Policy review of water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin,Australia: the “do's” and “do'nots”

The water reforms undertaken in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia since 2007 have been viewed as a model for other countries seeking to respond to water insecurity. Here, a policy review is provided of this water reform and whether it delivers on key environmental objectives in the 2007 Water Act (the Act). The evaluation includes a review of the 2012 Basin Plan, a key instrument of the Act, and complementary policies associated with the acquisition of water entitlements for the environment via direct (reverse tenders) and indirect (infrastructure subsidies) means. Using the objects of the Act as a benchmark, an evaluation is provided of the following: (i) planned reductions in irrigation water extractions in the 2012 Basin Plan; (ii) risks associated with the 2018 amendments to the Basin Plan that, collectively, allow for an increase in irrigation water extractions of some 22 per cent, relative to the sustainable diversion limits specified in the 2012 Basin Plan; (iii) Basin‐scale environmental outcomes achieved, as of the end of 2018; and (iv) economic effects of direct and indirect methods of acquiring water for the environment. Findings from the review generate the “Do's” and “Do Nots” of water reform for Australia, and possibly other countries, when managing the trade‐offs between water for irrigation and the environment.     

Economic effects of water recovery on irrigated agriculture in the Murray‐Darling Basin*

In October 2010, the Murray‐Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) proposed that a range of 3000–4000 GL per year, on average, of additional water be made available for the environment in the Murray‐Darling Basin (MDB) to mitigate the effects of what it considers to be inadequate environmental flows. To help quantify the costs of this water reallocation, a hydro‐economic model was constructed based on the 19 regions of the MDB. The model results indicate the following: (i) substantial reductions in surface water extractions of up to 4400 GL per year impose only a moderate reduction on net profits in irrigated agriculture, Basin wide, given competitive water markets, but the effects are much more pronounced in particular regions/catchments and (ii) the costs of the water reallocation are comparable with the amount budgeted by the Australian government to acquire water from willing sellers and increase environmental flows if inter‐regional water trade is unrestricted.     

Achieving environmental flows where buyback is constrained

Theory suggests that the development of common property increases national welfare, and consistent with this thinking Australia's Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) Plan uses a common property approach to recover environmental water rights in the national interest. Two water recovery instruments are used: purchasing water rights (buyback) from farmers, and saving water by subsidising irrigator adoption of technically efficient technology. A moratorium on buyback has focused environmental recovery on subsidised technically efficient technology adoption. Economists argue that national welfare is maximised via buyback and highlight the limitations of efficiency savings to recover sufficient environmental water. A risk is that water recovery targets may be reduced in future, limiting welfare gains from water reform. This article evaluates possible welfare trade‐offs surrounding environmental water recovery outcomes where arbitrary limits on buyback are imposed. Results suggest that, on average, strategies which attempt to obtain >1500 gigalitres (GL) of water from on‐farm efficiency investments will only provide sufficient resources to meet environmental objectives in very wet states of nature. We conclude that reliance on technically efficient irrigation infrastructure is less economically efficient relative to water buyback. Importantly, the transformation of MDB irrigation will significantly constrain irrigators' future capacity to adapt to climate change.     

Irrigator preferences for water recovery budget expenditure in the Murray-Darling Basin,Australia

This study presents results from a survey of southern Murray-Darling Basin irrigators about the percentage of funds they would allocate towards a variety of current and hypothetical trade-off choices for recovering environmental water. The findings, allowing for state-based differentials, suggest irrigators marginally prefer infrastructure expenditure above the sum of a set of market-based options (namely water entitlement purchasing, temporary water market products and exit-based packages). However, their infrastructure preference weighting is less than current budget expenditure, and use of market-based options has higher support from irrigators than current policy recognises. Further, analysis of past and current infrastructure and market-based water recovery expenditures reveals large price-per-megalitre disparities, which may be explained by diminishing marginal returns. Targeting expenditure in line with preferences of irrigators may result in increases in economic efficiency.     

四川秦巴山区水质综合防治对策研究

四川秦巴山区水资源丰富,时空分布不均,水资源的合理利用和保护关系到区域可持续发展全局。对四川秦巴山区嘉陵江流域水质现状进行了全面调查,对水环境质量时空分布现状进行了综合评价;结合该地区城镇分布、工农业生产及布局,分析了地表水污染源及其对水质的影响,并从产业布局和调整、环保基础设施建设、加强水污染及治理监管等几个方面提出了保护区域水环境质量的综合对策,为秦巴山区绿色循环发展战略的制定提供科学依据。     

黄河流域生态补偿政策对企业环保投资的影响——基于重污染行业民营企业的经验数据

采用黄河流域九省区重污染上市企业2006—2015年的面板数据,通过构建多期双重差分模型,研究黄河流域生态补偿政策对民营企业环保投资的影响。实证结果表明,黄河流域生态补偿政策的实施推动了民营企业环保投资的增长。进一步分析表明,在经济竞争力强的地区、存在政企关系的民企中,黄河流域生态补偿政策对民营企业环保投资的促进作用更大。黄河流域生态补偿政策的实施要充分考虑政企互动在其中的作用,不断推动各地区协同共治,切实保障黄河流域高质量发展。     

中国农业生产水环境承载力分析

[目的]通过测算农业生产水环境承载力来评价我国农业生产污染状况,并据此对我国农业生产力布局提出建议。[方法]利用中国2006、2014年七大农区24省份统计数据,采用过剩氮和水盈余方法测算农业生产水环境承载力及其污染风险。[结果]目前我国水资源总量能够承载农业生产总量,但其环境警报值不断向污染威胁临界值逼近,并且存在显著的区域差异;东北平原、长江流域和华南绝大部分地区的农业生产在环境承载力范围内;汾渭平原和河套灌区的农业生产对环境存在略微的污染风险;甘肃新疆和黄淮海平原的农业生产严重超出环境承载力,污染风险最为严重。[结论]可适当增加东北平原、长江流域和华南绝大部分地区的农业生产规模;加强汾渭平原和河套灌区的污染物质消减措施;强制实行甘肃新疆和黄淮海平原的生产总量控制与污染消减措施。同时,还可以从节水技术、减排技术、作物耕作制度、农牧循环体系及政策法规等方面入手,全面提高农业生产水环境承载力。     

大保护背景下长江经济带和黄河流域水安全评价及障碍因素分析

应用突变级数模型、Dagum基尼系数以及障碍诊断模型对长江经济带和黄河流域2009—2019年水安全状况进行了综合评估,通过对比分析探究了其空间差异与障碍因素。结果显示:在考察期内长江经济带水安全等级由较不安全转向较安全,而黄河流域一直处于不安全状态;从空间差异来看,相较于黄河流域,整体上长江经济带水安全综合指数地区分布更为协同,超变密度贡献是长江经济带水安全综合指数地区差异的主要来源,而区域间差异是黄河流域地区差异的主要来源;两大区域水安全问题各有短板,长江经济带主要是受到压力系统的阻碍,而黄河流域主是受到响应系统、状态系统和影响系统的三重阻碍;提出加强水资源科学配置、提升水资源节约集约利用、完善水土流失综合治理等政策建议。     

黄河流域粮食虚拟水流动对水资源空间均衡性的影响

采用引力模型、彭曼公式测算黄河流域省区间粮食虚拟水流动量,基于环境、经济、社会维度,通过比较虚拟水流动存在与否情景下的基尼系数,分析黄河流域粮食虚拟水流动对水资源空间均衡性的影响。结果表明：在2018年黄河流域省区间粮食虚拟水流动中,山东、河南、陕西、内蒙古的粮食虚拟水、虚拟蓝水呈净流出;山西、甘肃、宁夏、青海的粮食虚拟水、虚拟蓝水则呈净流入;黄河流域省区间粮食虚拟水流动在环境、经济、社会维度下均一定程度上促进了水资源空间均衡,其中环境维度下的促进作用较为微弱。     

基于生态系统服务的闽江流域生态补偿阈值研究

研究目的：流域是自然地理和经济发展的复合型区域,科学划分补偿载体与合理补偿阈值可为流域生态补偿与生态保护修复提供科学依据。研究方法：InVEST 模型,市场价值法,影子工程法,生态补偿优先级与补偿阈值测算模型。研究结果：（1）2000—2015年闽江流域拥有较高的生态系统服务,总体上生态系统服务上游＞中游＞下游,且自生态补偿实施以来总体呈增长趋势,水源供给服务最为明显;（2）2015年生态系统服务价值为2 788.27亿元,其中水源供给服务价值占比达61.91%,水质净化服务价值仅占0.16%,按生境质量调整后生态系统服务价值为2 827.05亿元;（3）根据生态与社会经济状况确定浦城县、武夷山市、光泽县、松溪县、建阳市、顺昌县、建瓯市、政和县、连城县、宁化县、清流县、建宁县、明溪县、泰宁县、将乐县为受偿区,其他区域为补偿支付区;（4）依据区域生态系统服务价值与损失的机会成本,确定受偿区2015年补偿阈值介于8.48亿～105.56亿元之间。研究结论：闽江流域作为中国东南沿海的重点生态功能区,上游对生态补偿迫切程度整体较下游区域更强烈,探索有差异且合理的生态补偿阈值有助于实现区域经济—社会—生态协同发展。     

农业水权市场综合框架体系及案例分析

以较为成熟的水权市场建设和水权制度改革理论与实践为支撑,以对多个农业水权市场的实地调研为基础,提出融合制度基础、经济动力、交易参与人、第三方保护和设施基础等5大模块,涵括14个要素的农业水权市场综合框架体系,阐明了各要素之间的内在联系。以澳大利亚维多利亚州、智利Limarí流域和中国石羊河流域为例,在农业水权市场综合框架体系下对3个国家农业水权市场进行分析,进而从水权法律体系、水资源产权管理制度、水权信息共享度、水权交易媒介等多个方面总结出建立健全农业水权市场的必要条件及建议,旨在给我国积极探索建立农业水权市场的决策者们提供参考。     

太湖流域水利管理与长三角区域发展的协调性分析

分析太湖流域水利管理与长江三角洲区域的特殊关系剖析当前太湖流域水利管理面临的基本问题:防洪减灾能力低,水资源调控能力低,水资源和水环境承载能力低,流域水利管理综合水平亟待提高,经济社会发展对流域水利管理提出新的、更高的要求。提出太湖流域水利管理在长江三角洲区域发展中的战略定位:建立以区域发展需求为导向的流域水利管理,水利管理要为社会提供公共服务,促进区域一体化进程、适应区域城市化发展、顺应区域市场化改革,继续推进流域“引江济太”水资源调度,促进流域新一轮治理工程建设。     

四川省农业区域经济差异对农业经济增长的影响研究

[目的]通过分析四川省农业区域经济差异,将四川省划分为西北高原区、西南山地区、四川盆地区等3个农业经济差异区域,并从土地资源、水资源、经济资源、社会资源等4个方面确定11个指标研究其对四川农业经济增长的影响。[方法]运用灰色关联分析法,选取2010~2014年3个不同区域内11个指标,分别分析其对农业经济发展的核心评价指标农业GDP的影响。[结果]3个区域内耕地面积、受灾面积、农业用水总量与农业GDP均中度相关,并且从关联度的结果看,耕地面积、受灾面积、农业用水总量的差异对农业GDP的影响差距不大;3个区域内农林牧副渔总产值、农业总产值、农业增加值均与农业GDP高度相关,且对各区农业GDP的影响的差异较小;3个区域内有效灌溉面积、农业机械总动力、农用化肥使用量、农业从业人员、农业固定资产投资对农业GDP的影响显著。[结论]四川农业区域经济差异对农业经济增长的影响显著。     

宁夏生态扶贫现状与发展战略研究

我国扶贫开发与生态建设的目标和区域间存在高度重叠,需要兼顾减少贫困人口和改善生态环境的双重目标。生态扶贫是新时期一种新的可持续扶贫方式,其目的就是通过加强贫困地区生态环境管理和建设,提高生态系统服务功能和扶贫效益,从而实现社会的可持续发展。该文通过分析宁夏生态扶贫取得的成绩和面临的挑战,提出了宁夏水资源高效利用、生态环境良性循环、生态移民、区域特色产业发展和示范带动五大生态扶贫发展战略。该研究对宁夏建设社会主义新农村和构建和谐社会具有积极意义,同时为其他地区扶贫工作的开展提供了借鉴。     

兰州市农村基础设施建设对农业经济影响的研究

以兰州市三县五区为研究区,通过对兰州市农村基础设施建设和农业经济发展现状进行分析,采用固定效应模型,选取2007年-2017年兰州市农村基础设施的面板数据,对农村基础设施建设对农业经济的影响进行计量分析,结果表明:交通运输、农田水利和卫生环境基础设施对农业经济增长有显著的促进作用。提出了要继续推进兰州市农村交通运输基础设施和水利基础设施建设,加大资金投入,完善农村卫生环境基础设施建设,同时注重农村基础设施投资与农业经济增长的相关性,满足农业生产的效用性和长远性的建议。     

徐州市生态宜居乡村综合评价与优化对策研究——基于对徐州市七个涉农区县乡村的实态调查

生态宜居乡村建设是乡村振兴的关键和重要目标之一。徐州市在推进宜居城乡建设中取得了一定的经验和启示。本文以徐州市七个涉农区县生态宜居乡村建设为研究案例,根据影响乡村人居环境评价的主客观因素,选取了四十项指标构建徐州市生态宜居乡村的评价指标体系,采用熵值法对指标进行了权重,对徐州市七个涉农区县进行评价。结果表明,徐州市乡村的生态宜居性与城市距离远近基本呈负相关变化,较偏远市县的乡村基础设施建设和乡村公共服务两方面比较薄弱,而近郊区县乡村受环境污染影响较大。因此近郊区县应以环境整治为重点,对重污染企业严格落实达标排放,提升环境质量;远郊市县要以发展乡村特色产业为中心,带动乡村基础设施建设,完善乡村公共服务,以推进和提升生态宜居乡村的建设水平。     

珠江资源环境承载力指标体系构建

[目的]资源与环境是人类赖以生存和发展的物质基础。由经济快速发展引发的资源过度消耗、环境污染加重、生态遭受破坏等问题日益严峻,由工业化引发的资源和环境问题已经严重影响珠江地区的发展,构建珠江资源环境承载力指标体系对资源环境保护和国土规划具有重要意义。[方法]文章详细分析珠江流域资源环境现状,根据资源和环境承载力指标体系构建原则,并遵循可持续发展,人与自然相和谐,地域分异规律和生态经济理论。[结果]共构建9个水资源承载力指标,8个土地资源承载力指标,13个大气环境承载力指标,6个水环境承载力指标,从人口经济,工业,农业和城市角度构建了11个土壤环境承载力指标,并对珠江流域资源环境状况进行了分析。[结论]虽然近些年,国家加大了对珠江流域资源环境的保护和治理,但该地区的环境污染形势依然非常严峻,"三废"排放严重污染了周围的自然环境,对经济社会的发展构成了威胁。珠江流域水资源开发率也在逐年降低,合理开发水资源也是目前需要攻克的难题。     

Environmental economics and the Murray–Darling river system

Much concern about the negative environmental consequences of agricultural development in Australia, including salinisation, waterlogging and algal blooms, has focused on the problems of the Murray–Darling Basin. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the environmental problems of the Murray–Darling Basin from an economic perspective, and a selective survey of the relevant economic literature, including theoretical analysis, modelling and contributions to the development of water policy. In attempting to understand the complex problems of the Murray–Darling Basin, an eclectic approach drawing on externality, sustainability and property rights perspectives seems most appropriate.     

海河流域水环境退化经济损失定量分析

采用流域水资源分区与水环境退化经济损失计算模型相结合的方法,对海河流域2005年水环境的退化程度及影响进行了分析,结果表明,海河流域水环境退化受水资源需求量、水资源价格、当年降水变差系数和水质类别等因素影响较大,水环境退化经济损失计算结果与海河流域现状基本吻合。提出了进一步做好我国流域水环境退化经济损失定量分析工作的措施:加强对水资源核算体系理论方法的研究,规范水环境统计的有关概念、数据产生渠道、统计方法和内容,实现各相关行业部门统计渠道的接口和数据共享。     

Adoption potential of nitrate mitigation practices: an ecosystem services approach

Nitrate pollution from agricultural drainage has caused water quality concerns worldwide, but there are several promising technologies to help mitigate this environmental degradation. While these practices primarily aim to improve water quality, they may also provide other ‘additive’ benefits or ecosystem services and the awareness of such benefits may influence their potential to be adopted by farmers. To investigate the impact that perceived ecosystem services has on a practice's adoption potential, we used a mixed methods approach consisting of a literature review, producer surveys, and a group discussion to explore farmer interest in and perceived benefits (on-farm and regional) of seven subsurface drainage nitrate reduction practices (controlled drainage, bioreactors, wetlands, nitrogen management rate, nitrogen management timing, cover crops, and diversified crop rotations). The nitrogen management practices were shown to be accessible and realistic options for water quality improvement as they elicited high interest and had the highest level of compatibility. However, these practices did not provide many other complementary ecosystem services. Conversely, wetlands had a high literature review-derived ecosystem service count, but were considered to have low compatibility, and survey respondents indicated less interest in this practice. The practice of cover cropping showed more moderate, yet consistently positive results for all factors.