Cost-effectiveness of policy options for sustainable wetland conservation : a case study of Qixinghe Wetland, China

The study aims to assist policy makers in deciding how best to balance economic development with wetland conservation. Agriculture accounts for more than 75% of the total water use in the Qixinghe Wetlands area. As the flow of water entering the wetlands is diverted, its ecosystem is damaged. This problem affects many wetland areas in China. Research evidence supports recommendations to local government to reconstruct the irrigation system in the area surrounding the Qixinghe Wetlands. These wetlands are the most important breeding ground and migration route for waterfowls in Northeastern Asia

Agricultural Carbon Emissions Embodied in China’s Foreign Trade and Its Driving Factors

Since the development of global trade, the involvement of agriculture in globalization has been increasing. Globalization and trade have led to the separation of production and consumption, triggering a worldwide relocation of agricultural carbon emissions (ACE). By linking a global ACE database to a global multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model, this paper calculates the ACE embodied in China’s foreign trade. Moreover, by using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method, it analyzes the impacts of embodied ACE intensity, trade scale, industrial structure, economic development and consumption levels, and population on China’s ACE. We found that the impact of globalization on China’s ACE is gradually increasing. China has shifted from a net ACE exporter (the net export volume in 1961 was 13.52 million tons) to a net ACE importer (the net import volume in 2016 was 40.35 million tons). By investigating the underlying mechanisms, we found that the dominant factor was the inhibitory effect of the decline in the embodied ACE intensity of China, contributing 73% to the increase in net import volume, followed by the expansion of trade and the decline in the proportion of agricultural output value in GDP, with contribution rates of 17 and 10%, respectively

Cost-Effectiveness of Policy Options for Sustainable Wetland Conservation: A Case Study of Qixinghe Wetland, China

This study assesses a number of potential policy options that could help protect the Qixinghe Wetlands which lie in the country's Sanjiang Plain. The region's wetlands are the most important breeding ground and migration route for waterfowls in Northeastern Asia, and provide a habitat for numerous species of wildlife. They face many challenges, one of the most significant being the disruption of the water supplies that feed them. Agriculture is the main cause of this problem, accounting for more than 75% of the total water use in the area. As the flow of water entering the wetlands is diverted, its ecosystem is damaged. This problem affects many wetland areas in China. The study is the work of a team of researchers from Renmin University of China, led by Wu Jian. It assesses the best way to reduce the conflict between wetland water needs and off-site water use. Its overall aim is to help policy makers decide how best to balance economic development with wetland conservation. The study recommends that the local government should reconstruct the irrigation system in the area surrounding the Qixinghe Wetlands as soon as possible. At the same time, training on water saving practices should be promoted amongst farmers. The study also suggests how these two key policies could be supported by improvements in conservation funding and management.wetland, China

Securing Water for Wetland Conservation in China - An Assessment of Policy Options

Wetlands are one of the world's most ecologically important and productive ecosystems. They face many challenges, one of the most sifnificant being the disruption of the water supplies that feed them. As the flow of water entering a wetland is diverted to other uses, the werland's ecosystme is damaged. This problem affects many wetland areas in China. This study assesses the situation in the Qixinghe Wetlands which lie in the country's Sanjiang Plain. The study hifhlights two policy options that could help improve the water supply to this important wetland area and suggests how these policies could be supported by improvements in funding and institutional support.wetland conservation, China

Water-dominated negative effects of nitrogen enrichment on soil respiration in a temperate steppe

Soil respiration (SR) has been demonstrated to be affected by nitrogen (N) enrichment. However, most studies examine the effect of N enrichment on SR using only two levels of N treatments (i.e. control vs N enrichment). Current understanding of SR responses to varying rates of N enrichment remains unclear. A field manipulative experiment with eight levels of N addition (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 g N m(-2) yr(-1)) was performed to examine SR responses to N enrichment rates in a temperate steppe of northern China. A nonlinear decrease in SR along N addition gradient was observed in the temperate steppe. N addition decreased SR mainly through reducing soil moisture in this study. These findings facilitate accurate estimation of soil C flux in the scenario of intensified N enrichment

Construction and Operation Costs of Wastewater Treatment and Implications for the Paper Industry in China

This paper aims to develop a construction and operation cost model of wastewater treatment for the paper industry in China and explores the main factors that determine these costs. Previous models mainly involved factors relating to the treatment scale and efficiency of treatment facilities for deriving the cost function. We considered the factors more comprehensively by adding a regional variable to represent the economic development level, a corporate ownership factor to represent the plant characteristics, a subsector variable to capture pollutant characteristics, and a detailed-classification technology variable. We applied a unique data set from a national pollution source census for the model simulation. The major findings include the following: (1) Wastewater treatment costs in the paper industry are determined by scale, technology, degree of treatment, ownership, and regional factors; (2) Wastewater treatment costs show a large decreasing scale effect; (3) The current level of pollutant discharge fees is far lower than the marginal treatment costs for meeting the wastewater discharge standard. Key implications are as follows: (1) Cost characteristics and impact factors should be fully recognized when planning or making policies relating to wastewater treatment projects or technology development; (2) There is potential to reduce treatment costs by centralizing wastewater treatment via industrial parks; (3) Wastewater discharge fee rates should be increased; (4) Energy efficient technology should become the future focus of wastewater treatment