Technological Innovation and Developmental Strategies for Sustainable Management of Aquatic Resources in Developing Countries

Sustainable use and allocation of aquatic resources including water resources require implementation of ecologically appropriate technologies, efficient and relevant to local needs. Despite the numerous international agreements and provisions on transfer of technology, this has not been successfully achieved in developing countries. While reviewing some challenges to technological innovations and developments (TID), this paper analyzes five TID strategic approaches centered on grassroots technology development and provision of localized capacity for sustainable aquatic resources management. Three case studies provide examples of successful implementation of these strategies. Success requires the provision of localized capacity to manage technology through knowledge empowerment in rural communities situated within a framework of clear national priorities for technology development.     

An international review of local governance for climate change: implications for Hong Kong

Cities have increasingly become the focal point for climate change initiatives. However, how cities respond to climate change challenges and through what mechanisms have remained largely unexplored. This paper develops a framework for local governance to examine and explain climate change initiatives in cities. Based on the analysis of 20 climate change initiatives in major cities and a detailed case study of Hong Kong, this paper has two main findings. First, local governments at the city level have an important role to play in climate change policies by embracing some key strategies (such as deliberation and partnership) and values (such as equity and legitimacy) of good governance. Second, by comparing and contrasting the experience in other cities, our case study of Hong Kong provides insights about the barriers that may limit a city's ability to adapt to new forms of governance that would enable it to better respond to climate change. The paper concludes by exploring the potential role of local governance as a model to strengthen climate change initiatives at the city level.     

A multicriteria model for planning agricultural regions within a context of groundwater rational management

Current international research focuses on topics like sustainable development, regional planning, environmental decision making and implementation, biodiversity conservation plus a number of other relevant issues, especially at times of economic crisis as today. Economic growth and environmental protection can go hand in hand, provided that decision makers develop and use tools and insights targeting in the implementation of successful and robust long term policies. This paper was developed in the framework of a European research project and implements a Multicriteria Mathematical Programming model that optimises the sustainable management of agricultural regions taking in account the available resources (land, labour, capital) and environmental parameters (agrochemicals, water consumption). The model achieves the optimum farm plan in the area combining different criteria to a utility function under a set of constraints and the spatial integration of the vulnerability maps of the regions into the model enables the regional authorities to design policies for the optimal agricultural development and the groundwater protection from the agricultural land uses. Furthermore, the model is used to simulate different scenarios and policies by the local stakeholders, due to changes on different social, economic and environmental parameters. In this way the decision makers can achieve alternative farm plans and agricultural land uses as well as to estimate economic, social and environmental impacts of different policies. The model has been applied to an agricultural region in Northern Greece and proved to be a valuable tool in the implementation of environmental policies and actions, especially in agricultural regions in a delicate balance as the study area.     

From climate change impacts to adaptation: A development perspective for India

India has good reasons to be concerned about climate change as it could adversely affect the achievement of vital national development goals related to socio‐economic development, human welfare, health, energy availability and use, and infrastructure. The paper attempts to develop a framework for integrated impact assessment and adaptation responses, using a recently built railroad coastal infrastructure asset in India as an example. The framework links climate change variables — temperature, rainfall, sea level rise, extreme events, and other secondary variables — and sustainable development variables — technology, institutions, economic, and other policies. The study indicates that sustainable development variables generally reduce the adverse impacts on the system due to climate change alone, except when they are inadequately applied. The paper concludes that development is a vital variable for integrated impact assessment. Well crafted developmental policies could result in a less‐GHG intensive future, enhanced adaptive capacities of communities and systems, and lower impacts due to climate change.     

安徽省环境经济政策评估分析:2016—2017

为了把握安徽省的环境经济政策整体绩效,本文先对安徽省环境经济政策的发展历程进行梳理,然后以安徽省2016—2017年执行的环境经济政策作为主要研究对象,利用内容分析法、层次分析法和德尔菲法等方法从政策完整性、明确性、可执行性、协调性、成果性五个维度对环境经济政策进行了绩效评估分析。评价结果显示,目前安徽省已基本建立了环境经济政策体系框架,公共财政政策等起步较早领域更为成熟,相关配套与监督措施也较为全面,但在绿色金融、排污权交易等方面仍需进一步完善。最后针对安徽省环境经济政策的不足,本文提出了相应的建议与展望。     

德国可再生能源政策与沼气工程简介

本文介绍了德国可再生能源政策,政策对沼气、光伏太阳能及风力发电行业的影响,沼气工程技术现状。德国的经验表明,政策激励是农场沼气工程发展的主要动力。     

再生水回用公众参与意愿两阶段影响因素分析

污水再生利用是减少水体污染、缓解水资源供需矛盾和促进城市经济社会可持续发展的重要途径,但公众的偏见和排斥严重制约再生水处理技术的推广和发展。本文整合技术接受拓展模型和技术准备度理论,构建公众参与再生水回用意愿影响因素模型,运用结构方程模型和人工神经网络进行两阶段实证检验。研究表明：感知有用性和感知易用性对公众参与再生水回用意愿有显著正向影响;便利条件和主观规范分别对感知易用性和感知有用性起显著提升作用;技术准备度的消极因素极大地阻碍了公众再生水回用意愿的提升。基于上述结论,本文提出提升宣传的有效性,完善城市再生水配套设施及相关激励政策,联合社区、学校、企业等平台协同推进再生水处理技术推广工作等对策建议,为政府制定科学有效的干预政策,引导公众使用再生水提供重要的理论参考和实践指导。     

Local sustainability programmes in comparative perspective: Canada and the USA

This paper seeks to explore Canada's response to the global dialogue over sustainable development on two dimensions: policy articulation at the federal and provincial levels and policy implementation at the municipal level. In order to accomplish these goals, this analysis begins by outlining a critical framework for understanding and assessing local sustainable development. Next, it examines the evolution of Canadian federal and provincial policies supportive of sustainable development, including the role played by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in enhancing this process. It then contrasts the Canadian promise and experience with that of the USA. In analysing local responses to the call for sustainable communities, it offers a case study of the Hamilton-Wentworth Vision 2020 sustainable community programme—a North American showcase of sustainable community initiatives.     

分散性污水处理技术研究进展

针对我国的实际情况,将集中污水处理与分散污水处理效果进行了对比,结果表明,分散污水处理是节省投资、降低能耗、维护生态平衡、推行可持续发展的一种先进技术,适用于农村和其他未普及管网的地区。采用分散型污水处理系统和集中污水处理系统相结合的方式是中国目前既解决环保问题又保持可持续性发展的有效途径。文中详细介绍了分散型污水处理技术的概念、优点以及主要的技术形式,预测了其发展前景,并提出了相应的发展战略。     

碳达峰政策体系建设的思路与重点任务

我国2030年前实现碳达峰面临巨大压力,需要系统研究构建碳达峰政策体系,为碳达峰提供政策动力。本文分析了我国碳达峰相关政策实施情况,探讨了碳达峰政策创新思路,提出了碳达峰政策体系建设的重点任务以及政策实施保障。以减污降碳为主线,推进低碳发展政策与生态环境保护政策的统筹融合,构建完善以碳排放总量控制为核心的,涵盖行业部门、重点区域地区、减排相关方的,多手段类型相结合的碳达峰政策体系,促进产业、能源、交通结构调整和低碳发展,有效推动重点行业和领域碳排放达峰路径与关键举措的顺利落地。从建立健全碳排放总量控制考评制度、加快构建排污许可证与碳排放管控协同制度、深化能源资源价格机制改革、全面推开碳排放权交易市场等方面提出重点政策建议。     

Local economic development — the changing public/private sector relationship

The paper examines changing approaches to local economic development in the period since 1974. Initially, it proposes an ‘orthodox’ model of local economic development policies which emphasised the provision of a better industrial fabric, and of financial assistance to small, inner city firms. It suggests three recent directions of change in emphasis from this orthodox model: help in the creation of new entrepreneurs; replacement of public sector by private sector action; local authority shareholding in local firms by use of Enterprise Boards. Each approach makes different assumptions about the public/private sector relationship, the last two involve a more explicitly ideological stance on this issue.     

Reforming the National Framework for Environmental Policies in Saudi Arabia

The current framework for national environmental policies in Saudi Arabia suffers from overlapping authority, a slow decision-making process, gaps in legislation and implementation difficulties. The paper gives a brief assessment of the existing framework including: political culture; environmental decision making process; environmental institutions; and environmental awareness. This is followed by a proposal for reforming the current framework.The proposalcovers four main sectors: political culture and the public role; environmental decision making; environmental policies and laws; and institutional structure.     

What determines the breadth and depth of Zambia's backward linkages to copper mining? The role of public policy and value chain dynamics

This paper investigates the dynamics of upstream linkages development to copper mining in Zambia. The breadth and depth of the local mining supply chain was deeply shaped by policies adopted in the 1990s under the Structural Adjustment Programme. These policies succeeded in attracting much-needed FDI in the mining sector, including Chinese and Indian FDI, but had a negative impact on the level of value-addition undertaken by local suppliers. In the post-privatisation era, the dynamics of the local supply chain suggest that supply firms' upgrading and sales growth were determined by firm ownership and value chain governance. In fact, forward linkages to buyers other than Chinese and Indian mining companies, and backward linkages to parent companies and technology providers were critical in supporting supply firms' success in the mining value chain.     

Depleting Fish Resources,Declining Fishing Communities,and the State Revitalization Project in Korea

This paper reviews recent declines in fish resources and fishing communities in Korea, evaluates major factors of declines, and examines a subsequent community-based revitalization project. Factors leading to depleting fish resources include global regulations, technological advances in fishing, national economic development policies, land reclamation projects, and pollution. The negative economic and societal impact of depleting fish resources is addressed using demographic and income levels of the communities. In response, the state initiated revitalization projects and invested in local fishing cooperatives promoting community-based management. The result has been less than effective as it led to mismanagement of investment and created an attitude of dependence on the government for financial assistance.     

A tale from the Island of Laputa: The UNCHS (Habitat) crowding and health project from the perspective of two reluctant Laputans

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore Canada's response to the global dialogue over sustainable development on two dimensions: policy articulation at the federal and provincial levels and policy implementation at the municipal level. In order to accomplish these goals, this analysis begins by outlining a critical framework for understanding and assessing local sustainable development. Next, it examines the evolution of Canadian federal and provincial policies supportive of sustainable development, including the role played by non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) in enhancing this process. It then contrasts the Canadian promise and experience with that of the USA. In analysing local responses to the call for sustainable communities, it offers a case study of the Hamilton‐Wentworth Vision 2020 sustainable community programme—a North American showcase of sustainable community initiatives.     

环境规制对技术创新效率的影响分析——基于创新链视角的两阶段实证检验

新古典经济学理论认为,严格的环境规制会提高污染治理成本,挤占技术创新活动的资金,对技术创新产生"挤出效应"。而"波特假说"认为,长期内适当的环境规制政策将对企业的科技创新活动起到刺激性推动作用,可弥补因规制而增加的额外成本,从而形成"创新补偿效应"。这个观点表明环境规制对于企业的技术创新可能存在非线性影响效应。另外,技术创新要经历研究开发阶段与成果转化阶段,即从资源投入到产生经济效益的过程。本文基于系统观和创新链视角,创新性地构建两阶段关联DEA模型测算技术创新活动的投入产出效率,并运用中国2011——2017年间的省级面板数据进行回归检验,探讨环境规制强度对研究开发阶段和成果转化阶段技术创新效率的非线性影响效应,同时将中国划分为东部、中西部两大区域分别考察,进一步揭示环境规制对技术创新效率影响的空间异质性和阶段性特点,最后提出相应政策建议。     

Mining investment and regional development: A scenario-based assessment for Northern Sweden

The way in which mineral development contributes to economic development in the region where it takes place is important for the mining industry’s relations to the local community. The purpose of this paper is to provide an assessment of the regional-economic impacts of a large-scale contemporary iron ore project in Northern Sweden (including two new mines, two processing plants, and one pellet plant). The regional input-output model rAps, provided by the Swedish government agency NUTEK is used, and it explicitly addresses the linkages between demographic development, the labour market, industrial production and the municipal finances in a consistent modelling framework. The simulation results suggest an average employment multiplier of about 2-2.5 during the maximum production phase, indicating that for every 100 jobs in mining about 100-150 jobs are supported elsewhere in the local economy. The positive impacts in this case are made possible in large because of the existing mining cluster and local suppliers in northern Sweden. Still, these results are perhaps best viewed as an indication of the potential for local economic development as they neglect, for instance, potential supply constraints (e.g., attracting the necessary labour force, road infrastructure, etc.). Specific policies to further strengthen the regional linkage effects may therefore be necessary in order for this potential to be realized in practice, and attention would preferably be paid to policy measures that have positive external spillover effects on the surrounding geographical area.     

页岩气勘探开发过程中的环境影响

当前,我国正积极推进页岩气资源的勘探和开发工作,但其对环境的影响尚缺乏科学评价和规范管理。在系统分析页岩气勘探开发主要流程:井场选址与建设、水平井钻井、水力压裂和投产等的基础上,辨识了其造成生态破坏和环境污染的主要因素以及可借鉴的技术和经验。结合我国页岩气资源的分布和勘探开发现状,从法规政策、企业责任以及技术创新三个层面,提出我国页岩气开发过程中环境保护和管理应努力的方向。     

Environmental innovation activities and patenting: Germany reconsidered

This paper provides new econometric evidence on the determinants of eco-innovations by using multiple innovation indicators and by combining survey-based information and patent records at the firm level from two different time periods. We hypothesize that firms with a propensity to patent focus on future technological and market opportunities and do not directly or immediately react to incentives created by environmental policies. Based on negative binomial models, we confirm that eco-patents are stimulated by the expectation of creating technological advancement and new market opportunities. By contrast, energy cost savings can better or more easily be achieved when firms refrain from patenting and concentrate on non-patented innovations or adoption. Favorable framework conditions created by environmental policies and patent protection are also important for eco-patenting, but more in the longer term. Testing the validity of using self-reported eco-innovations, instead of patents, as the dependent variable in simple binomial probit models reveals that product eco-innovations as reported in the surveys are a relatively good proxy for eco-patents. Yet, for product eco-innovations, serving and enlarging current markets is another important reason to innovate.     

Climate Change Adaptation Among Tibetan Pastoralists: Challenges in Enhancing Local Adaptation Through Policy Support

While researchers are aware that a mix of Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK), community-based resource management institutions, and higher-level institutions and policies can facilitate pastoralists' adaptation to climate change, policy makers have been slow to understand these linkages. Two critical issues are to what extent these factors play a role, and how to enhance local adaptation through government support. We investigated these issues through a case study of two pastoral communities on the Tibetan Plateau in China employing an analytical framework to understand local climate adaptation processes. We concluded that LEK and community-based institutions improve adaptation outcomes for Tibetan pastoralists through shaping and mobilizing resource availability to reduce risks. Higher-level institutions and policies contribute by providing resources from outside communities. There are dynamic interrelationships among these factors that can lead to support, conflict, and fragmentation. Government policy could enhance local adaptation through improvement of supportive relationships among these factors. While central government policies allow only limited room for overt integration of local knowledge/institutions, local governments often have some flexibility to buffer conflicts. In addition, government policies to support market-based economic development have greatly benefited adaptation outcomes for pastoralists. Overall, in China, there are still questions over how to create innovative institutions that blend LEK and community-based institutions with government policy making.