Strategic planning for sustainable tourism development in Poland

The aim of this article is to evaluate selected tourism development strategies in Poland, in the context of strategic planning, stakeholders’ participation, and sustainable development principles. A questionnaire evaluation of strategy (44 questions) was established and based on measurement scales developed and validated by other authors in earlier studies. The five authors of the study rated 37 tourism development strategies in 13 provinces, 11 cities, 5 counties, 6 municipalities, and 2 other areas. Analysis revealed that they implement paradigms of sustainable development of tourism to only a small extent. Definitely higher quality is documented for higher levels of administrative division. The highest rated domains of the tourism development strategy in the examined documents are Strategic Planning Indicators and Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation.     

Structural change and sustainable development

In this paper, we show that the commonly observed decline in primary (natural resource using) sector output and employment shares, often termed structural change, can be explained as an endogenous response to the presence of nature's constraint. Structural change takes place even if consumer preferences are homothetic, and technological progress does not discriminate against the primary sector. Under certain conditions, structural change allows an open economy to grow with natural resource sustainability. Sustained and environmentally sustainable economic growth is possible even if the natural resource is exploited under open access. Well-defined property rights are neither necessary, nor sufficient for sustainable growth. We show that there is no unique relationship between natural resource endowment and the rate of economic growth over the long run. Resource-rich economies may grow faster or slower than resource-poor ones.     

The role of social media for sustainable development in mountain region tourism in Pakistan

This research letter focuses on tourist behavior and tourism business operators’ contributions to rural mountain region economic growth and sustainable development when using social media. Data were collected from 43 interviews from different tourism business operators, and a questionnaire survey of 576 tourists from the Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Drawing on development communication theory, the study reveals that there is a positive relationship between the tourists’ intentions and rural mountain region sustainable development. The study also reveals that most tourists are willing to pay more taxes when touring mountain regions. The real business outcomes from tourism business operators show that rural mountain region tourism creates better employment opportunities for the rural population. All tourists demonstrated the motivation to take part in rural mountain region sustainable development while touring rural locations. The study also offers policy implications.     

Emergy-based urban health evaluation and development pattern analysis

The objective of this study is to measure and evaluate the ecosystem health levels of 31 Chinese capital cities in 2004 through an emergy synthesis framework. A system of indicators was developed corresponding to the four factors of urban ecosystem health including efficiency, structure, impact and flux. Furthermore, combined with individual indices, an emergy-based urban ecosystem health index (EUEHI) was proposed to measure and evaluate the health levels among various typical cities in China, which offers an integrated evaluation tool in view of urban production, trade and consumption. The results showed that there are intrinsic differences among six clusters associated with driving mechanisms distinguishing the rankings of urban health levels. After lining the cities of similar health levels with cluster map, the spatial distribution of the urban health is found to be arch-shaped, increasing initially and then decreasing from coast to inner land. This kind of spatial hierarchy is per se compatible and consistent with the hierarchical theory of emergy synthesis. The results also revealed double restrictions of urban health between economy and environment. Moreover, the interaction analysis was used for mirroring the driving mechanism of urban ecosystem health. Three conclusions were arrived at. Firstly, environmental health is inversely related to the economic health in China, indicating that cities cannot achieve win–win between environment and economy in the current urban development mode. Secondly, based on economy-driven mode, four quadrants were divided in the city division map, wherein 43.33% of the concerned cities developed in high economy-restriction mode, which means low economic level is still an important limiting factor for the major cities of China. Finally, based on environment-driven mode, two sections were divided, of which weak environmental dominance mode expounds the special characteristics of urban environment with obvious fragility. 23.33% of the 30 cities were in the intermediate state, which means a few correspondingly unhealthy cities should develop concrete polices for the urban ecosystem restoration.     

Indigenous people and sustainable development in Amazonas

Indigenous populations have lived for many generations in a sustainable fashion, developing knowledge about how to live in harmony with the environment. However, the sustainability of their life styles, their quality of life and the maintenance of intact ecosystems are threatened by a series of changes, including incorporation into the general fabric of society, conflict with non-indigenous migrants, expansion of indigenous populations and the globalization of national economies. This paper looks at the potential for policy to deal with these issues. In particular, it is shown that the ‘polluter pays principle’ is not appropriate for indigenous societies. The paper recommends a set of policies and shows how international cooperation in the areas of monitoring and enforcement, augmentation of demand for rain forest products and eco-certification can help indigenous groups improve their quality of life and maintain ecosystems in their current undisturbed state.     

A holistic approach to the development of sustainable agriculture: application of the ecosystem health model

Serious resource depletion has made sustainable agriculture an important and pressing issue for scientists, policy makers, and stakeholders worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Researchers have focused on methods to assess agriculture correctly, and to introduce sound solutions for sustainability, but have reached no agreement. In this paper, we introduce the theoretical framework of the agro-ecosystem health model, a new holistic approach, and apply it at a regional scale using four aspects (4S): sound structure, stable function, safe service, and sustainable development. We examine how 12 indicators of an agro-ecosystem health assessment (AHA) were selected using three dimensions based on this theoretical framework. In an AHA, we used an amoeba approach to examine a high-yield agro-ecosystem in Huantai County, Shandong Province, China. The results indicate that this model of ecosystem health can reflect the complex ecological, economic, and human conditions of an agro-ecosystem and evaluate these conditions using perspectives pertinent to system structure, function, and responses (services).     

The role of spatial scale in sustainable development

The role of spatial scale in sustainable development is assessed by dividing the world into multiple spatial units at different levels on a socio-political spatial scale. The basic patterns of sustainable development do not appear to be evident at all spatial levels, owing to the absence of some capital stocks and the conversion processes linking them, but environmental economics theory can be generalized to explain phenomena at various levels. Capital conversion processes influencing the sustainability of development of spatial units are constrained by processes at different levels, e.g. those imposing environmental conditions on development or affecting availability of investment capital. The autonomy of individual spatial units is also compromised by capital transfers to and from other units at the same level, so it is proposed that the sustainability of development of a particular unit should be estimated using net, rather than gross capital trends. Because of uneven development the same degree of sustainability should not be expected at the same time for all spatial units at the same spatial level.     

微生物资源的开发利用与农业可持续发展

对微生物资源在农业可持续发展中的作用及其合理开发利用进行了阐述和总结。认为微生物作为一种宝贵的资源,它与农业可持续发展的关系十分密切,它在土壤肥力的提高与保持、营养元素的转化、环境净化与生态系统的平衡等方面起着极其重要的作用。因此,加强以微生物肥料、微生物农药、微生物食品、微生物饲料、环境激素和环境工程微生物等为核心的农业清洁生产技术的研究与开发利用将具有广阔的应用前景。微生物农业即所谓的"白色农业"将成为未来农业可持续发展的重要方向之一。     

自组织理论与复合生态系统可持续发展

复合生态系统出现了一系列环境问题阻碍了区域的可持续发展。文章将自组织理论引人到可持续发展领域，建立以实现可持续发展为目标的复合生态系统自组织理论：分析了复合生态系统的自组织特性，阐述了复合生态系统内部非线性结构和熵相互作用对系统自组织演化的影响，论述了复合生态系统自组织与可持续发展的关系，即复合生态系统达到自组织运作状态或总体趋势时，系统就达到了可持续发展。提出了复合生态系统自组织运行规律就是要实现社会规律、经济规律和自然规律的协同，即“三律协同”。在此基础上，探讨了实现复合生态系统自组织的途径：系统开放、引入负熵；建立以生态经济、生态环境、生态文化组成的耗散结构；建立复合生态系统目标实现的分段时间结构；加强系统协调机制，制定符合系统社会、经济和自然规律协同的各项措施。     

流域河口湿地生态健康与湿地发育关系研究

河口湿地作为一个独立的＂活体＂,有着其自身的地理发育、成熟和衰老的生长过程。以大洋河河口湿地为例,运用面积积分曲线和分维度指数计算大洋河流域发育阶段及河口湿地生长过程,得出如下结论,（1）在河流流域地貌发育早期,河流底蚀、侧蚀、溯源侵蚀强烈,河流含沙量高,泥沙在河口地区沉降而易形成河口湿地;随着流域地貌发育到壮年期,河流泥沙含量输出稳定,河口湿地面积继续扩张;到流域地貌发育晚期,侵蚀减弱,河流含沙量减少,河口湿地缺乏稳定的泥沙供应,在河湾水动力作用下逐渐萎缩、直至消亡。（2）人类活动直接影响河口湿地环境的物理、化学和生物组份,改变了河口泥沙的输入量及沉积环境,人类活动实际上是直接或间接地缩短了河口湿地的发育时间,加速了其发育进程。（3）针对不同发育阶段的河流,在制定河口湿地保护政策和修复措施时,必须充分考虑其地质历史发育特征,政策的制定要符合其生长规律。     

Activity of root voles (Microtus oeconomus) under snow: social encounters synchronize individual activity rhythms

Microtine rodents usually display short-term activity rhythms synchronized by light. Social interactions have also been suggested to act as a zeitgeber, entraining individual activity, but evidence supporting this is scarce. In areas with a permanent snow cover during winter, small rodents spend most of the time in the subnivean space, between the snow cover and the ground, where they most likely are unaffected by otherwise dominating photoperiodic cues. The subnivean space, however, is fragmented, and this limits movement and may isolate individuals living just a few meters apart. These conditions provide excellent opportunities to test for the existence of social synchronization. During two winters, I experimentally decreased the subnivean fragmentation by placing out a network of corrugated aluminium sheets on the ground before snowfall, thus increasing the potential for movement and social interaction within the subnivean space. Other areas were left as controls. Intensive PIT-tag monitoring in the subnivean system provided individual activity data of root voles (Microtus oeconomus) without disturbing normal activity. The data revealed that microtines under snow displayed a free-running activity rhythm and that the activity was evenly distributed throughout the 24-h day, indicating a lack of photo-entrainment. Despite this lack of light, interacting individuals were synchronous, and pairwise synchrony decreased with decreasing potential for social interactions. These results suggest that social interactions indeed entrain microtine activity. Several possible adaptive advantages of the synchrony of microtine rodent activity have been proposed, and these theories are discussed in light of the result presented.     

Rubber cultivation and sustainable development in Xishuangbanna,China

SUMMARY

Xishuangbanna in southwest China is a tropical and subtropical region with extraordinary traditional cultures and attractive landscapes. Rubber cultivation is a key production source undergoing rapid growth. It contributes substantially to improvement of the local economic situation and partially replaces traditional slash-and-burn agriculture in the uplands, but it also results in biodiversity loss and environmental degradation and disturbs the peaceful life of the indigenous people. We discuss the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) preserved in daily practices and the present types of rubber plantations and suggest the application of TEK, in particular, the indigenous land-use experience to rubber cultivation, in order to promote sustainability in local economic development and ecological well-being.     

科学施肥与农业生产可持续发展

化肥的施用，实现了农业的增产，一百多年来为解决中国人民的温饱问题做出了重大贡献。肥料仍然是粮食安全的重要保障。但不合理施用化肥造成环境污染和食品安全问题，使人们产生了对化肥的错误认识。文章认为必须树立起科学施肥的观念，努力提高化肥利用率，形成有机、无机肥料合理配合使用的格局，促进农业生产可持续发展。此外，还认为应加强肥料市场管理，使之有法可依，并能迎接入世的挑战。     

Participatory research and sustainable development in the Sahelo-Sudanian region

SUMMARY

A participatory research programme was conducted in the groundnut basin of Senegal, where there was a need to intensify the local farming systems. The research yielded a set of technical references and profitable innovations, which were introduced through specific development actions. The technology transfer aims at the establishment of sustainable farming systems and takes into account the climatic risks and innovation costs. Identification of research themes and implementation of results was based on various analyses: climatic analysis at regional level (establishment of climatic zones) and identification of constraints at farm level. Farmers' interests and the research results were combined to define suitable interventions for each surveyed farm, with the aim of increasing farm income and restoring soil fertility. The research also yielded elements for formulating an appropriate and realistic agricultural policy for the region. Clearly, the development of livestock farming activities is essential in bringing new economic life into the region and increasing the sustainability of farming systems in erratic climatic conditions.     

国内外可持续发展指标体系研究进展

可持续发展是人类社会发展的必由之路。可持续发展指标的筛选和指标体系的构建,是人类全面实施可持续发展战略的重要组成部分,是人类社会可持续发展研究中的前沿性课题。20世纪90年代以来可持续发展研究的热点已经从可持续发展的定义转向可持续发展的评价,特别是指标体系的构建。20多年来,可持续发展指标体系的研究已经出现了从理论探讨走向了实际应用的趋势。通过分析20世纪90年代以来国内外有代表性的不同尺度上的可持续发展指标体系：联合国可持续发展委员会（UNCSD）的可持续发展指标体系、世界银行衡量可持续发展的新指标体系、波罗的海21世纪议程、英国、瑞典、芬兰、德国、美国、瑞士、丹麦及中国等国的可持续发展指标体系、欧洲城市可持续发展指标体系、新西兰玛努卡市的可持续发展指标体系、美国西雅图市社区可持续发展指标体系、中国的云南省、海南省、山东省等省以及南京市和哈尔滨市的可持续发展指标体系、山西交口县可持续发展指标体系、云南山区民族行政村可持续发展指标体系,对国内外可持续发展指标体系研究进行了总体评价。结果发现如果在以西方文明为主的现代化和城市化的框架下进行区域可持续发展的分析和评判,那得到的结论本质上是区域现代化或城市化程度的反映,而不是对区域可持续发展现状和趋势的评判。20多年来,国内外可持续发展指标体系的研究取得了丰硕的成果,为人类实施可持续发展战略打下了坚实的基础。     

生态足迹改进模型在可持续发展评价中的应用研究

生态足迹分析通过计算生物物理量来衡量人类经济活动对自然生态系统服务的需求与自然生态系统承载力之间的协调程度,因为该方法思路新颖、计算简便而被广泛应用于国家和地区的可持续发展评价中。文章针对Rees W E等提出的生态足迹模型中存在的问题与不足(如:产量因子和当量因子参数选取偏差,生态功能差异表现不充分,模型不具动态性等)提出了改进生态足迹模型。利用改进后的生态足迹模型计算天津市1995—2005年的生态足迹及其动态变化值,天津市耕地、牧草地、林地、水域和化石能源用地人均生态足迹盈亏分别为0.0009,-0.3224,-0.1991,0.0255,-1.9600hm2·人-1,除耕地和水域略有盈余外,牧草地、林地和化石能源用地人均生态赤字均呈递增趋势。1995—2005年间天津市单位产值能耗居高不下、人口规模增长与建筑用地扩张是导致人均生态赤字扩大的根本原因。文章提出的生态足迹改进模型可以动态指示区域或城市经济发展水平与自然生态系统承载力之间的协调程度,为区域可持续发展战略制定和实施提供决策依据。     

Assessing sustainable development in urban areas using cognitive mapping and MCDA

As interest in sustainability-related issues has increased over recent years, so too has urban sustainability risen to the fore, in academic, practitioner, and policymaking circles alike. Urban sustainability requires a balance between environmental concerns, the economy, and social development in urban areas. However, over the years, there has been an exponential increase in urban density, accompanied by increased economic activity and high levels of consumption, which have hindered urban planning and made the sustainable management of urban areas more difficult. It has therefore become increasingly necessary to combine the interests of the various stakeholders involved in – or affected by – urban planning measures, in order to achieve a balance between their needs, those of the environment and future generations, and the need for economic development. Sustainability evaluation models can in this sense be considered a baseline condition for sustainable development. However, most existing evaluation systems present limitations in terms of criteria identification and the calculation of the respective trade-offs. To address these issues, the current study aims to combine cognitive mapping and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to prioritize the determinants of sustainable development in urban areas. The advantages and limitations of our proposal are also analyzed.     

Measuring and assessing indicators of sustainable development for Scotland: a pilot survey

In this paper, we review three broad classes of indicators of sustainable development. These are economic, ecological and sociopolitical indicators. We then report the results of a pilot study which measured five different indicators for Scotland: an approximate environmentally-adjusted Net National Product; the Pearce-Atkinson Measure; Net Primary Production; Appropriated Carrying Capacity; and the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare. We find that not all indicators point in the same direction, but a majority suggest that Scotland is at best only marginally sustainable. Data limitations, however, suggest a degree of caution in the interpretation of these results.     

Institutional deficiencies and capacity building constraints: the dilemma for environmentally sustainable development in Africa

SUMMARY

The authors question Africa's ability to achieve sustainable development in view of the erosion of its institution building capacity, a problem compounded by the alarming rate of Africa's continuing marginalisation in the world economy. The situation has been provoked by inappropriate domestic policies which have not only compromised Africa's competitiveness, but also made it particularly vulnerable given the increasing globalisation of markets and factors of production. The benefits associated with effective global economic participation transcend direct financial gains and include technology transfers, technical and managerial skills transfers, and other skills transfers associated with the ‘learning and doing’ process. These benefits are instrumental in the development of the economic, administrative, legislative and social institutions that prescribe the organisational and managerial structure of an economy and define its capacity for sustainable growth. In Africa, the absence of such structures has undermined development efforts and created large impoverished populations. But poverty in living standards is not only prevalent, there is also the acute poverty in knowledge and skills which is so damaging to institution building capacity. The socio-economic impact is manifest in dilapidated infrastructure, decaying institutions, the exodus of the professional and managerial cadre, and the almost total disintegration of society. It is within this context that Africa's ability to evolve and effectively manage sustainable development policies is questioned. The study concludes that the continent's capacity to initiate sound environmental and sustainable development policies depends crucially on its ability to develop appropriate and functional institutions.