ECONOMIC AND SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION OF PREDATOR CONTROL ALTERNATIVES

A simulation model containing both economic (monetary) and socio-environmental (value index) components is developed in a case study of predator control alternatives. Particular emphasis is given to the description and justification of the socio-economic model. The economic model is estimated in terms of producers’ and consumers’ surpluses. The empirical tradeoff function developed suggests that alternatives to recent predator control programs exist that could be “better” for both general public and producer interests. The general approach can serve as a prototype for policy evaluations involving multiple objectives.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Acceptable Reforms of Agri-Environmental Policies

We consider a model of regulation for nonpoint source water pollution through non linear taxation/subsidization of agricultural production. Farmers are heterogenous along two dimensions, their ability to transform inputs into final production and the available area they possess. Asymmetric information and participation of farmers to the regulation scheme put constraints on the optimal policy that we characterize. We show that a positive relationship between size of land and ability may exacerbate adverse selection effects. We then introduce acceptability constraints and show that the intervention under acceptability amounts to reallocate production towards inefficient farmers who benefit from the reform at the expense of efficient producers. Last, we calibrate the model using datas on a french watershed (Don watershed). Simulations indicate that satisfying a high degree of acceptability does not entail high welfare losses compared to low degree of acceptability.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Decision support systems for large dam planning and operation in Africa

Decision support systems/ Dams/ Planning/ Operations/ Social impact/ Environmental effects

New directions in water resources management: The role of water pricing policies

Water resources will face increasing competition and higher environmental concerns during this century. To meet these challenges, the new Water Framework Directive has drawn up an integrated framework and established the basic principles for a sustainable water policy in the European Union. The introduction of water prices reflecting the true cost of irrigation is one of its most innovative components. In this paper, a positive mathematical programming model is developed to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of water pricing policies in Spanish irrigated lands. The model interface allows friendly use and easy replication in a large number of irrigation districts, selected throughout the Spanish territory. The model results show the impact on environmental indicators, water consumption, cropping patterns, technology adoption, labor, farmers' income, and the water agency revenues when different scenarios of cost recovery are considered. It is argued that this modeling approach may be used as a management tool to assist in the implementation of the cost recovery approach of the new Water Framework Directive

A framework for efficient wastewater treatment and recycling systems

Water reuse / Wastewater / Recycling / Pricing / Water allocation / Cost benefit analysis / Wastewater irrigation / Developing countries / Developed countries / Case studies

Review of approaches to establish reference levels to interpret indicators

Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

MULTIPLE-OBJECTIVE DECISION MAKING FOR AGROECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

Multiple-objective decision making (MODEM) provides an effective framework for integrated resource assessment of agroecosystems. Two elements of integrated assessment are discussed and illustrated: (1) adding noneconomic objectives as constraints in an optimization problem; and (2) evaluating tradeoffs among competing objectives using the efficiency frontier for objectives. These elements are illustrated for a crop farm and watershed in northern Missouri. An interactive, spatial decision support system (ISDSS) makes the MODEM framework accessible to unsophisticated users. A conceptual ISDSS is presented that assesses the socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological consequences of alternative management plans for reducing soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution in agroecosystems. A watershed decision support system based on the ISDSS is discussed.Agribusiness,

Domestic water pricing with household surveys : a study of acceptability and willingness to pay in Chongqing, China

In determining domestic water prices, policy makers often need to use information about the demand side rather than only relying on information about the supply side. Household surveys have frequently been employed to collect demand-side information. This paper presents a multiple bounded discrete choice household survey model. It discusses how the model can be utilized to collect and analyze information about the acceptability of different water prices by different types of households, as well as households'willingness to pay for water service improvement. The results obtained from these surveys can be directly utilized in the development of water pricing and subsidy policies. The paper also presents an empirical multiple bounded discrete choice study conducted in Chongqing, China. In this case, domestic water service quality was seriously inadequate, but financial resources were insufficient to improve service quality. With a survey of about 1,500 households in five suburban districts in Chongqing Municipality, this study shows that a significant increase in the water price is feasible as long as the poorest households can be properly subsidized and certain public awareness and accountability campaigns can be conducted to make the price increase more acceptable to the public. The analysis also indicates that the order in which hypothetical prices are presented to respondents systematically affects their answers, and should be taken into account when designing survey instruments.Town Water Supply and Sanitation,Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions,Environmental Economics&Policies,Water and Industry,Water Supply and Systems