Robert H. Beach

Global cost estimates of reducing carbon emissions through avoided deforestation

Tropical deforestation is estimated to cause about one-quarter of anthropogenic carbon emissions, loss of biodiversity, and other environmental services. United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change talks are now considering mechanisms for avoiding deforestation (AD), but the economic potential of AD has yet to be addressed. We use three economic models of global land use and management to analyze the potential contribution of AD activities to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. AD activities are found to be a competitive, low-cost abatement option. A program providing a 10% reduction in deforestation from 2005 to 2030 could provide 0.3–0.6 Gt (1 Gt = 1 × 105 g) CO2·yr−1 in emission reductions and would require

Econometric studies of non-industrial private forest management: a review and synthesis

0.4 billion to

Agricultural household response to avian influenza prevention and control policies

1.7 billion·yr−1 for 30 years. A 50% reduction in deforestation from 2005 to 2030 could provide 1.5–2.7 Gt CO2·yr−1 in emission reductions and would require

MODELING BIOENERGY, LAND USE, AND GHG EMISSIONS WITH FASOMGHG: MODEL OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF STORAGE COST IMPLICATIONS

17.2 billion to

Avoided Deforestation as a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Tool : Economic Issues

28.0 billion·yr−1. Finally, some caveats to the analysis that could increase costs of AD programs are described.

Climate change impacts on US agriculture and forestry: benefits of global climate stabilization

Abstract Forest policies and management increasingly rely on economic models to explain behaviors of landowners and to project forest outputs, inventories and land use. However, it is unclear whether the existing econometric models offer general conclusions concerning non-industrial private forest (NIPF) management or whether the existing results are case-specific. In this paper, we systematically review the empirical economics literature on NIPF timber harvesting, reforestation, and timber stand improvements (TSI). We confirm four primary categories of management determinants: market drivers, policy variables, owner characteristics and plot/resource conditions. We rely on the most basic form of meta-analysis, vote counting, to combine information from many studies to produce more general knowledge concerning the key determinants of harvesting, reforestation and TSI within these four categories. Despite substantial differences in the variables used across models, the use of meta-analysis enables the systematic identification of the factors that are most important in explaining NIPF management. We conclude with some methodological and policy suggestions.

Global mitigation potential and costs of reducing agricultural non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions through 2030

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Asia, Europe, and Africa have caused severe impacts on the poultry sector through bird mortality and culling, as well as resulting trade restrictions and negative demand shocks. Although poultry producers play a major role in preventing and controlling avian influenza, little research has examined the influence of their farm-level decision making on the spread of the disease. In this study, we describe farm behavior under livestock disease risk and discuss data and analyses necessary to generate sound empirical evidence to inform public avian influenza prevention and control measures.

Tobacco Farmers and Tobacco Manufacturers: Implications for Tobacco Control in Tobacco-Growing Developing Countries

Biofuels production has increased rapidly in recent years due to higher petroleum prices as well as heightened concerns regarding climate change and energy security. However, because commercially viable biofuels are currently produced primarily from agricultural feedstocks, higher production volumes increase pressure on land resources. Thus, large-scale biofuels production has important implications for the forest and agriculture sectors, land use, trade, and net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Competition for land is expected to continue growing in the future as mandated biofuels volumes increase along with rising demand for food, feed, and fiber, both domestically and internationally. In response to heightened concern regarding impacts such as indirect land-use change and higher food prices, the U.S. policy is focusing on second-generation (cellulosic) feedstocks to contribute the majority of the mandated increase in biofuels volume through 2022. However, there has been little work exploring the logistics of supplying these feedstocks or examining feedstock mix and net GHG effects of combining renewable fuels mandates with climate policy. In this paper, we apply the recently updated Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model with GHGs (FASOMGHG) to explore the implications of alternative assumptions regarding feedstock storage costs and carbon price for renewable energy production mix, land use, and net GHG emissions. The model is used to quantify the magnitude and regional distribution of changes in the optimal mix of bioenergy feedstocks when accounting for storage costs. In addition, we find that combining the biofuels volume mandate with a carbon price policy has additional implications for feedstock mix and provides a substantially larger net reduction in GHG than a renewable fuels mandate alone.

THE ECONOMICS OF AQUACULTURE INSURANCE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE U.S. PILOT INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR CULTIVATED CLAMS

Tropical deforestation is a significant contributor to accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. GHG emissions from deforestation in the tropics were in the range of 1 to 2 Pg C yr(-1) for the 1990s, which is equivalent to as much as 25% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. While there is growing interest in providing incentives to avoid deforestation and consequently reduce net carbon emissions, there is limited information available on the potential costs of these activities. This paper uses a global forestry and land use model to analyze the potential marginal costs of reducing net carbon emissions by avoiding deforestation in tropical countries. Our estimates suggest that about 0.1 Pg C yr(-1) of emissions reductions could be obtained over the next 30 to 50 yr for

Marginal abatement cost curves for US black carbon emissions

5 per Mg C, and about 1.6 Pg C yr(-1) could be obtained over the same time frame for