Economic Cost Estimation of Environmental, Agricultural and Social Damages of Kermanshah Railway Based on Individual Stated Preferences

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master’s, Faculty of Agricultural Economics, Ardakan University, Iran

2 Assist. Profe. Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran

3 Assoc. Profe. Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran

4 Ph.d Student, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Iran

Abstract

Economic valuation of environmental, agricultural and social impacts is one of the tools of ecosystem management aimed at achieving sustainable development, emphasizing the need for its use in large construction projects. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study is to investigate the environmental, agricultural and social effects of Kermanshah Railway in terms of stated preferences. 200 questionnaires were distributed and completed among the inhabitants of the adjacent areas of the railway in different seasons of the year 2017. The results of the conditional logit model showed that the amount of damage caused by railway for each of the environmental (habitat characteristics and vegetation and climate), agricultural (land use) and social (vibration and noise) characteristics of the order is 79250, 60430 and 12370 Rials per person per year, respectively. Also, the highest willingness to pay for the sub-sectors was obtained for compensation of 224800 Rials for land use specificity and then 46000 Rials per year for social property per household. Finally, the total value of the damages caused by the railroad was 29685 million Rials. According to the results of the current study, people's desire for environmental protection is higher than other sectors. Which illustrates the importance of the environmental sector from the people's point of view. Finally, according to the results of the present study, it is recommended to pay attention to various social, environmental and agricultural sectors before carrying out construction projects such as railways to prevent their adverse effects.
 

Keywords


Abbaspour, A.; Karbassi, A.; Sekhavatjou, M.S.; Saeedi, M. & Zahed, F. 2011. Environmental impact assessment guideline for rail way transportation projects. Human & Environment. 8(4):17-36(In Persian)
Alpizar, T, F.; Blakman, A. & Pfaff, A. 2007. Payments for Ecosystem Services: Why Precision and targeting matter. Resources. Resources for the Future.
Amini, K.; Waysi, F. & Mohammady, S. 2018. Analysis of the Effects of Dams Construction on Sustainable Livelihoods in Rural Areas (Case Study: Dariyandam in oraman region). Journal Strategic Studies of Public Policy. 8(27):155-176 (In Persian)
Amirhajloo, R.; Fatahi Ardakani, A.; Fehresti, M. & Neshat, A. 2018. Estimation of Economic Value of Hydraulic Structures Damages on the Environment (Case Study: Zayandeh Rood Dam). 32(2):167-183(In Persian)
Bateman, I. J.; Carson, R.T.; Day, B., Hanemann; M.; Hanley, N.; Hett, T.; Jones-Lee, M.; Loomes, G.; Mourato, S.; Pearce, D.W. & Sugden, R., 2002. Economic valuation with stated preference techniques: a manual. Economic valuation with stated preference techniques: a manual.
Bazghandi, M.; Bostan, Y.; Sarhangzadeh, J. & Teimouri, A. 2020. A contingent valuation practice with respect to wildlife trafficking law enforcement in Iran (case study: Panthera pardus saxicolor). In Research and Management Practices for Conservation of the Persian Leopard in Iran (pp. 189-211). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28003-1_9
Bostan, Y. Economic evaluation of Iranian rangelands (Case study of Sheikh Musa rangeland in Babol city). 2017. Master thesis of Agricultural Economic. Ardakan University. Iran (In Persian)
Bostan, Y.; Ardakani, A. F.; Fehresti Sani, M. & Sadeghinia, M. 2020. A comparison of stated preferences methods for the valuation of natural resources: the case of contingent valuation and choice experiment. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-020-02714-z
Bostan, Y.; Fatahi Ardakani, A.; Sadeghinia, M. & Fehresti, M. 2019. Estimation and ranking of conservation value of selected Rangeland Ecosystem Services from the perspective of Population Preference (Case Study: Sheikh Mousa Rangeland Ecosystem). Journal of Range and Watershed Managment, 72(4):889-909 (In Persian) https://dx.doi.org/10.22059/jrwm.2020.281734.1384
Bostan, Y.; Fatahiardakani, A.; Fehresti Sani, M. & Sadeghinia, M. 2018. A Pricing Model for Value of Gas Regulation Function of Natural Resources Ecosystems (Case Study: Sheikh Musa Rangeland, Mazandaran Province, Iran). Journal of Rangeland Science, 8(2), 186-200. https://dorl.net /dor/20.1001.1. 20089996. 2018.8.2.9.2
Bostan, Y.; Fatahiardakani, A.; Sadeghinia, M. & Fehresti Sani, M. 2021. Estimating the Contribution and Economic Value of Various Services of Pollinator Insects in a Northern Rangeland Ecosystem of Iran. Journal of Rangeland Science, (Accepted Manuscript Available Online from 04 August 2021).
Bravo-Moncayo, L.; Naranjo, J. L.; García, I. P. & Mosquera, R. 2017. Neural based contingent valuation of road traffic noise. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 50, 26-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2016.10.020 
Chalermpong, S. & Klaiklueng, A. 2012. Valuing aviation noise with the contingent valuation method: case of Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok, Thailand. Transportation research record, 2300(1), 42-48. https://doi. org/10.3141%2F2300-05
Costanza, R. & Daly, H. 1992. Natural capital and sustainable development. Conservation Biology 6, 37–46.
Dahmardeh, M. & Shahraki, J. 2016. Economic assessment of damages caused by drought in Hamoon wetland on the plant and animal ecosystem of the wetland. Journal of Agricultural Economic Research. 7(4):21-38(In Persian)
Daly, H.E. 1977. Steady State Economics. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco.
Fatahi Ardakani, A., 2010. Economic value of underground tables in Yazd-Ardakan Plain (Ph.D. Dissertation) Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University. (In Persian)
Fatahi, A.; Bostan, Y. & Arab, M. 2016. The Comparison of Methods of Discrere Payment Vehicle (Dichotomous Choice) in Improving the Quality of the Environment (a case study of air pollution in Tehran). In International Conference on Research in Science and Technology, Batumi.
Fatahi, A.; Rezvani, M.; Bostan, Y. & Arab, M. 2016. Estimating public participation in investment organic products in Babol (Case Study: Organic rice). In International Conference on Research in Science and Technology, Batumi.
Fehresti sani, M.; Fatahi, A.; Bostan, Y. & Rezvani, M. 2017. Analysis on stability of trade patterns for the selected countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Agricultural Economics. 11(1):53-67 (In Persian)
Gómez-Baggethun, E.; De Groot, R.; Lomas, P. L. & Montes, C. 2010. The history of ecosystem services in economic theory and practice: from early notions to markets and payment schemes. Ecological economics, 69(6), 1209-1218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.11.007
Green, W. H. 2010. Econometric Analysis. Seventh Edition, New York University: Macmillan.
Groot, R.S. 1987. Environmental functions as a unifying concept for ecology and economics. The Environmentalist 7 (2), 105–109.
Hanley, N.; Mourato, S. & Wright, R. 2001. Choice Modelling Approaches: A Superior Alternative for Environmental Valuation? Journal of Economics Surveys. 15(3):435-462. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6419.00145
Hanley, N.; Wright, R.E. & Adamowicz, V. 1998. Using choice experiments to value the environment. Environmental and Resource Economics, 113-4:413-428. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008287310583
Hashemi Bonab, S.; Sharzehi, G.A. & Yazdani, S. 2012. Estimating value of nonuse services of agricultural lands for residents with choice experiment method (case of Mazandaran Provience). Agricultural Economics 6(3): 177-209 (In Persian)
Hausman, J. & McFadden, D. 1984. Specification Tests for the Multinomial Logit Model. Econometrica, 52(5): 1219-1240. https://doi.10.2307/1910997
Huber, J. & Zwerina, K. 1996. The Importance of Utility Balance in Efficient Choice Designs. Gournal of Marketing Research, 23(2) 301-317. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F002224379603300305
Jin Lim, H. J. & Yoo, S. H. 2014. Train travel passengers' willingness to pay to offset their CO2 emissions in Korea. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 32, 526-531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.01.010
Jouze, A. & Ebrahimi, M. 2015. Environmental Risk Assessment of West Country Railroad Development Plans by Using Combination of Multi Criteria Decision Making & YAPP Methods. Environmental Researches. 5(9) Number 9: 87-101(In Persian)
Kermanshah Railway Organization. 2018. https://president.ir/en/103497
Khodaverdizadeh, M. 2013. Determining the total economic value of the protected areas of West and East Azerbaijan. PhD Thesis in Agricultural Economics. Tarbiat Moderns University. Iran (In Persian)
Khodaverdizadeh, M.; Khalilian, S.; Hayati, B. & Pishbahar, E. 2014. Estimation of Monetary Value of Functions and Services in Marakan Protected Area with Choice Experiment Method. Applied Economics Studies, Iran (AESI). 3(10):267-290 (In Persian)
Kim, K.; Shin, J.; Oh, M. & Jung, J. K. 2019. Economic value of traffic noise reduction depending on residents’ annoyance level. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04186-2
Komasi, M. & Beiranvand, B. 2019. Environmental Impact Assessment of the Eyvashan earth dam in the construction and exploitation phase using the ICOLD matrix and rapid impact assessment matrix (RIAM). Journal of Environmental Sciences Studies. 4(2):1427-1442(In Persian)
Lancaster, K. J. 1966. A new approach to consumer theory. Journal of political economy, 74(2), 132-157.
Lavee, D. 2015. Land use for transport projects: Estimating land value. Land Use Policy, 42, 594-601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.09.020
Lim, Y. & Son, U. 2001. Estimation of the value of road traffic noise within apartment housing prices. J Korean Soc Trans 19(4):19–33
Lotfalipour, M. R.; Houshmand, M. & Bostan, Y. 2018. Effects of the Industrial Sector Economic Growth on the Quality of the Environment in Iran (Application of the SelfExplanatory Model with Extensive Pauses). Environmental Researches. 8(16): 103-114(In Persian)
Luce, R. D. 1959. Individual Choice Behavior: A Theoretical Analysis and Application. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McFadden, D. 1973. Conditional Logit Analysis of Qualitative Choice Behavior: New York: Academic Press.
Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. 2016.
Mohtashami, N.; Nazari, M. R. & Rafiee, H. 2015. Evaluation of Environmental Damage of Alborz Dam in Mazandaran by using the Choice Experiment Approach. Agricultural Economics. 8(4):127-153(In Persian)
Mortazavi, S. A.; Najafi Alamdarlo, H. & Zaghi Bijarbas, M. 2019. Estimating the eco-environmental value of damages caused by groundwater over drafting. International journal of environmental science and technology, 16(7), 3861-3868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-018-1808-6
Nelson, J. P. 2004. Meta-analysis of airport noise and hedonic property values. Journal of Transport Economics and Policy (JTEP), 38(1), 1-27.
Neshat, A. 2015. Pricing and consumption of chemical fertilizers with emphasis on environmental quality (Case study: Varamin plain). (Ph.D. Dissertation) Faculty of Agricultural Economics. Tarbiat Modares University (In Persian)
Railway station Kermanshah. 2017. https://www.mrud.ir/
Rasouli, A.; Khazai, M. & Babakhani, S. 2014. Comparison of environmental effects of rail and road transport on sustainable development. Sixth National Conference on Urban Planning and Management with emphasis on the components of the Islamic city. Mashhad (In Persian)
Rezaee Kelij, S. & Karimzadegan, H. 2014. Investigation of environmental effects of Qazvin-Rasht railway construction (Case study of Manjil region). 7th National Conference and Specialized Exhibition of Environmental Engineering, Tehran, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran. 
Rich, J. H. & Nielsen, O. A. 2004. Assessment of traffic noise impacts. International Journal of environmental studies, 61(1), 19-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020723032000113790
Roshan, S. A. & Ahmadi, O. 2015. Measurement and Monetary Valuation of Traffic Noise Pollution by the Top-Down Method in Tabriz City. Health Scope, 4(4). http://DOI:10.17795/jhealthscope-29019
Salehnia, M.; Hayati, B.; Ghahremanzadeh, M. & Molayi, M. 2014. Estimating the Value of Improvement in Lake Urmia’s Environmental Condition: Application of Choice Experiment Approach. 27(4):267-276(In Persian)
Statistical Centre of Iran. 2016. https://www.amar.org.ir/ 
Westman, W. 1977. How much are nature's services worth? Science 197, 960–964.
Yousefi Najafabadi, M. 2016. Assessment Criteria for Urban Natural Landscape Features. Journal of the Urban Development and Organization Haft Shahr. 4(55, 56):74-86(In Persian)