E-waste assessment methodology and validation in India

An attempt has been made to establish an approach and a methodology to quantify electronic waste (e-waste) in India. The study was limited to personal computers (PCs) and televisions (TVs) within the state boundaries of Delhi and in selected areas in the National Capital Region (NCR). Material flow analysis was used to establish an e-waste trade value chain, where cathode ray tubes (CRTs) were tracked in the e-waste dismantling stream of the CRT regunning process. The market supply method was used to estimate the theoretical amount of e-waste for each item. Sensitivity analysis was carried out for PCs, using 5 years and 7 years as the average life, and for TVs, using 10 years and 12 years as the average life. Externalities such as e-waste entering the study area from outside were factored into the final e-waste analysis. Sensitivity analysis on the average life also factored in elements of active usage, reuse, and storage of electronic items and consumer behavior into assumptions about the obsolescence rate in market supply method. A primary survey indicated an output of 1800–2100 CRTs per day from all regunning units in the study area. This range validated the theoretical output for an average life of 7 years for a PC and 12 years for a TV. Using this approach, e-waste was estimated to reach 2 million units from the domestic market by 2010.     

Market imperfections in recycling markets: conceptual issues and empirical study of price volatility in plastics

The effectiveness of recycling depends upon efficient functioning of secondary material markets. This paper focus on the role that price volatility can play in slowing investment and market development. However, a statistical analysis of the relative volatility of secondary and primary material prices does not confirm the widely-held belief that relative price volatility is higher in secondary than in primary materials, at least at national levels.An econometric estimation of the determinants of plastic recovery volumes in Seattle contributes to the literature in four ways: the use of monthly (as opposed to annual) data; the use of local (as opposed to national) data; the use of an explanatory variable to reflect price volatility; and, the focus on plastics, which have not been examined previously. Some tentative conclusions can be made: the results generally support the principal hypothesis that price volatility has a negative effect on recovery of secondary materials; in addition, and consistent with previous studies, price elasticities are low and insignificant; and finally, policy factors are clearly important. The concluding section treats the economic and policy implications of market inefficiency in secondary material markets.     

论社会主义市场经济条件下的企业环境行为

文章分析了计划经济体制和市场经济体制对企业环境行为的影响和作用，讨论了社会主义市场条件下企业的环境目标、环境政策、环境管理及保投资取向。市场经济条件下企业的环境行为应是主动型、预防型和环境友善型的，企业的发展方式应是低消耗，低污染，低环境风险的持续发展方式，企业的环境管理应是法制管理和全员管理。     

Carbon trading across sources and periods constrained by the Marrakesh Accords

We examine the potential effects on permit prices and abatement costs of four compliance rules governing emissions trade across sources and periods in the Kyoto Protocol: The banking rule that allows excess permits to be used later; the restoration rate rule that penalizes borrowing; the commitment period reserve rule that limits sales; and finally, the suspension rule that restricts borrowing and sales. Our framework is a two-period model where parties may be out of compliance in the Kyoto period, but are assumed to comply at a later time. Under varying assumptions about market power and US participation, we find that the rules may have pronounced effects on individual costs, but overall efficiency is not severely affected.     

我国《劳动保护产业》的市场需求趋势分析

首次对国内一些企业进行《劳动保护产业》市场需求趋势的调查分析，并参考了国外有关信息，得出了“个人防护用品”是占据该市场最大份额项目的结论。还提出了如以“个人防护用品”为龙头发展劳动保护产业时，需要注意的几个问题。     

影子价格─自然灾害经济评价中合理的价格

着重说明自然灾害经济评价中利用影子价格的原因，简要说明我国目前在投资项目评价中采用的影子价格及计算方法，以及在自然灾害经济评价中如何利用影子价格进行计算．     

Energy taxes and endogenous technological change

This paper studies the effects of a tax on energy use in a growth model where market structure is endogenous and jointly determined with the rate of technological change. Because this economy does not exhibit the scale effect (a positive relation between TFP growth and aggregate R&D), the tax has no effect on the steady-state growth rate. It has, however, important transitional effects that give rise to surprising results. Specifically, under the plausible assumption that energy demand is inelastic, there may exist a hump-shaped relation between the energy tax and welfare. This shape stems from the fact that the reallocation of resources from energy production to manufacturing triggers a temporary acceleration of TFP growth that generates a √-shaped time profile of consumption. If endogenous technological change raises consumption sufficiently fast and by a sufficient amount in the long run, and households are sufficiently patient, the tax raises welfare despite the fact that—in line with standard intuition—it lowers consumption in the short run.     

基于Pathfinder的商场人员疏散仿真

商场中的人员疏散是一个复杂的过程。运用人员疏散仿真软件Pathfinder 2012对某商场在紧急情况下人员的安全疏散进行研究,重点讨论借用防火分区防火门进行疏散对疏散效率的影响。模拟结果表明,借用相邻防火分区进行疏散可以有效提高单个防火分区的疏散效率,但如果在相邻防火分区防火门处出现相向流则会降低整体的疏散效率,并且随着人数的增多变得更加严重。因此,应定期针对商场员工开展疏散演练等相关培训,增强员工疏散引导的能力,避免疏散过程中出现行人相向流,最终提高商场人员疏散的效率。     

因子分析法提取临沂商品城剖面微量元素地球化学特征及古气候意义

运用因子分析法分析了临沂商品城沉积剖面特征微量地球化学元素及其比值,揭示了沂河中游末次冰消期至中全新世的气候演变过程.结果表明,沂河中游末次冰消期至中全新世沂河中游气候演变经历了6个阶段:(1)16866—13630 cal a B.P.末次冰消期气候冷干;(2)13630—10440 cal a B.P.气候回升但在11868—10440 cal a B.P.,气候突然变得冷干,基本上可以与YD气候事件相对应;(3)10440—8672 cal a B.P.进入全新世后气候以冷湿为主;(4)8672—6755 cal a B.P.大暖期气候不稳定波动剧烈,气候干湿交替,以暖湿为主;(5)6755—5850 cal a B.P.气候趋向干旱化;(6)5850—4698 cal a B.P.气候转向暖湿.     

Soil erosion in developing countries: a socio-economic appraisal

Soil erosion is the single most important environmental degradation problem in the developing world. Despite the plethora of literature that exists on the incidence, causes and impacts of soil erosion, a concrete understanding of this complex problem is lacking. This paper examines the soil erosion problem in developing countries in order to understand the complex inter-relationships between population pressure, poverty and environmental-institutional dynamics. Two recent theoretical developments, namely Boserup's theory on population pressure, poverty and soil erosion and Lopez's theory on environmental and institutional dynamics have been reviewed. The analysis reveals that negative impacts of technical change, inappropriate government policies and poor institutions are largely responsible for the continued soil erosion in developing countries. On the other hand, potential for market-based approaches to mitigate the problem is also low due to the negative externalities involved. A deeper appreciation of institutional and environmental dynamics and policy reforms to strengthen weak institutions may help mitigate the problem.