Using a functional approach to wetland valuation: the case of Zazari–Cheimaditida

This study proposes the valuation of wetland functions as an alternative to the conventional approach to wetland valuation, in order to derive indicators for decision-making in wetland management. It is illustrated that these functions can be valuated in terms of the goods and services they provide to society. Using a functional approach, the functions are identified and the goods and services they provide are explicitly allocated among them; then, the latter are valuated with the Contingent Valuation method. Statistical analysis of the data provides welfare measures that reflect the value of these functions. It is argued that the values of separate functions are more useful in policy-making than their aggregated value.

How Run-of-River Operation Affects Hydropower Generation and Value

Regulated rivers in the United States are required to support human water uses while preserving aquatic ecosystems. However, the effectiveness of hydropower license requirements nationwide has not been demonstrated. One requirement that has become more common is “run-of-river” (ROR) operation, which restores a natural flow regime. It is widely believed that ROR requirements (1) are mandated to protect aquatic biota, (2) decrease hydropower generation per unit flow, and (3) decrease energy revenue. We tested these three assumptions by reviewing hydropower projects with license-mandated changes from peaking to ROR operation. We found that ROR operation was often prescribed in states with strong water-quality certification requirements and migratory fish species. Although benefits to aquatic resources were frequently cited, changes were often motivated by other considerations. After controlling for climate, the overall change in annual generation efficiency across projects because of the change in operation was not significant. However, significant decreases were detected at one quarter of individual hydropower projects. As expected, we observed a decrease in flow during peak demand at 7 of 10 projects. At the remaining projects, diurnal fluctuations actually increased because of operation of upstream storage projects. The economic implications of these results, including both producer costs and ecologic benefits, are discussed. We conclude that regional-scale studies of hydropower regulation, such as this one, are long overdue. Public dissemination of flow data, license provisions, and monitoring data by way of on-line access would facilitate regional policy analysis while increasing regulatory transparency and providing feedback to decision makers.     

Elements of a cost-benefit analysis for improving salmonid spawning habitat in the River Wye

Contingent valuation methods were used to derive an economic value for salmonid spawning habitat restoration. Anglers' willingness to pay for such restoration and farmers' willingness to accept compensation for lost productivity due to the restoration were investigated using questionnaire and face-to-face surveys, respectively. These elements were combined with the Wye Habitat Improvement Project (WHIP) budget into a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) based upon direct use values only. The CBA assumed that the WHIP will improve salmonid stock. Different levels of investment were considered and the CBA gave a positive net present value indicating an economically viable project and benefit-to-cost ratios greater than one for minor projects. However, the number of anglers using the Wye would need to double or triple in order to justify the full WHIP budget. Management of an environmental resource must consider users' and stakeholders' needs and opinions. It was found that anglers on the Wye value habitat/scenery in its own right and that this played an important part in the activity. Farmers' agreement regarding involvement in such projects was more likely to be determined by their political and ethical views than receiving an economic compensation.     

Value for Money: Protecting Endangered Species on Danish Heathland

Biodiversity policies in the European Union (EU) are mainly implemented through the Birds and Habitats Directives as well as the establishment of Natura 2000, a network of protected areas throughout the EU. Considerable resources must be allocated for fulfilling the Directives and the question of optimal allocation is as important as it is difficult. In general, economic evaluations of conservation targets at most consider the costs and seldom the welfare economic benefits. In the present study, we use welfare economic benefit estimates concerning the willingness-to-pay for preserving endangered species and for the aggregate area of heathland preserved in Denmark. Similarly, we obtain estimates of the welfare economic cost of habitat restoration and maintenance. Combining these welfare economic measures with expected species coverage, we are able to estimate the potential welfare economic contribution of a conservation network. We compare three simple nonprobabilistic strategies likely to be used in day-to-day policy implementation: i) a maximum selected area strategy, ii) a hotspot selection strategy, and iii) a minimizing cost strategy, and two more advanced and informed probabilistic strategies: i) a maximum expected coverage strategy and ii) a strategy for maximum expected welfare economic gain. We show that the welfare economic performance of the strategies differ considerably. The comparison between the expected coverage and expected welfare shows that for the case considered, one may identify an optimal protection level above which additional coverage only comes at increasing welfare economic loss.     

山东省水环境污染的经济损失研究

通过对区域水污染经济损失核算方法的研究，采用恢复费用法估算山东省1997—1999年的水污染损失。山东省年均水污染损失占GDP的0．38％；其中淮河流域的年均污染损失最大。占总损失量的66．82％；单位水量的污染损失以海河流域最大，为0．43元／m^3；淮河、海河流域由于水污染，工农业增加的水处理成本占其工农业总产值的比例分别为0．43％和1．34％。结果表明，山东省由于水污染造成的经济损失已经影响到了山东省的经济发展。     

The use of cost–benefit analysis in environmental policies: Some issues raised by the Water Framework Directive implementation in France

This paper aims to practically contribute to the literature on the use of cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and economic evaluation in environmental decision-making through a practical case study: the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in France, for the first cycle (2010–2015). The WFD requires that Member States achieve “good status” for all water bodies in 2015. However, exemptions can apply, if justified, on natural, technical or economic reasons. For the latter, EU guidance documents recommend to use CBA. In France, the water agencies carried out 710 CBAs on proposed restoration projects for water bodies. This article reports on this experience. Issues concerning these analyses are discussed, especially the assessment of non-market benefits. Finally, this article questions the use of economic analysis in the implementation of environmental policy.     

等价分析法评估环境突发事故中的环境资源损失

目前,在进行环境污染事故损失评估时,生态资源的损害由于计算的复杂性往往没有被考虑进去,本文采用非市场价值法中的等价分析法(HEA)对贵州省某次污染事故的河流生态资源损失进行了评估,计算过程中以连续积分的方式替代原来的离散型以年为单位的累积方式,提高了准确度。计算结果表明,河流生态资源的损害占本次事故总损失的9.5%。灵敏度分析结果表明,补偿生境的最大服务水平对补偿结果有较大影响,补偿生境最大服务水平为原受损生境最初服务水平的80%时,补偿面积为受损面积的27.5%,是较为合理的补偿方式。补偿生境最大服务水平为原受损生境最初服务水平的50%时,所需的补偿面积过大,在贵州省喀斯特山区地貌为主的省份不容易找到大面积的补偿区;补偿生境最大服务水平为100%时,所需的补偿面积和80%情况下的相似,但是提高了补偿的难度。因此,确定80%的补偿生境服务水平较为合理。     

降低PM2.5健康风险的行为选择及支付意愿——以北京市居民为例

本文运用权变评价法(CVM)调查了北京市居民对大气细颗粒物(PM2.5)健康风险的认知状况、行为选择及降低健康风险的支付意愿。结果表明:182.5%的居民认为北京市空气污染较为严重,52.4%的居民知道雾霾天气是由PM2.5引起的并认为其会对自己和家人的健康带来影响,92%的居民认为政府应该承担更多降低PM2.5健康风险的责任。2在降低风险的行为中,能够节省生活成本、有益于身心健康的生活方式和符合日常生活习惯的行为得到了最积极的响应,而会降低居民生活舒适性和增加生活成本的行为支持率相对较低。3在降低30%的PM2.5浓度情景下,居民的支付意愿平均为22.78元/月;在降低60%的PM2.5浓度情景下,居民的支付意愿平均为39.82元/月。而且,居民的个体特征、经济条件、居住位置、交通方式、认知水平及风险沟通等因素,都对降低PM2.5健康风险的支付意愿产生显著影响。     

The value of urban open space: Meta-analyses of contingent valuation and hedonic pricing results

Urban open space provides a number of valuable services to urban populations, including recreational opportunities, aesthetic enjoyment, environmental functions, and may also be associated with existence values. In separate meta-analyses of the contingent valuation (CV) and hedonic pricing (HP) literature we examine which physical, socio-economic, and study characteristics determine the value of open space. The dependent variable in the CV meta-regression is defined as the value of open space per hectare per year in 2003 US$, and in the HP model as the percentage change in house price for a 10 m decrease in distance to open space. Using a multi-level modelling approach we find in both the CV and HP analyses that there is a positive and significant relationship between the value of urban open space and population density, indicating that scarcity and crowdedness matter, and that the value of open space does not vary significantly with income. Further, urban parks are more highly valued than other types of urban open space (forests, agricultural and undeveloped land) and methodological differences in study design have a large influence on estimated values from both CV and HP. We also find important regional differences in preferences for urban open space, which suggests that the potential for transferring estimated values between regions is likely to be limited.     

农业清洁生产技术应用的补偿机制实证研究——以云南省大理州洱源县农户调查为例

以云南省大理州洱源县农户调查为例,开展农户对于农业清洁生产技术采纳的补偿意愿实证研究。研究采用意愿价值评估法,在假设政府提供补偿的前提下进行农户问卷调查,获得农户对于采用不同农业清洁技术的受偿意愿数据,从而为制定相应的补偿政策提供依据。首先,分析了农户对于使用配方肥、秸秆还田及修建化粪池等3类清洁技术的采纳意愿;其次,明确了农户愿意接受的现金和实物2种补偿方式;第三,简单估算了农户采纳3类清洁技术希望获得的补偿标准;最后,调查了农户对于政府可能采取的推进清洁技术发展的配套政策的偏好程度。