SABIIA - Sistema Aberto e Integrado de Informação em Agricultura (Sabiia)

Burtraw, Dallas; Palmer, Karen L.; Heintzelman, Martin.

The universal theme of deregulation of the electricity industry is the dismantling of the exclusive franchise, opening up some segments of the industry to competition. Technological changes in generation have helped eliminate the perception that generation is a natural monopoly, but this change has not occurred in transmission and distribution services. Marketing functions have also been opened up to competition in many places. This paper includes a brief overview of the different approaches to restructuring that have been adopted in selected countries around the world. It also surveys the existing literature that explores various aspects of how electricity restructuring is likely to affect the environment. The effect of restructuring on the environment...

Strategic Choice of Domestic Environmental Policy Instrument and International Emissions Trading Scheme in an Open Economy with Imperfect Competition

Palavras-chave: Electricity restructuring; Air quality; Incentive-based regulation; Technological change; Environmental Economics and Policy; Q28; L51; L94.

Ano: 2000

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/10854

Boom, Jan Tjeerd.

This paper presents a model of imperfect international competition. Within this framework, the optimal choice of national environmental policy instrument and international emissions trading scheme is discussed. The choice of national instrument is restricted to absolute and relative standards, which form the basis for permit and credit trading respectively. It is shown that relatives standards and credit trading lead to higher output than emission ceilings and permit trading. I find that governments want to increase production beyond the level reached with emission ceilings and therefore prefer relative standards. Furthermore, international emissions trading is only optimal when the country imports emission quotas, and in several cases, governments will...

WHAT ROLE FOR LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA IN MEETING KENYA'S FUELWOOD DEMAND?:A BIOECONOMIC MODEL

Palavras-chave: Environmental policy; Emissions trading; Credit trading; International trade; Imperfect competition; Strategic behavior; Environmental Economics and Policy; F12; L51; Q25; Q28.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/24177

Stone, Steven W.; Kyle, Steven C.; Conrad, Jon M..

Shortages of wood for burning and construction have begun to create serious environmental problems in sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya is of particular interest both because of its high population pressure and its commitment to au active reforestation movement. This paper examines the contribution that the fast-growing species, Leucaena leucocephala, can make in this effort. A simple statistical model was used to determine the soil and climatic factors that affect its growth; these results are then compared with existing conditions in Kenya. Estimated coefficients for growth and estimated output prices were used to derive a function relating the present value of net revenue to rotation length. It is demonstrated that the economically optimal rotation is just...

Ecotourism: Aspects of Its Sustainability and Compatibility

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods.

Ano: 1991

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/6854

Tisdell, Clement A..

Greenhouse gases and Nutrients: The Interactions Between Concurrent New Zealand Trading Systems

Palavras-chave: Ecotourism; Sustainable development; Brazil; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 1997

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/53641

Kerr, Suzi; Kennedy, Marianna.

Emissions trading and nutrient trading interact in critical ways. The agricultural sector is a major emitter of both nutrients and greenhouse gases in New Zealand. Thus the simultaneous implementation of such systems will have a large impact on the farmers in affected catchments. Many of the mitigation options that are available to farmers, for example reducing animal numbers, will reduce both nutrient loss and greenhouse gas emissions. Thus the combined cost of control could be much less than the sum of the costs of the separate systems. The allocation of units under each system will also affect the same people. Monitoring systems for each pollutant could have common elements but could also impose a double burden. The interactions between the two systems...

EXPERIMENTAL MARKETS AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Palavras-chave: Agribusiness; Agricultural and Food Policy; Environmental Economics and Policy; Farm Management; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/96444

Beurteilung von Agrarumweltprogrammen - eine einzelbetriebliche Analyse in Baden-Württemberg und Nordbrandenburg

Shogren, Jason F..

Experimental markets can be a useful tool to guide and evaluate environmental policy. This paper reviews four experiments to illustrate. Two institutional experiments are considered-Coasian bargaining with positive transaction costs, and a gaming experiment of dynamic choice in a conflict. Two valuation experiments are also discussed-the impact of sequential reduction mechanisms on the value of risk, and experimental auction markets to elicit the value of safer food.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 1993

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/31538

Identification Of Important Criteria In Farm Systems Decisions Around Lake Taupo

Baudoux, Patrick.

Under the condition of significant changes in the framework of EU Agricultural Policy Agro-Environmental Programmes are evaluated in this paper. The MEKA-Programme of Baden-Württemberg and the KULAP-Programme of Brandenburg, both measures under the EU-Regulation VO (EWG) 2078/92 of 1992, are analysed using farm level Linear Programming models. One of the most important results is that both, the MEKA- and the KULAP-Program, have positive environmental effects. In addition they are also responsible for significant transfer payments which under unfavourable production conditions can reach up to 40 % of the farm level gross margins. Farm structure, indicated by production conditions, crops and major production areas, is responsible for the application to the...

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Agro-Environmental Policy; Agro-Environmental Programmes; Baden-Württemberg; Brandenburg; MEKA; KULAP; Linear Programming; Environmental Protection; Agricultural and Food Policy; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2001

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/98887

Dooley, A.E.; Smeaton, D.; Ledgard, S.F..

Nitrogen leaching from agriculture contributes to contamination of Lake Taupo. Multiple criteria decision making was used to compare fourteen pre-defined farming systems which reduced, or maintained nitrogen losses. Case study participants included three to four each of Maori Incorporation representatives, owner-operators, Environment Waikato employees, and researchers. The total group identified criteria that were important in choosing between the systems. Profit and nitrogen outputs were provided for the systems. Individuals weighted criteria and subjectively scored each system’s performance against the remaining criteria. Systems were ranked using this information. Variation within and between groups was considerable. Key criteria included: profit; farm...

Urban Water Restrictions: Attitudes, Information and Willingness to Pay

Palavras-chave: Farm systems; Decision making; Agriculture; Environment; Nitrogen leaching; Multiple criteria decision making; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Crop Production/Industries; Environmental Economics and Policy; Farm Management; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Health Economics and Policy; Industrial Organization; Land Economics/Use; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/98504

Cooper, Bethany; Crase, Lin.

In most urban cities across Australia, water restrictions remain the dominant policy mechanism to restrict urban water consumption. The extensive adoption of water restrictions over several years means that Australian urban water prices have consistently not reflected the opportunity cost of water (Edwards 2008). Given the generally strong political support for water restrictions and the likelihood that they will persist for some time, there is value in understanding householders’ attitudes in this context. More specifically, identifying the welfare estimate associated with avoiding urban water restrictions entirely would be a non-trivial contribution to our knowledge of the costs that attend them. This paper employs the results from the stated preference...

INCOME EFFICIENCY OF SOIL CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES IN HAITI

Palavras-chave: Urban water restrictions; Water policy; Contingent valuation; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Consumer/Household Economics; Demand and Price Analysis; Environmental Economics and Policy; Health Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/97168

Jolly, Curtis M.; Shannon, Dennis A.; Bannister, Michael; Flauretin, Gardy; Dale, John (Zach); Binns, Alvin; Lindo, Pauline.

Soil erosion and environmental degradation are serious problems facing food security in Haiti. In 1999, the annual soil loss due to erosion was estimated at 36 million m3 tons. The government of Haiti has been aware of these deteriorating conditions and has sought international assistance to reduce these problems. In 1993, the United States Agency for International Development implemented a soil conservation project and millions of dollars were spent on the encouragement of adoption of soil conservation measures; yet the problems of soil degradation is still menacing food security in Haiti. Hence the need to evaluate the impact of soil conservation in Haiti is important. A survey of 951 farmers, who adopted soil conservation techniques in Haiti, was...

Dryland salinity, coordinating action and economic policy: a role for contracts?

Palavras-chave: Income; Efficiency; Soil Conservation Techniques; Haiti; CAES; Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Crop Production/Industries; Environmental Economics and Policy; Farm Management; Land Economics/Use.

Ano: 2007

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/36970

Harvey, Sallyann.

The problem of addressing dryland salinity at a landscape is considered in the context of using economic incentives to encourage change in land use by individual landholders to adopt salinity mitigating actions where a public asset of significant value is threatened. This paper reviews the principal-agent problem and looks at mechanisms which give incentives to address natural resource management problems, and in particular, the role of contracts between the Government and the landholders for achieving environmental objectives. Consideration is then given to the potential for empirical analysis of these policies in practice and their effectiveness in achieving the desired environmental outcomes.

U.S. Outdoor Recreation Use Values: A Benefit Transfer Study

Palavras-chave: Salinity; Economic incentives; Contracts; Hidden information; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2004

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/58703

Kaval, Pamela; Loomis, John B..

Past empirical benefit measures and other information originally obtained through primary data collection can be used for assessing and analyzing current management and policy actions. This use of past valuation information for current policy analysis is called benefit transfer. In this report, we present information from our database of 1239 consumer surplus estimates usable for benefit transfer that we created from our extensive literature review. The outdoor recreation use value database spans from 1967 through 2003 with activities ranging from birdwatching and picnicking to rock climbing and snorkeling. A park manager or other planner could easily use the information from our database to estimate consumer surplus values for a park, region, or activity,...

Voluntary Incentives for Reducing Agricultural Nonpoint Source Water Pollution

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy; Land Economics/Use; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2004

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/97796

Feather, Peter; Cooper, Joseph C..

Agricultural chemicals and sediment from cropland may reduce the quality of America's surface and ground water resources. The Clean Water Act stipulates that individual States are responsible for controlling agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Most State plans rely chiefly on education and technical assistance to promote the adoption of less polluting practices. Because profitability drives production decisions, these programs tend to be most successful when they promote inexpensive changes in existing practices. This report presents research findings on the success of incentive programs to control agricultural nonpoint source pollution.

Tipo: Report

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 1995

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/33619

Agri-Environmental Policy at the Crossroads: Guideposts on a Changing Landscape

Claassen, Roger; Hansen, LeRoy T.; Peters, Mark; Breneman, Vincent E.; Weinberg, Marca; Cattaneo, Andrea; Feather, Peter; Gadsby, Dwight M.; Hellerstein, Daniel; Hopkins, Jeffrey W.; Johnston, Paul V.; Morehart, Mitchell J.; Smith, Mark.

Agri-environmental policy is at a crossroads. Over the past 20 years, a wide range of policies addressing the environmental implications of agricultural production have been implemented at the Federal level. Those policies have played an important role in reducing soil erosion, protecting and restoring wetlands, and creating wildlife habitat. However, emerging agri-environmental issues, evolution of farm income support policies, and limits imposed by trade agreements may point toward a rethinking of agri-environmental policy. This report identifies the types of policy tools available and the design features that have improved the effectiveness of current programs. It provides an indepth analysis of one policy tool that may be an important component of a...

Tipo: Report

Palavras-chave: Conservation programs; Environmental policy; Agricultural policy; Policy instruments; Agricultural program design; Soil erosion; Nitrogen runoff; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2001

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/33983

Assessing Potential Impact of a Farmer Field School Training on Perennial Crop in Cameroon

Wandji, Njankoua; Binam, Nyemeck; Sonii, David; Mva Mva, Jonas; Gockowski, James.

This study is an attempt of the combination of multiple data sources referring to the same time period and to the same farmer population, it aims at assessing the potential impact of a cocoa Farmer Field School Training on Integrated Pest Management in Cameroon. Using a combination of a latitudinal and a longitudinal comparison, the results indicate that FFS-trained farmers have significantly more knowledge about crop husbandry practices than those in the non-participant comparison group. A 32% production increase and 45% income increase relative to the non-participants was estimated in the latitudinal analysis. The longitudinal comparison is showing significant adoption rates of 94, 93, 90, 66 and 35 % respectively for shade management, phytosanitary...

Environmental Kuznets Curves for Carbon Emissions: A Critical Survey

Palavras-chave: Integrated pest management; Farmer field school; Adoption rate; Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Demand and Price Analysis; Environmental Economics and Policy; Farm Management; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Food Security and Poverty; Land Economics/Use; Marketing; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/52103

Aslanidis, Nektarios.

The empirical finding of an inverse U-shaped relationship between per capita income and pollution, the so-called Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), suggests that as countries experience economic growth, environmental deterioration decelerates and thus becomes less of an issue. Focusing on the prime example of carbon emissions, the present article provides a critical review of the new econometric techniques that have questioned the baseline polynomial specification in the EKC literature. We discuss issues related to the functional form, heterogeneity, “spurious” regressions and spatial dependence to address whether and to what extent the EKC can be observed. Despite these new approaches, there is still no clear-cut evidence supporting the existence of the...

Estimating Effects of an Urban Growth Boundary on Land Development

Palavras-chave: Environmental Kuznets Curve; Carbon Emissions; Functional Form; Heterogeneity; “Spurious” Regressions; Spatial Dependence; Environmental Economics and Policy; C20; Q32; Q50; O13.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/54299

Cho, Seong-Hoon; Chen, Zhuo; Yen, Steven T.; Eastwood, David B..

This study estimates the effects of an urban growth boundary (UGB) on land development decisions in Knox County, TN, using a heteroscedastic probit model. With combined efforts of increased land development within the city boundary and decreased development within the UGB and the neighboring town of Farragut after the implementation of UGB, the UGB of Knox County has been successful in urban revitalization within the city boundary and discouraging urban sprawl. These UGB impacts may be related to the city government having the right to annex land parcels within the UGB without consent of land owners.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Heteroscedastic probit; Land development; Urban growth boundary; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Environmental Economics and Policy; Land Economics/Use; C35; Q24; R52.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/43761

Bt and Ht Corn versus Conventional Pesticide and Herbicide Use. Do Environmental Impacts Differ?

Nillesen, Eleonora; Scatasta, Sara; Wesseler, Justus.

In this paper we empirically assess and compare the environmental impact of pesticide programs for Bt, Ht (glufosinate) and conventional corn in Europe, employing the Environmental Impact Quotient. We use field trial data from Narbons, France 2004 as well as secondary data. Our results show that management of Bt corn has a lower environmental impact than conventional corn programs. Herbicide treatment of the Ht variety also has a much lower environmental impact than that of the two conventional programs. Our empirical findings support the argument of lower environmental and health impacts with respect to pesticide use when growing Bt and Ht corn. The outcomes are relevant for environmental benefit-cost analysis of Bt and Ht corn.

What motivates farmers to sequester carbon: an empirical investigation

Palavras-chave: EIQ; Pesticide use; Bt; Ht corn; Crop Production/Industries; Environmental Economics and Policy; Q10; Q16.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/25504

Ovchinnikova, Natalia; Lynne, Gary D.; Sautter, John; Kruse, Colby.

The overall impetus for this research comes from the concern with global warming and climate change. Although the U.S. did not sign the Kyoto Protocol, a study conducted by London's Carbon Disclosure Project has shown that many U.S. firms are preparing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, agriculture can help to dampen the pace of warming through sequestering carbon in agricultural plants and land. The purpose of the article is to discover what motivates the implementation of conservation tillage which allows greater carbon sequestration. The survey data (1185 self-report questionnaires, 28 percent response rate) were collected from farmers in a midwestern U.S. state in three types of agro-ecozones. Econometric analysis provided support for the...

Maquiladoras, Air Pollution, and Human Health in Ciudad Juarez and El Paso

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/21288

Blackman, Allen; Batz, Michael B.; Evans, David A..

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, is home to the U.S.-Mexico border's largest maquiladora labor force, and also its worst air pollution. We marshal two types of evidence to examine the link between maquiladoras and air pollution in Ciudad Juarez, and in its sister city, El Paso, Texas. First, we use a publicly available sector-level emissions inventory for Ciudad Juarez to determine the importance of all industrial facilities (including maquiladoras) as a source of air pollution. Second, we use original plant-level data from two sample maquiladoras to better understand the impacts of maquiladora air pollution on human health. We use a series of computational models to estimate health damages attributable to air pollution from these plants, we compare these damages...