Impacts of the Rising Opportunity Cost of Farm Labor on Agricultural Land Use Structure: Theory and Empirical Evidences

Nowadays the rising of opportunity cost of farm labor comes to the forefront of attention in China. In order to understand its impact on agricultural land-use structure, a theoretical framework of household economics is formulated drawn on Low’s model. Under the theoretical framework, the impact of the rising opportunity cost of on-farm on cropping structure is deduced in theory. And then, using statistic and survey data, taking mountain area of southern Ningxia as an example, the theoretical assumes are verified. The results show that the rise of opportunity cost of farm labor leads to less diversified cropping structure.     

城镇居民不同收入阶层的基本需求及边际消费倾向研究

扩大城镇居民消费需求是推动我国经济发展方式转变的重要途径。了解城镇居民不同收入阶层的消费特征,有助于制定针对性的激励措施,改善政策的实施效果。本文采用2000-2009年中国城镇居民按收入水平分组的38项消费支出数据,运用改进后的扩展型线性支出模型,对不同收入水平的城镇居民基本需求、边际消费倾向及相关影响因素进行分析。结果显示:中低收入城镇居民的基本需求消费占其可支配收入的较大比重;食品和衣着是其基本需求消费的主要方面;并且在食品、衣着、交通通讯和居住上表现出较大的边际消费倾向。较高收入城镇居民的基本需求支出主要集中于享受型消费;在交通、在外用餐、文化娱乐、文娱用耐用消费品和住房上表现出较大的边际消费倾向。发展和享受型消费品的价格变动对中低收入居民的消费支出影响较大;收入水平的提高有利于城镇居民消费结构的升级。最后,针对不同收入水平的城镇居民,本文提出了刺激消费的差别化政策建议。     

“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     

中国电子废物回收处理体系的生态效率分析

应用生态效率分析方法,以废弃台式电脑电源为例,对电子废物回收处理体系的2种不同策略进行模拟与比较,以探索适合我国国情的电子废物回收处理模式。其中环境效应的评价采用生命周期评价方法,经济价值采用生命周期成本分析方法。结果表明,以人力收集与人工拆解、元件再利用为特点的电子废物回收处理策略的生态效率要优于以机动车辆运输与破碎、分选处理相结合的策略。从生命周期阶段看,人力收集运输相比机动车辆收集运输模式,并不存在明显优势。但在处理处置阶段,人工拆解与元件再利用的模式生态效率更高。综合考虑,建议在收集运输阶段应鼓励发展高效合理的机动车辆收集运输模式,在处理处置阶段应更多支持人工拆解与元件再利用的模式。     

Using Multi-destination ZTCM to Evaluate the Recreational Values of Cultural Sights：an Application to Jiayuguan,China

This study explained the importance of environmental protection in tourism development and illustrated the relationship between recreational resource valuation and environmental consideration. We compare different models of travel cost method and reiterates long-time existing problems of multi-destination and treats of time opportunity cost (TOC). Taking Jiayuguan's cultural sights as an example, we establish an updated method called multi-destination zonal tourism cost method to evaluate the recreational values (RVs) of selected three cultural sights. We divide trip packages of Jiayuguan's tourists into 11 portfolios. Each portfolio can be seen as a separate commodity, and each commodity has its own demand curve. According to demand curves we can calculate consumer surplus (CS) of different portfolios of tourist destinations and later we sum up the total travel costs (including travel expenditure and TOC) and CS to come to the RVs of each portfolio. We then apply suitable proportions to calculate the RVs between different destinations in the portfolio. In the end, we add up all the RVs calculated for the objective destination. Using this method, we draw conclusions that Jiayuguan's RV in 2006 includes national and international values, summing up to 738.4762 million yuan. The tourist expenditure, CS and TOC of Jiayuguan is proportionating 62.96, 32.28 and 4.76%, respectively. This study is also an example of non-market valuation of cultural tourism resources.     

“双碳”背景下碳排放的边际外部性成本及最佳碳税的思考

气候变暖与环境恶化已成为人类生存和发展的重大威胁。鉴于碳排放具有负外部性,研究碳排放的边际外部性成本并探究最佳碳税,对于推进实现“双碳”目标具有重要意义。本文通过构建一个无限期的多部门新古典增长模型,探究碳排放的边际外部性成本及其影响因素,并对最优的碳税政策进行思考。研究结果表明：当居民消费效用函数呈对数形式、大气损害与产量成正比、大气中的碳含量存在线性关系和储蓄率不变等假设条件成立时,碳排放的边际外部性成本与产出成正比,且比例只与贴现率、大气损害函数和大气中的碳消散结构有关。因此,在碳税政策的制定上,要坚持经济发展与生态环境保护并重,分阶段动态优化调整碳税税率：在高贴现率时期提高碳税税率,分行业施行碳税政策和补贴政策,同时为了避免经济社会遭受到较大的冲击,起初征收碳税时税率不宜过高;考虑不同体量企业收入差距和负担能力,采用累进碳税征收机制;分地区实施差别税率,统筹区域协调发展。     

Approximating pollution abatement costs via alternative specifications of a multi-output production technology: a case of the US electric utility industry

Using a panel of observations from the US electric utility industry, we analyze the output set frontiers that are produced by modeling the technology with different functional forms. Our specifications rely on a series of mapping regimes, based on the paths in which the outputs are scaled toward the frontier, and their outcomes are assessed against the general axiomatic framework of the production model. We demonstrate that different parameterization methodologies produce different empirical analogues of the output set and, as a consequence, can generate rather different estimates of the shadow prices of socially undesirable outputs, or 'bads,' as well. We benchmark our results by assessing the shadow price estimates, often interpreted as the opportunity cost of pollution reduction, against the market prices of pollution permits. The outcomes of our analysis suggest that the estimate of the output set boundary varies with the choice of a parameterization technique, which provides a possible explanation for the sizeable differences between the shadow prices of bads reported in the literature. We also demonstrate that among a variety of existing parametric methodologies no single technique is superior to all others.     

三峡库区边际土地的合理开发及其可持续发展

就三峡库区边际土地的分布及其利用情况,合理开发的方式及其生产潜力,边际土地的可持续发展３个方面进行了初步的探讨。提出了三峡库区现已开发的边际土地存在的诸如地力逐年衰退,耕地生产力低,自然灾害频发及生态环境恶化等问题,建议采取禁止在大于２５°坡地上进行农业耕作,恢复大于２５°坡地上的植被;     

Web-based surveys as an alternative to traditional mail methods

Environmental economists have long used surveys to gather information about people's preferences. A recent innovation in survey methodology has been the advent of web-based surveys. While the Internet appears to offer a promising alternative to conventional survey administration modes, concerns exist over potential sampling biases associated with web-based surveys and the effect these may have on valuation estimates. This paper compares results obtained from a travel cost questionnaire of visitors to Fraser Island, Australia, that was conducted using two alternate survey administration modes; conventional mail and web-based. It is found that response rates and the socio-demographic make-up of respondents to the two survey modes are not statistically different. Moreover, both modes yield similar consumer surplus estimates.     

技术经济分析在制定污染物排放标准和治理方案中的应用

文章介绍了在环境工程中运用技术经济学的方法和内容,对环境工程项目的技术可行性和经济合理性进行综合评价,从而使环境工程投资决策建立在科学分析的基础上。