In this study, we explored the willingness to pay (WTP) for broilers raised under the high welfare system. The interval data model and the ordered probit model were used to investigate the factors that affect consumers’ WTP for broiler meat produced by farm animal welfare (FAW), practice. Our results from both methods suggest that socioeconomic characteristics such as education level, income level, gender, and age significantly affect consumers’ WTP. The food safety concerns of consumers and perceived consumer effectiveness also influence consumers’ WTP. Using the interval data method, we computed the mean and median of the estimated WTP from our survey sample. The mean was 46.7745 New Taiwanese dollar per kilogram. The marginal effects of the different variables are also presented.
This study explores the non-linear relationship between air pollution, socio-economic factors, labor insurance, and labor productivity in the industrial sector in Taiwan. Using machine learning, specifically multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), provides an alternative approach to examining the impact of air pollution on labor productivity, apart from the traditional linear relationships and parametric methods employed in previous studies. Examining this topic is imperative for advancing the knowledge on the effects of air pollution on labor productivity and its association with labor insurance, employing a machine learning framework. The results reveal that air pollution, particularly PM10, has a negative impact on labor productivity. Lowering the PM10 level below 36.2 μg/m3 leads to an increase in marginal labor productivity. Additionally, the study identifies labor insurance as a significant factor in improving productivity, with a 9% increase in the total number of labor insurance holders resulting in a substantial 42.9% increase in productivity. Notably, a link between air pollution and insurance is observed, indicating that lower air pollution levels tend to be associated with higher labor insurance coverage. This research holds valuable implications for policymakers, businesses, and industries as it offers insights into improving labor productivity and promoting sustainable economic development.
15 May 2020 in International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy
Taiwan pursues economic growth, but the environment also faces major threats. How to balance economic growth and environmental maintenance has become a priority for sustainable development. This study analyzes this issue from a regional perspective. Taichung City is a scaled-down version of Taiwan's economic development. This case study will help to think about how the economy and the environment can achieve a win-win situation in the future. This study analyzes the economic effects of investments in solar systems and then analyzes the differences in CO2 emissions between electricity consumption and electricity sources. As a source of electricity needed to provide economic activities in Taichung, solar power systems will avoid the large-scale CO2 emissions generated by economic growth and achieve a win-win goal of economic growth and environmental maintenance, which will help to achieve the possibility of sustainable urban development.Keywords: Solar power, Investment, Economic growth, CO2 emissions, Sustainable urban development.JEL Classifications: C67, Q01, Q58, R58DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.7225
1 May 2019 in International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy