Non-Obligatory Anthropocentrism

David Sztybel has argued that defenders of the moralsignificance of animals have not made an effective case against theirenemy: anthropocentrism. He maintains that they have refuted only``straw' versions of that view. Sztybel opposes anthropocentrism, butis convinced that it is a much more difficult view to defeat than hasbeen thought. He develops the strongest argument possible for``Obligatory Anthropocentrism' (OA), defending it against manyobjections. He also holds that OA does not have unpalatable implicationsfor the treatment of average, below average, and mentally challengedhumans. While I agree that Sztybel has done an admirable job ofdefending anthropocentrism, indeed a better job than theanthropocentrists themselves, I argue that his case for OA is subtly butfatally flawed. I also argue that OA does not dodge two very seriouscriticisms concerning its implications for the treatment of certainhuman beings: the charge of invidious perfectionism and the argumentfrom marginal cases. I conclude that the strongest version ofanthropocentrism is, in fact, not strong enough.     

Is there a common metals demand curve?

Previous studies have identified a single, stable and strong correlation between the price of metals and their consumption, such that low priced metals are always used in large amounts and visa versa. Some have interpreted this as evidence that metals share a common demand curve so that a single price elasticity of demand exists. This paper reviews and tests this hypothesis against a number of other possible explanations, including the idea that the relationship is an empirical curiosity. Modifications to the demand curve were tested by allowing metals to have different intercepts and price elasticities. The results from this analysis suggest that metals do not share a common demand curve and that the correlation identified between the price of metals and their level of consumption is an empirical curiosity. As such, the singular price elasticities published in past papers should not be used for assessing future rates of metals substitution.     

公路改扩建导致新老路基差异沉降的因素分析

基于有限差分原理建立了三维有限元数值计算模型,对公路改扩建中导致新老路基差异沉降的因素进行探讨。结果表明,公路拓宽部分的沉降明显高于老路的沉降,且在新老路结合部位沉降发展最显著。路面的竖向沉降随公路拓宽宽度增加而增加,随新路基弹性模量增加而减小,随新地基土压缩模量增加而减小。其中拓宽宽度和新地基土压缩模量对路基表面沉降影响较大,新路基土弹性模量对路基表面沉降影响较小。这表明新地基土受到的压应力和新地基土压缩模量是影响路面差异沉降的主要因素。工程上可以着重从降低对新地基土的压应力和提高新地基的压缩模量两个角度来降低路面的差异沉降。     

Joint protected area management: a proposal for the management of Sanctuaries and National Parks in India

SUMMARY

With the aim of evaluating the biotic pressure on a protected area, Kuldiha Sanctuary in Orissa, India was taken as a case study. In the 19 villages lying within a 1 km radius of the Sanctuary, there are 9814 people with 19% literacy. Tribals constitute 73.3% of the population. Some 7507 head loaders collect firewood from the Sanctuary every day. In addition, 37 297 cattle enter the forest for grazing. Consequently alienating the people depending on the Sanctuary in the management and conservation of wild flora and fauna is not only futile but also detrimental to the socio-cultural-economic fabric of the ecosystem of the people. In this study, involvement of the local community in the protection and management of the Sanctuary and National Park is proposed and methods of implementation, funding and a legal framework are discussed.     

Measuring marginal willingness to pay using conjoint analysis and developing benefit transfer functions in various Asian cities

We need a consistent methodology to measure the co-benefits of climate change mitigation across Asian countries. This study chose a strategy of modifying the Japan-specific life-cycle impact assessment method based on endpoint modeling (LIME) for wider application across countries. LIME has two dimensions. First, it is an environmental science that links the cause-and-effect chain. Second, it is an environmental valuation that weighs four endpoint damages in monetary terms through a conjoint analysis that is derived from an Internet-based questionnaire survey. This article describes the modification of the methodology for application of the conjoint analysis to weigh environmental impacts. We approached the investigation as follows. First, we conducted Internet surveys to measure marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP). We used a sample of 112 respondents in their 20 s to 40 s, divided equally between men and women, in 11 cities across China, India, and Southeast Asia. The results obtained showed clear statistical significance and were comparable across the cities. Second, we attempted to develop functions (called benefit transfer functions) to simplify the measured MWTP in order to apply it across different Asian countries. The functions were derived through a stepwise meta-analytic method, a type of multiple regression analysis whose independent variable was MWTP and dependent variables were attributes of both respondents and surveyed cities. The functions showed that coal consumption and percentage of nature reserve were dependent variables. Then, the MWTPs estimated from the functions were compared with the measured MWTP for transfer error, which is calculated by the absolute value of the difference between the estimated value and the measured value divided by the latter. The transfer error was below 50% in about 90% of the 44 results (a combination of four endpoints and 11 cities), implying that the developed functions were statistically significant.     

Estimating the marginal cost of nature conservation: evidence from Israel

Contrary to many studies regarding the efficient use of resources that measure the marginal cost of nature conservation by looking at a specific objective and asks about efficient way to achieve it, this article tries to estimate the (marginal) cost of nature conservation in a more flexible way. Instead of looking at a specific objective and then not being able to compare different objectives, we take an approach that is based on experts’ valuation of increased satisfaction from nature conservation. We trace the marginal cost of conservation from their answers and use official cost statistics. Officials in the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority (NPA) were surveyed to determine the activities required to increase the level of nature conservation in two districts of the NPA as well as nationwide. We determined the costs of these proposed activities, and subsequently were able to calculate the total cost and marginal cost of conservation efforts. When operating on a limited budget, conservation authorities can use these schedules as an additional tool to help determine the efficiency of different proposed activities both on a regional scale and nationwide, and to ensure the sustainability of the resulting conservation. In addition, our results demonstrate the existence of economies of scale in nature conservation, and the benefit of both bottom-up and top-down decision processes in nature conservation.     

POTENTIAL WATER USE AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PATTERNS UNDER ALTERNATIVE WATER PRICES1

Out study deals with the demand for water and alternative agricultural production and land use patterns under varying prices for both surface and ground water. We derive irrigation water demands for both the United States and regions of it. Not only is a different amount of water used at each set of water prices but also a different mix of crops, livestock, and production technology develops among the different regions. Under the highest set of prices used, more than fourteen million acres are converted into dryland farming. Total irrigated water use decreases by more than 25 million acre-feet. Irrigated crop yields are reduced and cropping patterns shift away from irrigation. Commodity shadow prices increase as much as 15 percent under high prices for both surface and ground water. A redistribution of farm income occurs between irrigated and dryland regions.     

莫桑比克东部滨海砂矿矿物组成及特征

滨海砂矿是目前全球最大的潜在矿产资源之一。以莫桑比克的滨海砂矿作为研究对象,利用光学显微镜、X射线衍射、扫描电镜、等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)等手段对莫桑比克东部滨海砂矿的矿物组成及特征进行了研究。并用数理统计方法讨论了重砂矿的元素赋存状态及其载体矿物。研究结果表明:(1)砂矿的矿石矿物主要为钛铁矿、金红石和锆石,脉石矿物主要为石英和长石。(2)重砂矿的主要化学组分为Ti和Zr;Hf及REE为次要组分;而主要有害元素组分Th和U,其总体含量低,故重砂矿对采选加工和产品利用均无明显环境危害。(3)重砂矿中元素含量与粒度之间呈一定相关性,显示Zr、Hf、U、Cr、Ta的载体矿物的粒度相对较细;Ti、Fe、V、Nb的载体矿物的粒度相对较粗。     

Adaptation to Climatic Variability and Change: Asian Perspectives on Agriculture and Food Security

The impacts of climate change on potential rice production in Asia are reviewed in the light of the adaptation to climatic variability and change. Collaborative studies carried out by IRRI and US-EPA reported that using process-based crop simulation models increasing temperature may decrease rice potential yield up to 7.4% per degree increment of temperature. When climate scenarios predicted by GCMs were applied it was demonstrated that rice production in Asia may decline by 3.8% under the climates of the next century. Moreover, changes in rainfall pattern and distribution were also found suggesting the possible shift of agricultural lands in the region. The studies however have not taken the impacts of climatic variability into account, which often produce extreme events like that caused by monsoons and El Niño. Shifts in rice-growing areas are likely to be constrained by land-use changes occurring for other developmental reasons, which may force greater cultivation of marginal lands and further deforestation. This should be taken into account and lead to more integrated assessment, especially in developing countries where land-use change is more a top-down policy rather than farmers' decision. A key question is: To what extent will improving the ability of societies to cope with current climatic variability through changing design of agricultural systems and practices help the same societies cope with the likely changes in climate?     

山西省火电和大气环境污染宏观控制预警研究

采用能源弹性系数分析法,利用统计年鉴和环境影响评价报告书提供的数据,对山西省火电行业产生的大气污染状况进行了研究.结果表明:在现阶段的常规模式发展下,山西省火电行业污染严峻,将在很大程度上加剧当前山西省大气污染严重的态势;定义火电生产弹性系数为0.8时的发展方式为预警模式,在该模式下污染可得到一定控制;只有当进入火电生产弹性系数为0.5的和谐模式发展时,才能大幅减少SO₂和NO_x的排放.建议通过采取强化宏观调控、严格审批以及加强技术改造,将山西省火电行业的火电生产弹性系数控制在0.8以下.