Air quality assessment by contingent valuation in Ji'nan, China

Along with urbanization and environmental deterioration within China, many residents' desire for improved air quality has increased. To address this topic, this study focuses on the relationship between poor air quality and residents' willingness to pay for improved air quality in the city of Ji'nan. As a means of quantifying an individual's willingness to pay (WTP) for improved air quality, a contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed. A sample of 1500 residents was chosen, based on the stratified sampling method. The respondents' WTP was then elicited through a series of face-to-face interviews, conducted using a range of hypothetical, open-ended scenario questions. The results showed that 59.7% of respondents were able to express a positive WTP, and that the average WTP was 100 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per person, per year. In order to establish the relationship between endogenous variables and WTP, both a Probit model on the probability of a positive WTP, and a stepwise regression model were constructed. Most parameters in the econometric analysis demonstrated the expected results. It was found that annual household income, expenditure on the treatment of respiratory diseases and workers in the family significantly influenced WTP. The rates of positive WTP and the monetary amount were also larger for men than for women. Unlike developed countries, most respondents regard air quality improvement as a government responsibility in that more than 40% of respondents had no incentive to bear the costs of attempting to achieve better air quality, indicating a relatively low environmental consciousness.     

Recreation benefits of natural area characteristics at the El Yunque National Forest

The paper applies the Contingent Valuation Method using a visitor survey to determine trip values to three rivers in northeastern Puerto Rico. Sample data were obtained from 984 interviews conducted in 13 sites during the summer months. The trip value is statistically decomposed into components representing natural features and recreation activities. The median net economic value of a river visit without waterfalls or foot trails is $96. Recreation at rivers with both waterfalls and foot trails has a median value of $138 per trip. The presence of waterfalls accounts for $23 and foot trails $19 per trip. This information can be pertinent for managers in selecting recreation site locations and protecting them from competing uses.     

长江口湿地生态系统服务功能价值的评估

长江口湿地是我国重要的滨海湿地，具有多种生态服务功能。参考Costanza等提出的17项生态系统服务功能，利用市场价值法、造林成本法、影子工程法、费用替代法以及专家评估法等方法．对长江口湿地生态价值进行了评估。结果表明，长江口湿地生态系统的生态服务价值为40．00亿元/a。其中，成陆造地价值为9．0亿元/a，物质生产价值8．86亿元/a，大气组分调节价值为1．15亿元/a，水分调节价值为1．54亿元/a，净化水体价值为3．4l亿元/a，提供栖息地价值为2．86亿元/a，文化科研价值为8．38亿元/a，美学价值为4．81亿元/a。并提出对生态系统服务价值的利用应本着可持续发展的原则。     

Investigating habitat value to inform contaminant remediation options: case study

Habitat valuation methods were implemented to support remedial decisions for aquatic and terrestrial contaminated sites at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) on the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, TN, USA. The habitat valuation was undertaken for six contaminated sites: Contractor's Spoil Area, K-901-N Disposal Area, K-770 Scrapyard, K-1007-P1 pond, K-901 pond, and the Mitchell Branch stream. Four of these sites are within the industrial use area of ETTP and two are in the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement. These sites represent terrestrial and aquatic habitat for vertebrates, terrestrial habitat for plants, and aquatic habitat for benthic invertebrates. Current and potential future, no-action (no remediation) scenarios were evaluated primarily using existing information. Valuation metrics and scoring criteria were developed in a companion paper, this volume. The habitat valuation consists of extensive narratives, as well as scores for aspects of site use value, site rarity, and use value added from spatial context. Metrics for habitat value were expressed with respect to different spatial scales, depending on data availability. There was significant variation in habitat value among the six sites, among measures for different taxa at a single site, between measures of use and rarity at a single site, and among measures for particular taxa at a single site with respect to different spatial scales. Most sites had aspects of low, medium, and high habitat value. Few high scores for current use value were given. These include: wetland plant communities at all aquatic sites, Lepomid sunfish and waterbirds at 1007-P1 pond, and Lepomid sunfish and amphibians at K-901 pond. Aquatic sites create a high-value ecological corridor for waterbirds, and the Contractor's Spoil Area and possibly the K-901-N Disposal Site have areas that are part of a strong terrestrial ecological corridor. The only example of recent observations of rare species at these sites is the gray bat observed at the K-1007-P1 pond. Some aspects of habitat value are expected to improve under no-action scenarios at a few of the sites. Methods are applicable to other contaminated sites where sufficient ecological data are available for the site and region.     

改善空气质量健康效益的非市场价值评估

采用目前美国国家海洋局(NOAA)推荐的双边界二分式条件价值评估方法,对北京市空气质量改善产生的健康效益进行评估.对北京市城八区居民共发放880份调查问卷,调查居民对通过改善空气质量进而使健康免受危害计划的最大支付意愿.结果表明:未来5年内北京市居民每户的平均最大支付意愿为652.33元/a,居民健康总经济效益现值为61.08×108～75.41×108元;支付意愿影响因素分析表明,支付意愿与居民家庭经济状况、受教育程度、健康状况有正向关系,男性比女性的支付意愿高.分析结果与经济学原理相符,该评估的可靠性得以验证.      

生态系统服务功能价值评估方法综述

本文在回顾生态系统服务功能价值分类和评估方法的基础上,得出目前我国的生态系统服务功能价值评估方法正处于从学习、模仿向渐进成熟阶段过渡,通过对生态系统服务功能的价值评估方法的对比分析,得出生态系统功能价值评估方法选择应根据先直接市场法、再替代市场法、最后模拟市场法的基本原则进行.     

环境和自然资源的价值评估与价值实现

围绕如何发挥价值规律作用推动自然资源合理配置的问题，构建了从价值理论到评估方法到价值实现过程的分析思路。剖析了环境和自然资源价值本质和价值形成机制的特殊性，并以价值评估问题为重点，分析各种价值度量方法所揭示的价值内容、对价值实现的支持和局限，最后从政府决策的角度讨论了通过价值评估将环境和自然资源价值纳入经济过程的动力机制。认为：自然资源价值本质和内涵的独特性，决定了价值评估和实现过程的特殊性。人类能否将环境价值完整地表达出来，受到评价方法和人类对效用和稀缺性等认知能力的局限，尽管每一种价值评价方法所揭示的价值内涵是有所差异的，但到目前为止，这些方法仍是评价环境及自然资源价值的最佳可得的方法。     

ECONOMIC VALUATION OF RIPARIAN BUFFER AND OPEN SPACE IN A SUBURBAN WATERSHED1

Abstract: This study evaluates the economic value of riparian buffers and open space in a suburban watershed through two nonmarket valuation methods. A contingent valuation survey was implemented in the Dardenne Creek watershed, a suburban watershed of the St. Louis metropolitan area in Missouri, to evaluate the residents' perceptions of and willingness to pay (WTP) for adopting riparian buffers and preserving farmland in a hypothetical real estate market. A hedonic pricing model based on actual sale prices of homes in the watershed was applied to estimate the market value of open space and other environmental conditions such as flood zone and stream proximity in the study area. The results showed that residents' WTP was consistent with the economic values of open space and proximity to streams embedded in existing home prices. Through a better understanding of residents' perceptions and values, riparian buffer and open space programs can be designed and promoted to achieve greater implementation success and environmental benefit.     

WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION AND ITS DETERMINANTS IN JAPAN1

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to clarify public preferences for flood control measures in Japan, willingness to pay (WTP), and the main factors involved in WTP by applying the contingent valuation method. Findings showed that most residents surveyed expected some flood control measures, and revealed a diversity of interest in river management. WTP levels for different measures ranged from a mean of ¥2,887 to ¥4,861 and from a median of ¥1,000 to ¥2,000. However, WTP for additional flood risk reduction beyond initial levels was found to be zero. This was considered to be because WTP for flood risk reduction must be determined within a multi‐risk context. WTP for flood control measures may increase with per capita income, individual preparedness, and/or experience with flooding, but may decrease with distance from a river, acceptability of flood risk, and provision of environmental information. Furthermore, perception of flood risk may increase WTP, while perception of other risks may decrease it. Methods of dealing with environmental risk that were proposed in the survey may have affected WTP levels.     

生态资产评估静态部分平衡模型的分析与改进

静态部分平衡模型是目前生态资产价值评估中可操作性比较强的一种评估模型。由于生态资产评估领域中还存在很多争议,论文从对生态资产评估的目的、特点、模型假设、方法和途径等方面入手,对生态资产价值评估静态部分平衡模型进行了分析,指出传统模型中存在的一些缺陷,并尝试对模型进行改进。选择黄河皇甫川流域五分地沟小流域作为研究区,依据传统模型和改进模型分别对研究区进行生态资产评估,结果表明,改进模型估算的流域生态资产总价值比传统模型的计算结果高出约1/3,其中林地和草地的单位面积价值上升,灌木林的单位面积价值则下降。