Too often, in the process of development, we are facing the dilemma of (economic) development vs.... more Too often, in the process of development, we are facing the dilemma of (economic) development vs. maintaining the environmental assets. This dilemma brought environmentalists to advocate 'sustainable growth'. There are many definitions of 'sustainable growth'. Among the alternatives we can mention the definition offered by the World Commission on Environment and Development: "development that meets the needs of the present
We examine in the research forecasts prepared by us fifteen years ago. We examine the assumptions... more We examine in the research forecasts prepared by us fifteen years ago. We examine the assumptions made as well as the results, comparing the forecasts to reality. We concentrate on the forecasts of number of visitors, which enables to examine economic impact, and is crucial in analyzing ecological carrying capacity. Our case study was a wetland that was drained in
The premise of the rationality of consumers is examined in this paper, by analyzing responses to ... more The premise of the rationality of consumers is examined in this paper, by analyzing responses to a study regarding outdoor recreation. On-site surveys were performed in parks in the Upper Galilee area in the north of Israel. We inquired about the willingness to pay (WTP) entrance fee to a planned park, the Hula Project. The mean value, NIS 30, is
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thisr esearch was funded by theH ula ProjectA uthority: KerenKa yemethLe Israel, ... more ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thisr esearch was funded by theH ula ProjectA uthority: KerenKa yemethLe Israel, Israel LandA dministration, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Tourism, Water Commission, Ministry oft heI nterior, RegionalCo uncils: UpperGa lilee, MeromGal il, MevoHa mma Thanks aredue t oP rofessorM ichaelNud elman whop articipatedi n thee arly stagesof there search.
Recent ‘studentification’ processes raise issues regarding the positive and negative ... more Recent ‘studentification’ processes raise issues regarding the positive and negative impacts of student influx on the urban environment. The positive impacts discussed in the literature include urban core revitalization, employment generation and economic growth. The negative externalities comprise the formation of temporary sub-communities, competition with low-income groups in the rental housing market, and an increase in traffic volume. The current
This study estimates the economic value of externalities related to waste transfer stations in Is... more This study estimates the economic value of externalities related to waste transfer stations in Israel. Most externalities are associated with local disamenities experienced by residents living in close proximity to transfer stations -including noise, odor, litter, vermin, visual intrusion and any associated perceived discomfort. Following the mapping of all active transfer stations in Israel, problematic sites near residential areas were identified. Four of these sites were selected for detailed examination. The study involved estimating the economic value of disamenities using the Hedonic Price Method, which examines the impact of disamenities on property values. The results indicate that the maximum spatial extent of the impact occurs about 2.8 km away from a transfer station with an increase of about $5000 in housing price for each additional km away from the site. Alternatively, an increase of 1% in the average distance of a house from the local transfer station is associated with a 0.06% rise in the price of the average house. These figures, representing the relationship between changes in environmental quality and property prices, indicate that transfer stations create externalities that should be taken into account in location and clean-up policies for transfer stations as well as in potential compensation policies.
Project Renewal, a national programme for social and physical rehabilitation of distressed neighb... more Project Renewal, a national programme for social and physical rehabilitation of distressed neighbourhoods, was aimed at reducing inequalities in Israeli society. This study analyses the influence of Project Renewal on the status of its target neighbourhoods, by means of a before-and-after comparison of these areas with matched control neighbourhoods. An extensive analysis of the characteristics of veteran residents, in-migrants, and out-migrants (200000 households) shows that improving service provision in poor areas is not sufficient to change their status. Renovated housing and improved social services are valuable, but a neighbourhood status and its attractiveness are determined more by its reputation as a place for higher-status households than by the services it offers. Adding new housing to the old neighbourhood, after improving its services, seems to be the required breakthrough, given that the new residents are moderately better-off than the veterans. The final discussion puts the results of this and former studies of Project Renewal in a general context of welfare policy.
The benefit transfer method was developed as an alternative way to value externalities using valu... more The benefit transfer method was developed as an alternative way to value externalities using values from studies of similar circumstances, carried out at similar sites somewhere else, given the challenges and high costs inherent in assessing the actual cost. Specifically, in order to test the performance of the benefit transfer method, employing hedonic price models, this study focused on estimates of disamenities associated with waste transfer stations at four different cities in Israel. The sites were intentionally selected to represent a variety of circumstances. We transferred the estimated benefit function from a ''study site'' to a ''policy site''. The goodness of fit was examined by comparing the calculated value, with actual data from the policy site. To test the sensitivity of the benefit transfer function to socioeconomic and housing characteristics, it was repeatedly applied to different sets of observations. The findings suggest that a relatively large number of alternative benefit functions are transferable. Statistical inequality outcome regarding the degree of similarity between samples does not unequivocally rule out the appropriateness of transferring environmental values across studies. Transfer errors varied between )21% and +29%, and the absolute average error for all transfers was 15.4%. Errors were lower for transfer between relatively similar cities in terms of size and location and between sub-samples that were similar in socioeconomic characteristics and housing type. However, when a site with very dissimilar data was involved, the average absolute error rose to 19%.
... NIR BECKER ~, MIRA G. BARON 2 and MORDECHAI SHECHTER 1 ~ Natural Resources & Environmenta... more ... NIR BECKER ~, MIRA G. BARON 2 and MORDECHAI SHECHTER 1 ~ Natural Resources & Environmental Research Center and Department of Economics, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel; 2 Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management, Technion (Israel Institute of ...
Too often, in the process of development, we are facing the dilemma of (economic) development vs.... more Too often, in the process of development, we are facing the dilemma of (economic) development vs. maintaining the environmental assets. This dilemma brought environmentalists to advocate 'sustainable growth'. There are many definitions of 'sustainable growth'. Among the alternatives we can mention the definition offered by the World Commission on Environment and Development: "development that meets the needs of the present
We examine in the research forecasts prepared by us fifteen years ago. We examine the assumptions... more We examine in the research forecasts prepared by us fifteen years ago. We examine the assumptions made as well as the results, comparing the forecasts to reality. We concentrate on the forecasts of number of visitors, which enables to examine economic impact, and is crucial in analyzing ecological carrying capacity. Our case study was a wetland that was drained in
The premise of the rationality of consumers is examined in this paper, by analyzing responses to ... more The premise of the rationality of consumers is examined in this paper, by analyzing responses to a study regarding outdoor recreation. On-site surveys were performed in parks in the Upper Galilee area in the north of Israel. We inquired about the willingness to pay (WTP) entrance fee to a planned park, the Hula Project. The mean value, NIS 30, is
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thisr esearch was funded by theH ula ProjectA uthority: KerenKa yemethLe Israel, ... more ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thisr esearch was funded by theH ula ProjectA uthority: KerenKa yemethLe Israel, Israel LandA dministration, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Tourism, Water Commission, Ministry oft heI nterior, RegionalCo uncils: UpperGa lilee, MeromGal il, MevoHa mma Thanks aredue t oP rofessorM ichaelNud elman whop articipatedi n thee arly stagesof there search.
Recent ‘studentification’ processes raise issues regarding the positive and negative ... more Recent ‘studentification’ processes raise issues regarding the positive and negative impacts of student influx on the urban environment. The positive impacts discussed in the literature include urban core revitalization, employment generation and economic growth. The negative externalities comprise the formation of temporary sub-communities, competition with low-income groups in the rental housing market, and an increase in traffic volume. The current
This study estimates the economic value of externalities related to waste transfer stations in Is... more This study estimates the economic value of externalities related to waste transfer stations in Israel. Most externalities are associated with local disamenities experienced by residents living in close proximity to transfer stations -including noise, odor, litter, vermin, visual intrusion and any associated perceived discomfort. Following the mapping of all active transfer stations in Israel, problematic sites near residential areas were identified. Four of these sites were selected for detailed examination. The study involved estimating the economic value of disamenities using the Hedonic Price Method, which examines the impact of disamenities on property values. The results indicate that the maximum spatial extent of the impact occurs about 2.8 km away from a transfer station with an increase of about $5000 in housing price for each additional km away from the site. Alternatively, an increase of 1% in the average distance of a house from the local transfer station is associated with a 0.06% rise in the price of the average house. These figures, representing the relationship between changes in environmental quality and property prices, indicate that transfer stations create externalities that should be taken into account in location and clean-up policies for transfer stations as well as in potential compensation policies.
Project Renewal, a national programme for social and physical rehabilitation of distressed neighb... more Project Renewal, a national programme for social and physical rehabilitation of distressed neighbourhoods, was aimed at reducing inequalities in Israeli society. This study analyses the influence of Project Renewal on the status of its target neighbourhoods, by means of a before-and-after comparison of these areas with matched control neighbourhoods. An extensive analysis of the characteristics of veteran residents, in-migrants, and out-migrants (200000 households) shows that improving service provision in poor areas is not sufficient to change their status. Renovated housing and improved social services are valuable, but a neighbourhood status and its attractiveness are determined more by its reputation as a place for higher-status households than by the services it offers. Adding new housing to the old neighbourhood, after improving its services, seems to be the required breakthrough, given that the new residents are moderately better-off than the veterans. The final discussion puts the results of this and former studies of Project Renewal in a general context of welfare policy.
The benefit transfer method was developed as an alternative way to value externalities using valu... more The benefit transfer method was developed as an alternative way to value externalities using values from studies of similar circumstances, carried out at similar sites somewhere else, given the challenges and high costs inherent in assessing the actual cost. Specifically, in order to test the performance of the benefit transfer method, employing hedonic price models, this study focused on estimates of disamenities associated with waste transfer stations at four different cities in Israel. The sites were intentionally selected to represent a variety of circumstances. We transferred the estimated benefit function from a ''study site'' to a ''policy site''. The goodness of fit was examined by comparing the calculated value, with actual data from the policy site. To test the sensitivity of the benefit transfer function to socioeconomic and housing characteristics, it was repeatedly applied to different sets of observations. The findings suggest that a relatively large number of alternative benefit functions are transferable. Statistical inequality outcome regarding the degree of similarity between samples does not unequivocally rule out the appropriateness of transferring environmental values across studies. Transfer errors varied between )21% and +29%, and the absolute average error for all transfers was 15.4%. Errors were lower for transfer between relatively similar cities in terms of size and location and between sub-samples that were similar in socioeconomic characteristics and housing type. However, when a site with very dissimilar data was involved, the average absolute error rose to 19%.
... NIR BECKER ~, MIRA G. BARON 2 and MORDECHAI SHECHTER 1 ~ Natural Resources & Environmenta... more ... NIR BECKER ~, MIRA G. BARON 2 and MORDECHAI SHECHTER 1 ~ Natural Resources & Environmental Research Center and Department of Economics, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel; 2 Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management, Technion (Israel Institute of ...
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