Residents'''' Willingness to Pay for Improving Air Quality in Jinan, China

Along with the progress of urbanization and environmental deterioration, residents' desire for improved air quality is increasing. In order to quantify an individual's willingness-to-pay (WTP) for improved air quality in Jinan of eastern China, a contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed. A sample of 1,500 residents was chosen on the basis of multistage sampling methods with face-to-face interviews by using a series of hypothetical, open-ended scenario questions which were designed to elicit the respondents' WTP. Results showed that 59.7% of respondents were able to express their WTP and the mean WTP is 100 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per person per year. A probit model on the probability of a positive WTP and a regression model were developed to find the relationship between endogenous variables and WTP. Most parameters in the econometric analysis had the expected sign. Annual household income and expenditure on treating respiratory diseases significantly influence WTP. The rates of positive WTP and the monetary amount are larger for men than for women. Results also showed that people who lived in more polluted areas were willing to pay more for clean air. Unlike developed countries, clean air may only be considered as a public good in China in that more than 40% of respondents had no incentive to bear the costs of attempting to achieve better air quality, which indicates the relatively low environmental consciousness.     

Study on Dynamic Mechanism of Urban Expansion： A Case Study of Shandong Province

This paper aims at studying the dynamic mechanism of urban expansion and its role. Based on the economic model of urban spatial structure and applying panel data in Shandong Province, the paper concludes. Economic growth and transition of economic structure have played the most powerful role in urban expansion. An increase in population helps the core to extend. Increasing agricultural productivity can provide a countervailing force. An increase in transportation costs will limit urban expansion. An increase in the marginal productivity of land in housing production will increase urban expansion. Fiscal and taxation policies also have encouraged the extensive shift of cultivated land into build-up area. This paper also suggests that if high rate increasing GDP is needed, the urban core will continue to expand. The government should take measures to improve the rapid growth of the city.     

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT: TAKING STOCK

There is a long-standing debate on the relationship between economic development and environmental quality. From a sustainable development viewpoint there has been a growing concern that the economic expansion of the world economy will cause irreparable damage to our planet. In the last few years several studies have appeared dealing with the relationship between the scale of economic activity and the level of pollution. In particular, if we concentrate on local pollutants many empirical contributions have identified a bell-shaped curve linking per capita pollution to per capita GDP (in the case of global pollutants like CO₂ the evidence is less clear-cut). This behavior implies that, starting from low per capita income levels, per capita emissions or concentrations tend to increase but at a slower pace. After a certain level of income (which typically differs across pollutants) – the “turning point” – pollution starts to decline as income further increases. In analogy with the historical relationship between income distribution and income growth, the inverted-U relationship between per capita income and pollution has been termed “Environmental Kuznets Curve”. The purpose of this paper is not to provide an overview the literature: there are several survey papers around doing precisely that. We instead reconsider the explanations that have been put forth for its inverted-U pattern. We consider the literature from this perspective. In addition, without resorting to any econometric estimation, we consider whether simple data analysis can help to shed some light on the motives that can rationalize the Environmental Kuznets Curve. This paper is part of the research work being carried out by the Climate Change Modelling and Policy Unit at Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and has been prepared for the 2004–2005 ESRI Collaboration Project. The author is grateful to Nicola Cantore for skillful assistance.     

VALUING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF CHILEAN TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS

The Valdivian Rainforest Ecoregion (35°–48° S) in southern South America is among the ecosystems with highest conservation priority worldwide due to its rich diversity, degree of endemism, and critical conservation status. Temperate rainforests in this vast area are essential as source of biological resources and to maintain different ecosystem services which remain largely unmeasured and unvalued. Consequently, the benefits they provide are not reflected in decision-making regarding forest management and conservation. Based on existing studies and results from ongoing research we describe selected ecosystem services and provide estimates of their economic value. Timber benefits for secondary forests expressed as net present stumpage values were US$ 3742 ha⁻¹ and US$ 3093 ha⁻¹ for sustainable forest management (SFM) and unsustainable harvesting, respectively. Timber benefits for old growth forests␣equaled US$ 4546 ha⁻¹ and US$ 5718 ha⁻¹, for SFM and unsustainable harvesting, respectively, using an 8% discount rate. Annual benefits from recreation were US$ 1.6 ha⁻¹ and US$ 6.3 ha⁻¹ for the two most important national parks located in the study area. The annual value of maintaining soil fertility was US$ 26.3 ha⁻¹ using the replacement cost of nutrient losses due to soil erosion. The annual economic value of water supply for human consumption using the production function method was US$ 235 ha⁻¹. These results provide valuable information on the kind and magnitude of values that could be relevant in decision-making concerning conservation and management of native forests in the Valdivian Rainforest Ecoregion.     

暴雨洪涝灾害对社会经济和人民生活的影响分析

自然灾害的发生不仅给人类社会造成直接的损害，还具有极强的后效效应，本文以分析暴雨洪涝灾害对我国国民经济和灾区经济的影响情况，揭示了暴雨洪涝灾害对社会经济发生的短期和长期影响特征。     

安徽省区域经济空间差异分析

在各地经济发展的过程中,由于各种因素相互作用,区域经济差异普遍存在。这种差异对促进地方经济的合作发展具有一定的积极作用,但若增长级发展到一定程度,势必扩大地区贫富差距,阻碍区域共同发展。正确认识区域经济差异,准确定位和疏导是当前学术界乃至地方政府普遍关注的问题。以县为单位,对安徽省的区域经济空间差异进行了定量分析,得出安徽区域经济空间差异的特征,并在此基础上提出了安徽省经济实现跨越式发展的途径。     

关于开辟珲春防川自由港问题的探讨

港口资源的开发对区域经济社会的发展具有重要意义。本文着重分析了珲春防川建立自由港的国内外环境特点:(1)港口位于东北亚轴心与经济枢纽部位;(2)环日本海各国间存在着较强的资源、技术、劳动力、资金等生产要素的不平衡;(3)建港地区的开发已经令周边各国瞩目;(4)建港地区具有开发的内在优势。提出珲春防川自由港类型选择及建设步骤。对东北地区的开发和我国全方位开放具有重要的参考价值。     

环境管理政策的选择分析

环境管理政策的选择是一项复杂的决策过程 ,本文拟就环境管理政策的一般原理和基本过程进行阐述。一是对环境政策、环境管理政策的选择空间进行界定 ,对环境管理政策的选择进行分析 ;二是提出环境管理政策的选择原理和评判准则 ;三是对环境管理政策选择的可操作过程进行分析和论述。并由此得出 :环境管理政策的选择应在考虑具体的外部因素以及内部因素的基础上的政策择优 ,有效的环境管理政策的选择应该是给定约束条件下的管制手段、经济手段和劝说手段的恰当组合。     

经济学帝国主义与人口资源环境经济学学科发展

与主流经济学与时俱进是人口、资源环境经济学生存和发展的根基。通过人口、资源与环境经济学兴起和发展的简单回顾和相关研究成功案例的介绍，分析了经济学帝国主义对人口、资源与环境经济学学科发展的启示。提出高举经济学大旗，建立与主流经济学与时俱进的人口、资源与环境经济学。     

中国社会发展的战略构想

本文建立了“经济发展主要靠市场,社会发展主要靠政策”的总体调控模式,强调了建立国家级十大调控体系和具体指标体系的必要性,阐述了社会发展战略的立足点,发展观念的转变及发展模式的正确选择。