Economics analysis of food waste treatment in China and its influencing factors

• Economics of food waste treatment projects at 29 pilot cities in China was examined. • Roles of location, population size, processing technique, and income were studied. • Economic benefits were limited with a profit to cost ratio of 0.08±0.37. • Service population size affects construction economics significantly (P = 0.016). • Choice of food waste processing technique affects operating economics notably. This study examines the economic benefits of food waste treatment projects in China and factors affecting them. National-level pilot projects for food waste treatment located in 29 cities were selected as samples. The economics of food waste recycling from the investors’ perspective, in terms of investment during the construction phase and cost and benefit during the operation phase, was assessed. Results indicate that the average tonnage investment of food waste treatment projects was RMB 700.0±188.9 thousand yuan, with a profit to cost ratio of 0.08±0.37. This ratio increased to 0.95±0.57 following the application of government subsidies. It highlights the limited economic benefits of food waste treatment facilities, which rely on government subsidies to maintain their operations in China. Further analysis using a multi-factor analysis model revealed that regional location, service population size, processing techniques, and urban income exerted varying impacts on the economy of food waste treatment. Population size exerted the highest impact (P = 0.016) during the construction stage, and processing techniques notably influenced the project economy during the operation stage. The study highlights the need to prioritize service population size and processing techniques during economic decision-making and management of food waste recycling projects. The results of this study can serve as a valuable practical reference for guiding future policies regarding food waste treatment and related planning.     

基于Esteban-Marquillas拓展模型的中国农业增长的演进特征

论文基于偏离-份额法的Esteban-Marquillas拓展模型,从份额分量、结构分量、净竞争分量和资源配置分量4方面系统研究了1985—2014年间中国农业生产规模及结构的演进特征。结果表明：1）研究期间,中国农业增加值呈现阶段式增长,种植业和牧业是导致农业增长的主要产业,黄淮海区和长江中下游区是全国农业增长的主要区域。2）八大粮食生产区农业产业份额分量均表现出先剧烈波动、后稳步增长的发展态势;各区域产业结构优势总体较弱且进一步下降;净竞争分量变化具有波动性,种植业、渔业促进区域农业总体竞争力的作用增强,林业和牧业的促进作用减弱;种植业和林业改善区域农业资源配置效应的作用增强,牧业和渔业则相对减弱。3）建议各区域结合产业发展优势,制定相关政策加强区域资源整合、农产品流通与技术合作,促进地区农业稳定发展。研究结果可为我国农业生产结构优化及差异化的发展策略制定提供依据。     

中国农地细碎化问题研究进展

为掌握中国农地细碎化问题研究进展,论文采用概括和比较分析的手段,从农地细碎化的概念内涵、主要研究内容、研究方法等方面对农地细碎化研究进行梳理和概括。归纳出已有研究的几个特点:①农地细碎化的内涵较为清晰且已经得到了广泛认可,但对细碎化程度的衡量方法还需进一步深入;②目前的中国农地细碎化研究主要集中在细碎化成因及其对农业生产的影响方面,以其负面影响的研究最为丰富;③农地细碎化与农地流转、土地整理的关系引起了研究的重视,但是目前主要集中于农地流转对减轻细碎化程度的探讨,土地整理对细碎化作用的研究十分缺乏;④农地细碎化研究涉及的主要是回归分析、生产函数模型等经济学研究方法,利用地理空间分析方法和景观生态学方法探讨农地细碎化问题的研究尚未见报道。最后探讨了还需要进一步深入研究的内容。     

RURAL HOUSEHOLD RESPONSE TO WATER CONTAMINATION IN WEST VIRGINIA1

ABSTRACT: About one-third of all West Virginians obtain domestic water from private water wells. In this research, mail and telephone surveys were used to investigate household responses to bacteria, mineral, and organic chemical contamination of domestic water supplies. Of households who were informed of contamination and acknowledged the problem, over 85 percent took action to avoid exposure to water contamination problems. The most common action was to clean and/or repair the water system (55.9 percent of valid surveys). Approximately 45 percent of households made investments of either a water treatment system, a new water source, or correction of contamination source. The average, annual economic cost of rural household actions was $320 for bacteria, $357 for minerals, and $1,090 for organic contamination. These economic costs represent a lower bound estimate for rural household willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a reduction in domestic water contamination from government action. On average, investment actions had lower annual economic costs than noninvestment actions of boiling and hauling water so that households who undertook investment actions in response to water contamination would have a lower WTP for government action to reduce water contamination. When effectiveness of water treatment systems was evaluated, treatment systems which require minimal household maintenance were found to reduce exposure to water contamination to safe levels as households intended when they installed the system. Treatment systems which were commonly ineffective included those which required continual maintenance (e.g., chiorinators) or were not designed to solve the contaminant problem for which they were purchased (e.g., filter systems for bacteria).     

A Transactions Cost Approach to the Theoretical Foundations of Water Markets1

Abstract: Water marketing is often cited as a means of alleviating the stresses attached to allocation of water use. Frequently, marketing is suggested in a context that implies substitution of competitive markets for the allocation based on the prior appropriation doctrine. This study examines water marketing from the perspective of a transactions cost approach to the private and broad social agreements (contracts) that support water allocation. It examines the major behavioral challenges faced by any contract, and the alternative approaches to those challenges, with respect to water allocation. It also examines the impact of market design on the existence of externalities, costs imposed by transactions on society and individuals not party to the transaction. It finds that the most robust water market designs will be found in systems with sufficient property rights protection to support investment, sufficient hydrologic information to provide accurate analysis of third party effects, conjunctive management of surface and groundwater, and a governance structure capable of administering the rules while not determining outcomes.     

Geography of conservation spending,biodiversity, and culture

We used linear and multivariate models to examine the associations between geography, biodiversity, per capita economic output, national spending on conservation, governance, and cultural traits in 55 countries. Cultural traits and social metrics of modernization correlated positively with national spending on conservation. The global distribution of this spending culture was poorly aligned with the distribution of biodiversity. Specifically, biodiversity was greater in the tropics where cultures tended to spend relatively less on conservation and tended to have higher collectivism, formalized and hierarchical leadership, and weaker governance. Consequently, nations lacking social traits frequently associated with modernization, environmentalism, and conservation spending have the largest component of Earth's biodiversity. This has significant implications for setting policies and priorities for resource management given that biological diversity is rapidly disappearing and cultural traits change slowly. Therefore, we suggest natural resource management adapt to and use characteristics of existing social organization rather than wait for or promote social values associated with conservation spending. Supporting biocultural traditions, engaging leaders to increase conservation commitments, cross‐national efforts that complement attributes of cultures, and avoiding interference with nature may work best to conserve nature in collective and hierarchical societies. Spending in modernized nations may be a symbolic response to a symptom of economic development and environmental degradation, and here conservation actions need to ensure that biodiversity is not being lost.     

Greenhouse effect and coastal wetland policy: How Americans could abandon an area the size of Massachusetts at minimum cost

Climatologists generally expect an anthropogenic global warming that could raise sea level 30–150 cm in the next century and more thereafter. One of the impacts would be the loss of coastal wetlands. Although the inundation of adjacent dryland would enable new wetlands to form, much of this land is or will soon be developed. If developed areas are protected, wetlands will be squeezed between an advancing sea and the land being protected, which has already happened in China and the Netherlands, where people have built dikes for centuries. Unlike those countries, the United States has enough land to accommodate the landward migration of wetlands; but governments lack the funds to purchase all the coastal lowlands that might be inundated and the legal authority to prohibit their development. We propose a third approach: allowing property owners to use coastal lowlands today as they choose, but setting up a legal mechanism to ensure that the land is abandoned if and when sea level rises enough to inundate it. Although compensation may be required, this approach would cost less than 1% as much as purchasing the land, and would be (1) economically efficient by enabling real estate markets to incorporate expectations of future sea level rise; (2) constitutional by compensating property owners; and (3) politically feasible by pleasing people who care about the long-term fate of the coastal environment without disturbing people who either are unconcerned about the distant future or do not believe sea level will rise. This article demonstrates that it would be irrational to delay policy formulation until sea level rise projections are more precise. The cost will be small if we act now but great if we wait, and sea level is already rising along most coasts. The US government should develop a strategy in the next three years. The opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA and no official endorsement should be inferred.     

THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF TIME AND AVERTING EXPENDITURES FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER1

ABSTRACT: A survey of individuals during a Giardia contamination incident provided data to calculate the cost of boiling, hauling, or purchasing water to avoid infection. Three different approaches to the valuation of time were used to assess the implications of the opportunity cost of time for the measurement of averting costs. Mean monthly household averting costs were $33.47 using family income to value time, $13.07 using the minimum wage to value time, and $5.60 using zero opportunity cost of time. Comparisons of the mean costs for different sources and household characteristics indicated the value of time from family income was too high and that the other methods of valuing time were superior.     

关于安全经济学的分析与探讨

论述了安全经济学的概念、基础，及其在安全科学体系结构中的地位和作用，提出了研究的主要内容和方法。     

GROUND WATER QUALITY IMPLICATIONS OF SOIL CONSERVATION MEASURES: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTWE1

ABSTRACT: An evaluation of the intermedia movement of pesticides applied under various land management systems already in place, or to be implemented, under the Conservation Reserve and Conservation Compliance programs is presented. The simulation modeling approach followed in this analysis consists of a mathematical programming model and leaching/surface runoff, Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM) models. Special care was taken to ensure that the physical model was sensitive to the chemical characteristics of individual pesticides and the important physical changes brought about by different agricultural practices. Results show that, although these programs as now planned, increase farm income and achieve soil conservation goals, they may adversely affect ground water quality. Also, depending on soil and location characteristics, there are tradeoffs between surface and ground water quality implications. Hence, if these programs are to address water quality problems, the recommended practices must be evaluated for their impact on water quality, particularly in potentially vulnerable areas.