Air Pollution Materials Damage: Economics and the Law

Recent concerns about the adverse effects of acid rain have increased the attention given to materials damage effects from air pollution. This article surveys the economics of valuing materials damage effects and relates these methods to the technical aspects of estimating actual damages. The current statutory and regulatory framework within which materials damage effects are considered is also reviewed. The key weaknesses of the relevant sections of the Clean Air Act, in terms of effectively using economic and technical information on materials damage, are identified. The article concludes with several general observations concerning the regulation of materials damage effects.     

Book-a-Book: Facilitating Access to Learning Materials for Students With Disabilities

Abstract

Until 2019, each higher education institution in Flanders had to develop their own workflows to handle requests for digital study materials for students with disabilities. At KU Leuven these requests are processed by KU Leuven Libraries Central Services. This unit, among other things, supports the core tasks of KU Leuven Libraries in the area of acquisitions and licensing negotiations with publishers. This article will focus on the creation and development of Book-a-Book, which has its origin in the service the KU Leuven Libraries Central Services has been providing for students with disabilities for KU Leuven students since 2011. Book-a-Book is a web application that facilitates access to learning materials for students with disabilities enrolled in Flemish higher education institutions. It is the first online tool to serve all higher education students with disabilities in Flanders and is the result of a collaboration between The Support Center for Inclusive Higher Education (SIHO), KU Leuven Libraries, and LIBIS (Leuven Integrated Library and Information System). SIHO is as a collaboration between the associations of the Flemish universities and colleges on the one side, and the Flemish government on the other side. The core responsibility of the SIHO lies in the support of all higher education institutions in realizing inclusive higher education for students with a disability. On September 12, 2019, Book-a-Book was launched on the international conference “Enhancing Student Experience: Innovative Support Tools for Students with Disabilities” in Brussels, Belgium.     

The Hard Task of Soft Skills: Project Management for the Materials Review Process

Abstract

This article summarizes a presentation given by Kurt Blythe and Jennifer Solomon at the 28th annual North Carolina Serials Conference in 2019. Blythe and Solomon were brought on to lead a project to review resources in anticipation of budget constraints in 2018 and 2019. The presentation sought to answer why libraries should apply project management principles in such a situation and what the presenters learned from their experience and offered tips to any audience members considering applying project management practices to their own work.     

中国区域环境库兹涅茨曲线的稳定性检验——基于省际面板数据

在运用F和Hausman统计检验识别环境库兹涅茨面板模型形式的基础上,选择合理的面板模型估计、检验中国30个省份环境库兹涅茨曲线的稳定性.研究结果表明:环境库兹涅茨曲线的稳定性与经济发展水平较高的地区相关性较强,与经济发展水平较低的地区相关性较弱.工业粉尘、烟尘、二氧化硫排放量估计的环境库兹涅茨曲线稳定性相对较好,工业废水、固体废物排放量估计的环境库兹涅茨曲线稳定性相对较差.在环境保护政策的约束下,除北京、上海以外,其他地区环境库兹涅茨曲线的拐点时间具有刚性特征.     

基于EKC框架的社会资本水平对环境质量的影响研究 ——来自中国1995-2007年面板数据

 “环境库兹涅茨曲线”是环境经济学中的一个经典假说,主要考察经济增长与环境质量的关系。但是考虑社会资本对环境污染影响的研究在国内尚不多见。本文回顾了环境库兹涅茨曲线理论和国内对我国环境库兹涅茨曲线的研究文献,使用我国1995-2007年面板数据对引入社会资本的环境库兹涅茨曲线假说进行了实证检验。计量结果显示,在我国省际区域层面上,只有工业二氧化硫一种污染排放物的该假说成立,并呈现出N形特征。这表明社会资本是解释环境污染物排放量的重要原因之一。本文的政策含义是不能把落实“减排”工作的渠道局限在“要么市场,要么政府”之间,积极培育和充分利用社会资本是减少环境污染的新思路。     

借助外部介入提升贫困家庭的脱贫决心——基于CHIP数据的实证分析

扶贫实践中发现有一些贫困家庭对脱贫没有决心,完全寄希望于政策支持和别人的帮扶,该现象成为扶贫攻坚中的一个难题。使用2013年中国家庭收入调查(CHIP)数据,集中分析了脱贫决心如何影响农村贫困家庭的行为,进而影响其收入增长。研究结果表明:缺乏脱贫决心是制约农村贫困家庭难以摆脱贫困的重要原因,解决贫困问题需要关注农村贫困家庭的脱贫决心,通过多种手段对这些贫困家庭进行心理沟通,提高贫困家庭对致贫原因及脱贫办法的认知能力,将会使他们产生脱贫信心。     

开放经济下环境污染的分解分析——基于1990～2003年间我国各省市的面板数据

 摘　　要:本文试图揭示开放经济条件下我国主要经济要素与环境污染的关系。在Antweiler（2001）模型基础上，以SO2排放量表征环境污染水平，对1990-2003年间除西藏以外我国29个省及直辖市的面板数据进行回归分析，结果表明：经济规模的扩大恶化了我国环境；技术进步和经济结构升级改善了我国环境；贸易自由化诱致的经济结构变化有双重环境效应——污染天堂动因的消极环境影响、要素禀赋动因和其他动因的积极环境影响。但自由留易的总环境效应是积极的。     

抗生素使用对渔民生态补偿受偿意愿影响分析——以安徽巢湖调查数据为例

基于安徽巢湖微观调查数据,从削减渔业负外部性行为和对渔民减少抗生素使用导致的收入损失给予补偿的视角,采用多变量的柯布-道格拉斯生产函数,分析抗生素使用等相关因素对渔民受偿意愿的影响。结果表明:在抗生素使用差别限定条件下,补偿意愿与抗生素使用限定强度呈负相关,受偿金额与限定尺度则呈正相关;在不同利益主体受偿背景下,渔业年收入对受偿意愿影响较为显著,收入引力越大抗生素投放越少,期望受偿标准越低;受教育程度、气候条件对受偿意愿呈正向影响。基于以上研究结论,提出实行差异化补偿政策,以提高受偿渔民满意度。