8.10.5 Value of Human Life
Section 8.2 outlined methods of evaluating projects which will affect human health.
However, projects which will directly save or, alternatively, take lives cannot be
evaluated in the same manner, since the ethical considerations involved transcend
economic analysis.
8.10.6 Incrementalism
Incrementalism is the term used to denote problems which arise from making
decisions on an individual project basis without consideration of the cumulative
effect of many such decisions. For example, the removal of a few hectares of
rainforest or a small portion of coral reef as part of one development project may
not be highly significant in and of itself, but the cumulative effect of many such
projects may have important repercussions. (See also Chap. 4).
Often, an overall country or regional plan is needed which can be consulted to
ensure that such issues are dealt with appropriately.
8.10.7 Cultural, Historical and Aesthetic Resources
Many development projects not only entail the modification of natural habitats but
may also have adverse effects on culturally or historically significant sites. Other
projects will result in the loss of scenic resources. In many instances, these aspects of
a project may have important implications in terms of its acceptance by local
residents.
Losses of cultural or historical resources are difficult to quantify and monetize
because the perception of these losses depend on cultural traditions and value
systems. The contingent valuation techniques described in Sect. 8.8 are one way
of estimating the values of these resources, but the limitations inherent in these
techniques make it difficult to arrive at meaningful estimates. For example, attempts
to determine local residents’ willingness to accept compensation for the loss of an
important cultural site may show that they are unwilling to accept any level of
compensation, no matter how high. Though their willingness to pay to keep the site
may be constrained by income, the amount needed to compensate them for such a
loss may be extremely high, or even infinite.
Aesthetic resources represent similar measurement problems, though the values
involved are likely to be much smaller. In these cases, either the property-value
approach or the contingent valuation methods can be applied to obtain estimates.
When such issues threaten to have significant impacts on project acceptance,
compromises may be necessary. These may involve moving the site of the project,
moving the cultural or historical relic to a nearby site, or some other form of
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8 Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Infrastructure
Section 8.2 outlined methods of evaluating projects which will affect human health.
However, projects which will directly save or, alternatively, take lives cannot be
evaluated in the same manner, since the ethical considerations involved transcend
economic analysis.
8.10.6 Incrementalism
Incrementalism is the term used to denote problems which arise from making
decisions on an individual project basis without consideration of the cumulative
effect of many such decisions. For example, the removal of a few hectares of
rainforest or a small portion of coral reef as part of one development project may
not be highly significant in and of itself, but the cumulative effect of many such
projects may have important repercussions. (See also Chap. 4).
Often, an overall country or regional plan is needed which can be consulted to
ensure that such issues are dealt with appropriately.
8.10.7 Cultural, Historical and Aesthetic Resources
Many development projects not only entail the modification of natural habitats but
may also have adverse effects on culturally or historically significant sites. Other
projects will result in the loss of scenic resources. In many instances, these aspects of
a project may have important implications in terms of its acceptance by local
residents.
Losses of cultural or historical resources are difficult to quantify and monetize
because the perception of these losses depend on cultural traditions and value
systems. The contingent valuation techniques described in Sect. 8.8 are one way
of estimating the values of these resources, but the limitations inherent in these
techniques make it difficult to arrive at meaningful estimates. For example, attempts
to determine local residents’ willingness to accept compensation for the loss of an
important cultural site may show that they are unwilling to accept any level of
compensation, no matter how high. Though their willingness to pay to keep the site
may be constrained by income, the amount needed to compensate them for such a
loss may be extremely high, or even infinite.
Aesthetic resources represent similar measurement problems, though the values
involved are likely to be much smaller. In these cases, either the property-value
approach or the contingent valuation methods can be applied to obtain estimates.
When such issues threaten to have significant impacts on project acceptance,
compromises may be necessary. These may involve moving the site of the project,
moving the cultural or historical relic to a nearby site, or some other form of
250
8 Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Infrastructure