Analysis of factors affecting individual participation in carbon market

China will set up a national carbon emissions trading market by the end of 2017, which is initially open to individual investors from the initial market for business and institutional investors. In this article, the main influencing factors and mechanism of individual participation in carbon trading market are studied by establishing multiple linear regression model. The study found that age, education level, length of account opening time, and risk attitude are the main factors influencing the participation of individual investors. Environmental awareness and environmental impact are less affected; information transparency and transaction risk also have an impact on the degree of individual investor participation; investment experience does not affect the participation of individual investors in the carbon trading market.     

Community participation in international projects: an analytical perspective from the Russian Far East

International projects frequently struggle with the dilemmas of community participation, whether the community in question is the object of a development or aid intervention, or is to be persuaded to cooperate on a conservation project. This paper discusses the challenges facing interventionists and the obstacles and opportunities that local people encounter as they come into contact with exogenous conservation and development projects. The key issues presented can be summarized as legacy, legitimacy, agency and communication. We argue that project planners need to understand the history of past interventions in order to respond appropriately to local expectations. At the same time, the complexity of community leadership and representation complicates the sometimes conflicting agendas of project developers and communities. Much depends on personal relations, individual agency, and initiative. Finally, the physical means of communication—language, print and broadcast media, transport and telecommunications—are important aspects to consider when assessing the limitations to community participation. Although there have been valuable successes in international projects in Russia, as in other regions of the world, a better understanding of community participation is needed to ensure more effective and sustainable means for engaging communities in project development and implementation. This paper explores these questions through a locally-grounded analysis based on the academic research and practitioner experience of the two authors in the remote home of a World Heritage site—the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the Russian Far East.     

Anaerobic digestion and community development: A case study from Hainan province,China

Connections and relationships between conservation practices and community development in relation to rural sustainability have received considerable attention in recent years, especially in developing countries. Among many sound practices around the world, anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has long been encouraged as an alternative source of energy, while contributing to resource conservation and economic development initiatives in developing rural areas. Guided by the theme of sustainable development, the study examined the current applications of AD technology in Meiwan Xincun Village (MWXCV) in Hainan Province, China. Employing a self-administered questionnaire survey, face-to-face interviews and on-site observation, the study explored the diffusion process, current operation and local impacts of AD practice. The study identifies that leadership, education, technical support and local economy are key factors affecting the diffusion of AD, and governmental financial incentives are significantly effective measures to make the technology economically viable for local residents. The technology was found to fit into the rural livelihood system of the village, with considerable environmental and socio-economic benefits. Guided by the leaders of the village, the local residents generally accept and support the practice and are willing to contribute to introducing the technology in and out of the village. Suggestions regarding the utilization and diffusion of AD elsewhere are presented to enhance the potential capacity of the practice to generate benefits across rural Hainan.     

Community partnered projects: a case study of a collaborative effort to improve sanitation in a marginalized community in northwest Mexico

There is a growing recognition in developing countries that community participation in water and sanitation projects is a necessary strategy in sustainable development. The main advantage of following such an approach is that, if participation can encourage a sense of ownership of the projects, the benefits of the project are more likely to extend over the long term. The case study at hand focuses on the challenges faced in implementing a wastewater treatment system to solve an environmental and public health problem in a rural community, Rosario de Tesopaco, in northwest Mexico. Until recently, the community has been unable to implement an effective plan to treat the wastewater generated in the community. The problems faced by the community can be attributed to the political arrangement of water and sanitation decentralization in Mexico that occurred in the mid 1980’s, whereby communities were required to meet wastewater treatment standards, but were not given the technical and political guidance needed to achieve this goal. However, in this instance, cooperation between the authorities in Rosario de Tesopaco, the federal agency for social development, and an academic institution has led to the successful design and approval of a wastewater treatment project. This achievement can be attributed to the use of an effective collaborative strategy, tailoring the project to the needs and capacity of the local community, positioning the community as the leaders and owners of the project. A model for following this strategy for developing rural sanitation projects in Mexico is proposed. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Local communities' participation in decision-making processes through planning and budgeting in African countries

Community participation and community based management are topical themes in current policy and discussion revolving around decision-making processes especially those dealing with natural resources management.This review shows that while governments have accepted the need to either cede or devolve control and management of natural resources to the local communities,the communities are not part and parcel of the planning and budgeting which are crucial in decisionmaking.Communities were seen to be more involved in the implementation of natural resource management programs but lacked ownership of the projects.This causes lack of commitment to the programs and at times hostile reaction from the communities.The communities are always at the receiving end when it pertains to losses in the exchange.Community participation was shown to be effective when the local population is involved not as co-operating users but as natural resource managers or owner managers.     

Community forestry management and livelihood development in northwest China: integration of governance, project design, and community participation

In projects of community development and natural resource management, local residents collaborate with government and NGOs on decisions about forest management and participate in programs designed to improve livelihoods while sustaining natural resources. This paper uses case studies and survey data in Gansu province of northwest China to explore social, ecological, and economic outcomes of community-based co-management (CBCM). Findings show that CBCM appears to have significantly increased livelihoods for local community residents overall. Forest condition and attitudes about forest conservation were also improved. However, economic benefits were not enjoyed uniformly within the communities because, although CBCM projects are nominally available to all, certain subgroups within communities are less likely to participate. Greater education, being married, and access to information are all strongly correlated with participation and thus the economic benefits of CBCM projects. Women, although they frequently participate in household decisions, are infrequent participants in CBCM projects, perhaps because project design does not meet their needs. Future improvements to CBCM project design should include increased access to information, education, and equitable treatment of diverse stakeholders in the decision-making process. Such improvements would likely lead to improvements in livelihoods as well as more sustainable forest management and conservation.     

中国高质量发展阶段最优环境保护税率研究

中国开始实施环境保护税法的时间位于从高速增长向高质量发展过渡的时期。环境保护税法规定了大气和水污染物的税率区间,因此实际执行的税率存在优化的空间。虽然征收环境保护税是为了达成环境目标,但是该项税收同样可以服务于经济和社会目标。本文拟对环境保护税这一市场化的环境政策价格工具进行优化,从这一崭新研究视角切入,探讨协调经济与环境关系的原则,以期为实现高质量发展提供理论依据。本文的研究方法基于一个包括企业、政府和消费者的世代交替模型,各经济主体进行分散化决策。企业在生产过程中排放污染,政府向企业征收环境保护税并且治理污染,消费者的内生寿命受到污染存量和人均产出的共同影响。根据市场均衡条件,本文得到描述物质资本和污染存量动态变化的非线性差分方程,在此基础上进行解析证明和数据模拟。研究得到以下三点结论:第一,同一个环境保护税率无法同时实现经济产出最大化和社会福利最大化的目标,这意味着在高质量发展阶段政府需要抛弃以经济增长为中心的政策思路,转而以社会福利最大化为目标确定最优的环境保护税率。政府提高环境保护税率,可以实现由经济产出最大化向社会福利最大化的转变。第二,相较于最大化经济产出的税率,最大化社会福利的环境保护税率在转移路径上会造成各主要变量较小的波动,并用一定的经济产出换取更多的物质资本、更优的环境质量、更长的人均寿命、以及更高的社会福利水平,因此支持了前述政府需要以社会福利最大化为目标确定最优环境保护税率的结论。第三,最大化社会福利的环境保护税率在基准模型中的数值为1.96,但污染物的异质性会影响最优税率的数值。污染物较低的自然扩散速度、较严重的健康损害程度、较高的治理技术水平都会提高最优的环境保护税率。本文提出三点政策建议:第一,通过征收环境保护税最大化社会福利水平。第二,通过提高环境保护税率体现发展理念的转变。第三,促进医疗卫生和污染治理技术进步。     

Legislation on protection of drinking water sources and local management practices in the Pearl River Delta region of China

The protection of drinking water sources is vital to urban development and public health. In this study, the current situation of the mandatory protection area for drinking water source in the Pearl River Delta region was investigated using a method combining Google Earth with the field survey. The gaps between management practices and legislation requirements were analyzed. Finally, several countermeasures for water resource protection were proposed as follows: to promote delineation in a more scientific way, to safeguard the sanctity of the law, to make better plan on water saving, and to encourage public participation in supervision and management.     

中国环境影响评价中公众参与存在的问题与对策

公众参与是环境影响评价中的重要内容,在环境影响评价中发挥着特殊作用。针对目前中国环境影响评价中公众参与的实施状况,提出了公众参与意识不强、参与形式单一、信息公开不充分和公众意见未受到足够重视等一系列问题,并从宏观及具体操作上提出加强环保宣传教育、采取多样化的参与形式、建立完善的环境信息公开制度和认真对待公众反馈意见等相关的有效对策。     

环境信息公开及在中国的实践

环境信息公开是一种新的环境管理制度，对于提高环境决策的质量和执行，控制污染有着一定的作用。我国已在政府环境信息公开、企业环境信息公开和其它形式环境信息公开进行了一些探索和实践。在实践中，我国存在着环境信息公开法规体系不完善、公开的环境信息不准确、企业及产品的环境信息公开不充分等问题，应在健全环境信息公开的法规体系、加大企业环境信息公开力度、建设公共环境信息系统等方面做进一步的工作。     

中国环境保护投资失真问题分析与建议

在对“十五”期间中国环保投资进行分析的基础上，重点研究环保投资结构与环保投资的重点。结果表明，环保投资口径偏大、投资方向与需求不匹配、投资结构不合理是影响环境效益的重要因素。若以最直接相关的污水处理投资和垃圾处理投资替代城市环境基础设施建设投资口径．将使同期全国环境保护投资缩水50％左右。城市环境基础设施建设投资总量的迅速增加和环保投资口径的虚化。已经掩盖了环境污染治理投资不足的严峻现实，环保投资的失真现象严重。为确保投资效益与环境效益相协调。建议明确环保投资概念．修改现有的环保投资口径。在进一步加大环保投资力度的同时。提高资金的使用效率．以强化污染治理效果。     

当代中国的环境政策:形成、特点与评价

当代中国环境政策的形成是在1972年联合国人类环境会议后开始起步。1979年翻2006年得翻快速发展。中国环境政策十分注意吸取发达国家的经验教训，密切结合中国国情，其主要特点有：①充分运用命令-控制手段；⑦努力推动筹集环保资金；③着力明确谁应承担保护环境的责任；④不断鼓励“防治结合”和“综合利用”；⑤较早体现对外开放和国际合作。30多年来，中国环境政策逐步演变并深化：地位从基本国策到可持续发展战略。重点从偏重污染控制翻污染控制与生态保护并重，方法从未端治理翻谭头控制，范围从点谭治理到流域与区域的综合治理。手段从以行政命令为主导翻以法律、经济手段为主导。文章最后介绍了国际社会对于这些政策的基本评价，展望了中国环境政策的未来。     

我国基本农田保护制度的政策评价与完善研究

我国基本农田保护制度的变迁是典型的供给主导型制度变迁。本文从我国基本农田保护制度的概念与内涵谈起,分阶段分析了我国基本农田保护制度的形成与发展的演变过程,重点对改革开放后的基本农田保护制度绩效进行了评价与分析。并对我国现阶段基本农田保护失控的原因进行了制度层面上的分析,最后给出相关政策建议。     

中国西部地区生态保护建设路径的探讨

中国西部地区,因其独特的地理位置和地形、地貌特点而形成的生态地理单元,在中国乃至于整个亚洲地区的生态系统中具有极其重要的地位,然而,西部地区是中国生态环境最脆弱的地区.西部大开发战略实施以来,西部生态环境得到了明显的改善,但依然存在水资源失调,干旱灾害严重,植被破坏、水土流失严重,荒漠化加剧,风沙灾害蔓延等生态环境问题,生态环境恶化降低了整个西部地区对人类活动的承载能力,使自然灾害强度加剧并且频度增加,造成社会经济的突出损失、增加了社会发展成本、限制了社会经济的发展速度和方向.由此,西部地区的生态环境保护与建设显得尤为重要,刻不容缓.鉴于此,本文分析了西部地区生态环境现状以及实施生态保护建设的意义,阐析了生态保护建设目前的概况,在此基础上,深入分析了西部生态保护建设存在的问题,结合西部地区的现状给出了相关建议:西部地区生态保护、建设的管理体制进行改革和完善,建立中央宏观综合管理部门统一主管的、地方政府负总责和执行的政策框架;不断加大草地生态系统的保护和建设力度;协调好农业发展与生态保护的关系,积极发展西部地区农业的替代产业,改变当前不合理的农业生产方式和土地资源的利用模式,降低农村特别是生态脆弱地区的人地压力,迅速开展生态补偿试点,完善资源开发补偿机制,将替代产业发展纳入到生态建设工程之中;建立西部生态环境监测评估体系,全面评估西部生态环境建设,为未来的生态建设规划提供科学决策依据.     

中国农户收入最大化与耕地保护行为研究

与西方农业家庭模型研究假设不同,经济结构转型期,我国农户将面临更大的空间和更多的自由配置资源以实现收入最大化.以劳动力配置为基础的投入最大化条件证明在农产品价格和政府补贴效应影响下,农业经营与外出务工劳动力投入的边际收入贡献相等时,农户能够实现收入最大化.在实现收入最大化过程中,农户耕地保护行为是否发生关键在于耕地保护劳动投入是否能得到补偿,充分分享耕地保护收益是农户层次耕地保护行为发生的基础条件.而流转条件下的农户农业经营劳动力投入和耕地数量变化之间的比较静态分析则进一步说明农户耕地保护行为发生的复杂性,国家层面应充分考虑耕地流转过程中农户资源禀赋变化趋势及行为选择,调整和完善耕地流转政策.     

Study of poverty alleviation strategy based on labor force quality improvement and ecological protection in Western China

Fragile ecological environment and poverty correlate to and reinforce each other closely in Western China.At the same time,Western China is also the most prominent area of the knowledge and human poverty with very low labor force quality.On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of poverty in Western China,this paper studies the coupling relationship between fragile ecological environment and poverty in Western China,including the impacts of fragile environment on poverty occurrence and the effects of ecological construction on poverty alleviation.It also analyzed how low labor quality causes persistent poverty in the western region.At the end of the paper,strategies of diversity poverty alleviation in Western China are suggested based on sustainable development,including education improvement,ecological construction,industries development,infrastructure construction,planning institution innovation,and so on.     

中等收入阶层幸福感测度及影响因素研究

基于2014年中国质量观测调查的数据,实证测度了转型时期中国中等收入阶层的幸福感,并运用统计描述、相关性分析以及结构方程模型等方法,从财富拥有、社会福利与个体能力三个维度分析了幸福感的影响因素与作用机制。研究结果表明:1中等收入阶层幸福感女性高于男性,农村人群高于城市人群,已婚人士高于未婚人士,在不同的年龄阶段、教育程度、职业类型以及家庭结构中,幸福感呈现明显差异;2个人目标实现能力、社会公平与物价稳定是影响中等收入阶层幸福感最为显著的因素,而家庭消费、消费环境以及社会治安是相对不显著的影响因素;3财富拥有、社会福利会以及个体能力三个维度的因素均与幸福感显著正相关,其中个体能力维度对幸福感的正向作用最大;个体能力除了直接正向作用于幸福感之外,还会通过正向地影响财富拥有及社会福利来间接作用幸福感。因此,当前中国中等收入阶层幸福感的关键影响因素在于个体能力维度。进一步优化经济社会发展结构与环境,为中产阶层个体能力展现提供公平畅通的渠道,是转型时期提升中等收入阶层幸福感的首要之义。     

中国环境信息公开的时空演化特征及其影响因素

环境信息公开是大数据信息时代环境治理的新型工具,我国在立法和实践上取得了重要进展,准确把握其发展脉络、现实状况和驱动因素,是有效推动环境信息公开和发挥其治理效果的先决条件。基于2008—2017年120个城市的PITI指数,采用空间数据探索分析和动态空间面板模型方法,分析了我国环境信息公开的时空演化特征和影响因素。研究发现:①我国环境信息公开正处于向中等水平过渡阶段,表现出明显的区域不平衡现象,呈现“沿海-内陆”梯度递减特征。②我国环境信息公开表现出较强的空间集聚特征,呈现显著的空间“俱乐部”分布格局,区域内部空间溢出效应显著,区域间辐射带动作用较弱。③较高的经济发展水平和环保投入强度表现出显著的促进作用,而良好的企业绩效和教育水平、较高的社会舆论和环保监督压力并没有发挥应有的促增效应;较差的空气质量和较高的工业污染表现出显著的抑制效应,而提高外资引入和环保执法力度则表现出较弱的负向作用。沿海城市和智慧城市的促进作用相对较高,资源型城市则较低。④环境信息公开在时间、空间和时空维度上分别表现出叠加效应、同群效应和示范效应。因此,应逐步完善环境信息公开的体制机制,加快环保基础设施建设,推进企业环保信用评价,提高公众互动参与和监督,强化环保指导帮扶和监管执法,构建环境信息公开的长效机制。     

我国城乡环保一体化的制度建构:理念、原则与路径

近年来,我国"城市环境趋向好转,农村环境不断恶化"这种城乡环境二元趋势的凸现,提出了城乡环保一体化的客观要求."城市中心主义"环境法制以及我国农民实质自由的严重匮乏是我国产生城乡环境二元趋势的根本原因.一些地方所采取的仅仅局限于环保领域的城乡环保一体化措施,并不能从根本上扭转城乡环境二元趋势.城乡环保一体化实践需要以更为全面的制度建构为基础.城乡环保一体化的制度建构应树立理性、人本、自由等基本理念,应坚持整体推进、科学建构、多元参与等基本原则.城乡环保一体化的制度建构路径,首先是消除对农民的各种制度性歧视,实现城乡居民的权利平等;其次,在推动地方民主与法治建设,推进司法体制改革、建立司法审查制度的基础上,健全与完善农民权利实现的保障机制,保证农民的各项权利最终成为"可实际行使"的权利.最后,还要建立适应农村环境保护要求的环境法制.     

中国畜禽温室气体排放时空变化及影响因素研究

畜禽业是关系国计民生的重要产业,在满足居民生活物质需求的同时,其生产过程中所伴随的温室气体排放问题已成为不容忽视的环境问题。本文基于LMDI模型系统分析了1991-2013年中国畜禽温室气体排放时空变化及其因素贡献。结果表明:1从时间维度来看,1991-2013年,中国畜禽温室气体排放经历了先快速上升后稳定上升再波动下降的变化特征,总体呈上升趋势。经济效应对畜禽温室气体排放促进作用最大,而强度效应的抑制作用最大,其次是劳动力效应和结构效应。2期间,经济效应促进作用的累计贡献呈指数增长,而强度效应抑制作用的累计贡献呈倒"U",劳动力效应和结构效应抑制作用也不断加强。3从空间维度来看,中国畜禽温室气体排放的区域集中度较高,四川、河南、山东、云南和内蒙古等省(区、市)畜禽温室气体排放一直位居全国前列。4省域各效应作用方向和程度差异显著,四川、青海和云南强度效应抑制作用较大,辽宁、吉林和黑龙江抑制作用较小;山东、四川和黑龙江结构效应抑制作用显著,新疆和青海促进作用明显;四川、河南、内蒙古、山东、云南、湖南和河北经济效应促进作用较大,天津、上海、海南和北京促进作用较小;四川、湖北、江苏和山东劳动力效应抑制作用显著,新疆、黑龙江和内蒙古促进作用明显。最后,基于研究结论,为未来中国畜禽温室气体减排空间发展策略提出了几点建议。