Collective action: an alternative institutional arrangement for reducing water pollution in an industrial estate in India

This study explores the possibility of collective action as an alternative option for reducing water pollution for a cluster of small-scale industries. A case study of the Nandesari Industrial Estate in Gujarat, India, demonstrates the roles played by different agents, such as affected parties, polluters, non-governmental organizations, regulators and the court. The study empirically estimates the 'benefits' and 'costs' of water pollution abatement for a cluster of 250 small-scale industries at Nandesari, and uses these estimates for a social cost-benefit analysis. Benefits are estimated using the contingent valuation method, with a 'willingness to accept' format for the rural areas, and a 'willingness to pay' format for the urban area of the nearby Vadodara city. The article considers costs of command and control, market-based solutions and the option of common effluent treatment as alternative scenarios. It discusses how collective action and joint abatement at a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) by the 250 industries efficiently comply with the State Pollution Control Board norms, which had not been possible for the factories acting individually over the last 20 years. Finally, a detailed social cost-benefit analysis has been undertaken to estimate the net present social benefits with and without CETP. The cost-benefit analysis shows the economic advantage and social desirability of 'collective action' (joint treatment with CETP institutional arrangement) for water pollution abatement with respect to all possible scenarios comprising shadow prices of investment, foreign exchange, unskilled labour and equity considerations.     

REAUTHORIZING THE CLEAN WATER ACT: LOOKING TO TANGIBLE VALUES1

ABSTRACT: The degree of progress achieved under the 1972 Clean Water Act is reviewed by reference to traditional measures of program implementation, and to evidence of tangible, or “real-world” progress, such as beach closures, drinking water contamination, fishing bans and advisories, species health, and habitat degradation. Significant progress has been made in reducing pollution from point sources, but large point source releases of toxic and other pollutants remain. Little progress has been made in addressing runoff pollution, and in protecting aquatic habitats. Clean Water Act reauthorization should focus on pollution prevention to reduce further the release of toxics by point sources, a new program of mandatory but flexible controls on sources of runoff, and watershed protection programs to promote habitat protection and restoration. Economic factors should be considered in Clean Water Act programs, but must be balanced against scientific and governmental factors as well.     

基于监测成本收益分析的重点污染源筛选方法研究

对目前国家污染重点监控污染源筛选方法现状进行总结分析,从经济学角度提出运用成本收益分析方法。在考虑监测成本的前提下计算重点污染源单因子筛选比例的方法,是对累积污染负荷法的改进和补充,使国家重点污染源的筛选更为经济且科学有效。     

天津市文明生态村生活垃圾处理方案优选

根据天津市文明生态村生活垃圾的特点和组成成分,以垃圾的分类收集和分类处理为前提,采用费用-效益分析法和层次分析法,对填埋、堆肥和焚烧处理方案分别进行费用-效益分析和经济、技术、环境、政策综合分析。结果表明,堆肥和焚烧的费用-效益分析得分为0.96和0.786,填埋不产生效益;堆肥、焚烧和填埋的层次分析法得分为7.74、4.28和5.45,堆肥方案的得分最高,其次为填埋,天津市文明生态村生活垃圾宜采用堆肥+填埋处理方案。     

“十一五”期间贵州省大气污染减排绩效评估

利用环境经济学方法,对贵州省“十一五”大气污染减排的成本和效益进行定量分析的基础上,对其“十一五”期间大气污染SO2减排绩效进行评估。结果显示：（1）贵州省“十一五”期间SO2减排政策实施后,大气环境质量有所改善,尤其是酸雨pH值上升明显,许多城市的酸雨频率已降低到零;（2）“十一五”期间,贵州省SO2的减排成本为228亿元,SO2的减排收益为27亿元,SO2减排效益大于成本,污染减排约束性指标的倒逼、引导、推动作用开始显现,能源利用效率有所提高,经济结构趋于优化和升级;（3）贵州省火力发电的脱硫装置安装率已达90%以上,表明其大气污染SO2的工程减排空间有限,今后要实现贵州省大气污染减排的刚性约束目标,更多的要从结构减排和管理减排的角度进行     

Impact of a commercial destocking relief intervention in Moyale district, southern Ethiopia

A commercial destocking intervention was piloted in southern Ethiopia during the drought of early 2006. The intervention led to the purchase of an estimated 20,000 cattle valued at USD 1.01 million. On average, destocked households received USD 186 from the sale of cattle--approximately 5,405 households were involved. In terms of aid investment, the approximate cost-benefit ratio was 41:1. During the drought, income from destocking accounted for 54.2 per cent of household income (n = 114 households), and was used to buy food, care for livestock, meet various domestic expenses, support relatives, and either pay off debts or augment savings. Seventy-nine per cent of the income derived from destocking was used to buy local goods or services. Expenditure on livestock care amounted to 36.5 per cent of local spending, and included the private transportation of livestock to better grazing areas. The buoyant livestock export trade was considered to be an important driver of commercial destocking, demonstrating a positive link between livestock and meat exports, and pastoral vulnerability during drought.     

AN ENGINEERING ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A PROGRAM FOR ARTIFICIAL GROUNDWATER RECHARGE1

This study describes and demonstrates two alternate methods for evaluating the relative costs and benefits of artificial groundwater recharge using percolation ponds. The first analysis considers the benefits to be the reduction of pumping lifts and land subsidence; the second considers benefits as the alternative costs of a comparable surface delivery system. Example computations are carried out for an existing artificial recharge program in Santa Clara Valley in California. A computer groundwater model is used to estimate both the average long term and the drought period effects of artificial recharge in the study area. For the example problem, the benefits of reduced average annual pumping lifts and reduced incremental subsidence are greater than the total costs of continuing the existing artificial recharge program. Benefits for reduced subsidence are strongly dependent on initial aquifer conditions. The second analysis compares the costs of continuing the artificial recharge program with the costs of a surface system which would achieve the same hydraulic effects. Results indicate that the costs of artificial recharge are considerably smaller than the alternative costs of an equivalent surface system. In evaluating a particular program, consideration should also be given to uncertainties in future supplies and demands for water as well as to the probability of extreme events such as droughts.     

费用效益分析法在火电厂脱硫工程经济评价中的应用

火电厂脱硫项目的投资一般以财务评价为主。以谋取利润最大化为目标，而忽略了二氧化硫排放所造成的社会环境效益的损害。介绍了一种以动态经济评价的费用效益分析法。举例说明其计算方法和评价效果，提出了相关的可行性建议，其评价结果能直观地反映企业环境治理投资的经济效益和社会效益。     

ECONOMICS OF CONTROLLING NATURAL SALT SOURCES IN THE ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN1

ABSTRACT: The methodology underlying, and the estimates incorporated in the Corps of Engineers' economic evaluation of the Arkansas River Basin Chloride Control Project are evaluated and judged deficient in several ways. An improperly specified alternative cost analysis probably results in overestimates of the total regional demand for water, the demand for Arkansas River Water, and the cost-savings realized with the project in place. The quantitative effect of these errors is not determined. However, other adjustments are identified which are evaluated using the Corps' data. These adjustments reduce B/C from 2.64 to 0.57; principally as a result of corrections for over-estimates of cost-savings in steam-electric generation, and for use of improper discounting procedures and gross output-earnings ratios.     

MEASURING CONSUMER SURPLUS BENEFITS OF WATER SUPPLY EXTENSIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES1

ABSTRACT: For investments in water mains serving new households, consumer surplus benefits may far outweigh those measured by revenues recoupled from user fees. While consumer surplus might be capitalized in the value of sites with access to mains, empirical attempts to measure such capitalization have not proved inveriably successful. In this note an alternative technique based upon the direct estimation of the demand curve is applied. An analysis of Penang Island, Malaysia indicates that the consumer surplus benefits are one and one-half times greater than the revenues recoupled through user fees. The applicability of this technique to cost-benefit analysis of water supply investments is discussed.