Economic Potential of Biomass Based Fuels for Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation

Use of biofuels diminishes fossil fuelcombustion thereby also reducing net greenhousegas emissions. However, subsidies are neededto make agricultural biofuel productioneconomically feasible. To explore the economicpotential of biofuels in a greenhouse gasmitigation market, we incorporate data onproduction and biofuel processing for thedesignated energy crops switchgrass, hybridpoplar, and willow in an U.S. AgriculturalSector Model along with data on traditionalcrop-livestock production and processing, andafforestation of cropland. Net emissioncoefficients on all included agriculturalpractices are estimated through crop growthsimulation models or taken from the literature. Potential emission mitigation policies ormarkets are simulated via hypothetical carbonprices. At each carbon price level, theAgricultural Sector Model computes the newmarket equilibrium, revealing agriculturalcommodity prices, regionally specificproduction, input use, and welfare levels,environmental impacts, and adoption ofalternative management practices such asbiofuel production. Results indicate no rolefor biofuels below carbon prices of $40 perton of carbon equivalent. At these incentivelevels, emission reductions via reduced soiltillage and afforestation are more costefficient. For carbon prices above $70,biofuels dominate all other agriculturalmitigation strategies.     

Impacts of an EC carbon/energy tax and deregulating thermal power supply on CO2, SO2 and NOx emissions

Emission of CO₂, SO₂ and NO_x are all closely linked to the burning of fossil fuels. Here we report on simulations done by linking a Sectoral European Energy Model (SEEM), covering energy demand in nine Western European countries, with the emission-transport-deposition model RAINS developed by IIASA. The study analyses emissions of CO₂, SO₂ and NO_x, deposition of sulphur and nitrogen and the extent of areas where the critical load for sulphur is exceeded in year 2000 under four different energy scenarios. Two different sets of future behavioural patterns for the thermal electric power production sector are considered. In one regime, called the plan-efficient regime, the sector is assumed to follow official plans with regard to investment in new capacity. In the other regime, called the cost-efficient regime, the thermal power sector is assumed to behave in a cost minimizing manner. The effects of the proposed EC carbon/energy tax are studied under both regimes, giving rise to altogether four scenarios.In both regimes the effect of the EC tax is to reduce emissions by between 6 and 10 per cent in year 2000 relative to the scenarios without the tax. A change of regime, from the regulated, plan-efficient regime to the market-based, cost-efficient regime, will, by itself, reduce emissions of CO₂ and NO_x by approximately 3 per cent, while SO₂ emissions are reduced by 13 per cent. The EC tax will reduce sulphur deposition by more than 5 per cent in the nine model countries under the plan-efficient regime. A change of regime further reduces the total deposition by 9 per cent. The area where depositions exceed the critical load is reduced by approximately 6 per cent in year 2000 by the tax in both regimes. Changing from the plan-efficient to the cost-efficient regime has a similar impact.Although the emission reductions due to the EC tax may seem modest, they are shown to have a sizeable effect on the technological abatement costs of reaching targets like those prescribed in the Sofia protocol on the stabilisation of NO_x emissions, and the Helsinki protocol on SO₂ emission reductions. This is part of what can be considered to be secondary benefits of the EC carbon/energy tax.     

上市公司控制权争夺的动机及其特征

本文结合国内外研究成果以及我国当前的市场环境,对可能成为控制权争夺目标的公司会具备什么样的财务特征、股权结构以及公司治理进行了分析,以寻找上市公司控制权争夺的真正动机和目的.我们研究发现:上市公司经营业绩越差,债务比率越高,当年具有增发或配股资格,产权的可转让性越低,产权性质为国有企业和终极控制人为国有企业或政府机构时,其控制权被争夺的可能性也越高.     

基于能值分析的江苏生态经济系统发展态势及持续发展对策

能值分析方法可同时定量研究生态经济系统中环境资源与经济活动的真实价值，因而对合理评估区域经济发展水平、制订正确的社会经济发展对策具有十分重要的意义。文章运用能值分析方法对江苏生态经济系统的发展现状及近20年来的发展态势进行了定量分析，并提出实现江苏生态经济系统持续发展的对策建议。     

基于循环经济理论的建筑节能研究

建筑节能是贯彻国家可持续发展战略的重要组成部分,循环经济理论将为我国建筑节能政策提供良好的思路.文章在分析循环经济理论基本内涵的基础上,分析循环经济理论对我国建筑节能工作的指导意义,并结合当前我国建筑节能现状及其存在的问题,根据“十一五“规划目标,提出新时期我国建筑节能对策.     

民用建筑循环冷却水系统设计的探讨

文章对多年来在民用建筑循环冷却水系统设计、运行中碰到的一些问题,提出在设计时应注意的事项及所需要采取的措施。     

关于财政总预算会计制度改革的探讨

20世纪90年代,我国预算会计改革已取得重大成就,初步建立起适应社会主义市场经济需要的预算会计体系。近年来,随着我国以预算管理为中心的财政制度的不断深化,预算会计制度的诸多问题和局限性也逐渐产生和显现出来,面临着如何作进一步的改革问题。本文通过分析现行财政总预算会计制度的基本特点,探讨财政总预算会计制度存在的问题,并为进一步改进财政总预算会计制度的核算和管理提出一些看法。     

论公权伦理的性质、对象与意义

公权的特有属性决定其总会以异化的形式出现,应该从伦理层面寻找新的更深层次的救治途径。公权伦理建设有益于现代社会伦理道德普遍正当性的实现,公权伦理的研究对象和主要内容包括法的意义上的权利关系伦理、公权运行中的伦理、公权制度伦理、公权行使主体道德建设、执政党政治伦理道德建设和公权道德规范等。公权伦理研究和建构有利于在更高层面上探索公权运行规律和公权伦理建设规律,促进社会主义和谐社会政治文明和精神文明建设。     

城市化释义

城市是人类社会经济发展的必然结果、现代文明的标志及创新的载体,是政治、经济、文化、教育和信息中心,具有集聚、规模和辐射等功能效应。2000余年来,城市内涵随历史发展不断丰富。城市化一词的出现至今也有百余年历史,不同学科对城市化理解不同。其实质是一个以人为中心、受众多因素影响的复杂多变的软硬件系统化过程,是从传统向现代全面转型和变迁的过程。不仅是农业人口向非农、并向城镇的聚集,而且是城镇在空间数量、区域规模、功能作用诸方面的扩大,以及城市经济关系、居民生活方式改变的过程。城市化与城镇化、农村城市化、农村城镇化及城乡一体化等相关新概念有所区别。从区位论、结构论、人口迁移论、非均衡增长论到生态学派论,从梯度推移、增长极与地域生产综合论到产业集群论的演进,体现了城市化发展理论的深化。不同学者时城市化“推拉”动力机制认识不同。不同阶段和同一发展阶段的不同地区,动力机制相异。中国现阶段城市化动力机制包括：农业工业化推动、比较利益驱动、农业刺余贡献和制度变迁促进等。     

油价上涨对世界经济的影响及中国能源政策选择

油价上涨给世界经济带来很大影响,引发了经济危机、加重了西方国家的财政负担和生产成本、加大了非产油国家的进口成本。高油价也给航空、速递等一些运输行业造成沉重负担,油价上涨的最终承担者是消费者。油价不断上涨促使各国调整能源结构,高油价给石油输出国带来丰厚收益的同时也带来一些负面影响,如腐败、暴力冲突、战争等。油价上涨要求中国大幅提高能源利用率,采用多元化能源战略,尽快建立国家石油战略储备,加强能源领域国际合作。