Discussing why population growth is still ignored or denied

Due to a number of factors outlined in this article, the issue of population growth is excluded from the sustainability discussion. In this article, we explore some of the ethical presumptions that underlie the issues linking population growth and sustainability. Critics argue that action to address population creates social and economic segregation, and portray overpopulation concerns as being “anti-poor,” “anti-developing country,” or even “antihuman.” Yet, de-linking demographic factors from sustainability concerns ignores significant global realities and trends, such as the ecological limits of the Earth, the welfare and long-term livelihood of the most vulnerable groups, future prospects of humanity, as well as the ecosystems that support society.     

基于面板数据的研发投入对区域经济增长影响分析

利用长江经济带110个地市1990~2013年RD投入与经济增长水平的相关面板数据,通过单位根检验、协整性检验和面板数据模型,对RD经费投入和人员投入与区域经济增长的影响进行了分析。结果表明:1长江经济带各市的经济增长与RD投入存在长期稳定的关系,RD短期投入对区域经济增长的影响则存在着一定的滞后效应;2RD人员投入产出弹性高于RD经费投入,说明区域经济增长对RD人员的依赖性更大;3RD投入表现出东部地区高于中部地区,中部地区高于西部地区,但RD投入对区域经济增长的影响则表现出中西部大于东部的现象,造成这一现象的原因在于所处发展阶段的不同和东中西区域经济特征不同。最后,从加大RD经费投入强度、制定RD投入中长期计划等方面提出了促进区域经济增长的建议。     

煤基腐殖酸对外源砷胁迫下玉米生长及生理性状的影响简

为了筛选用于砷污染土壤治理的煤基腐殖酸，采用盆栽实验研究了施用不同种类和浓度的煤基腐殖酸及EDTA对外源砷胁迫下玉米株高、株鲜重、株干重、根干重、砷积累量、叶片抗氧化酶（POD，SOD和CAT）活性和脯氨酸含量的影响。结果表明，11种供试煤基腐殖酸均促进了玉米生长，提高了叶片POD、SOD和CAT活性。其中6和10号腐殖酸可降低土壤砷活性和显著抑制玉米吸收和积累砷，而8和9号腐殖酸增加了土壤活性砷和显著促进了玉米对砷的吸收和累积，且不同程度地强于EDTA。除8和9号外，其余腐殖酸均可明显降低玉米叶片脯氨酸的含量。EDTA可显著促进玉米吸收和积累砷，且加剧了砷对玉米的危害。因此，8和9号供试煤基腐殖酸可以替代EDTA活化土壤砷，与植物配合以提高砷污染土壤的植物修复速度和效果，而6和10号供试煤基腐殖酸则可用于土壤砷钝化剂，以保证作物产品的安全。     

矿业权集聚、经济增长与区域贫困减缓

本文基于泰尔指数法,计算并测度了中国资源富集区的城乡收入差距与行业(矿业)收入差距,然后结合矿业权集聚度的测度结果和中国资源税改革的变动特征,建立面板数据回归模型,考察了2004—2014年中国资源富集区矿业权集聚与经济增长、贫困减缓的长期关系。本文的主要结论是:资源税对矿业权集聚水平和矿业经济增长具有正向刺激作用,但矿业经济增长并不利于地区经济的整体改进,也不利于区域贫困减缓。资源税低水平征收对"资源诅咒"和"区域贫困"具有传导效应,进而对资源富集区的贫困减缓形成阻滞作用。另外,矿业权集聚对地区贫困的影响存在异质性,异质性揭示了区域资源性收益分配存在的差异。短期来看,矿业权集聚使中央企业惠及更多,是引致"富饶中的贫困"怪圈的重要原因;但长期来看,随着矿业权集聚度的提升,地方政府获得的累积性资源性收益不断上升,渐次增强了地方政府通过社会保障支出实施收入调节的能力,总体上有利于区域贫困的减缓。因此,为实现资源富集区的精准扶贫,资源主管部门在制定减贫措施前,应根据不同区域特点区别对待,短期内应着力于调整资源性收益分配机制,赋予地方更多资源性收益,并加大对社会的保障性支出;长期来看,应探索建立合理有效的资源税体制,促进经济增长方式的多样化,并鼓励科技创新,进一步提高社会群体的受教育程度,从根本上改变区域贫困产生的内生性环境和外生性环境。     

Assessing local planning capacity to promote environmentally sustainable residential development

Smart growth and sustainability planning have, in recent years, become central issues in planning discourse. Scholars have argued that planning capacity at the local government level is critical for smart growth planning, and that planners have a fundamental role to play in advancing local and regional sustainability. In this paper, we investigate the extent to which local planning capacity enables communities to promote more sustainable, smart growth residential development. Based on a 2013 survey of 38 county and 53 municipal governments in the state of Wisconsin, USA, this study finds that the majority of the sample communities have permitted residential developments characterized as transit-oriented, New Urbanist, mixed use, infill developments, or conservation subdivisions as alternatives to low-density, automobile-dependent conventional developments. The study also finds that jurisdictions with higher planning capacities are more likely to overcome significant barriers to more sustainable residential development.     

Evidence of new particle formation during post monsoon season over a high-altitude site of the Western Ghats,India

The formation of ultrafine particles, their growth, and associated characteristic features has been studied during new particle formation events over a high-altitude station of the Western Ghats during the 2014 post-monsoon season. Most of the events were observed during noon time where particle bursts in the nucleation-mode size range from 5 to 25 nm followed by sustained growth in size. This phenomenon persists for ～4–8 h with a growth rate of 1–2 nm h^–1. Peak concentrations of nucleation-mode particles during the event generally vary from 2300 to 5000 cm^–3. The mean growth rate is 1.4 ± 0.42 nm h^–1, particle formation rate is 1.14 ± 0.22 cm^–3 s^–1, coagulation sink is 0.35 ± 0.22 cm^–3 s^–1, and condensational sink is 15.4 ± 2.6?×?10^–3 s^–1. All these values are comparable with earlier results from Indian region. Comparison of size-segregated particle number concentration during days of new particle formation events and those without new particle formation were carried out showing a distinct variation in nucleation and Aitken mode with least variability associated with the accumulation mode.     

The channels of the effect of government expenditure on the environment: evidence using dynamic panel data

This paper explores the relationship between government spending and environmental quality using panel data for 94 countries for the period 1970–2008. We identify and estimate three distinct channels that comprise the total direct effect of government expenditure on air pollution, namely a marginal effect, an effect conditional on economic growth and an effect conditional on institutional quality. Since adjustment rate of emissions to their equilibrium level is slow due to technological and institutional reasons, we explicitly take into account dynamics by applying appropriate econometric methods. The results demonstrate that there is a significant alleviating direct effect of government expenditure on SO₂ and NO_x emissions, which increases with the level of economic growth and democracy. However, there is no evidence of a significant effect on pollutants with more global impact on the environment and human health, like N₂O and CO₂, implying that the adoption of international environmental treaties is required in this case.     

不同水层光照强度对4种沉水植物生长的影响

选取金鱼藻(Ceratophyllum demersum)、轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)、水盾草(Cabombacaroliniana)、苦草(Vallisneria gigantean)为试验材料,研究不同水层的光照强度对其存活率、株高、生物量等的影响,旨在找出这4种沉水植物在自然条件下的最...     

自然资源、技术进步与环境库兹涅茨曲线

不可再生自然资源的约束和环境质量的不断恶化是经济可持续发展必须要面对的挑战。就环境问题而言,现实中一个特征事实是,在不同的收入水平下人们对环境质量的需求不同,只有当收入达到一定水平之后,人们才会注重生活质量的改善。基于现有研究,在考虑非再生自然资源的约束条件下,本研究将环境质量作为生产要素的一部分引入最优增长理论的分析框架,探讨了在环境污染和自然资源双重约束下的长期经济增长问题。在非再生自然资源和环境污染的双重约束下,本研究表明解决环境问题必须要采用的手段是促使技术进步的创新研发,因为技术进步是环境库兹涅茨曲线出现拐点的不可或缺的一个必要条件。在市场竞争的环境下,由于知识的非竞争性质使得研究部门的研究是次优的。因此,政府应当通过适当的财政政策和法制安排以激励私人投资者研究与开发新技术的积极性。     

水稻不同生育期根际与非根际土壤胞外酶对施氮的响应

与稻田土壤碳氮循环(矿化、转化等)密切相关的酶活性可以反映微生物的生长和代谢过程.为明确水稻不同生育期根际与非根际土壤胞外酶对施氮的响应,采用根际袋法区分水稻根际和非根际土壤,利用96微孔酶标板荧光分析法,测定其碳氮过程关键酶β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(BG)和β-1,4-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)活性,探讨根际效应、施氮和生育期对土壤酶活的影响及其调控机制.结果表明,施氮使拔节期土壤BG酶活性相对于不施氮处理降低了7.4~13.5 nmol·(g·h)~(-1),而使成熟期BG酶活性增大了7.0~31.4 nmol·(g·h)~(-1),同时根际与非根际土壤中BG酶活性也随水稻的生育期而发生相应的变化.与不施氮处理相比,施氮使水稻成熟期非根际土壤NAG酶活性增加了1.1倍,根际土壤降低了0.3倍.施氮和生育期显著影响土壤BG酶活性,而水稻生育期、施氮和根际效应及其交互作用均对NAG酶活性有极显著影响.RDA分析表明土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)和可溶性有机碳(DOC)含量主要影响水稻根际土壤胞外酶活性;而非根际土壤中酶活性的变化主要受微生物生物量氮(MBN)和铵态氮(NH_4~+-N)的影响.土壤酶活性与多种因素存在复杂关系,需要综合考虑植物生理特征、土壤酶活性和土壤特征,分析N添加对微生物群落组成的影响.