Globalization Impacts on Local Commons: Multiscale Strategies for Socioeconomic and Ecological Resilience

Globalization can have substantial impact on local commons by reducing sustainability of ecosystems and their vital services. Without effective local institutions, these resources are at high risk of exploitation, especially to feed global markets. This study proposes a multiscale ecosystem framework (MEF) that incorporates information on ecosystem components, socioeconomic processes, and their interactions. This includes inter and intra common interactions and multi-scale processes to evaluate inter and intra scale changesin socioeconomic and ecological processes of commons. Local participation and multi-disciplinary information are critical in achieving sustainability. Using a global dataset of selected indicators, a general decline is observable in local commons that face globalization. The need for increasing resilience of commons through multi-scale adaptation strategies can inform decisions at the national, state and local levels. Increased resilience through ecosystem-based approach can minimize impacts of globalization using information on multiattribute processes, equity considerations, development of robust institutions, and effective strategies for adaptation

TRADE LIBERALIZATION AS A VEHICLE FOR ADAPTING TO GLOBAL WARMING

This study assesses the potential interaction between climate change and agricultural trade policies. We distinguish between two dimensions of agricultural trade policy: market insulation and subsidy levels. Building on the previous work of Tsigas, Frisvold and Kuhn (1997) we find that, in the presence of current levels of agricultural subsidies, increased price transmission- as called for under the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture- reduces global welfare in the wake of climate change. this is due to the positive correlation between productivity changes and current levels of agricultural support. Increases in subsidized output under climate change tend to exacerbate inefficiencies in the global agricultural economy in the absence of market insulation. However, once agricultural subsidies have also been eliminated, price transmission via the global trading system contributes positively to economic adaptation under climate change.Environmental Economics and Policy, International Relations/Trade,

A Sustainability Evaluation and Dynamic Modeling Tool for Landscape and Urban Planning Policy Scenarios

Incorporating sustainability principles into urban development is often complex involving strong interaction between ecosystem components and development goals. As identified in the Brundtland Commissions report (UN, 1987), sustainability has gained much attention in planning aimed at balancing current needs without depleting resources and ecological services available for future generations. While the decision-making process is embedded in a social framework, political sustainability depends on collective decisions and citizens’ preferences related to public policies (Munda, 2006; Webster, 1998). In recent decade, the sustainability concept has been adopted in landscape and urban planning. Specific approaches include assessing abiotic, biotic, and cultural (ABC) resources in the landscapes for goals setting, defining and resolving spatial conflicts, developing and evaluating alternative scenarios, selecting a landscape plan, employing adaptive management, and closing the planning process loop by continuous interdisciplinary and public involvement (Ahern, 1999). There is a need for a simple and effective tool to model interaction among landscape components, to facilitate the decision-making process in the planning framework, and to evaluate alternative scenarios for sustainability. Urban policies are often path-dependent with past decisions having consequences that constrain allocation of resources in later times. In addition, the policies are selfreinforcing (Woodlief, 1998) and interacting with ecosystem services of ABC resources over time. For example, when cities implemented urban renewal policy in the 1940s, hundreds of low-income neighborhood blocks were cleared and thousands of acres of wetlands were filled for building housing and highway systems. The consequences of past decisions as observed today include inequitable distribution affecting low income and minority communities and extensive degradation of the environment. The varying impacts of a policy decision are not only dynamic over time but also involving interplay between the landscape and society. To develop and assess landscape and urban plans with sustainability criteria, there is a critical need for policy evaluation under alternative planning scenarios. Assessment of the state of resources over time can inform planners on shifts in ecosystem conditions in landscapes under a particular planning scenario. This will also enable planners to anticipate changes in the ecosystem health and mitigate negative impacts on resource allocation. Balancing multiple goals, incorporating constraints facing communities, and including public participation are essential for developing effective sustainable plans. A dynamic modelling and participatory approach can inform the public on landscape interactions, the nature of trade-offs between scenarios, and long-term trends in sustainability criteria. For example, modeling could reveal that sustainability may be decreasing over time as one resource is rapidly depleted under a planning scenario and negatively impact on other resources. In order to assess and incorporate trade-off relationships into the planning process with continuous public participation, we propose a dynamic ecosystem and policy evaluation framework for landscape and urban planning

Simulation of ecohydrological processes influencing water supplies in the Tuul River watershed of Mongolia

Achieving sufficient water supplies for multiple uses in the watershed is a major public policy issue. Understanding the current ecohydrologic processes is essential to assess potential impacts on hydrologic regimes. The Tuul River (TR) watershed faces a cold, continental climate with water supply variability. This study aims to simulate watershed processes in the TR watershed and subbasins and analyze the influences of those processes on water resources. Watershed hydrologic processes and their impact on the water resources are modeled using the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Calibration and validation were conducted using R2, PBIAS, RSR, and NSE to assess the effectiveness of the SWAT model to replicate annual, monthly streamflow values. The spatial and temporal variations in watershed processes are critical for water resource decisions. With increasing uncertainty and scarcity in water resources, simulation modeling is a valuable tool in watershed management in regions with water scarcity

Is the biological assets measured by historical cost value-related?

For listed agriculture companies,resource allocation decisions based on biological asset information of investors is related to the sustainable development. We examine the impact of the implementation of China Accounting Standards No.5 - Biological Assets (CASS) on the value relevance of biological assets, which is essential convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), by analyzing the data from 2002 to 2016 of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. We find that, under historical cost-measurement model, the value relevance of the biological asset information of Chinese listed companies increased significantly after the implementation of CASS. Further analysis shows that the value relevance of biological assets for groups under analyst following was higher than the others, which suggests that analyst following plays an alternative governance function. The results indicate that the biological asset information measured under historical costs model has value relevance and provide empirical evidence from emerging market for the revision of IAS41 in 2014. It shows that the development of capital market information intermediary can enhance the value relevance of biological assets information, and facilitates the sustainability of agricultural enterprises in emerging market under the absence of strict external regulations and other infrastructures.Peer reviewe

Watershed-scale Effects of Urbanization on Sediment Export: Assessment and policy

Built components of watersheds are associated with impervious surfaces that alter hydrology, disrupt ecosystems, and affect water quality. This study focuses on the impervious factor as a tool for assessment and policy design to address water quality impacts. The empirical model uses a combination of watershed simulation and statistical regression modeling to study sediment loading at various stages of urbanization. The policy design is based on private behavior in a watershed setting to develop appropriate economic approaches. The incentives through taxes, subsidies, and cost sharing are based on water quality impacts. It was observed that nonlinearity in response functions resulted in transition effects that are continuous. This is due to gradual shifts in landscape characteristics as a result of urbanization. On a regional basis, impervious factor had a varying effect on water quality and depend on the state of urbanization and spatial characteristics. Economic policies based on a metric like impervious cover can be used to mitigate the negative effects of urbanization in watersheds through use of appropriate BMPs, urban forestry methods, and spatial targeting. While linear rules in policy are easier to implement, nonlinear rules were more effective in representing the changes in marginal social cost of impervious factor, especially initial and late stages of urbanization. There exists excellent scope in using this targeted policy to address specific problems associated with complex urban systems

Multivariate assessment of spatial and temporal variations in irrigation water quality in Lake Uluabat watershed of Turkey

Irrigation water quality has important implications on salinity, ion toxicity, production cost, and crop failures. There is a need for a comprehensive analysis of spatial and temporal dynamics in parameters at a watershed scale. This information is critical for irrigation management in agricultural production. The Lake Uluabat watershed is a significant agricultural area of Turkey, which is studied using monitored water data. Multivariate assessment is performed using cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA), principal component analysis (PCA), and factor analysis (FA) to evaluate temporal and spatial variations in water quality in the watershed. The data is processed by clustering, reducing data dimensionality, delineating indicator parameters, assessing source identification, and evaluating temporal changes and spatial patterns. The results show that the most representative discriminant parameters had more than 90.98% validity in both temporal and spatial analyses. Runoff rate (Q) and water temperature (WT) were identified in the temporal study, while spatial analysis showed bicarbonate (HCO3-), sulfate (SO42-), and boron (B3+) as indicators. Salinity, sodicity, boron hazard, and alkalinity affect both spatial and temporal water quality patterns in the watershed. It is observed that continued use of poor-quality irrigation water can adversely affect agriculture and soil health in a watershed. Spatio-temporal relationships in parameters will be useful in sustainable irrigation management and farm planning for improving crop productivity and soil health