Impacts of the Rising Opportunity Cost of Farm Labor on Agricultural Land Use Structure: Theory and Empirical Evidences

Nowadays the rising of opportunity cost of farm labor comes to the forefront of attention in China. In order to understand its impact on agricultural land-use structure, a theoretical framework of household economics is formulated drawn on Low’s model. Under the theoretical framework, the impact of the rising opportunity cost of on-farm on cropping structure is deduced in theory. And then, using statistic and survey data, taking mountain area of southern Ningxia as an example, the theoretical assumes are verified. The results show that the rise of opportunity cost of farm labor leads to less diversified cropping structure.     

Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

Abstract

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households’ firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households’ firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers’ subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.     

Two Major Relative Comparative Advantages of China in International Trade

Sustainable development requires enriching and developing the traditional international trade theory, especially integrating the environmental elements into the current analysis framework of relative comparative advantages. These relationships among labor, capital, and environmental resources are analyzed in this study, using the relative comparative advantages method. As indicated in the analysis, the ever-increasing international trading volume in China relies not only on the relative comparative advantage of labor but also on the environmental one; these are the two major advantages in China. However, the two advantages will experience serious challenge in the future along with a rising cost on labor and environmental pollution.     

基于“可持续性”要素的比较优势理论拓展

比较优势是不同国家生产同种产品的机会成本差异。传统理论认为,形成比较优势的机会成本主要为生产成本,而"可持续性"是一种代际公共品,耗费"可持续性"要素的机会成本是代际成本,即现在使用某(些)要素所放弃的未来使用之可能带来的纯收益。因此,不同国家的可持续性差异体现为代际成本差异,"可持续性"是塑造一国比较优势的新要素。若中国对外贸易过度依靠当代所具有的劳动力价格低廉和环境规制政策宽松所塑造的劳动力比较优势和环境比较优势,从长期看是不可持续的。通过代际成本内在化,可逐步实现对外贸易发展的短期理性与长期理性的统一。进而言之,中国需要妥善处理贸易增长与各种稀缺要素消耗之间的关系,平衡贸易增长与可持续发展的关系,当今的贸易与未来的贸易需寻求某种总量和结构上的均衡。     

城市外来劳动力流入影响因素分析——基于长三角地区16地级市的实证考察

本文在分析和评价传统理论和已有文献的基础上,突破单一的收入差距影响劳动力流动的传统思维,构建出劳动力流动不仅受迁移地收入的实际效用变动因素的影响,而且受迁移成本变动因素影响的理论模型.并且根据长三角地区16地级市1995-2006年的面板数据,经过单位根检验和协整关系检验,利用回归模型,估计分析了域内外收入差距、直接成本变动、潜在风险成本对外部劳动力流入的影响度.估计结果显示,域内外收入差距与外部劳动力流入正相关,直接成本和潜在风险成本与外部劳动力流入负相关,进一步明确了收入差距和成本变动对劳动力流入的影响程度.鉴于各因素对外部劳动力流入所起的作用,要进一步促进我国长三角地区劳动力的合理流入,必须从以下两个方面着手:一是提高迁入地较高收入的边际效用,二是降低迁入地较高收入的成本率.     

No Sustainability without Technical,Fiscal and Social Innovation

Abstract

Migration process has become increasingly important in recent research on population and the environment. A majority of the existing migration and environment literature has focused on the environmental causes and determinants of migration. With the largest rural-to-urban migration flow in world history, and growing concerns about the environmental problems accompanying its fast economic development, China provides a particularly important case for migration and environment research. This paper reviews major migration theories and recent research on environmental effects on migration, with specific attention to the influences of environmental factors on rural-to-urban labor migration in China. A comprehensive multilevel conceptual framework is developed for studying the environmental causes of rural-to-urban migration in China. The effects of land resources on household labor migration decisions in rural China are explored to illustrate the application of this framework.     

An economic analysis of China’s domestic crude oil supply policies

ABSTRACT

China’s domestic oil production has lagged the growth in domestic oil consumption since the beginning of the 21st century, leading to a growing reliance on imports. In response, the Chinese government has introduced a number of policies, including import license constraints, to support domestic suppliers. In an effort to measure the economic impact of these policies we develop a short-run equilibrium model of China’s wholesale oil and gas market at the provincial scale. We construct counterfactual scenarios that suggest that relaxing policies that prioritize domestic production in 2016, when the average price of Chinese oil imports was US$42 per barrel (bbl), could have increased China’s import demand by 0.29 million barrels per day (MMbbl/d). This results in a substitution of 9% of China’s domestic production in 2016, and a reduction of US $2.8 billion in crude supply costs including transportation as the imported oil has more direct access to the country’s pipeline network, compared to the displaced domestic production. In addition, rising import prices since mid-2017 may provide a window of opportunity for Chinese policymakers to proceed with further deregulation of the domestic oil sector, as the short-term impact on domestic producers is reduced.     

The Empirical Analysis of the Impacts of Income Distribution Gap on Consumption Demand: Based on the Statistic Data of Chinese Urban Residents in 2000–2010

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of income distribution gap on consumption demand from a theoretical view, and draws the conclusion that there is an inverse relationship between income distribution gap and consumption demand. Then, the paper finds that the existing widening income distribution gap in China has a negative impact on consumption demand, but this is not the key factor for the insufficient consumption demand because of the low level of per capital income. At last, it suggests that governments should improve the income level of entire residents and adjust income distribution structure simultaneously.     

Economic Globalization and Industrial Pollution

Abstract

In order to study the relationship between economic globalization and industrial pollution, this paper developed the theoretical framework and used simultaneous equations. The result shows that economic globalization has influences on the industrial pollution mainly by the direct effect of scale, structure and technology as well as the indirect effect of income and policy. Considering all the factors, economic globalization, especially foreign direct investment (FDI), will reduce industrial pollution, in which technology spillover effect plays an important role.     

Determinants on Rural-Urban Labor Migration in China: Empirical Analysis on the Effect of Rural Cooperate Medical Insurance based on Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data

Abstract

This paper studies factors influencing rural-urban labor migration in China, particularly the implementation of rural cooperative medical insurance (RCMI) in the year 2003. With the support of data analysis from the year 2000, 2004 and 2006, clear linear correlations are found between gender, income, health condition and rural-urban labor flow, whereas the impact of education and employment status are more complicated. More importantly, results from regression show that the establishment of RCMI in countryside of China not only inhibits rural residents from seeking employment outside the village, but also pulls back rural people who have already worked in cities. When regional dimension is concerned, the pure composite effect of RCMI on rural labor flow is less significant in coastal areas with better economic performance and medical service.     

Gatekeeping and Communities in Energy Transition: A Study of the Block Island Wind Farm

ABSTRACT

The Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) is the first offshore wind farm in the United States. Using gatekeeping theory as a framework, this research analyzes local and regional/national newspaper coverage of the BIWF paying particular attention to the use of sources. The data suggest that the differences between newspaper source usage from 1 January 2008 to 1 July 2017 is minimal. However, business sources appeared more than any other group, including government sources, which is a new finding. The prevalence of business sources leads to important questions about the role of businesses in shaping narratives about community transitions to renewable energy systems.     

劳动成本上升背景下农户农药施用行为差异研究——基于精细管理技术的中介效应

作为实现乡村振兴战略的重要抓手,如何实现农药零增长一直是现代农业政策关注的重点。基于上述问题,通过全国18个省份农户的微观调查数据,尝试从精细管理技术投入的视角,分析劳动成本变化对农户农药使用行为的影响。研究发现:对于从事园艺等劳动密集型作物种植的农户而言,劳动成本上升将促使农药施用量的增加,而精细管理技术投入则在两者间起到部分中介作用。精细管理技术投入的增加能够有效提高农户的施药效率并降低其单次的农药用量。而与此同时,由于精细管理农户所面临的经营风险相对较大,因而农药施用次数相对较高,故不同精细管理技术投入的农户在农药施用总量方面并未呈现明显差异。因此,政府可尝试通过扶持农产品品牌建设、发展农业生产服务组织等方式,在引导农户生产方式精细化的同时,实现农药的减量投入。     

Externalities,Floating Population and Spatial Agglomeration

Abstract

With the further development of socialist market economy, the mobility of factor markets in China, especially the labor market, is strengthened. Externalities interacts with the agglomeration of productive factors. Under the framework of new economic geography, this article presents a theoretical model involving the endogenous population density affected by urban externalities. Results show that the population density is more concentrated around the center because the degree and extent of interaction between individuals intensifies when the distance from the center decreases. When there are several externalities resources, the aggregation of externalities changes the configuration of spatial factor allocation. These results fit well with the empirical facts about the decreasing density of floating population along the cities of Guangzhou, Dongguan and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province which is situated in the eastern coast of the Pearl River Delta. We find that under the impacts of externalities released from Hong Kong into the coast, floating population was more concentrated around Shenzhen and Dongguan, which are more adjacent to Hong Kong compared with Guangzhou City.     

Environmental Implication of Intensive Farming Practices on North China Plain

Abstract

The current pressure on production resources of North China Plain, such as land and water to feed the growing population, necessitates the assessment of the sustainability of farming practices. This study focuses on the sustainability of farming practices related to groundwater and soil fertility management. The assessment is based on selected site-specific key indicators and their established threshold limits. The current farming practices in the study area are clearly unsustainable. Only about 6% of the surveyed farm households practice sustainable farming. The study stresses that farming practice, which is economically sustainable, should not be promoted at the cost of environment. Holistic strategies need to be developed and implemented that aim at balanced use of inputs, which satisfy both productivity and environmental concerns.     

农业分工有利于化肥减量施用吗?——基于江汉平原水稻种植户的实证

促进农户的化肥减量施用是改善农业面源污染、推动农业可持续发展的重要举措。已有研究重点关注农地流转及由此实现的农地规模经营对化肥减量化的影响,普遍忽视农业分工的减量贡献。本文通过构建“农业分工-内生技术进步-化肥减量施用”理论分析框架,阐明了农业横向分工与纵向分工促进化肥减量施用的作用机理,然后结合2017年对江汉平原983个水稻种植户调查数据,运用线性回归模型与分位数回归模型进行实证检验。结果表明:农业横向分工和纵向分工均能够显著降低水稻种植户的化肥施用量;对于化肥施用量处于低位分布的农户,纵向分工的减施效应相对较强;对于化肥施用量处于高位分布的农户,横向分工的减施效应更为明显。考虑宏观农业化肥减量化政策冲击和模型潜在的内生性等问题后,上述结论仍然稳健。进一步的影响机理挖掘发现,横向分工与纵向分工分别通过人力资本积累、迂回技术引进效应促进实现农户化肥减量施用。在农业家庭经营参与分工经济的过程中,横向分工及其区域专业连片化所表达的市场容量是纵向分工深化、知识外溢与人力资本积累的重要条件。由此,当微观农户开展横向专业化分工并演进为区域专业连片化生产时,横向分工的人力资本积累效应和纵向分工的迂回技术引进效应将得到强化,进而显著促进农户化肥减量施用。本文的政策含义是:优化作物生产布局,强化农业横向分工,特别是区域专业连片化、组织化生产,形成小农户与大农业生产格局;培育多样化农业生产委托代理市场,鼓励农业家庭经营卷入分工经济。     

Sand-dust Storm,Population and Environment in Northwest China

Abstract

Sand-dust storms are the result of the integrated influences of climate, geography, society and human factors. A theoretical framework is built to explain the coherence of population growth, agriculture change and environmental degradation. On the basis of the analysis of the causes of the sand-dust storm in terms of human factors, a discussion will be given to show that these factors are internally consistent with the theoretical framework. After that, it will look at China's Agenda 21 and try to find relevant measures to reduce such large sand-dust storms happening in Northwest China and eventually make this area develop sustainably.     

Economic Valuation of Health Impact of PM10 Pollution in Beijing from 2001 to 2006

Abstract

In light of the practical need for research to inform policy in Beijing, this study evaluates the economic cost of the impact of PM₁₀ pollution in Beijing from 2001 to 2006, taking health as the main impact, and mortality as the main outcome. Based on the literature review, this study adopts relatively conservative parameters as the basis for calculating the health impacts. It concludes that nearly 30% of mortality among registered residents above age 30 in Beijing can be attributed to PM₁₀ pollution, and that the economic cost equals 0.8%–1.2% of the city’s GDP over the same period. This is lower than the results of previous studies, but still high enough to warrant a commitment to solve the city’s air pollution problem.     

劳动力老龄化对农户粮食绿色生产行为的影响研究——基于长江流域六省农户的调查

基于2017年对四川省、湖北省、湖南省、江西省、安徽省、江苏省等6个长江流域粮食主产省份1 027户农户的调查数据,利用结构方程模型(SEM)以及自助抽样(Bootstrapping)方法,对劳动力老龄化影响农户粮食绿色生产行为的作用机制及其效应进行了实证检验。结果表明:(1)劳动力老龄化通过削弱吸收能力的机制抑制了农户粮食绿色生产行为,其中介效应显著为负(路径系数为-0.126)。(2)劳动力老龄化通过要素替代与决策依赖机制显著促进了农户的粮食绿色生产行为,且这种积极影响超过了吸收能力机制的不利影响,使得劳动力老龄化对农户粮食绿色生产行为影响的总间接效应为正(0.176)。(3)总体而言,劳动力老龄化对农户粮食绿色生产行为具有显著的不利影响,因为其直接效应显著为负(-0.328),且大于间接效应。据此,研究认为劳动力老龄化对于粮食生产绿色转型而言不仅是挑战,同时也存在机遇。