Environmental Economics

The new phonebooks are here!

In other words, Tim and I have an essay in the latest AERE Newsletter. From the inbox:

Here is a link to the May issue of the AERE Newsletter. I hope you take some time to look it over. Read about plans for the upcoming AERE Summer Conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada this June with nearly 300 members attending—a great turnout! And check out the opportunities for presenting your work at regional meetings—including the addition of the Midwest Economic Association. Plus this issue has two interesting essays—one entitled What Do Environmental and Resource Economists Think? Preliminary Results From a Survey of AERE Members by Timothy Haab and John Whitehead and Valuing Ecosystem Services Using Stated Preference Methods: Challenges and Practical Solutions by Heather Hosterman, Megan Lawson, Colleen Donovan, David Chapman, and Richard Bishop.

If you are an AERE member you received the email. If you are not, it used to be that the most recent newsletter was made available after 6 months or so. It appears that it is available now for non-members. 

CBO: Carbon tax an option to avoid 'catastrophic' outcomes

The Hill's E2-Wire:

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) noted Wednesday that a carbon tax could generate “significant” revenues for the United States and avert “catastrophic” effects of climate change.

CBO said in a new report that there are many uncertainties about how to design and implement a carbon tax, but waiting too long to curb greenhouse gas emissions would have clear results. ...

A carbon tax, while politically divisive, has continued to surface as an option for raising revenues as Congress dives into discussions about overhauling the federal tax code.

Last month, a Senate Finance Committee report suggested the carbon tax was one of many policy tools available to tax-writing panels.

While championed by some climate policy wonks and even some conservative groups looking to fill the Treasury Department’s piggy bank, the concept hasn't gained much traction in Capitol Hill.

Republicans and some centrist Democrats have rejected the idea of a carbon tax, saying it would impose burdensome costs on the economy. The GOP-controlled House would block a carbon tax measure, and Republicans would likely be able to filibuster a bill in the Senate.

Democrats, though, say the benefits of reducing medical costs from improved public health and stunting climate change would offset any negative economic effects from a carbon tax.

For its part, the White House has ruled out pursuing a carbon tax.

And there you go. It was only 6 years when 2 presidential candidates were both campaigning on cap-and-trade. Someone please tell DC that cap-and-trade and a carbon tax are about the same.

Sports Dad Update

I used to post a lot of updates about my kids and sports, mainly to convince you that I am not just a charming dork, but I also have a life outside of my office.  I stopped posting so many updates because, well, I get the feeling you really don't care--who wants to hear anyone talk about their kids?  Anyway for the handful who used to enjoy those posts...here's a news one:

Under second-year coach Jim Muessig, the Celtics finished 14-13 overall, breaking the program record for victories in a season that was set last spring when the team went 12-12. Prior to last year, the Celtics' high mark for wins came in 2008, when they finished 11-16.

This season also marks the first time Jerome has finished with a winning record.

Official Oldest Daughter of Env-Econ (OODEE) is a Junior pitcher.  She threw 113 of Jerome's 135 innings this year--toward the end of the season she strained a muscle in her ribs and sat for a couple of games, otherwise she might have thrown every inning.  And she can hit a little too:

Haab, who hit .472 with 24 RBI and a team-high 23 runs and went 12-13 in the circle with a 1.43 ERA, made first-team all-[Ohio Capital Conference--Cardinal Division].

Unfortunately they had trouble in close games, losing 7 one-run games (including five in a row).

via www.thisweeknews.com

Common Resources: Climate Policy in California

Dallas Burtraw:

I recently testified before a California Senate Select Committee on the state’s climate policies about California’s interactions in the development of policy across the country and internationally. I highlighted the four main points below in my remarks, and you can read the full testimony here.

• California is not alone. It is joined by many other jurisdictions in reducing climate pollution.
• But California is the leader in designing climate policy.
• California’s leadership is accelerating the erosion of climate gridlock at the international level.
• The value of leadership accrues to Californians, through innovation, economic growth, and environmental quality.

via common-resources.org

This is why you should never read your own blog

Matt Kahn:

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been re-reading the roughly 2600 blog posts I have written since 2005.  I owe everyone an apology.  Only 15% of them are good.  Too many of the posts are self serving, and/or silly.    The reason I sat down to read through all of them is that I knew that I did post some good material related to environmental and urban economics and I've now extracted that material and I'm rewriting it into a new free e-book I will release on environmental and urban economics.

From now on, I will be posting less silly stuff.

via greeneconomics.blogspot.com

A North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission Economic Committee (CRC-EC)

I vote yes:

In addition to a new nomination process, the CRC unanimously adopted a draft charge for the science panel. The panel is responsible for providing scientific reports and conducting scientific studies for the CRC. However, after the panel released a study that estimated the future impact of sea level rise drew public criticism, suggestions were made at several public meetings that more factors – such as financial and social ones – needed to be considered in science panel studies.

Mr. Emory said, though, that there may be certain products the commission would want that takes economics into account, as well.

“What they’re supposed to do is bring us the science,” he said. “But there’s been some legislation calling for economic and social factors to be included as well.”

CRC marine ecology member David Webster suggested creating a specific economic committee to address the economic side of issues taken up by the commission. Coastal land development member Larry Baldwin said that if cost comparisons are done of some coastal issues, like terminal groins, there are serious financial considerations with every aspect.  

via www.carolinacoastonline.com

This might take some of the economic input to coastal management out of the hands of coastal developers. 

Scholar Alert: New citations to my articles

From the inbox:

游客对世界文化遗产保护资金支付意愿的研究

沈苏彦 - 西北农林科技大学学报 (社会科学版, 2013

摘要: 在文化遗产支付意愿现有研究的基础上建立了游客对世界文化遗产保护资金支付意愿影响
因素的研究假设, 选择世界文化遗产景区——南京明孝陵作为研究案例, 通过问卷调查,
利用Logistic 回归模型, 对研究假设进行检验, 揭示影响游客对世界文化遗产保护资金支付 ...

I have a citation alert set up so that I know when folks start ripping on my research (or lack thereof). This one is particularly infuriating.

How to handle invasive species?

I've written before about the solution to the invasive species problem--find/create value for the invader, then let human nature take over and the tragedy of the commons will eradicate the unwanted visitors. Or, you could just rely on completely insane people...

What would you do if you came across the longest Burmese python ever recorded in the state of Florida?

Ummmm..shit myself and call my mommy?

A Miami man had to answer that question recently and he decided to catch and kill it.

Like there was an alternative?  It's not like he couldn't just stay in his car and drive awa...what?  He could have?  The snake hadn't reared and blocked the path of all traffic?

Turns out, it was the longest Burmese python ever captured in Florida; it measured 18 feet, 8 inches.

Just for a frame of reference, if you stretch out an 18' 8" snake it would be the same size as...who am I kidding, who would be stupid enough to stretch out an 18 foot snake? 

The python was a 128-pound female that was not carrying eggs, according to University of Florida scientists who examined the snake.

Well of course she wasn't carrying any eggs, she doesn't have any arms.

The previous record length for a Burmese python captured in the wild in Florida was 17 feet, 7 inches.

Since the python is Burmese, will she be covered under the new immigration reform legislation?

On May 11th, Jason Leon was riding late at night in a rural area of southeast Miami-Dade County when he and his passenger spotted the python. About 3 feet of the snake was sticking out of the roadside brush.

Passenger: "Keep driving Jason.  Just keep driving.  You're not thinking about stopping are you?  Keep going! You're stopping?  You're stopping. Well, I'm just going to sit here.  Don't even think about calling me for for help if you start to pull that thing out of the brush and it wraps around your leg."

Leon stopped his car, grabbed the snake behind its head and started dragging it out of the brush. When the snake began to wrap itself around his leg, he called for assistance from others...

Passenger: "Really?"

...and then used a knife to kill the snake.

Rambo.

via miami.cbslocal.com

Are you high?

Some economics of jetties (i.e., terminal groins) in North Carolina:

A 2010 jetties study from the legislature found the cost of building jetties from $3.5 million and $10 million, and that up to another $2 million would be spent every year for maintenance that included replacing sand washed away from the backside of the structures. The study, however, also found that over 30 years the economic benefits of the protective structures ranged from $27 million at Ocean Isle to over $320 million at Bald Head Island.

via hamptonroads.com

Ignoring the obvious questions behind the benefit numbers ... discounting the annual costs at 3% over 30 years, taking random numbers from a uniform distribution of the variable costs and benefits, then the average net present value of a jetty is about $200 million. 

Ok, not ignoring the obvious questions about the benefits ... $320 million at Bald Head Island? That is about $3.2 million in benefits for each resident household over 30 years. That number seems unrealistically high. Discounting at 3% over 30 years, it is about a $165,000 annual household benefit. 

My Google search didn't find anything about the study except this summary: http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/CRC/tgs/finalrecs.pdf. 

It's Preakness Week

John grew up in the hoity-toity land of Derby Hats and Mint Juleps. Me? Well...here's a walk down memory lane (Some potentially NSFW content).