National benefits,local costs? Local residents' views on environmental and social effects of large‐scale mining in Chingola,Zambia

This study examined the environmental and social effects of large‐scale mining in Chingola, Zambia. Data was collected through semi‐structured interviews with 164 residents living close to Zambia's largest open pit mine, key informants and desk analysis of secondary data. Quantitative data was analysed using the chi‐square test, one sample T‐test and two sample Z‐proportions test, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. Results show that the residents reported being most affected by sulphur dioxide air emissions and noise pollution due to the proximity of the copper smelter and heavy moving machinery to their residences. The residents received domestic water containing rust and copper ore particles from the water utility company which draws raw water from the mine. Although the mine was a source of employment for locals, over 4,000 jobs (representing a 33% decrease) have been lost over a period of 4 years, negatively affecting the local economy. Mine management attributed the job losses to high production costs and mechanization of mining processes. The residents perceived the job losses to have led to crime, alcohol abuse and prostitution among youths as well as a general increase in poverty levels. Analysis of air emissions data from the mine found elevated levels of dust, cadmium, copper and lead pollutants. Key informants from Nchanga Mine reported implementing bioremediation to reduce soil contamination by the heavy metals and recycling SO₂ to produce sulphuric acid. The study recommends an increase in social corporate responsibility from the mine management to ensure residents derive more substantive benefits from their proximity to the mine.     

国际贸易隐含碳研究文献综述

随着全球经济化和贸易化进程的加快,国际社会对贸易中的隐含碳这一热点问题进行了大量研究.梳理了隐含碳的概念及估算方法,首先对隐含碳概念以及渊源进行阐述;其次,归纳分析3种碳排放责任的认定原则,由此判定共同负责制应是断定一国隐含碳责任的依据;第三,对目前3种估算隐含碳的方法进行比较分析;最后对贸易与环境的影响关系研究进行评述.     

Understanding American and Korean Students’ Support for Pro-environmental Tax Policy: The Application of the Value–Belief–Norm Theory of Environmentalism

By using the value–belief–norm theory of environmentalism, this study investigates American and Korean college students’ support for pro-environmental tax policy as a way to address global climate change. The results indicate that environmental concern and the perceived severity of climate change were significant predictors of one's tax policy support. Perceived individual responsibility for addressing climate change mediated the relationship between environmental beliefs (i.e. environmental concern and perceived severity) and tax policy support for Koreans. Such relationship was not observed among Americans. This study also examines whether political ideology functions as a predictor of tax policy support. For Americans, political ideology was a significant factor in predicting one's tax policy support and that it remained significant even after the inclusion of more proximal predictors—environmental concern and perceived severity. For Koreans, however, political ideology was not a significant factor. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

气候正义视域下的气候变化损失与损害救济路径分析

气候变化对生态环境和人类健康造成的影响一直受科学家和国际组织的广泛关注。在现有的科学技术无法确切论证气候变化对环境的总体影响及对小岛和低地国家带来损害情况下,该议题自提出至今的进展都举步维艰。本文对议题谈判进展及各方立场进行梳理,提出未来谈判和规则的制定应以全球气候正义为价值衡量标准,树立整体观上的气候正义理念。并对气候正义内涵进行具体解读:一是以人权保护为维度,指出保护小岛和低地国家的基本人权是实现气候正义的逻辑前提;二是指出应当基于分配正义与矫正正义的传统分析视角,将共同但有区别责任原则作为设定权利与义务分配机制时的基础标准;三是气候正义要求一国在行使权利时应遵循领土无害使用原则,负有不污染和破坏他国环境和生态的义务,如违反便可能引发国家责任或惩戒。本文进而以气候正义为价值指引提出三种救济路径:一是国家责任路径,以国际人权法、国际环境法的规则或原则为法律依据,根据一定的规则,来判断当事国的损害行为或结果是否构成国际法上的国家责任;二是国际环境规制路径,即在《联合国气候变化框架公约》(以下简称《公约》)所确立的遵约与履约机制下解决问题,利用市场机制和激励手段如基金和保险支持制度来救济或补偿损失与损害;三是国际环境争端解决路径,主要以磋商、协商、和解、谈判等非强制性方式及国际仲裁、国际司法的法律手段解决气候争端。在救济路径上,应以全球规制路径为主,以国家责任路径为补充,以环境争端解决方式为程序性保障。中国基于全球气候治理的积极推动者,应表明立场,以共同但有区别责任原则为谈判基础,加强南南合作,履行国际气候承诺,发展低碳经济,积极推进该议题的国际谈判。     

资阳市重点场镇水环境污染防治对策建议

近年来,随着国民经济的高速发展,资阳市农村场镇规模加速扩张,导致农村场镇环境问题日益突出。为保持农村场镇可持续发展,对资阳市重点场镇水环境质量进行了现状调查研究,在此基础上提出了资阳市重点场镇水环境污染防治对策建议。     

Voluntary corporate environmental initiatives and shareholder wealth

Researchers debate whether environmental investments reduce firm value or actually improve financial performance. We provide some compelling evidence on shareholder wealth effects of membership in voluntary environmental programs (VEPs). Companies announcing membership in EPA's Climate Leaders, a program targeting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, experience significantly negative abnormal stock returns. The price decline is larger in firms with poor corporate governance structures, and for high market-to-book (i.e., high growth) firms. However, firms joining Ceres, a program involving more general environmental commitments, have insignificant announcement returns, as do portfolios of industry rivals. Overall, corporate commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions appear to conflict with firm value maximization. This has important implications for policies that rely on voluntary initiatives to address climate change. Further, we find that firms facing climate-related shareholder resolutions or firms with weak corporate governance standards – giving managers the discretion to make such voluntary environmentally responsible investment decisions – are more likely to join Climate Leaders; decisions that may result in lower firm value.     

风险社会下的政府环境责任刍议

随着人类逐步迈入风险社会,生态环境事故产生的诱因更多地集中于科学技术,且对相关事故进行责任认定难度巨大.政府在处理相关问题时可能面对经济发展和环境保护相冲突以及决策的知识性匮乏等问题,这就要求在新社会背景下从积极和消极两方面对政府的环境责任进行有效的重构.     

某地下矿山安全生产事故规律分析与对策研究

基于某地下矿山2000-2009年度所发生的安全生产事故的详细统计数据,分别针对伤害程度、伤害部位、事故工龄、事故班次、事故致因和类别等进行了全面统计、归纳和分析,并采用事故树等分析法对冒顶片帮和人为原因引发的两类重要矿山事故进行了深入系统研究,确定了矿山典型事故发生的基本原因、主导控制因素、一般出现规律以及可能伤害后果。结合工程实际情况,提出了能有效降低生产事故频率,提高安全生产效率的四种具体对策与措施：（1）加强安全教育与技能培训,提高员工安全法制意识和应对突发事故的专业能力;（2）遵守人机工效学的一般原理,改善工作舒适度,提高员工工作积极性和效率;（3）坚持科学发展观,采用合理的先进生产工艺和现代化管理措施;（4）加强劳动保护用品的科学使用与人性化管理。研究成果具有重要的推广应用价值。     

广东省企业安全生产主体责任现状分析

在构建企业安全生产主体责任绩效评估体系基础上,结合层次分析和模糊综合处理方法,对广东省企业安全生产主体责任落实情况进行全面调查分析。结果显示,组织机构与人员配置是安全生产主体责任落实中最重要的环节;一般地,外资企业好于中资企业,大型企业好于中小型企业,生产复杂度与主体责任绩效成反比;职业危害、安全生产监督、奖惩制度实施等是企业在落实安全生产主体责任之中较为薄弱的环节。最后提出相应建议：（1）在全省推行安全生产标准化的基础上,建立健全企业安全生产主体责任体系;（2）建立广东省职业危害与控制中心,健全职业安全健康管理体系;（3）进一步健全经济社会转型期的企业安全生产监督管理体系。     

Multinational oil companies in Nigeria and corporate social responsibility in the HIV/AIDS response in host communities

ABSTRACT

We assess the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of multinational oil companies (MOCs) on HIV/AIDS prevalence in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities. One thousand, two hundred households were sampled across the rural communities of Niger Delta. Using logit model, the main result indicates that General Memorandum of Understandings (GMoUs) have not significantly impacted on factors behind the spread of HIV/AIDs in rural communities. This implies that the impact of the disease on MOCs business, employees and their families, contractors, business partners and the oil communities have not inclined downward. The findings suggest that CSR offers an opportunity for MOCs to help address HIV/AID prevalence through a business case for stakeholders’ health in the region. It calls for MOCs to improve GMoUs health intervention on sensitisation campaigns, funding testing and counselling centres, subsidising anti-retroviral drugs, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, rehabilitation of orphaned and vulnerable children and other cares for people living with AIDS.