Estimating the value of a statistical life in China: A contingent valuation study in six representative cities

The value of a statistical life(VSL)is a crucial tool for monetizing health impacts.To explore the VSL in China,this study examines people’s willingness to pay(WTP)to reduce death risk from air pollution in six representative cities in China based on face-to-face contingent valuation interviews(n=3936)from March 7,2019 to September 30,2019.The results reveal that the WTP varied from CNY 455 to 763 in 2019(USD 66-111),corresponding to a VSL range of CNY 3.79-6.36 million(USD 549395-921940).The VSL in China in 2019 is estimated to be CNY 4.76 million(USD 689659).The statistics indicate that monthly expenditure levels,environmental concerns,risk attitudes,and assumed market acceptance,which have seldom been dis‐cussed in previous studies,significantly impact WTP and VSL.These findings will serve as a reference for ana‐lyzing mortality risk reduction benefits in future research and for policymaking.

Measuring Recreational Value of World Heritage Sites Based on Contingent Valuation Method:A Case Study of Jiuzhaigou

World heritage possesses various kinds of use value and non-use value. Measuring the recreational value of world heritage sites is a key issue in the heritage tourism. This paper employs Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), which is an evaluation instrument on the basis of tourists′ attitude and preference, to measure the recreational value of Jiuzhaigou, one of the World Natural Heritage sites in China, and analyzes the biases in the survey. The results show that: 1) In 2009, Jiuzhaigou′s recreational value was 3.46×108 yuan (RMB), and the per capita Willingness to Pay (WTP) was 137.31 yuan by CVM. Compared with the results of other methods, this result is significantly low. 2) Among the factors that influence Jiuzhaigou tourists′ WTP, psychological perception factors have the greatest effect while demographic and socio-economic characteristics have a small effect on WTP. 3) The virtuality in CVM creates biases both from CVM itself and in the procedures that CVM was implemented. The former includes hypothetical bias, information bias, protest response bias, and strategic bias; and the latter includes the questionnaire design, population and sample definition, sampling and data processing. The paper analyses those biases and illustrates their potential in-fluences on the accuracy of CVM measurement. 4) Although there are various defects in CVM measurement, it is still an effective valuation method.

Estimation of conservation value of myrtle(Myrtus communis)using a contingent valuation method:a case study in a Dooreh forest area,Lorestan Province,Iran

Background： Around 2000 plant species occur naturally in Lorestan Province of which 250 species are medicinal and myrtle is one of them. Myrtle is a shrub whose leaves and fruits have medicinal value and thus, if managed and harvested properly, could produce sustained economic benefits. In recent years, however, over half of the myrtle site areas was destroyed, due to inappropriate management and excessive harvesting practices. Thus, coming up with a practical harvesting approach along with identifying those factors damaging the sites, seems to be very crucial. Methods： In our investigation, we calculated the conservation value per hectare of myrtle in the Dooreh forest area in Lorestan Province. Using the Contingent Valuation （CV） and Double Bounded Dichotomous Choice （DBDC） methods, we determined the willingness to pay （VVTP） for myrtle conservation. The VVTP was estimated with a Iogit model for which indices were obtained based on a maximum precision criterion. Results： The results showed that 86.67 per cent of people were willing to pay for the conservation of these myrtle sites. Average monthly WTP per family was calculated as $0.79. The annual conservation value in terms of WTP for the preservation of the myrtle sites in Dooreh was estimated as $102,525. Among the variables of the model presented, education had a positive impact, while the amount proposed for payment and family size had a negative impact on the WTP. Conclusions： Our estimate of the value of myrtle conservation should provide justification for policy makers and decision making bodies of natural resources to implement policies in order to conserve the natural sites of this species more effectively.

Development of contingent valuation method in evaluating non-market values of resources and environment in China

The contingent valuation method （CVM） is one of the main methods for evaluating non-market values of resources. It originated in the United States and was introduced into China during the 1980s and 1990s. However, application of CVM in China is highly controversial based on three primary aspects： （I） the appropriate guidelines for CVM; （2） the elicitation techniques for willingness to pay （WTP）; and （3） reliability and validity testing of CVM. The major objectives of this paper are to i^eview the recem devel- opments pertaining to guidelines, elicitation techniques, and reliability and validity testing for application of CVM, and to summa- rize the limitations of and measures for improving application of CVM in China. The applicability of CVM in China is discussed to enhance the future development of CVM in China.

The Application of Contingent Value Method in Forest Recreational Value Evaluation of Nature Reserve

Through the survey of National Nature Reserve of Tianmu Mountain,based on relevant data of tourists of Tianmu Mountain over the years,the paper had analyzed some problems about the application of contingent value method(CVM) in forest recreational value evaluation.Then,it had evaluated the forest recreational value of National Nature Reserve of Tianmu Mountain in 2007 and obtained evaluation results.Through the statistics of tourists' payment targets,it had calculated the payment value of each function of Tianmu Nature Reserve.The functions were appreciating landscape,exercising,visiting historical sites,photographing,scientific research,picnic and camping,and religion ranking in order from higher to lower value.In terms of nonuse value,existence value was slightly higher than option value and heritage value.It could be known from above research that Tianmu Mountain had great tourism development potential.Finally,it had proposed some suggestions for publicity,project setting and artificial landscape construction.

The Combined Application of WTP and WTA in Contingent Valuation Methods

The In most contingent valuation (CV) studies, WTP (Willingness to pay) and WTA (Willingness to accept) were often used separately, so protesting or no response or even babbling answers are increasing, and the debate persists over the reliability of CV in economic policy analysis. In order to improve the reliability of CV, WTP and WTA is used syn-chronously to estimate the restoration cost of Maqu grassland ecosystem. Data were partly from questionnaire survey, and partly from interviews and authorities. Before conclusions were derived, we assumed these data that came from interviews and authorities were right. The main result is: If we assumed that the degraded grassland of Maqu needs 10 years to be restored, and divided the restoring period into two stages, then the restoration cost was 0.85 × 108 RMB per year in former 4 years, 0.022 × 108 RMB per year in latter 6 years. The total cost of Maqu grassland restoration was 3.62 × 108 RMB. For all the costs of restoration, WTA occupied 94% and WTP only occupied 6%, suggesting that local grassland degradation was mainly caused by overgrazing and that the overloading livestock must be eliminated in order to achieve restoration successfully. Our research also showed that combining WTP and WTA in contingent valuation is very useful in estimating the cost of environmental improvement projects. Of course, whether these results are right or not, further researches are needed in the future, especially for the actual number of livestock in Maqu grassland.

The Contingent Valuation Method for Thessaloniki＇s Aesthetic Pollution in Greece

The purpose of this study is to provide an evaluation of the possible criteria used by the people of Thessaloniki for the evaluation of public goods and the investigation of the benefits of the conservation and restoration of city structures affected by carbon monoxide. These benefits are expressed in monetary units by using the CVM （Contingent Valuation Method）. The maintenance of the urban environment often entails excessive costs paid by the people through taxation. A city free of aesthetic pollution results in an increase in tourism. A portion of taxation paid by the citizens is allocated to cleaning the city. An increase in tourism provides the government with additional revenue through VAT （Value Added Taxes）. The main findings show that in a large proportion, 28% of the interviewees are willing to pay, but those that are willing to pay significant amounts tend to prefer mild interventions to the buildings, while those （42%） that agree with minimal to null amount demand radical intervention. The latter group, also, considers any contribution of theirs to restoration as unfair, judging that this expenditure should be covered exclusively by the State. Last but not least, from a sociopsychological point of view, this attitude could be attributed to extreme personalities which tend to prefer more holistic and direct solutions （i.e., no mixed strategy involving people and the State is acceptable by interviewees who considered themselves as having no further obligations after regular tax-paying）; as a result, they think that the State is exclusively responsible to resolve the situation.

The Opportunity Cost as a Critical Determinant Factor of the Cultural Heritage Monuments＇ Valuation： A Modified Contingent Valuation Method

The subject of this study, which involves two surveys, is to estimate externalities created round a cultural heritage preservation site by means of a CVM （Contingent Valuation Method）. The first survey was conducted for the ruins of ancient ＂Diolkos＂ located in Isthmus of Corinth, Greece using a sample of 200 soldiers. The second survey was conducted for the ancient theater of Lefkada, using a sample of 100 tourists mad locals. The results have been analyzed with Logit model regression. The findings show that willingness to pay （or participate） is strongly affected by opportunity cost and awareness of the site＇s history. Further, income level and education level play a critical role in developing volunteering activity.

Pointwise Convergence of a Nonparametric Estimator of Regression in a Measurable Space Used in Contingent Valuation Method

The Contingent Valuation Method is used to evaluate individual preferences for a change concerning a public non-market resource or property. The objective is to build a nonparametric forecasting model of an individual＇s Willingness To Pay according to geographical location. Within this framework, an estimator （of type Nadaraya-Watson） is proposed for the regression of the variable related to geolocation. The specific characteristics of the location variable lead us to a more general regression model than the traditional models. Results are established for convergence of our estimator.

Evaluation on Non-use Value of Dianchi Lake Wetland Using CVM

[Objective] This study was to analyze the personal Willingness to Pay （WI-P） on the non-use value of Dianchi lake wetland and the influential factors. [Method] Questionnaire was designed according to the Contingent Valuation Method （CVM） to investigate people of different occupations at different ages, based on which the evaluation on non-use value of Dianchi lake wetland was carried out. And the relationship between WTP and social characteristics were analyzed by using non- parametric estimation. [Result] The average WTP on Dianchi lake wetland is 150.03- 217.66 yuan per person every year, and the total WTP is 626-909 million yuan ev- ery year. Age, education and residence of the respondents have remarkable influ- ence on the VVTP. The influence of education level and residence on option value is significant; bequest value is significantly correlated with age; while there is no significant relationship between existence value and social characteristics. [Conclusion] The evaluation on the non-use value of Dianchi lake wetland is important for the scientific development and utilization of wetland resources.

基于TCIA和CVM的皇家园林游憩价值评估研究——以北京市颐和园为例

运用科学方法评估皇家园林游憩价值对旅游资源的有效保护与合理利用具有重要意义。通过对北京市颐和园皇家园林运用旅行费用区间法(TCIA)和条件价值法(CVM)进行评估,得出以下结论:1)从使用价值来看,旅游者实际旅行费用>旅游消费者剩余,颐和园皇家园林在游憩资源利用方面已经基本满足了游客的体验需求,但仍有提升空间;2)从非使用价值的角度来看,存在价值最高,其次为遗产价值,最后为选择价值,游憩非使用价值量居于中上等水平。由于游客对皇家园林的保护意识存在显著差异,导致人均WTP也有所不同;3)从综合角度来看,颐和园皇家园林的游憩使用价值远大于非使用价值,说明颐和园皇家园林的游憩资源非使用价值并未得到充分利用,仍有很大的挖掘潜力;4)从两种方法的适用性来看,TCIA和CVM方法适用于与颐和园相似的皇家园林的游憩价值评估。

Evaluation of Wildlife Resource Value in Jinggangshan Nature Reserve by CVM

By using Contingent Value Method(CVM),WTP(Willingness to Pay) of wildlife in Jinggangshan Nature Reserve was studied,the overall existence value of wildlife resource(namely the sum of economic,social,ecological value added on its existence value) in this area was calculated,and the statistics of primary social and economic factors affecting payment value were analyzed.600 questionnaires had been issued altogether and the recovery rate was 100%,583 of which were valid and the effective rate was 94.2 % which demonstrated that feedback sample quantity had reached the analysis requirement.The study result showed that interviewees with different social characteristics widely dispersed,which complied with the survey principle of random sampling;that the distribution curve of WTP was neither smooth nor normal and as 50 Yuan was frequently-used amount in their daily consumption,people tended to choose this option subconsciously;that WTP had notable correlation with education degree,monthly income and cognition degree,and had relation with age but no obvious relation with gender;that annual payment value per capita was within the research scope of wildlife payment value,that is 40-575 Yuan/(person·year).The final conclusion was that wildlife resource value in this area was 17 845 000 Yuan/year,which was of great significance to the protection of biological diversity and the formulation of corresponding protective measures in Jinggangshan Nature Reserve and even in the whole society.

基于条件价值法(CVM)的西黑冠长臂猿非使用价值评估

对野生动物资源进行价值评估是保护生物学研究的核心,也是管理决策制定与生态补偿的重要依据。利用条件价值法(CVM),通过简单随机抽样的方式对景东城镇居民的支付意愿(WTP)进行调查,评估西黑冠长臂猿的非使用价值。结果表明:85.52%的受访者认为应该对该物种进行保护,86.43%的受访者愿意支付一定的费用来保护该物种。利用中位值法和平均值法得出城镇居民的支付意愿为51.86—54.04元·a^(-1),推测得西黑冠长臂猿的非使用价值为421.87—439.60亿元·a^(-1)。Logit和Probit模型实证分析结果表明,支付意愿与受访者学历、个人收入以及对西黑冠长臂猿的了解程度呈显著正相关(P<0.05),与年龄呈显著负相关(P<0.05),与性别、民族等相关性不显著(P>0.05)。

基于CVM的屋顶绿化生态系统服务价值及影响因素研究

屋顶绿化是基于自然解决方案缓解城市化各种负面效应的重要途径。然而,目前其生态系统服务价值评价尚缺乏整体性与系统性。通过在全国发放的783份有效问卷,采用条件价值评估方法对屋顶绿化的生态系统服务价值进行了估算,并运用相关分析与二元Logistic回归模型,对被访者屋顶绿化建设的支付意愿及其影响因素进行了定量分析。结果表明:1)被访者对屋顶绿化建设具有较高的支持率(总支持率为58%)和支付意愿[平均支付意愿为136.6元/(年·人)];2)全国屋顶绿化生态系统服务的总价值约为1158.4亿元,表明屋顶绿化具有较大的经济价值与发展潜力;3)功能认知、推广态度、环境影响认知是被访者支付意愿的主要影响因子,表明公众对屋顶绿化的认知与了解水平能够影响其支付意愿;4)专业相关人员与其他被访者对屋顶绿化的认知水平与支付意愿没有显著差异,因而在未来屋顶绿化推广过程中首先应注重提升相关专业人员的认知水平。研究结果可为中国屋顶绿化的推广与应用提供决策参考。

Developing a Methodology to Evaluate Various Parameters of the General Interest as Defined in Political Philosophy of J. J. Rousseau

The“social contract”is the most famous philosophical text of Zac Jacques Roussos,which was to influence the intellectual and political movement of the 18th century.By publishing the“social contract”or“Civil Law Principles”in 1762,Rousseau,presenting his theory of the state and seeking the foundation of civil society,attempts to expose the conditions of a stable and just state by putting freedom as a precondition for law and the common good must be lawful.A central place in its political theory is the concept of general will,which is in the general interest(otherwise the common good)and on which the idea of a favored constitutional state is based.We estimate approximately the size of the external economy by the method of the Contingent Valuation Method(CVM).The Contingent Valuation Method(CVM)is a survey-based technique,frequently used in Experimental Economics,especially useful for the valuation of non-market resources/goods/services,and cultural heritage objects(of aesthetic,historic,scientific,or social value),such as conservation of monumental remains and preservation of the physical and anthropogenic environment.

Valuation of the External Cost Caused by the Environmental Pollution of Three Lakes in Northern Greece

The preservation/restoration of natural environment is usually entailing high cost mostly paid by citizens through taxes.The effect of these taxes is double. The direct effect is the obvious additional income for the State, and the indirect effect is anadditional income for the citizen, due to increasing tourism. Since the evaluation of this good cannot be in market terms, authorsapply a modified CVM （Contingent Valuation Method）, which is part of Experimental Economics, in order to find out the order ofconcern that people have about natural environment. Authors also, try to investigate their WTP （Willingness To Pay） for supportingactivities for preservation/restoration of three lakes in Northern Greece, in particular, lake of Ioannina, lake of Florina and lake ofKastoria. For the purpose of this research, authors use parametric and non-parametric approaches, as well as Linear Regression andLogic Models.

基于CVM的文化旅游资源非使用价值评估——以哈尔滨市道里区历史城区为例

本文运用条件价值评估法(CVM),评估哈尔滨市道里区历史城区的非使用价值。结果表明:2021年哈尔滨市道里区历史城区非使用价值为18.04亿元,其中存在价值>选择价值>遗产价值,人均意愿保护支付金额为60元。文章通过对支付意愿影响因素的分析得知,未来应进一步提高公众受教育水平及对历史文化资源的保护意识,完善管理体制,提升宣传力度。

基于空间距离效应的青岛市浒苔治理支付意愿研究

支付意愿的空间属性是影响环境物品估值效度的主要因素之一,忽略对空间距离的考量可能导致最终资源环境物品或服务的货币估值产生偏差。文章以青岛市海域浒苔灾害为研究对象,使用条件价值评估法,构建支付意愿函数模型,测算受访者距青岛市海边的距离,探索浒苔治理支付意愿是否存在距离衰减现象;通过划分不同的距离区,测算不同距离区内公众浒苔治理支付意愿,最终汇总得出浒苔治理带来的经济价值。研究结果显示:公众浒苔治理支付意愿“距离衰减”效应明显,距离海边较近的公众倾向于为治理浒苔支付较高的金额;青岛市浒苔治理总经济价值为9.84亿元/a;不考虑距离衰减效应最终导致浒苔治理经济价值的高估达27.03%。研究结论可为空间尺度上的非市场价值评估提供新的研究思路和科学参考,不仅提高了条件价值评估法估值结果的有效性,也提供了更加精准的青岛市浒苔治理经济价值估值。

基于CVM方法分析牧民对禁牧政策的受偿意愿——以锡林郭勒草原为例

确定居民对生态措施实施的受偿意愿,对目前迫切需要的生态补偿政策制定以及生态恢复和保护的有效性具有重要的现实意义。选用锡林郭勒草原为案例区域,通过入户调查及在那达慕大会集中调查相结合的方式,调查锡林郭勒草原地区牧民对禁牧措施的态度和受偿意愿。分析结果显示:53%的牧民愿意参加禁牧,而不愿意参加禁牧主要是由于补偿标准不合理引起的。计量经济学模型分析表明,牧民对禁牧的支持态度与牧民的收入和草地面积呈正相关,与养羊数量呈负相关。牧民的受偿意愿由牧民养羊数量、受教育年限、草地现状以及对禁牧政策的支持程度决定。根据意愿调查法初步估算锡林郭勒草原地区禁牧措施实施后牧民的补偿意愿,牧民家庭对禁牧政策的平均受偿意愿为每年每户2.7717万元,人均受偿意愿为8399元,平均每1hm2草地受偿意愿为85.95元。

基于CVM的旅游资源非使用价值评估——以历史文化名城阆中为例

在实地调查的基础上,采用条件价值法(CVM)对古城阆中旅游资源的非使用价值进行评估,结果表明当地居民的支付意愿(WTP)较低,运用相关与logistic回归分析,得出WTP受到居住地、教育程度等诸多因素影响,建议地方政府和古城旅游公司依据不同主体地位采取相应的引导措施及方案,使居民有效参与古城旅游开发,促进旅游可持续发展.