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on Environmental Economics |
| By: | Timilsina, Govinda R. |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the economic and environmental consequences of a potential demand side management program in Thailand using a general equilibrium model. The program considers replacement of less efficient electrical appliances in the household sector with more efficient counterparts. The study further examines changes in the economic and environmental effects of the program if it is implemented under the cl ean development mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, which provides carbon subsidies to the program. The study finds that the demand side management program would increase economic welfare if the ratio of unit cost of electricity savings to price of electricity is 0.4 or lower even in the absence of the clean development mechanism. If the program ' s ratio of unit cost of electricity savings to price of electricity is greater than 0.4, registration of the program under the clean development mechanism would be needed to achieve positive welfare impacts. The level of welfare impacts would, however, depend on the price of carbon credits the program generates. For a given level of welfare impacts, the registration of the demand side management program under the clean development mechanism would increase the volume of emission reductions. |
| Keywords: | Energy Production and Transportation,Environmental Economics & Policies,Economic Theory & Research,Environment and Energy Efficiency,Energy and Environment |
| Date: | 2008–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4563&r=env |
| By: | Junyi SHEN (Assistant Professor, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University); Yusuke SAKATA (Associate Professor, School of Economics, Kinki University); Yoshizo HASHIMOTO (President, Osaka Prefectural Institute for Advanced Industry Development) |
| Abstract: | In this paper, under the consideration on both local environmental status and transportation network, we implement Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) for the extension plan of Osaka Monorail Loop-line by applying a Choice Experiment (CE) method. It is estimated that the benefit cost (B/C) ratio is 1.35 under a basic scenario. In addition, with a consideration on different kinds of uncertainty in the future, a number of sensitivity analyses are implemented. The results of sensitivity analysis indicate that the possibility of generating net benefit is extremely high for the extension plan studied here. |
| Keywords: | cost benefit analysis; choice experiment method; monorail; environmental status; transportation network |
| JEL: | C25 D61 R42 |
| Date: | 2008–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osp:wpaper:08j004&r=env |
| By: | Michael Cameron (University of Waikato); John Gibson (University of Waikato); Kent Helmers (Independent Consultant); Steven Lim (University of Waikato); John Tressler (University of Waikato); Kien Vaddanak (Cambodian Red Cross) |
| Abstract: | Development agencies spend approximately US$400 million per year on landmine clearance. Yet many cost-benefit evaluations suggest that landmine clearance is socially wasteful because costs appear to far outweigh social benefits. This paper presents new estimates of the benefits of clearing landmines based on a contingent valuation survey in two provinces in rural Cambodia where we asked respondents questions that elicit their tradeoffs between money and the risk of death from landmine accidents. The estimated Value of a Statistical Life (VSL) is US$0.4 million. In contrast, most previous studies of landmine clearance use foregone income or average GDP per capita, which has a lifetime value of only US$2,000 in Cambodia. Humanitarian landmine clearance emerges as a more attractive rural development policy when appropriate estimates of the VSL are used. |
| Keywords: | benefit-cost analysis; contingent valuation; landmines; value of statistical life |
| JEL: | J17 O22 |
| Date: | 2008–03–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wai:econwp:08/04&r=env |
| By: | Subhash Ray (University of Connecticut) |
| Abstract: | In this paper we use the 2004-05 Annual Survey of Industries data to estimate the levels of cost efficiency of Indian manufacturing firms in the various states and also get state level measures of industrial organization (IO) efficiency. The empirical results show the presence of considerable cost inefficiency in a majority of the states. Further, we also find that, on average, Indian firms are too small. Consolidating them to attain the optimal scale would further enhance efficiency and lower average cost. |
| Keywords: | Data Envelopment Analysis; Efficient Production Scale; Industry Efficiency |
| JEL: | C61 D21 L60 |
| Date: | 2008–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uct:uconnp:2008-10&r=env |
| By: | Catherine M. Chambers; Catherine M. Chambers; John C. Whitehead |
| Abstract: | We conduct several analyses to examine the link between threatened and endangered species listings and macroeconomic activity. Preliminary tests using ordinary least squares are run on both time series data on the national level and cross sectional data at the state level. The analysis is then extended using vector autoregressive (VAR) techniques. VAR results, impulse response functions and variance decompositions are reported to shed more light on the causal relationships between threatened and endangered species, GDP and population. Our results indicate that there is little or no empirical evidence that GDP growth rates lead to changes in the number of threatened and endangered species listings. Key Words: Economic growth, endangered and threatened species, vector autoregression |
| Date: | 2008 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:apl:wpaper:08-04&r=env |