Integrating Concepts and Models from Development Econoimcs with Land use Change in the Tropics

In this paper I undertake a preliminary assessment for the tropics of the relation of economic development, meaning in general increases in economic activity as measured by e.g. GDP, and its normal biophysical corollaries of increased resource use and land use change. I also examine each in relation to the intellectual concepts that underlie and guide what is commonly called economic development. Because most of the development literature is derived from economics or other social sciences, and focuses almost entirely on lifting people’s standards of living as measured in monetary units, very little examines the per unit biophysical requirements of that development, including energy or other resource use requirements, land use change or other environmental consequences of development plans. In addition there seems to be insufficient connection between those who create economic development plans and those who undertake empirical biophysical assessments to determine whether the development plan has worked or can possibly work. The problem is deeper: there exists a series of models used in the development literature that have been used to encourage and guide development. These models have received very little scrutiny as to either their efficacy or their societal or environmental impacts until quite recently. When this has been done the models have been shown to fail miserably. It is time to develop a new model of development that synthesizes conventional economic, biophysical economic and social aspects, and that is based on the scientific method rather than on perceived wisdom. This model must also take into account population growth, issues of who wins and who looses from economic development, and the implications of the incipient peak in global oil production.     

What can economic experiments tell us about institutional change in social–ecological systems?

Today, economic experiments are well accepted in mainstream economics. They are also widely applied in ecological economics, often focusing on institutions. Yet, many empirical studies in this field lack a sound theoretical foundation of institutions and institutional change. In this paper, I show that in a structure–agency framework three theoretical viewpoints on institutions can be distinguished. They can be viewed as (1) structures that shape incentives, (2) cognitive media, embedded in beliefs and cognition of agents, or (3) evolving from a process of agents’ choices and structural aspects. Using examples from the empirical experimental literature, I argue that all three viewpoints are mirrored in experimental practice, and that these can be organized into an institutional typology of economic experiments. Placing special emphasis on experiments with endogenous institutional choice and their relationship to evolutionary economic theory, I discuss under which conditions experiments are a useful method for the analysis of social–ecological systems, concluding that methodological and methodical innovations are an important prerequisite for challenging the dominant paradigm of neoclassical economics.     

资源环境生态经济价值综论

本文在回顾经济学资源环境观的基础上 ,系统分析了资源环境生态经济价值的内涵 ;并进一步对生态学、环境经济学与可持续发展等相关研究进行分析和总结。     

Effects of observability and complexity on farmers’ adoption of environmental practices

The ability of both regulators and farmers themselves to monitor the impact of environmental practices may be an issue with nonpoint source pollution. Effects that can be perceived via direct sensory evidence provide information at low cost. Results from a survey of livestock farmers suggest that a practice that has more obvious effects on water quality, manure application setbacks, is more likely to be adopted than a more complicated one with less visible effects, manure testing. Farmers’ perceptions of the profitability of the two practices were similar. The importance of observability and complexity has implications for educational programs.     

循环经济学:学科特征与趋势展望

在比较分析有关循环经济学研究内容相关论述的基础上．从“自然-人类社会-空间”三维系统的角度，提出循环经济学的内涵．认为循环经济学是以缓解资源、环境、生态问题为目标，运用经济学方法研究物质流、能源流的运行机理、方式、技术、效率、机制的一门应用经济学科．并且从人地关系系统分解角度．分别界定了生态经济学、资源经济学、环境经济学与循环经济学的研究范畴．认为循环经济学是以人类系统与自然系统的相互关系及其所引起的人与人之间的相互关系为研究对象的．而生态经济学、资源经济学、环境经济学所涉及的只是人地关系中的子系统。据此，还进一步分析了当前我国循环经济学研究的主要方向、发展趋势。研究视角主要包括技术流程分析、深层生态分析和模式分析；今后的研究趋势则主要在于寻求理论创新、加强对循环经济模式的经济学分析，加强对于区域循环经济发展的长期分析、加强对于循环经济运行的多角度分析和加强循环经济学与相关学科的对比与借鉴研究。在此基础上构建包括理论体系、内容体系和方法体系在内的循环经济学研究的内容体系：     

USING A CHOICE MODELLING APPROACH FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS IN URBAN WATER1

ABSTRACT: A series of reforms in the water industry in Australia has created a demand from the industry and regulators for objective methodologies to evaluate incremental changes in the customer service standards. In this paper, the use of choice modeling for estimating implicit prices associated with urban water supply attributes is explored. Results from multinomial logit (MNL) and random parameters logit (RPL) models show that increases in annual water bills and the frequency of future interruptions were the most important attributes. Implicit price confidence intervals based on the best models suggest that people are willing to pay positive amounts to achieve a water supply that is less frequently interrupted. The provision of alternative water supplies during an interruption and notification of the interruption were found to be unimportant to respondents. Choice modeling proved to be a useful technique and provided the industry and regulators with additional information for standard setting.     

Economic aspects of global change impacts and response strategies in the coastal zone of The Netherlands

Economic aspects of possible land use strategies and protection measures in coastal zones as a response to global environmental change are examined. First, some key elements are mentioned that are of critical importance for water and land management in coastal zones. Next, various socio-economic repercussions are discussed. In this context, research needs will be addressed. Subsequently, these issues are considered for the case of The Netherlands. It is concluded that integrated modelling and analysis is just starting and needs to receive more attention in order to study long run economic costs, benefits and changes in coastal zones.     

稀缺资源的转换与经济学边界的拓展

自然资源、人力资源和人造资源是支撑经济系统的三大资源．随着世界人口的增加和人类经济活动范围的不断扩大。三类资源的相对稀缺程度逐渐发生了变化。从自然资源丰富、人造资源稀缺转变为人造资源相对丰富而自然资源相对甚至绝对稀缺的状态。这种转变对经济学研究的影响就是曾经作为经济系统外生变量的人口、自然资源逐步纳入经济分析框架成为经济系统的内生变量。经济学的边界随之拓展。     

重读稳态经济:循环经济热的冷思考

稳态经济观从物质与能量平衡的角度出发，主张在自然和社会经济两系统中均保持低流通率以实现可持续发展；由于稳态经济观潜在的反消费主义与反技术万能倾向。它一直没有成为主流理论．在发展循环经济的过程中，有必要反思并从稳态经济理论中汲取营养。对于自然资源和环境资源并不富裕的中国．在发展循环经济的过程中，不仅要算物质的回收利用账。更要算能量账和低熵物质的成本账。     

人口,资源与环境协调发展的综合模式研究（Ⅱ）：资源配置新论

本文在文献[3]的基础上,提出了广义资源配置的目标就是兼顾经济增长与持续发展。为了使经济理论内核中包括持续发展问题,认为系统经济学应以资源空间、商品空间和价格空间作为出发点,进而提出了系统经济学的理论框架,在此基础上运用非线性理讨论了资源配置的模式问题。