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Discontentment with a piped supply system of drinking water has become a significant concern in Bangladesh's urban areas in recent years, necessitating the improvement of different aspects of the system in question. Therefore, by conducting a discrete choice experiment on 115 households out of a systematically selected 161 households, this study aims to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for an improved safe drinking water supply by considering the trade-offs made by urban dwellers for the proposed improvements to an existing water supply system in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area of Bangladesh. The primary results show that the total WTP of households is estimated at BDT 243.6 (≈US$ 2.87) per month, implying that respondents are ready to pay for improvements to the water supply attributes of water quality, regularity of supply, water pressure in taps, and filtering. A revenue stream for an improved water supply system is also being developed, suggesting that investment in improving the system would be a 'no-regret' decision and economically sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the environmental harm associated with the disposal of polyethylene (PE) (plastic) mulches after use--incineration, dumping at landfills, tilling into the soil, and onsite stockpiling--biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) are proposed as an environmentally friendly alternative. These mulches are designed to degrade in the field, thereby reducing negative impacts. We conducted discrete choice experiments to evaluate willingness to pay (WTP) for BDM attributes using data collected from a survey of stakeholders in the agricultural sector (e.g., farmers, crop advisors, educators, and others) in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Results obtained using a mixed logit model show that respondents assign the greatest value to BDM attributes that provide a price premium opportunity for the product grown, improve soil health, or reduce field-borne residue, thereby enhancing sustainability. We found heterogeneity in preferences for the attributes of plastic residue and soil health: the cost of BDMs is more important to nonfarmers and noncrop advisors, whereas soil health is more of a concern for crop advisors. In addition, respondents who are less risk averse and less sensitive to cost are more willing to adopt BDMs. Results from this study have implications regarding the best ways to introduce and support sustainable practices as a part of green technology in the agricultural sector, particularly for new BDM products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Considering three-level D -optimal paired choice designs for estimating all the main effects and two-factor interaction effects under the utility-neutral multinomial logit model, we provide general characteristics (and examples) required in generators allowing significant reduction in the number of choice pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented study investigates Austria's small-scale private forest owners' awareness of climate change and their willingness to adapt to its effects. The research is based on a country-wide survey of 919 forest owners which contained a specifically targeted choice experiment. The choice experiment analysed the willingness to implement adaptation measures through comparing the preferences for developing a spruce dominated stand towards a diverse, mixed stand. The results show that although the majority of forest owners already recognizes the effects of climate change, they are uncertain whether and when measures should be undertaken. The owners' willingness to adapt was higher whenever the proposed adaptation measures would be undertaken by a local forest enterprise in a soft procedure maintaining and enhancing the number of deciduous trees. Financial incentives, such as income from timber harvesting or governmental funding, did not have a strong effect on owners' choices, and neither did the forest value in 50 years. Further insights are based on a cluster and latent class analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global drive for universal drinking water security has faltered in rural Africa. Community management of handpumps, which provide water to over 200 million rural people, is the prevailing but increasingly embattled policy choice. A choice experiment is designed to test alternative maintenance models across competing attributes of maintenance provider, maintenance level, payment mode, and payment level. A sample of 3,540 observations is modeled from 118 handpump users in rural Kenya. Results identify community management of maintenance services as the least preferred option with water user payments contingent on an order of magnitude improvement in handpump repair times. Social choice heterogeneity varies by socio-economic status and water use behaviors indicating uneven adoption profiles within communities compounded by no acceptable payment mode. Policy responses to community choices need to address these institutional challenges through new monitoring platforms and acceptable payment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) sets ambitious quality targets for member state water bodies by 2015. The provisions are being transposed predominantly using a cost-effectiveness criterion, which raises questions about the relative balance of costs [of reaching good status (GS)] and corresponding (non-)market benefits or the economic efficiency of the legislation. This study provides an insight into public perceptions of water quality improvements based on an application of national characterisation data on the state of the water environment in Scotland. A choice experiment approach is used to quantify non-market benefits of achieving GS across Scottish rivers and lochs over varying timescales and different geographical levels, with the aim of revealing willingness-to-pay data that is specifically relevant for WFD implementation. We find that the benefits of implementing the WFD are substantial. Results show that geographical differences in preferences for national improvements in the river and loch water quality in Scotland exist, both in terms of magnitudes of benefit estimates and time preferences for improvements. These differences need to be taken into account in analyses at the river basin district or national level in order to support policy options for the implementation of the WFD across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]