Integrating environmental impact, contingent valuation and cost-benefit analysis: empirical evidence for an alternative perspective

摘要

The non-market nature of water quality improve- ment in rives hinders the use of traditional cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to measure the effi- ciency of investments. Substantial investments have been made to clean up contaminated river water with little comparison of the cots or environmental im- pact (EI) with future benefits. Water quality impact models are used in this study to predict the impact of discharges on downstream water quality. Contin- gent valuation (CV) is used to measure the total value, including use and non-use, of river water quality improvement. This provides the benefit side of the cost-benefit equation. The method outlined provides a tool to evaluate investment on environ- mental improvement integrating EI and CV and CBA.