Suchergebnisse

This paper explores economic development in the floodplain of large rivers, where both economic and ecological factors need to be considered for effective management. Floodplain management policies in Bangladesh emphasize structural changes to enhance agricultural production. However, these structural changes reduce fisheries production, an important natural resource sector and a source of subsistence for the rural poor. We develop a model where net returns to agriculture and fisheries are jointly maximized, taking into account the effect of flooding depth and timing on production, and value of catch in markets and for subsistence nutrition. Results for a region in Bangladesh show that optimal production in a natural floodplain yields higher net returns compared with a floodplain modified by flood control structures. This finding implies that neglecting the bio-economic relationship between fisheries and land use may significantly affect the long-run economic role of a river floodplain, particularly where subsistence consumption is important to social welfare.

ABSTRACTThis paper offers a theory of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) based on the scarcity of capital relative to environmental quality. In a unified treatment of both market and transition economies of the former Soviet Bloc, we characterize a dynamic economy subject to two sources of market failure: a pollution externality and a pure public good 'environmental quality'. We derive a policy rule to implement the social optimum in market and transition economies and show how, in general, a pollution tax or tradable permits can only implement the social optimum if accompanied by other taxes on consumption or profits.

In contingent valuation studies, failing to accommodate populations with limited language skills might yield biased estimates. In the United States, there are many residents primarily fluent in Spanish. This study uses conditional logit models applied to data from a bilingual (English and Spanish) conjoint choice mail survey to evaluate the effects of language proficiency on estimates of the economic benefits of contaminated site cleanup. Results indicate that language does have significant effects on welfare estimates. The results suggest that mail surveys addressing environmental issues that may affect a linguistically diverse population should be designed at the outset with multiple languages in mind. (JEL Q51, J19)

This article compares the discrete choice random utility model and the hedonic property value model in estimating the benefits of cleaning up Waukegan Harbor, a Superfund site on the Great Lakes. The study uses survey‐based conjoint choice data on housing preferences and market data on housing transactions. The research finds that the benefit estimates for different levels of cleanup are quite comparable between the models. The estimates compare very well with those of some previous studies. The results of the study suggest that tax increment financing by the local government is a feasible option to fund cleanup.

This important new book presents a state-of-the-art assessment of how economic models can be used by different levels of government to combat environmental problems. It considers policies for climate change and transport that can be used at federal and confederal levels of government. The authors examine the unique aspects of environmental policy making in a multi-layered government using empirical case studies covering Europe and the US. They consider the causes of pollution at three levels - federal government, local government and industries and firms. Concentrating on greenhouse gas abatement and the transport sector, they use quantitative techniques to compare alternative policy solutions. This quantitative approach overcomes problems of some inconclusive theoretical prescriptions, which often depend on combinations of particular parameter values. In addition, this method makes it possible to investigate the costs and benefits of a particular solution, and the distribution effects between different groups. This approach also provides insights into the economic consequences of the application of local versus national or federal policies. Climate Change, Transport and Environmental Policy provides the necessary analysis required for environmental policy making in that it uses a quantitative approach to balance the costs and benefits of alternative policy options. Climate Change, Transport and Environmental Policy is an important addition to the literature and will be welcomed by environmental policymakers at the local, regional, national and international level as well as scholars and postgraduate students in environmental economics and public policy

Which level of government is most appropriate for environmental policy making in a confederal or federal system? How does the level of government at which policy is made and implemented affect the choice of policy instruments? This important new volume addresses these problems by comparing environmental policies and practices in the European Union and the United States. In Environmental Policy with Political and Economic Integration, a distinguished group of authors discusses how environmental policy in a federal or confederal system may differ both in theory and practice from that found in a unitary government system. After examining the framework for environmental policy in the EU and US, the authors present papers on their federal institutions, the economic forces affecting environmental governance, the choice of policy instruments, linkages between trade and environmental policy and environmental regulations within international trade negotiations. The final part brings together a series of case studies which sheds new light on the research questions formulated earlier in the book. Issues discussed include the regulation of agricultural pollution, global warming, ozone pollution and environmental security. In addition to its detailed discussion of environmental policy in the EU and the US, Environmental Policy with Political and Economic Integration will be essential reading for both scholars and policymakers concerned with designing and implementing regulations to protect the environment