Sustainable Development and the Role of the Financial World

The incapacity to finance sustainable development through philanthropic official assistance turned the Johannesburg Summit to business world and the financial industry. Pioneering financial institutions – including development banks and private banks – have developed a wide range of innovations that can support sustainable development. This article highlights a few innovative products and markets and focuses on the progress made by financial players on the level of standards, metrics and guidelines to improve sustainability management systems, reporting and accounting practices and the multi-stakeholder dynamic. The role of the socially responsible investing (SRI) community has been underexposed by the Summit. Through its voice and market success, SRI has moved from a green market niche to the mainstream, however not becoming mainstream. The invaluable levering effect of SRI has just been discovered by authorities and market regulators and is becoming instrumental. In order to show the business case of Corporate Social Responsibility and to prove the financial viability of the People, Planet, Prosperity investing approach, the SRI community should critically reflect on its own quality assurance systems, sound disclosure and verification practices.     

Computer-assisted analysis of fetal behavioural states

A computerized system which simultaneously acquires and quantifies several ultrasonically detected fetal activities, including gross body movements, breathing movements, and eye movements, was developed in order to obtain additional quantitative data on fetal behaviour. Movements were automatically related to fetal heart rate allowing computation of their mean incidence, duration, lag time and percentage time spent moving during different heart rate patterns. The incidence of various behavioural states was also calculated. The study of 15 healthy fetuses near term revealed the existence of statistically significant differences in these parameters between low and high variability patterns of fetal heart rate suggesting a quantitative modulation of fetal movements by behavioural states.     

SOCIAL CLASS DIFFERENCES IN RESERVOIR VISITS1

ABSTRACT: Previous research provides evidence of a socioeconomic bias in outdoor recreational participation. One explanation of this bias is that socioeconomic groups have differential opportunities to participate, with the “costs” of this participation especially serving to restrict the recreational access of lower class persons living in urban areas. Using driving distance as a measure of cost, this study assessed the effects of travel costs on the attendance of three social class groups from an urban population at rural reservoir facilities. Findings support the contention that, while increased driving distance has a dampening effect on recreational participation, this effect is most pronounced for the lower class person. These findings point to the importance of equity considerations in the planning of outdoor recreational facilities.     

“Measuring Sustainability”: A Multi-Criterion Framework

So far, the elementary question of whether one country’s or region’s economy is moving towards sustainability or away from it cannot be answered with unanimous consensus on the ‘measuring rod(s)’ to be employed. The main assumption of this article is that sustainability assessment needs a set of multi-dimensional indicators. From this assumption a question arises: how could such indicators be aggregated? Often, some indicators improve while others deteriorate. For instance, when incomes grow, SO₂ might go down while CO₂ increases. It has to be noted that this is the classical conflictual situation studied in multi-criteria decision theory. The use of a multi-criterion framework for making operational the ‘measuring of sustainability’ is discussed here by means of illustrative examples and more formal arguments.     

TECHNOLOGY,INSTITUTIONS, AND SOCIAL GOALS1

ABSTRACT: The cries of pending water crises are usually cast in terms of water availability and/or water quality. Unfortunately, the real factors underlying a perceived crisis are often overlooked and the solutions prescribed are fax from optimal when measured in either economic or social terms. Today's technology outstrips its implementation, yesterday's solutions are imposed on a new breed of problems, and a static game is being played in a dynamic world. There is a need for the application of innovative and revolutionary tactics, for modernizing institutions, and for educating technologists and decision makers alike in the art of communicating their views and skills. This is the challenge. If it is met, some predicted crises will not materialize, and many others will be diminished in scale. An exciting opportunity exists to extend the boundaries of a new era in water management.     

风险评价标准值初探

提出了风险指标和ALARP原则的含义,从风险评价的ALARP原则出发,得出个人风险评价标准值和社会风险评价标准值的制定方法。     

美国减灾的应急及社会联动机制研究——以卡特里娜飓风为例

卡特里娜飓风是美国历史上最严重的一次自然灾害.本文从法律依据和国家灾难恢复和反应框架入手分析美国政府、社会各方对卡特里娜飓风灾害的应急反应和灾难恢复体系,从社会参与角度探讨美国的灾难联动参与反应机制,从新奥尔良市Broadmoor社区的恢复重建过程剖析美国的自下而上的社区主导型恢复重建体制,美国特色的防灾减灾社会联动机制能对加强和完善我国应急反应体系,对建设符合我国国情的减灾救灾社会参与机制提供启示与借鉴.     

建筑企业员工职业病危害认知影响因素的调查分析

随着建筑行业的持续快速发展,建筑企业作业场所中的职业病危害呈现出高发性、复杂性和持续性等特点.通过针对建筑企业员工的实际状况设计调查问卷获取第一手资料,并运用SPSS17.0统计软件建立相关分析、回归分析等模型进行数据分析,可以得知建筑企业作业场所员工遭受职业病危害的可能性与对安全知识的了解程度、从业时间、性别及文化背景这四个因素的线性相关性.通过对建筑企业作业人员职业病危害的调查与分析,辨识出影响职业病危害的人为因素,提出相关的建议措施以改善建筑企业作业场所职业病危害严重的局面,提高建筑企业员工自我保护意识,增加其职业病危害防护知识,减少职业病危害事故的发生.     

Citizen feedback in a fragile setting: social accountability interventions in the primary healthcare sector in Sierra Leone

Fragile and conflict‐affected states are frequently characterised by their inability to fulfil three core governance functions: provision of security, effective delivery of basic public goods and services, and managing political participation and accountability. This article explores the utility of social accountability interventions in fragile environments. Successful social accountability interventions can lead to joint examinations of public service standards by service‐users and providers, resulting in collaborative improvement efforts. The few available studies of such interventions implemented in fragile or conflict‐affected states show reasons for optimism as well as challenges. This article advocates the continued use of social accountability methods in fragile settings and provides examples of social accountability interventions in the health sector in Sierra Leone. The study suggests that social accountability can improve interaction between citizens and public service providers. Successful social accountability interventions can also lead to better quality and more accessible public services, which, in turn, can enhance state legitimacy.