high. This paper provides detailed financial analysis of straight vegetable oil (SVO)-based decentralized power project and proposes an innovative model for enhancing their financial viability. While for implementing agency operational cost recovery is the key for viability, affordable tariff is crucial for end-users. The paper attempts to estimate minimum desired price of electricity from the stakeholders' (producer and users) perspective using data gathered from selected operational SVO-based power generation projects in India. Analysis carried out in this paper indicates that operating the decentralized power plant at higher capacity utilization factor, by introduction of productive load, and differentiated tariffs for commercial and domestic consumers may not alone be sufficient to achieve the financial viability. The paper proposes an innovative integrated model of using biogas, obtained from the by-product de-oiled cake of non-edible oilseeds, as a feedstock for power generation, instead of using the SVO in engines. This reduces the fuel cost of power generation, thereby helping to bring down the tariff within the paying capacity of rural consumers. The main produce, viz. extracted non-edible oil, which was otherwise used as fuel for generating power, can be sold in local market for earning revenue, thereby enhancing the project’s economic viability. This paper sets forth the proposed integrated model as a viable biofuel-based decentralized power project for sustainable rural development in areas with adequate availability of oilseeds.