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.     

高尔夫球场扩增的环境生态效应

近年来．国内修建高尔夫球场有愈演愈烈之势．这与我国的国情不符。本文从高尔夫球场的群落生态学特征出发．对高尔夫球场在土地资源、水资源、环境污染、生物多样性破坏、城镇生态系统稳定性及生态承载力等六个方面的影响进行论述，分析了高尔夫球场扩增的环境生态效应．在此基础上提出了相应的减负对策。     

我国会计准则与国际会计准则的趋同分析

上市公司执行新准则标志着我国会计准则的国际趋同。我国会计准则和国际会计准则是否存在着差异及差异存在原因是什么,本文对此进行了探讨。对投资业务、固定资产业务和无形资产、存货业务的具体准则进行对比,分析其中差异,并结合我国会计环境对差异存在的原因进行了分析,同时提出对策建议。     

上海世博会的乘数效应

本文主要运用投资乘数模型,对世博会为上海GDP的贡献进行了分析和预测,并对理论乘数效应在举办世博会中的制约因素进行了讨论,为上海市政府的宏观调控提出建议。     

Volatility in the knowledge economy

Summary. We seek to explain the economic volatility of the last 6 years, in particular the rapid expansion and contraction of the knowledge sectors. Our hypothesis is that these sectors amplify the business cycle due to their increasing returns to scale, growing faster than others in an upswing and contracting faster in a downswing. To test this hypothesis we postulate a general equilibrium model with two sectors: one with increasing returns that are external to the firm and endogenously determined - the knowledge sector - and the other with constant returns to scale. We introduce a new measure of volatility of output, a real beta, and derive a resolving equation, from which we prove that the increasing return sectors exhibit more volatility then other sectors. We validate the main results on US macro economic data of real GDP by industry (2-3 digits SIC codes) of the 1977-2001 period, and provide policy conclusions.Received: 18 March 2002, Revised: 16 February 2004, JEL Classification Numbers: D5, D58, E10, L50, L52, O38, O51.Correspondence to: Graciela Chichilnisky     

Assessing the impact of patent infringement on new product sales

In order to assess the impact of patent infringement on the growth of a new product, a model is developed through the intervention model development processes of Box-Jenkins and Box-Tiao. Physical interpretations of model parameters and determination of associated damages suggest that the model can provide a sound basis for analyzing patent infringement disputes.     

经济增长、收入分配对农村贫困变动的影响

文章利用了基于Lorenz曲线进行贫困测度及其分解的方法,实证研究了1985～2003年中国农村的贫困变动,以及经济增长和收入分配对贫困变动的影响.结果表明,经济增长使农村居民收入增加,大幅度减少了贫困,但农村居民的收入差距逐渐拉大,收入不平等加剧部分地抵消了经济增长的减贫成效.     

中欧贸易与欧盟技术性贸易壁垒

近年来,技术性贸易壁垒(TBT)已成为发达国家实施贸易保护主义更为隐蔽、更为有效的手段.作为中国第三大贸易伙伴的欧盟,其实施的各种TBT措施对中国的出口产品产生了严重的影响.因此,必须建立欧盟技术性贸易壁垒预警机制,时时监控其新动向;坚持"以质取胜"的原则,大搞技术创新和产品创新,以更高的产品质量标准和专利注册超越其贸易壁垒.     

金融发展影响城乡收入差距的三大效应及检验

金融发展影响城乡收入差距主要通过三条途径,即金融发展的门槛效应、金融发展的降低贫困效应、金融发展的非均衡效应。本文利用中国和省级1978~2004年的相关数据进行实证检验,结果显示实证与理论假说相符。最后,提出了相关政策建议。     

论民事诉讼回避对象的立法缺陷及完善

民事诉讼程序中回避制度的适用对象因受到当事人知情权和被申请主体资格等限制，在实践中无法得到有效的实现。这与我国回避制度的立法思想、立法技术和回避处理程序的行政化有密切关系。我国立法应当与司法改革的成果相适应，适当扩大回避对象的范围，并从程序性质的重新界定、告知制度的细化、制度之间的衔接等方面来保障当事人申请回避权的实现。