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Spatial aggregation and the value of natural capital

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  • Addicott, Ethan T.
  • Fenichel, Eli P.

Abstract

Location matters for the value of capital assets. The value of changes in natural capital wealth can depend on whether natural capital asset prices are measured locally and then aggregated or whether average values are applied over aggregate representative areas. Spatial heterogeneity of resource characteristics and institutions impact approximations of the intertemporal welfare function and accounting price function because when spatial aggregation precedes valuation it implies greater arbitrage opportunities leading to more inelastic shadow (accounting) price functions than when valuation is done locally and then aggregated. Aggregation of observed values across varying resource and institutional characteristics can lead to omitted variables bias. We illustrate these results in the context of groundwater in the Kansas High Plains Aquifer and demonstrate that the accounting price function is less elastic when the accounting price is measured locally. Failure to measure locally and then aggregate could lead to undervaluing scarce resources and overvaluing plentiful ones, which biases wealth accounts in favor of passing the non-declining wealth sustainability test.

Suggested Citation

  • Addicott, Ethan T. & Fenichel, Eli P., 2019. "Spatial aggregation and the value of natural capital," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 118-132.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:95:y:2019:i:c:p:118-132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2019.03.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Yukiko Hashida & Eli P. Fenichel, 2022. "Valuing natural capital when management is dominated by periods of inaction," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(2), pages 791-811, March.
    2. Enrique Calfucura, 2024. "Evaluación de Servicios Ecosistémicos de Regulación y Soporte: Una Revisión y Hechos Estilizados para Chile," Economic Statistics Series 142, Central Bank of Chile.
    3. Rintaro Yamaguchi, 2021. "Genuine Savings and Sustainability with Resource Diffusion," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(2), pages 451-471, October.
    4. Shew, Aaron M. & Nalley, Lawton L. & Durand-Morat, Alvaro & Meredith, Kylie & Parajuli, Ranjan & Thoma, Greg & Henry, Christopher G., 2021. "Holistically valuing public investments in agricultural water conservation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    5. Fenichel, Eli P. & Dean, Monica F., 2024. "Blended academic insights for biodiversity and conservation finance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    6. Robert J. Johnston & Kevin J. Boyle & Maria L. Loureiro & Ståle Navrud & John Rolfe, 2021. "Guidance to Enhance the Validity and Credibility of Environmental Benefit Transfers," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 79(3), pages 575-624, July.
    7. Ethan T. Addicott, 2024. "The Value and Configuration of Coastal Natural Capital," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring and Accounting for Environmental Public Goods: A National Accounts Perspective, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Manning, Dale T. & Rad, Mani Rouhi & Suter, Jordan F. & Goemans, Christopher & Xiang, Zaichen & Bailey, Ryan, 2020. "Non-market valuation in integrated assessment modeling: The benefits of water right retirement," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    9. Sampson, Gabriel S. & Hendricks, Nathan P. & Taylor, Mykel R., 2019. "Land market valuation of groundwater," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    10. Knoke, Thomas & Elsasser, Peter & Kindu, Mengistie, 2024. "Considering the land-cover elasticity of ecosystem service value coefficients improves assessments of large land-use changes," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green accounting; Inclusive wealth; Genuine savings; Sustainability; Groundwater;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • R32 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Other Spatial Production and Pricing Analysis

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