The poverty of forestry policy: double standards on an uneven playing field

Can policies designed to maximize exploitation by elites benefit the people who live in forests? Forestry policy throughout the developing world originates from European “scientific” forestry traditions exported during the colonial period. These policies were implemented by foreign and local elite whose interest was to maximize and extract profit. In spite of reforms since the end of the colonial period, policies on the environment usually remain biased against rural communities. Even when more recent policies are fair, the rural poor face severe biases in implementation. In addition, they must compete on an uneven playing field of ethnic and other social inequities and economic hurdles. This article examines how forestry policy and implementation maintain double standards on this uneven playing field in a manner that permanently excludes the rural poor from the natural wealth around them—producing poverty in the process. Change that would support poverty alleviation for forest-based communities requires a radical rethinking of forest policy so as to counterbalance widespread regressive policies and structural asymmetries.     

Is shrimp farming a successful adaptation to salinity intrusion? A geospatial associative analysis of poverty in the populous Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Delta of Bangladesh

The Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta of Bangladesh is one of the most populous deltas in the world, supporting as many as 140 million people. The delta is threatened by diverse environmental stressors including salinity intrusion, with adverse consequences for livelihood and health. Shrimp farming is recognised as one of the few economic adaptations to the impacts of the rapidly salinizing delta. Although salinity intrusion and shrimp farming are geographically co-located in the delta, there has been no systematic study to examine their geospatial associations with poverty. In this study, we use multiple data sources including Census, Landsat Satellite Imagery and soil salinity survey data to examine the extent of geospatial clustering of poverty within the delta and their associative relationships with salinity intensity and shrimp farming. The analysis was conducted at the union level, which is the lowest local government administrative unit in Bangladesh. The findings show a strong clustering of poverty in the delta, and whilst different intensities of salinization are significantly associated with increasing poverty, neither saline nor freshwater shrimp farming has a significant association with poverty. These findings suggest that whilst shrimp farming may produce economic growth, in its present form it has not been an effective adaptation for the poor and marginalised areas of the delta. The study demonstrates that there are a series of drivers of poverty in the delta, including salinization, water logging, wetland/mudflats, employment, education and access to roads, amongst others that are discernible spatially, indicating that poverty alleviation programmes in the delta require strengthening with area-specific targeted interventions.     

亲贫式增长刍议:论少数民族地区的扶贫政策取向

考察了经济增长和扶贫政策之间的跨国证据,突出了区域差异和国家经验这两个层面上形成的促进共同发展的多样性。对亲贫式增长的定义表明经济增长和扶贫这两个发展战略之间可能存在一种权衡问题。跨国证据表明,平均收入增长率和低收入者的收入增长率之间关系的巨大差异性,使得扶贫战略完全基于经济增长政策的论断存在争议。持续的快速增长显然有益于贫困人口,但是,如果整体的快速经济增长伴随着收入分配的缓慢恶化,这对贫困人口的福利比对经济增长影响更大。如果一国总体处于低增长环境,那么经济增长将难以获得贫困人口的支持。同时面向经济增长和旨在明确经济增长所带来的好处的混合策略被证明在实现持续减贫中可能是最为成功的。研究认为,在中国长期高速经济增长的支撑下,少数民族地区在收入改善和贫困人口数量显著减少方面取得了另世人瞩目的成就,为促进经济增长的倡导者和干预式扶贫的拥护者提供了实践支持。然而,普适的经济增长有利于贫困人口,但不会以相同的程度发生在少数民族地区。显然,一项公共政策更关注经济增长是必要的,但也同时必须关注经济增长所带来的收益是否会反映在提供贫困人口收入和贫困人口不可能轻易放弃的福祉上。针对于少数民族地区最有效的发展政策,是那些主张共同发展和利用公共政策创造增长的战略,同时还有利于贫困人口的共同参与,以确保他们成为积极的参与者和增长的受益者。自然资源收益管理,原生态农产品开发和区域经济带建设被列为促进这种增长战略实施的三个最有前途的领域。     

Vietnamese Uplands: Environmental and Socio-Economic Perspective of Forest Land Allocation and Deforestation Process

Vietnam, in the ongoing transition to market economies, has to cope with high rural poverty and a dramatic process of forest loss and environment degradation, particularly in the mountainous regions. The government considers rural poverty as the main cause of environment degradation, associated with slash-and-burn cultivation and to an unclear definition of property rights on forest land. In 1993, the government launched a Forest Land Allocation programme aiming to lease forest lands to individual households and, on this basis, to solve food security problems, halt the increasing environment degradation and preserve the remaining forests.To evaluate the results of this land reform policy, two upland pilot communes have been intensively monitored. The environmental and economic impacts of the forest land reform allocation in the two study areas are presented, after providing a background on the Vietnamese situation of mountain zones. On the basis of these findings, it is discussed as to whether the current forest land allocation process may actually promote local development and natural resources conservation, and under what conditions. Deforestation problems must be tackled also with new macroeconomic policies (e.g. credit programmes to support sustainable agriculture practices) and social policy (e.g. reduction of demographic pressure), together with the reform of the State institutions (e.g. State Forest Enterprises) involved in management of the forest areas.     

Oil palm plantation investments in Indonesia’s forest frontiers: limited economic multipliers and uncertain benefits for local communities

This paper examines the implications of oil palm estate development in Indonesia’s frontier province of Papua. Government planners believe that oil palm investment will develop the local economy, create jobs and reduce poverty. Using the input–output approach, we find that, in aggregate terms, oil palm investments boost the economic output in the province, generate jobs and increase worker salaries. However, the oil palm subsector operates in isolation and has limited economic multipliers. The number of jobs is potentially large, but those best positioned to benefit from them are mostly skilled migrants, not local poor. The government should reduce the size of plantation investments and plan their implementation as part of a broader development package to allow greater economic integration and skill acquisition by local communities. The priority areas for plantation development should be degraded, non-forest land.     

Assessment of the processing and sale of marine fish and its effects on the livelihood of women in Mfantseman Municipality,Ghana

Fish is a key source of protein for many households in Ghana. It is also an essential source of income to many households in the coastal communities of Ghana. The importance of the fisheries sector to the socio-economic development of the country cannot be over emphasised. Women dominate the fishing value chain in Ghana but paradoxically, the study of their activities has not attracted the attention of researchers and policy makers. This study examined the processing and sale of smoked marine fish and its effects on the livelihood of women in Mfantseman Municipality. The survey was conducted in four communities. A sample size of 363 was drawn from women in the industry and institutions whose activities are related to the industry. The data were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings from the study revealed that the industry offers employment opportunity for the majority of women in the municipality, and it is an important source of income to them. Further, the industry has potentials for reducing poverty and enhancing economic empowerment of women in the district. However, women in the industry are confronted with challenges which include health risks that erode whatever gains made by them. The study concludes that the municipal assembly must spearhead and provide a conducive environment for this economic activity to flourish as a way of reducing poverty among women in the municipality.     

专业化、多样化与产业结构减贫效应的动态异质表现研究

新一轮扶贫攻坚阶段,贫困地区实现可持续减贫的关键不在于现有经济增长模式下如何提高转移支付的精度和效率,而在于真正改变贫困地区的经济发展理念,从盯住经济总量增长转向用减贫目标统领经济发展。产业结构与贫困减缓的关系影响着贫困地区产业发展的政策制定,但既往研究对何种产业结构更有助于贫困减缓没有形成共识。本文基于产业专业化和多样化视角,分析了专业化、多样化影响贫困减缓的理论机制,并利用2004—2014年中国省级面板数据,对专业化、相关多样化、不相关多样化与FGT贫困指数的关系进行了门限回归和稳健性检验。检验结果确认了产业结构减贫效应的动态异质表现:专业化的减贫效应在产品生命周期的初始和发展阶段趋于增强,并且经济密度更小、距离技术前沿更远的地区,专业化的减贫效果更显著;多样化的减贫绩效低于专业化,且相关多样化的减贫效应高于不相关多样化。细分产业来看,第三产业相关多样化比其他多样化结构更具减贫效果。贫困地区在减贫的产业结构选择上,首要目标是改善专业化程度,其次是在多样化的既定前提下,谋求相关多样化,尤其是第三产业的相关多样化。专业化和相关多样化对不同贫困群体的影响也存在差别,既往产业结构更有利于贫困线附近群体的贫困减缓,而对深度贫困群体的溢出不足。因此,在塑造合宜减贫产业结构,改善低技能劳动力需求的同时,还应辅以改善深度贫困人口劳动力供给的政策,改善其自我发展能力和经济机会,从而增强从益贫产业结构中获益的能力。     

论库区贫困与库区发展：以山东大中型水库区为例

水库区是水库水面与周边陆地的区域复合体。本文以山东大中型水库区为例，在调查研究的基础上，探讨了库区贫困的根源及库区脱贫的出路，并提出了库区发展的战略构想。     

Government and biodiversity governance in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan: an institutional perspective

Over the last 15 years, Azerbaijan has doubled its protected areas territory to almost 10 % of the country’s surface area. Although the daily management of the existing strictly protected areas continues to pose a challenge, the establishment of nine national parks has been a remarkable achievement. At present, the designation of UNESCO biosphere reserves (BR) is the expressed political will of the government. By reviewing the last 25 years of nature conservation, and, in particular, the national park programme, we present an institutional analysis for integrative nature conservation in Azerbaijan. Against the cultural, social and political background, in particular the transition of the state, the challenges for cross-hierarchical governance of protected areas are outlined at the example of a BR. We find that the implementation of the UNESCO MAB philosophy, which is based on inter alia participation by administration, local communities and rural stakeholder, is hampered by this present-day political reality. The political situation and an autocratic governance scheme put successful implementation of a “model region of sustainable development” at risk. Education and empowerment are a prerequisite for eventual success; this is true for Azerbaijan as well as for other Post-Soviet countries with strong top-down regimes.     

Green Composites as Panacea? Socio-Economic Aspects of Green Materials

Much academic research and industrial development explores new ways to create greener and environmentally friendlier chemicals and materials for a variety of applications. A significant part of this work focuses on the development, processing and manufacturing, recycling and disposal of green plastics, adhesives, polymer composites, blends and many other industrial products from renewable resources. Natural fibres offer the potential to deliver greater added value, sustainability, renewability and lower costs especially in the automotive industry. Further research involves the fibre crop production. The ever-increasing volume of scientific literature refers with enthusiasm to the potential of natural fibres in technological, economic and ecological terms. This enthusiasm tends to also expand to the areas of human life and socio-economic development for the fibre crop growers and their communities. However, there is very little debate or evidence to support statements about the assumed advantages for the affected population in rural areas. We argue that despite the predicted new boom in the demand of natural fibres, it is unlikely that this will represent a real improvement in the quality of life of crop fibre growers and their communities. This paper examines the experience of Mexico as a case study and argues that only through consistent political will and co-operation between governments, industry, scientists, consumer groups and local communities, as well as a suitable economic strategy such as local subsidies, a truly sustainable economic development, social equity and improved environmental quality will be achieved for tens of thousands of natural fibre growers.     

基于村级尺度的湖南农村水贫困比较研究

为综合评价湖南农村水贫困现状，找出有效应对措施，以国外最新的水贫困理论为依据，构建湖南农村水贫困评价指标体系；通过实地调查和访谈获取并整理出湖南3种地貌类型区6个行政村的水贫困评价数据；采用非均衡法测算水贫困状况并分析其驱动因素。结果表明：湖南农村水贫困具有明显的地域分异现象，即湘西山区最为严重，RWPI值均小于20；湘北洞庭湖平原区最弱，其值在55~56之间；而湘中丘陵区介于其间。不同地区水贫困各系统的综合得分不同，只有提高且均衡各系统的综合得分才能有效减轻地区水贫困程度。供水设施欠佳、利用能力偏低是地区间水贫困状况不同的主要驱动因素,而水资源状况是其次要驱动因素；农村环境问题和低效用水是省内各村水贫困评价的短板，因此地区水贫困是区域水资源自然禀赋与社会经济发展的综合结果。针对评价结果，提出了发展农村经济、提高综合实力、做好环保工作和提高用水效率等措施应对农村水贫困问题，可为新农村建设中的水资源管理提供新思路     

河北省山区人口与环境,经济的失衡及协调研究

本文通过对河北山区宏观基础资料和典型资料进行综合分析,认为目前河北山区人口已超出土地对人口的承载力,人口与环境、经济发展正处于一种失衡状态,这正是山区贫困的根源所在。因此,今后十年乃至更长时期内河北山区的总体开发战略要始终坚持“持续发展”的思想,并采取相应的对策措施,尽快使山区人口与环境、经济发展摆脱失衡走向协调。     

少数民族贫困地区生态文明建设路径选择及优化

摘 要：少数民族贫困地区由于其地理条件、人文环境和经济发展等因素制约，生态文明建设更为艰巨。从人口、社会、经济、资源、环境5个子系统构建该地区生态文明建设系统动力学模型，通过调节14个控制变量设计5条路径，模拟2018~2030年生态文明建设的演变趋势。结果表明：（1）协调发展路径更能促进生态文明建设。但该路径模拟结果显示2020年后资源供需平衡指数与生态环境质量下降，利用耦合协调模型检验得出该路径2018~2030年间人类与自然系统未达到真正协调，需进一步优化路径；（2）根据该地区经济发展与资源供需间的矛盾，设计了以加快资源开发为主的优化路径Ⅰ和在放缓经济增长速度的同时加大资源开发力度的优化路径Ⅱ，其中优化路径Ⅱ耦合度较高，能够更好地帮助该地区摆脱经济发展与内外部资源支撑不足的困境，故将其确定为有效路径。研究发现，该地区资源开发、环境保护任务艰巨，在完成脱贫任务的同时，需要适当调整经济增长速度保证与其资源环境间的协调发展。我们认为提升脱贫的内生动力、发展多元经济、提高资源利用率、增强生态环境保护是今后工作的重点。     

中国城乡贫困变动:2004—2012

本文基于2004—2012年中国综合社会调查数据,根据家庭人均年收入2 300元的国家贫困标准线和"1天1.5美元"的亚洲贫困标准线,使用FGT指数和脱贫时间两种贫困指数评估了我国城乡贫困整体变动趋势,并从城乡和地区、个体和家庭特征层面分解贫困人口构成;也考察了贫困变动的增长效应和收入分配效应;最后定量地分析收入增长的影响因素。结果表明,根据两种贫困标准线,两种贫困指数测度结果一致反映我国贫困人口规模显著减少;按国家贫困标准线,我国城乡贫困发生率下降了8.8%,但到2012年的依然高达8.6%,农村贫困人口平均脱贫时间为5.4年,而相对贫困发生率有所上升。不同地区的贫困变动差异较大,西部地区和中部地区贫困发生率依然高于全国平均水平3.41个百分点和0.22个百分点,贫困强度和贫困深度现象都还较为严重;东部地区的减贫效应十分明显,但贫困人口内部收入差距拉大问题较为突出。经济增长的脱贫效应较为显著,但增长的亲贫性有待提高;城乡、地区和贫困人口内部居民收入差距逐渐拉大,并成为反贫困的严重障碍。外出非农工作经历、性别差异和教育程度是影响收入增长的关键因素。基于此,本文建议反贫政策应瞄准西部地区的教育程度和健康水平较低、家庭规模较大的农村居民,尤其是女性户主家庭,也应加强养老保险、社会帮扶和人力资本投资,形成改善收入分配为重点的社会保障性扶贫政策体系;中部地区可以借助邻近东部地区的地理优势,通过承接产业转移持续实施"开发式扶贫"政策体系;同时,也可将扶贫标准线提高为每人"1天1.5美元"的亚洲贫困线。     

Unravelling the association between the impact of natural hazards and household poverty: evidence from the Indian Sundarban delta

Coastal regions have long been settled by humans due to their abundant resources for livelihoods, including agriculture, transportation, and rich biodiversity. However, natural and anthropogenic factors, such as climate change and sea-level rise, and land subsidence, population pressure, developmental activities, pose threats to coastal sustainability. Natural hazards, such as fluvial or coastal floods, impact poorer and more vulnerable communities greater than more affluent communities. Quantitative assessments of how natural hazards affect vulnerable communities in deltaic regions are still limited, hampering the design of effective management strategies to increase household and community resilience. Drawing from Driving Forces–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR), we quantify the associations between household poverty and the likelihood of material and human loss following a natural hazard using new survey data from 783 households within Indian Sundarban Delta community. The results suggest that the poorest households are significantly more likely to endure material and human losses following a natural hazard and repeated losses of livelihood make them more vulnerable to future risk. The results further suggest that salinization, tidal surge, erosion, and household location are also significant predictors of economic and human losses. Given the current and projected impact of climate change and importance of delta regions as the world’s food baskets, poverty reduction and increase societal resilience should be a primary pathway to strengthen the resilience of the poorest populations inhabiting deltas.     

Climate change,Atlantic storm activity and the regional socio-economic impacts on the Caribbean

Forecasting the likely economic losses arising from North Atlantic hurricanes is high on the agenda of both Caribbean and North American stakeholders. This paper develops a general equilibrium framework to conduct an impact assessment of climate change and hurricane formation. General equilibrium analysis accounts for not only primary effects but also feedback effects. The model simulations suggest that output losses occurring due to hurricanes are likely to have economy-wide effects. However, the rural economies of the region are likely to suffer the greatest (relative) effects. The findings of this study suggest that rural livelihoods should be mainstreamed in any adaptation initiatives adopted by the region. Ignoring these neighbourhood features in adaptation plans could negatively impact on poverty and unemployment in rural areas.     

农业自然灾害与农村贫困之间的关系——基于安徽省面板数据的实证分析

自然灾害的发生对农业生产会造成巨大的负面影响。特别是经济落后的不发达地区由于本身的抗灾救灾能力弱．受到的自然灾害影响也更加严重。甚至会导致贫困的发生。目前虽然已经有学者定性地研究过农业自然灾害对农村贫困的影响．但是缺乏定量的分析。本文旨在弥补以前定量研究的空白，选择安徽省的59个县（市）面板数据为研究样本，建立模型实证分析。发现农业自然灾害受灾面积占总播种面积的比重与农村贫困发生率量负相关关系．这与已有的研究结果不同。文章的最后．依据实证结果对正确认识农业自然灾害与农村贫困之间的关系．构建农村自然灾害舫御体系．增强贫困地区农民的抗灾能力提出了政策建议。     

安庆市生态经济与可持续发展战略初步研究

发展经济和保护生态环境,是长江沿岸地区可持续发展的两大战略任务,在实地调研的基础上,以可持续发展为宗旨,分析了安庆市社会经济发展中存在的主要问题,对区域可持续发展水平进行了综合评价,认为安庆区域可持续发展的整体水平低于全国和安徽省,对安庆市未来经济增长趋势以及差距进行了趋势拟合,结果显示在目前国家和区域的增长方式下,安庆市将继续处于经济低谷地位,应用系统的观点,对安庆市生态经济系统中主要矛盾的形成机理进行了分析,认为围湖造田,工业化和城市化,区域发展机制与生态环境恶化有直接的关系,评价了安庆发展生态经济的优势条件,在此基础上,提出了7年方面的发展战略,以实现生态经济和区域可持续发展,具体包括：生态与社会经济协调发展战略,资源保护战略,生态建设战略,消除贫困战略,解决“三农”问题战略,基础设施建设战略和旅游发展战略。     

Adaptive capacity determinants in developed states: examples from the Nordic countries and Russia

Adaptive capacity in a community context has so far mainly been studied in developing countries as well as indigenous communities in the industrialised world. This article adds to that literature through reviewing studies undertaken in the Nordic countries and Russia, highlighting the ways in which general determinants of adaptive capacity play out in Northern, industrialised contexts. The paper illustrates that the determinants of adaptive capacity in industrialised states exhibit systematic differences from mixed subsistence-cash based communities such as those found in Arctic Canada. We discuss in particular the importance of economic resources in a market-based system, technological competition, and infrastructure, in determining adaptive capacity of natural resource-dependent communities in the Nordic countries and Russia. The paper also illustrates differences in adaptive capacity within the case study region, including between peripheral and central locations with regard to economic resources and diversification possibilities, and between Nordic and Russian cases with regard to infrastructure and technology access. The findings indicate that understanding of determinants of adaptive capacity in resource-dependent communities would benefit from both further contextualisation and broad comparison, across different types of political and administrative systems.     

城市化进程中失地农民的贫困问题及其治理

运用文献研究法和定性分析方法,借鉴社会学与人类学相关理论,探讨失地农民的贫困问题,总结失地农民贫困的类型,分析失地农民的贫困原因,并提出治理对策。结果发现:部分失地农民在城市中面临着贫困问题,经济贫困、文化贫困、能力贫困和权利贫困是主要贫困类型。导致失地农民贫困的因素主要有体制与制度设置不合理、城市社会的剥夺与排斥、城乡文化的冲突与非物质文化变迁滞后以及失地农民个人能力缺失等。治理失地农民贫困问题必须从宏观层面强化制度与政策的保障作用,从微观层面加强失地农民的自身能力建设。