1. Impact of EU and US Agricultural Support Payments on Developing Countries

The purpose of this research project is to develop a paper that documents the adverse impacts that agricultural support payments in rich countries have on poor ones. The researcher can start with information in a paper by Kent Walsh (Econ 422 term paper) and slides by Arie Kuyvenhoven.

2. Dynamic Partial Equilibrium Trade Model of Softwood Lumber

The purpose of this research project is to construct a trade model of softwood lumber that can be used for policy analysis. It will be necessary to model timber supply over the long term and integrate this into the trade model. The project will require both data collection and mathematical programming (math modeling). One or more papers are to be developed for publication. (This project will involve a two-month or more period of work at the Canadian Forest Service’s Pacific Forestry Centre to collaborate with Dr. Brad Stennes. There may be extra money available from CFS.)
(Authors: B. Abbott, B. Stennes, and G.C. van Kooten)

3. Modeling Ivory Trade

The purpose of this paper is to take an existing dynamic model of ivory trade, update the underlying data, and construct a more solid foundation for modeling ivory supply. The purpose is to develop a paper for publication in an economics journal. (Authors: B. Abbott and G.C. van Kooten)

4. Economics of Invasive Species

The purpose of this research project is to develop a decision support system for managing invasive species. The first task will be to conduct a literature review of the economics of invasive species (some of which has already been completed), a review of appropriate decision support models (optimal control, mathematical programming, heuristics), finally, choose a species to examine in greater detail and develop a decision support framework for analyzing appropriate action. The work should lead to one or more journal articles. (Authors: student, G.C. van Kooten)

5. Economics of Biomass Burning: A Case Study of Northeastern British Columbia

There is much discussion of the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources. This research project considers the economic potential to burn wood biomass in a coal-biomass co-fired facility in Northeastern British Columbia. The facility is not yet built and its capacity needs to be determined. A wood/biomass supply models needs to be developed by coupling a timber supply (plus, perhaps, agricultural biomass supply) model with a transportation model. A transportation model is available but needs to be modified for this purpose. (Authors: student, B. Stennes, R. Prescott, and G.C. van Kooten)

6. Modeling River Basin Dynamics and Drought in British Columbia

The purpose of this research project is to examine river flows and determine the impact that drought could have on British Columbia’s ability to generate electricity from hydro sources in the future. It will be necessary to develop a model of extant hydroelectric generating facilities on British Columbia’s major rivers (the reservoirs and hydropower dams) plus a potential Site C on the Peace River. Much of the work will involve knowledge of engineering relationships. The model will be built in Matlab/GAMS and will be needed to support further work indicated in project 7.
(Authors: student, J. Maddaloni, and G.C. van Kooten)

7. Development of an Electrical Grid Model for British Columbia

The purpose of this research project is to build an electrical grid model for British Columbia that takes various generating sources (hydro dams, gas plants, renewable generating facilities, etc) and integrates them in a realistic way to satisfy the British Columbia load each hour for one year. While this work is expected to lead to a publication, it will be used as an input into project 8.
(Authors: student, J. Maddaloni, and G.C. van Kooten)

8. Determining the Potential for Wind Power by Integrating the Electrical Grid Models for Alberta and British Columbia

We have built an electrical grid model for Alberta to determine the potential costs and benefits of introducing wind power into the Alberta grid. The costs of integrating wind into the Alberta grid are high (in terms of costs of reducing CO2 emissions) because of the variability of wind power. This variability could be offset by relying on hydropower as a ‘backup’ to wind. By using British Columbia’s hydro capacity as the backstop to Alberta’s wind power, it may be possible to reduce the costs of using wind while increasing the overall amount of power that can be made available to customers in both provinces. (Authors: student, J. Maddaloni, R. Prescott, and G.C. van Kooten)

9. Is There an Environmental Kuznets Curve in the Forest Industry?

The purpose of this research project is to determine if there is an EKC in the forest sector. The student will develop a level or index of ‘greenness’ for forest companies and use it to determine if it is greenness increases with firm size, however measured, and other firm characteristics. The purpose is to develop a research paper for possible publication.
(Authors: Y. Wang, S. Laaksonen-Craig, and G.C. van Kooten)

10. Miscellaneous Research the Requires Excellent Econometric Skills

The purpose of this research project is to provide short-term support to enable Professor van Kooten to complete several projects. The projects are quite far along and thus no authorship credit will generally be given (except under unusual circumstance). There is also a rush to complete these projects.

• Meta-regression analysis of carbon uptake costs in forest ecosystems (Y. Wang)
• Ethiopian stove technology: Factors causing peasants to adopt new variants (student)

11. Ranch Management in Zambia

A ranch near Livingstone, Zambia produces cattle for meat. The purpose of this research project is to develop a decision support model for the ranch that will enable the owner to maximize revenues over the longer run subject to various constraints. The important constraints to be considered concern a production function relating precipitation to forage availability at various times during the year and then to cattle/meat production. The project involves aspects of bioeconomics, farm management, data collection, econometric analysis, and mathematical modeling. This project will lead to a detailed report followed, perhaps, by a research paper in the future. (Authors: student, S. Mann, and G.C. van Kooten)

12. The Economics of Terrestrial Carbon Sinks: Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry

This project, funded by BIOCAP Canada and SSHRC, investigates the social costs and benefits of enhanced carbon sequestration by making land use changes. Such changes can include planting trees on marginal agricultural land and adjusting forest management practices.

13. Mitigating and Compensating Agricultural Land Use Externalities in British Columbia

This project, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, investigates the impact of urban areas on agricultural land use in the vicinity. Some questions to be answered include: What challenges and opportunities are unique to farms near urban areas, and how do farmers respond? Do farmers near urban areas adopt more environmentally friendly practices because of consumer demand?

14. An Integrated Resource Management Proposal for the Special Management Area in North-Central Alberta

This project, funded by the Sustainable Forest Management Network, looks at the long-term consequences of including ecological and cultural values in managing 35,000 km2 of forest land in northern Alberta. The Little Red River Cree Nation, who hold the forest tenure for the region, wish to integrate preservation of ecological and cultural resources with improved economic opportunities for nation members (through forest product harvesting). The models developed by the REPA Research Group investigate long-term impacts on allowable harvest and employment. There is also a link with climate change as the models include an assessment of carbon flux and potential sale of carbon credit with different management practices.

15. Competitiveness of Canadian Forestry Sector

This project is funded by SFM Network (PIs: Shaski Kant, University of Victoria of Toronto; G.C. van Kooten, University of Victoria; Van Lantz, University of New Brunswick; Susanna Laaksonen-Craig, University of Toronto).

• REPA researchers are involved in the development of forest product trade models.
• REPA researchers are also looking at links between forest-sector firms’ returns and their environmental performance.

16. Global Penetration of Renewables

17. Pricing of Electricity (forecast and economic theory/model)

18. Ethanol/Biodiesel (alternative transportation fuel)