Economic valuation of marine and coastal ecosystems: is it currently fit for purpose?

In this paper, we consider whether the current “state of the art” of environmental valuation is suitable for producing policy-relevant estimates of the benefits or costs of changes in marine and coastal ecosystems. We review recent changes in European legislation which has meant an increasing demand for economic valuation from the policy and regulatory community. The next section considers, at a more conceptual level, whether the economic “toolbox” and scientific evidence is up to the task of meeting the demand for more evidence-based policy. Finally, three case studies are used to explore the nature of the valuation task and review what is currently known. These case studies are of salt-marsh restoration, marine renewable energy investments, and deep sea conservation

An Economic Assessment of the Costs and Benefits of Natura 2000 Sites in Scotland

In accordance with the European Commission "Habitats Directive" (Directive 92/43/EEC) and the "Birds Directive" (Directive 79/409/EEC), Scotland must contribute to the development of a UK network of protected areas that represent the most important wildlife sites in the European Union, known as the Natura 2000 (N2K) network. This network is made up of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) classified under the Birds Directive and of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the Habitats Directive. In Scotland, by 31/12/02, 355 N2K sites had been identified, comprising 223 candidate SACs (cSACs) and 132 SPAs, accounting for 9.3% of Scotland's land surface. As 55 sites are both cSACs and SPAs, there are actually 300 separate individual N2K sites

The Impact of River Flow Restrictions on Instruments to Control noPoint Nitrate Pollution

An economic analysis of policies to control nonpoint source nitrate pollution in the presence of minimum river flow restrictions was undertaken. A non-linear bio-physical economic optimisation model of an intensively cultivated Scottish agricultural catchment was constructed. The presence of minimum river flow controls in the catchment was found to reduce nitrogen pollution. However, by themselves, river flow controls were found not to be a cost effective means to reduce diffuse pollution. River flow controls did not, for the most part, alter relative instrument ranking.

Conceptualising disability in the workplace: contextualising the responses of managers and employees

This research explores how staff and managers conceptualise disabled people within the work setting. Despite anti-discriminatory legislation and government support schemes disabled people remain disadvantaged in terms of employment. The development of the social model of disability has challenged traditional concepts of disability. At the same time the disability movement has sought equality, including within employment. A key factor in the employment disadvantage of disabled people is held to be the discriminatory attitudes of employers and staff. This research presents a case study of managers and staff within a commercial organisation. To support the data analysis an analytical framework has been developed, utilising existing literature and grounded in Critical Systems Heuristics. The framework identifies different rationalities staff could hold in conceptualising disability within the workplace. A qualitative approach is used, generating rich data around the concepts the study group hold about disability and disabled people in the workplace. The analysis highlights that people hold ambivalent attitudes to disabled people within the workplace. Whilst generally sympathetic to the idea of greater numbers of disabled people in the workplace, they hold specific ideas that act as barriers to achieving this. These include conceptualising disabled people as less capable, anxieties over the impact on co-workers, and viewing work as generally fixed. This thinking is underpinned by how many people conceptualise work as competitive at an organisational and individual level and their perceptions of fairness, requiring disabled people to fit into work and not be treated radically differently to other workers. Rationality over disability and work is conflicted, with general sympathies over disability conflicting with anxieties over the actuality of disabled people in the workplace. It is argued that individuals rationalise this conflicted thinking by conceptualising disabled workers differently to disabled people. This is seen as significant in determining what is held as reasonable when accommodating disabled people, so becoming a driver of the overall approach to disability within the organisation. The research offers an original contribution to knowledge in terms of offering new insights about disability and employment. The research offers a new analytical framework based on rationality and a potential contribution to policy on disability and employment

Cohort Grouping and Preservice Teacher Education: Effects on Pedagogical Development

This study sought to evaluate the socializing effects of cohort grouping on elementary teacher candidates. The research took place in the context of a curriculum consisting of art, drama, music, physical education, and child psychology, with instruction emphasizing a collaborative, thematic approach to teacher education. The curriculum was unified around a central theme, the learner; methods and content were taught simultaneously. The results showed that independently of cohort membership, small class sizes and the colla- borative thematic approach produced a strong socializing effect. Belonging to a cohort, however, resulted in earlier socializing effects and evidence of emergent collective beliefs. Importantly, the curriculum was particularly effective at promoting pedagogical content knowing, helping many students to examine their beliefs about teaching. Cette étude cherchait à évaluer les effets de socialisation du regroupement par cohortes des candidats à l’enseignement au primaire. La recherche s’est déroulée dans le cadre d’un programme d’études comprenant des cours d’arts plastiques, de théâtre, de musique, d’éducation physique et de psychologie de l’enfant, l’accent étant mis sur la collaboration et une approche thématique de la formation à l’enseignement. Le programme adoptait, comme thème central, l’apprenant; les méthodes et le contenu étaient enseignés simul- tanément. Les résultats ont démontré qu’indépendamment des membres de la cohorte, les classes plus petites et l’approche thématique faisant appel à la collaboration produisaient un plus grand effet de socialisation. Le fait d’appartenir à une cohorte, toutefois, accélérait les effets de socialisation et l’émergence de croyances collectives. Fait à souligner : le programme d’études réussissait particulièrement bien à promouvoir la connaissance du contexte pédagogique, aidant ainsi un grand nombre d’étudiants à analyser leurs croyances au sujet de l’enseignement.

Should we pay for ecosystem service outputs, inputs or both?

Payments for ecosystem service outputs have recently become a popular policy prescription for a range of agri-environmental schemes. The focus of this paper is on the choice of contract instruments to incentivise the provision of ecosystem service outputs from farms. The farmer is better informed than the regulator in terms of hidden information about costs and hidden-actions relating to effort. The results show that with perfect information, the regulator can contract equivalently on inputs or outputs. With hidden information, input-based contracts are more cost effective at reducing the informational rent related to adverse selection than output-based contracts. Mixed contracts are also cost-effective, especially where one input is not observable. Such contracts allow the regulator to target variables that are “costly-to-fake” as opposed to those prone to moral hazard such as effort. Further results are given for fixed price contracts and input-based contracts with moral hazard. The model is extended to include a discussion of repeated contracting and the scope that exists for the regulator to benefit from information revealed by the initial choice of contract. The models are applied to a case study of contracting with farmers to protect high biodiversity native vegetation that also provides socially-valuable ecosystem services.PostprintPeer reviewe

A comparative analysis of proficiency aviator skill, knowledge, and satisfaction

Data reflecting the knowledge, skill, and satisfaction of aviators in combat readiness training (CRT) flight status, were collected. The aviator sample consisted of one group flying the T-1A aircraft at a rate of 4-hours per month and another flying 8-hours per month. The data collection methods are described, and the results and conclusions from a comparative analysis are presented. (Author)http://archive.org/details/comparativeanaly00schrN