Valuing Improvements in The Water Rights System in South Africa: A Contingent Ranking Approach1

Speelman, Stijn, Stefano Farolfi, Aymen Frija, and Guido Van Huylenbroeck, 2010. Valuing Improvements in the Water Rights System in South Africa: A Contingent Ranking Approach. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(6):1133–1144. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00480.x Abstract: In the context of increasing water scarcity, understanding is growing that irrigation water rights are important and that a lack of an effective water rights system constitutes a major reason for inefficient water management. This study carried out a contingent ranking experiment to study how smallholder irrigators in South Africa would value potential changes in water rights. Three specific dimensions of water rights, relevant for the South African case, are considered: duration, quality of title, and transferability. Results indicate that smallholder irrigators are prepared to pay considerably higher water prices if improvements are made in the water rights system. This implies that the proposed interventions in the water rights system would improve the efficiency and productivity of the small-scale irrigation sector. The increased willingness to pay could furthermore also assist the South African government to reach the objective of increased cost recovery.     

The Energy for Growing and Maintaining Cities

Herein we develop a means to differentiate between the energy required to expand and the energy required to maintain the economies of cities. A nonlinear model is tested against historical data for two cities, Hong Kong and Singapore. A robust fit is obtained for Hong Kong, with energy for maintenance close to that for growth, while Singapore, with a weaker fit, is growth dominated. The findings suggest that decreases in either of the per unit maintenance or growth demands can simultaneously cause gross domestic product (GDP) and total energy use to increase. Furthermore, increasing maintenance demands can significantly limit growth in energy demand and GDP. Thus, the low maintenance demands for Hong Kong, and especially Singapore, imply that, all other things being equal, GDP and energy use of these cities will continue to grow, though Singapore’s higher energy use for growth means it will require more energy than Hong Kong.     

Examination of Resource Curse Hypothesis: Mineral Resources Exploitation and Economic Growth in Xinjiang Autonomous Region

The mineral resources exploitation stage and the economic growth rate are various in different regions of Xinjiang Autonomous region. Using the method of location quotient, this paper identifies and classifies the intensive regions of three types of mineral resources, known as coal, oil and natural gas, respectively. The intensive regions of economic growth were also identified, according to the rate of per capita GDP growth at prefecture, autonomous prefecture and city. The relationships between different mineral resources and economic growth are different, for example, the relationship between economic growth and coal resource is positive, while the relationship between economic growth and oil resource, or natural gas resource is negative. This study empirically examines the effects of natural resources on economic growth of Xinjiang. The results show that whilst natural resources have a positive impact on growth, and can make a negative impact on growth through the transmission channels, such as investment, manufacture, human capital, and scientific and technologic innovation. Moreover, it studies the transmission channels, that is, the effect of natural resources on the other explanatory variables, and calculates the indirect effect of natural resources on growth for each transmission channel, and comprehensive effects of natural resources on growth. The calculated result of comprehensive effects indicates that the positive direct effects of natural resources on growth are shown to outweigh the negative indirect effect of Xinjiang autonomous region.     

农户参与生态补偿行为意愿影响因素分析

长期以来,资源无限、环境无价的观念根深蒂固地存在于人们的思维中,也渗透在社会和经济活动的体制和政策中.随着生态环境破坏的加剧和生态系统服务功能的研究,使人们更为深入地认识到生态环境的价值.而"生态补偿"是促进生态环境保护的一种经济手段,农户参与生态补偿的意愿既受到主观因素和非主观因素的影响,也受到理性和非理性因素的作用,是多因素综合影响的结果,其中内部因素即家庭生计资本.本文以黑河流域中游为例,选取300户随杌样本,分析了农户参与生态补偿的意愿与生计资本的关系研究,结果表明:自然资本对农户参与生态补偿的意愿形成星负面影响作用,人力资本、物质资本、金融资本和社会资本对农户参与生态补偿的意愿形成正面影响作用.这说明,农户在市场经济条件下正在变得越来越理性,他们参与生态补偿的核心在于最大化地获取经济利益,政府要一方面尽可能地降低农户实施生态补偿后的各种风险因素,另一方面,要尽可能地提高农户承担生态补偿风险的能力.     

中国环境污染损失测算及成因探析

环境问题备受关注,环境污染严重影响中国经济的增长质量.本文采用治理成本法测算了1989 -2008年中国环境污染造成的经济损失,利用环境污染经济损失数据,采用协整理论研究了中国环境污染损失与经济增长之间的关系.研究表明,我国经济总量与环境污染之间存在长期均衡关系,经济增长是造成环境污染的基础性原因,并且环境污染状况随经济增长仍有扩大的趋势,至今尚未出现环境库兹涅茨曲线拐点的迹象.然后,本文从产业结构、能源结构和效率角度揭示了环境污染的结构性成因.研究认为,高污染行业在整个国民经济中比重过大是造成环境污染的产业结构方面的成因;以煤炭为主的能源消费和高耗能产品增长过快是造成环境污染的能源结构成因;能源效率低下是造成环境污染的技术性成因;资源能源价格长期偏低和法律法规滞后是造成环境污染的制度性缺陷.最后,针对问题提出,只有切实转变经济增长方式,突出技术创新、健全市场机制、完善环境法规才是解决环境污染问题的根本出路.     

Synthesis evaluation with entire-array-polygon method to ecological economic system of Funing County in Jiangsu Province

Based on the theory of ecological footprint this paper analyzed the ecological economic system in Funing County in the view of demands of economic system to natural resource and supply of ecosystem for natural resources. It was proposed that the concept of ecological deficit (ecological remainder) per ten thousands yuan GDP be used to evaluate development of ecological economic system. With a synthesis appraisement to the ecological economic system using entire-array-polygon method combined with Ulanowicz development ability and with ecological deficit (ecological remainder) per ten thousands yuan GDP, it provids a theoretical base for reconstructing and managing of demonstration eco-region.     

凝胶渗透色谱法在分析食品中多氯联苯的应用

以凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)系统处理食品样品中的脂质,并结合碱性氧化铝柱净化,旨在建立快速有效的多氯联苯(PCBs)分析的前处理技术.对油脂样品的检测结果显示,13C标记PCBs定量内标的回收率及RSD均符合EPA1668a方法的要求,20种天然PCBs的加标回收率在71%-122%,方法精密度≤10%.     

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST1

ABSTRACT: Water is, and most likely will continue to be, one of the main concerns and potential causes of instability in the Middle East (ME). The contribution of the existing renewable water resources is limited and can not fulfill the long-term projected gap between water supply and demand for most of the countries in the ME. An integrated regional approach for fulfilling this gap was preferred. A regional institutional framework was proposed for the implementation of this integrated regional approach and consists of a regional water board operating through three units for technical, implementation, and management aspects of project and activities. An analysis of the regional water supply and demand development, the design and policy making of the proposed institution, technology and water markets, cooperation, actors and beneficiaries, finances, and expected obstacles and constraints to the establishment and sustainable operation of the proposed institution are included.     

POLICY OBJECTWES AND ECONOMIC INCENTWES FOR CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL SOURCES OF NONPOINT POLLUTION1

In this paper, we review the physical characteristics of agricultural non point pollution and discuss the implications for setting appropriate pollution control objectives and designing incentive-based pollution control policies. First, we discuss that policy objectives must be designed carefully to ensure positive economic net benefits can be expected from pollution control. Next, we review several classes of incentives and recommend the use of design-based incentives (i.e., incentives based on variable input use, management practices, and land use) for controlling non point pollution. Cost-effectiveness requires that incentives elicit three types of responses from farmers: (1) use variable inputs at appropriate levels, (2) adopt appropriate management practices, and (3) make appropriate land use decisions at the extensive margin of production. If a set of incentives fails to induce the correct responses, the resulting runoff levels and hence ambient pollution levels and damages will be too large relative to policy goals. A review of existing programs suggests that greater program coordination and improved targeting of incentives are needed for further water quality improvements. Alternatively, properly designed market-based systems may be effective alternatives. These systems would reduce overall pollution control costs by allowing markets to allocate point source and non point source control costs more efficiently.     

PROTECTING BEIJLNG'S MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY THROUGH WATERSHED MANAGEMEN AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT1

ABSTRACT: Watersheds above the Miyun reservoir, a principal source of surface water for Beijing, are designated to be managed for water production, but under the principle of multiple use. Because of the scarcity of arable land, these watersheds cannot be managed only for drinking water. Efforts are under way to reduce sediment delivery, improve the quality of water entering Miyun reservoir, and improve the welfare of watershed inhabitants. An economic appraisal of a watershed management project for the 3,298‐ha Shixia watershed above the Miyun reservoir, indicates a 24 percent economic rate of return on the investment made in the project. The net present value (NPV) of the project, calculated at a discount rate of 10 percent, is approximately US$3.49 million. Sensitivity analyses indicate that a doubling of labor costs lowers the NPV to US$2.07 million and a 10 percent decrease in benefits lowered the NPV to US$2.87. It is concluded that the implementation of conservation practices on the Shixia Demonstration Watershed represent an economically efficient use of resources.