مجله اقتصاد محیط زیست و منابع طبیعی
پیاپی 7 (زمستان 1398)

As early as the economic growth became a desirable goal to achieve, the environmental degradation appeared as a topical issue by environmentalists. Economic growth has exacerbated environmental problems which in turn limit sustainable economic growth and development. In addition, economic growth and technological advances have had an opposite effect on human health. Considering that Iran is a developing country and pursues sustainable economic growth, discussions on environmental degradation and public health should be of prime importance. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to investigate the inter-relationship between environmental quality, per capita income and public health in Iran during 1368-1393 using a simultaneous equation system and the 3SLS method. The results of the research indicate that the health at the level of 99% has a positive and significant effect on per capita income. If life expectancy increases by one percent, then per capita income will increase by 2/374 percent. The data used in this study could not provide sufficient evidence for the negative impact of environmental pollution on public health. The results also show that the per capita income coefficient is positive but the square of per capita income is negative. As a results, the findings confirm the existence of an inverted U-shaped relation between per capita income and the environmental pollution.

Economists have recently recognized the role of natural resources and the environment in human welfare and have made great efforts to evaluate environmental goods and services. The present study examines the recreational and conservation values of the National Botanical Garden of Iran and measures the willingness of people to pay a visit. Using the logit model and the contingent valuation method (CVM), the amount of willingness to pay by visitors is calculated for recreational and conservation values of the Garden as well as its annual recreational value. Required data is collected in 1396 through the completion of a 200 questionnaires from Botanical Garden visitors per year. The results show that the average willingness to pay per visitor to maintain the value of recreational-conservation services of the Botanical Garden is 226980 Rials, which has a positive relationship with the growing level of income and the decreasing proposed amount and a negative relationship with the increasing household’s size and the increase in the bid variable. According to the results obtained, 71% of Botanical Garden visitors tend to spend at least 100, 000 Rials of their monthly income to maintain its services. Given the annual number of current visitors (18, 000-13, 000 people) and their willingness to pay, the total annual economic value of the Garden is calculated at 4.8 billion Riyals and the value per hectare of the Garden is estimated at about 28 million Riyals.

This paper investigates carbon mitigation policies and economic growth in Iran using the input-output analysis approach. The input-output table was first updated for 2015. Using the data in the Iranian Energy Balance Sheet and the Iranian Statistics of Industrial workshops, the CO2 consumption and its emission were calculated. We have then examined the policies for carbon reduction and economic growth in Iran. The results show that food products, base metals and residential buildings are ranked, respectively, as the first, second and third contributors in energy consumption increase as well as the increase in CO2 emission towards enhancing the rate of economic growth. The results also indicate that in the sectors of marine transport services, wholesale and retail services, and public services energy consumption should be reduced for the 10% increase in economic growth. It is concluded that alongside economic growth the fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions will increase, hence necessitating the use of alternative substitutable energies in order to reduce the pollution.

The climate change is regarded as one of the key factors affecting tourism industry. The aim of this study is to assess the current state of ecotourism in Iran and to provide solutions for its sustainable development with an emphasis on climate change variables. For this purpose, the SWOT approach and the information extracted from the questionnaires designed for 60 experts and professional in this field at the Tourism and Environmental Protection Organization have been used for the year 2018. The results of the SWOT matrix demonstrates that the final score of the internal and external factors evaluation matrix was 2/203 and 2/756, respectively. This would indicate that the status of Iranian tourism is at Home of Conservative Strategies (WO). The results also imply that the different ecosystem and spectacular and pristine landscapes weighing 0/256 are allocated the highest strengths. Likewise, reducing rainfall, increasing temperature and lack of strategic planning in the tourism sector with the participation of the Environmental Organization with a score of 0.086 are among the most important weaknesses. According to our findings, increasing the environmental quality with a score of 0.188 is the best opportunity while increasing the temperature, reducing annual rainfall and increasing the degradation and environmental pollution is one of the most important threats to the development of Iranian tourism with a score of 0.068. It follows,therefore, that with effective management of institutions and the implementation of supportive laws and regulations together with monitoring their implementation and raising public awareness in the field of tourism and conservation of the environment, to enhance further development of tourism industry in Iran.

Economic complexity is an indicator of technological advancement, accumulation of knowledge and product diversity in the production of a country and is an indicator of the level of prosperity and development. In this process, the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and environmental damage, energy consumption and economic complexity of countries are among the existing top challenges. This study examines the relationship between economic complexity, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in OPEC countries. To achieve this goal, the dynamic space panel approach is used for the period 1995-2017. The findings show that energy consumption has a positive and significant relationship with carbon dioxide emissions. This means that due to the lack of advanced technology in OPEC member countries they experience high energy intensity. Moreover, since their main energy consumption is based on fossil fuels they have a high level of pollution. There is also a direct and significant relationship between economic complexity and carbon dioxide emissions. Given that most OPEC members are in the early stages of development, an increase in carbon dioxide emissions is not unexpected.

Global warming and climate change have been one of the most important environmental problem in recent decades. This has been generated by greenhouse gases emission resulting from fossil fuel combustion. The formation of various environmental conventions, including Kyoto Protocol, as a reaction implies the importance of these environmental issues. The said protocol is one of the most important agreements regarding climate change in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are the main reason of global warming in recent decades. This protocol obliged the developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while exempting developing countries. In this study, we analyze some stylized facts about greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane/nitrogen) emission member state countries including Iran. By dividing countries to three main categories, i.e. all the countries, developed and developing countries, we then try to assess the Kyoto protocol effectiveness on eliminating greenhouse gases emission through the period of 1990-2012, pending on the availability of data. We have estimated our basic model by Panel data (GMM) technique. The results imply that although developed countries have tried to comply with their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of carbon dioxide, we are still facing the global trend of increasing production and emission. However, according to methane dioxide and nitrogen oxide, the results of our study indicate a reduction in the emissions of both gases in the three groups of protocol countries.