The social cost of carbon revisited

An estimate of the social cost of carbon (SCC) is crucial to climate policy. But how should we estimate the SCC? A common approach uses an integrated assessment model (IAM) to simulate time paths for the atmospheric CO₂ concentration, its impact on temperature, and resulting reductions in GDP. I have argued that IAMs have deficiencies that make them poorly suited for this job, but what is the alternative? I present an approach to estimating an average SCC, which I argue can be a useful guide for policy. I rely on a survey of experts to elicit opinions regarding (1) probabilities of alternative economic outcomes of climate change, but not the causes of those outcomes; and (2) the reduction in emissions required to avert an extreme outcome, i.e., a large climate-induced reduction in GDP. The average SCC is the ratio of the present value of lost GDP from an extreme outcome to the total emission reduction needed to avert that outcome. I discuss the survey instrument, explain how experts were identified, and present results. I obtain SCC estimates of $200/mt or higher, but the variation across experts is large. Trimming outliers and focusing on experts who expressed a high degree of confidence in their answers yields lower SCCs, $80 to $100/mt, but still well above the IAM-based estimates used by the U.S. government.     

Willingness to pay for clean air in China

We use a residential sorting model incorporating migration disutility to recover the implicit value of clean air in China. The model is estimated using China Population Census Data along with PM2.5 satellite data. Our study provides new evidence on the willingness to pay for air quality improvements in developing countries and is the first application of an equilibrium sorting model to the valuation of non-market amenities in China. We employ two instrumental variables based on coal-fired electricity generation and wind direction to address the endogeneity of local air pollution. Results suggest important differences between the residential sorting model and a conventional hedonic model, highlighting the role of moving costs and the discreteness of the choice set. Our sorting results indicate that the economic value of air quality improvement associated with a one-unit decline in PM2.5 concentration is up to $8.83 billion for all Chinese households in 2005.     

Environmental values and willingness to pay for a protected area: a segmentation of Italian university students

The study investigated students’ attitudes and willingness to pay (WTP) for the protection of some environmental values. The empirical study refers to a site located in Southern Italy and inserted into the Natura 2000 European Network. Students were segmented according to their appreciation of environmental values and the WTP for them. We considered two scenarios of the study site – of use and non-use – and four values – recreational, educational, bequest and existence. Five clusters, from the ‘unconcerned’ to the ‘committed’ one, reveal a diversity of profiles across the sample. Segmentation results point out the multifunctionality of the environmental heritage and highlight the heterogeneity of students’ environmental profiles.     

Large carnivore hunting and the social license to hunt

The social license to operate framework considers how society grants or withholds informal permission for resource extractors to exploit publicly owned resources. We developed a modified model, which we refer to as the social license to hunt (SLH). In it we similarly consider hunters as operators, given that wildlife are legally considered public resources in North America and Europe. We applied the SLH model to examine the controversial hunting of large carnivores, which are frequently killed for trophies. Killing for trophies is widespread, but undertaken by a minority of hunters, and can pose threats to the SLH for trophy-seeking carnivore hunters and potentially beyond. Societal opposition to large carnivore hunting relates not only to conservation concerns but also to misalignment between killing for trophies and dominant public values and attitudes concerning the treatment of animals. We summarized cases related to the killing of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), wolves (Canis lupus), and other large carnivores in Canada, the United States, and Europe to illustrate how opposition to large carnivore hunting, now expressed primarily on social media, can exert rapid and significant pressure on policy makers and politicians. Evidence of the potential for transformative change to wildlife management and conservation includes proposed and realized changes to legislation, business practice, and wildlife policy, including the banning of some large carnivore hunts. Given that policy is ultimately shaped by societal values and attitudes, research gaps include developing increased insight into public support of various hunting policies beyond that derived from monitoring of social media and public polling. Informed by increased evidence, the SLH model can provide a conceptual foundation for predicting the likelihood of transient versus enduring changes to wildlife conservation policy and practice for a wide variety of taxa and contexts.     

Landscape disturbance caused by non-renewable energy production in a semi-arid region: a case study on the Russian steppe

Exploration and development of oil and gas (O&G) energy resources can create large-scale and permanent landscape effects that are best measured and understood via fieldwork and geospatial technologies. In this article, we examine O&G surface disturbance in the Orenburg steppe region of southwestern Russia for the year 2015. Utilizing field surveys, remote-sensing data and geographic information system (GIS) techniques, we apply a two-pronged approach. First, we map and measure the landscape infrastructure footprint (LIF) to determine the pattern and extent of direct surface disturbance created by O&G facilities and access roads. Second, we conduct a site suitability analysis to identify specific O&G production locations that are most vulnerable to environmental degradation. The approach considers both the particular properties of hydrocarbon production and specific natural features of steppe zones. Suitability patterns represent three indicators: two morphometric parameters (slope and aspect) and one spatial (the remoteness of O&G objects from water bodies). Our findings suggest that O&G production disturbs just over 3% of soil-vegetation cover in our study plot, while more than 13% of O&G objects are located in unsuitable zones based on topographic aspect, and about 11% lie in unsuitable zones regarding distance to water.     

Environmental hazards and waste management in Nsukka urban metropolis in Enugu State of Nigeria: how much are people willing to pay?

Solid waste management in Nsukka town in Enugu state of Nigeria has remained a major challenge despite the efforts of the state government through the Enugu State Waste Management Agency (ESWAMA). The current method whereby households dump refuse at designated locations by the road side to be cleared later has not yielded much improved sanitation of the town. In this study we propose an alternative waste management method that is believed to be superior to the status quo if properly managed. This study applies Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to estimate the households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for this new method in order to ascertain its applicability in Nsukka urban. Data were collected from a sample of 500 households stratified according to major streets in the town. The results show that the mean WTP using different specifications of the model varies from N527.50 (about 2.68) to N530.90 (about 2.68) per month. The policy implication is that if the waste management agency adopts the proposed scenario and manages it well the average revenue realizable per month would be about N13,750,516 (about $69,800). The authorities can compare this with the cost of providing the service and see if it is worth the effort.     

北京与成都大气污染特征及空气质量改善效果评估

近年来我国空气质量持续改善,大气颗粒物浓度明显降低.为探究气象条件和减排措施对细颗粒物（PM_2.5）浓度的相对贡献,选取两个典型代表城市——北京和成都,对比分析两城市所处的地理环境条件、污染排放以及气象扩散条件.结果表明,北京与成都2013~2018年重污染天数及污染过程显著减少,SO₂和PM_2.5浓度降幅明显,与2013年相比,两城市2018年SO₂浓度的降幅分别为77.8%和70.9%,PM_2.5浓度分别降低了42.7%和48.5%.冬季PM_2.5浓度下降速率最大,每年分别以13.5μg·m^-3和14.1μg·m^-3的速率降低.2013~2018年成都较北京风速偏小,温度偏高约3℃,静小风日数偏多,冬季静小风频率高,混合层高度、大气容量指数以及通风系数明显偏小,大气扩散条件较差.综合静稳天气指数（SWI）和环境气象指数（EMI）结果表明北京大气扩散条件优于成都,但近几年的变化程度有所不同.2014~2018年两城市的EMI呈减小趋势,2018年成都地区EMI降幅最显著,气象条件明显好转.与2014年相比,2018年北京与成都全年大气污染减排对PM_2.5浓度的贡献分别为33.5%和24.0%,气象条件的贡献分别为7.2%和11.1%;冬季减排贡献分别为31.7%和32.5%,气象条件的贡献比全年的大.     

土壤环境中四环素类抗生素残留及抗性基因污染的研究进展(Tetracycline Residues and Tetracycline Resistance Gene Pollution in Soil: A Review)

近年来,致病菌耐药性的增加和扩散已成为全世界关注的热点问题,而人类医疗和畜禽养殖业抗生素的滥用正不断加剧这一问题.众多研究表明土壤环境作为一个巨大的抗性基因储存库,在抗性微生物和抗性基因的传播中起重要的作用,具有潜在的生态与健康风险.在总结国内外最新研究基础上,对土壤环境中典型抗生素-四环素类抗生素的主要污染源以及其在土壤中的基本环境行为等进行了分析,并探讨了土壤中四环素类抗性基因的来源、迁移和扩散及分子检测手段等问题.我国作为抗生素的生产和消费大国,抗生素污染问题较其他国家更为严重,而国内相关研究才刚刚起步,迫切需要开展有关环境中抗生素和抗生素抗性基因污染的系统研究.     

秸秆还田模式对农田土壤碳库特性及产量的影响

为探明南方稻麦两熟制农田秸秆还田模式对土壤总有机碳、活性有机碳、碳库管理指数和稻麦产量的影响,论文通过8 a的水稻-小麦轮作田间定位试验,设置了4个秸秆还田模式处理：秸秆不还田（CK）、秸秆稻麦季均还田（RW）、仅麦秸稻季还田（W）、仅稻秸麦季还田（R）。结果表明,与CK处理相比,秸秆还田显著提高了0~20 cm土壤的总有机碳、活性有机碳、稳定态有机碳（P<0.05）;不同秸秆还田模式处理之间的土壤总有机碳、稳定态有机碳差异均不显著（P>0.05）,RW处理的活性有机碳、碳库活度指数、碳库管理指数与R处理无显著差异性（P>0.05）,显著大于W处理（P<0.05）;RW与R处理的水稻产量均值无显著差异性（P>0.05）,显著大于W处理;活性有机碳、碳库管理指数与水稻产量均值呈极显著相关（P<0.01）,与小麦产量均值关系不密切（P>0.05）;上述结果表明,与稻麦两季还田模式相比,南方稻麦两熟制农田实施仅稻秆麦季还田模式,并不影响作物稳产性与土壤地力的提升。     

农户沼肥还田决策行为及其经济效应评价

论文基于江苏省淮安市和连云港市沼气池使用户调查数据,运用Probit模型考察农户沼肥还田决策行为的影响因素,构建产出供给方程评价农户沼肥还田决策行为的经济效应。结果表明：沼气池使用天数越多、户主年龄越小、户主是村干部或农民专业合作社成员以及人均承包地越多的农户,越倾向于选择沼肥还田,而家庭总资产较少或较多的农户都不愿意选择沼肥还田。控制其他条件,农户沼肥还田可能性每增加1%,单位面积农地产值提高0.07%（10.81 元/hm²）,若研究区域沼气池使用户全部选择沼肥还田,单位面积农地产值将提高356.55元/hm²,具有一定的经济效应,倾向得分匹配方法（PSM）的稳健性分析进一步证实这一结论。目前中国沼肥还田率总体不高且没有规范的沼肥还田管理项目,进而提出鼓励沼气池使用户充分利用沼气池,提高农户沼肥还田积极性的政策建议。