Environmental Impact Assessment in higher education and training in Portugal

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) education has been a reality for years in many graduate and undergraduate programs worldwide. As EIA has grown as a widely accepted environmental policy tool, several professions have tried to incorporate these skills into their academic training. The main aim of this research was to assess the Portuguese profile of EIA education, measuring the degree of EIA integration in graduate and undergraduate programs. This paper intends to contribute to an understanding of the key factors related to EIA education. A national survey was conducted to obtain data on EIA education programs. More recently, many other programs, both graduate and undergraduate, have established EIA courses. New knowledge, practices, legislation and public policies are fundamental drivers of the application of EIA, which will probably continue to expand to more undergraduate and graduate programs. The association of EIA with other environmental management tools, such as environmental management systems or environmental performance evaluation, and sustainable development initiatives will be a priority challenge for all who are engaged in this domain.     

The state of environmental performance evaluation in the public sector: the case of the Portuguese defence sector

The environmental performance evaluation (EPE) of organizations is becoming an autonomous management tool. The main goal of this research was to assess the state of EPE practice in the Portuguese defence sector, as a particular part of public services. A questionnaire survey was conducted involving all Portuguese military units that have a person in charge of environmental issues. The questionnaire was designed to assess: (i) the importance and drivers of EPE; (ii) the ISO 14031 knowledge and implementation; (iii) the knowledge and use of environmental indicators; (iv) the optimal format for indicators; and (v) the advantages and drawbacks of using environmental indicators. Despite various initiatives driving environmental practices in public organizations, most of that experience is only centred on an environmental management system, and EPE is quite a new issue. Nevertheless, general environmental performance evaluation is a growing reality and one in which Portuguese military units are taking an increasing interest. Overall respondents agree on the importance of measuring and communicating environmental performance related to their main missions and activities. The main drivers for EPE in military units are the prevention of health risks and compliance with regulations. However, to date, ISO 14031 and environmental performance indicators are almost unknown in the respondent military units. Among the three military branches, the Navy revealed the worst environmental performance evaluation knowledge, awareness and practice.     

Regional eco-efficiency indicators – a participatory approach

Eco-efficiency emerged in the 1990s as a measure of “the efficiency with which ecological resources are used to meet human needs.” Eco-efficiency indicators as tools for regional sustainability policy were demonstrated in a Life-Environment project, ECOREG, in the Finnish region of Kymenlaakso. A participatory approach was utilised to produce indicators that are relevant for regional decision-makers and that will actually be used. The approach established a system through which decision-makers are able to monitor changes using several economic-environmental ratio indicators, and at the same time obtain information on the social progress taking place in the region. In the future, there will be a need for an ongoing dialogue among the different actors in the region in order to ensure that the indicators are indeed used to promote sustainable development.     

Environmental management practices in the defence sector: assessment of the Portuguese military's environmental profile

Environmental management practice in the military is a growing reality in many countries. The goal of this research was to assess Portuguese military environmental profile, as a first step towards evaluating environmental performance. This paper assesses how environmental practices have been adopted in this sector, based on a self-assessment by the services. A national survey was carried out, involving a representative sample of the armed forces and defence administration. Overall results show that the integration of environmental practices into the Portuguese military is quite new, although with a positive trend when compared with other public sectors. Among the three military branches, the air force has adopted the most environmental practices.     

Challenges and opportunities for sustainability in regional universities: a case study in Mytilene,Greece

Regional Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) may contribute significantly to the promotion of sustainability through several means connected with their functioning. Nevertheless, several challenges can present themselves during the planning and implementation of such initiatives. The aim of this paper is to underline these limitations through the relevant literature and highlight their main consequences on the achievement of sustainability. An empirical study, investigating the perception of students regarding the constraints to achieving sustainability in a regional university of Greece, was conducted and is discussed in relation to the university's specific characteristics – its fragmented nature with campuses situated on five Aegean islands, its public status as well as its role in creating and dispersing knowledge in less developed areas of the country.     

浅议新形势下环境影响评价发展研究

随着新环保法的实施,以及国家积极推行简政放权,其势必将对环境影响评价制度产生影响.现阶段中国环境影响评价工作存在审批前置内容多、报告内容贪大求全、区域环境质量得不到控制等问题,目前国家环保政策趋向于精简审批、强化事中事后管理,以强化区域规划环评、区域总量控制及公众参与,在这种形势下,中国的环境影响评价将向精简环评审批前置优化环评审批、提高环评文件的科学性和规范性、强化环境实质影响调整和优化环评内容,以及立足环境影响及污染防治措施来强化公众参与.     

中国城市居民对青藏高原生态资产的支付意愿——以中国27市为例

青藏高原作为一个独特的生态—地理单元,其多种生态系统服务向周边各个区域供给,这种区域差异有可能引起青藏周边地域居民对其生态系统服务的感知不同,进一步影响生态管理对策的制定。选取27个城市,基于13254份网络问卷,通过支付意愿法探究城市居民对青藏高原生态系统服务感知的区域差异及其原因。结果表明:（1）不同区域支付金额存在显著差异,WTP从高到底为东北—华北地区、东南沿海地区、西北地区、中部地区和西南地区,年平均支付金额分别为1185.7元、1021.1元、1012.3元、957.1元和894.7元。（2）总金额中六项生态系统服务的分配比例依次为水源涵养>碳固定>土壤保持>生物多样性保育>污染物净化>美学景观,其中水源涵养和美学景观的比例区域差异小;土壤保持的比例西南和西北地区较大,距平值为1.68%和1.87%;污染物净化沿海地区、西南和中部地区金额分配比例较大,距平值分别为2.04%、2.20%、2.20%;碳固定和生物多样性保育不具备显著的区域差异性。（3）在支付金额的影响程度上,管理意愿>主观认知>客观情况;其中对国家政策响应的积极性与支付金额关联性最大。（4）生态系统服务类型和城市发展水平对支付金额区域差异起主导因素,水源涵养和美学景观各个区域的影响因素相似,一线城市受个人客观情况影响较小;空间距离仅能影响生物基因保育服务与人均月收入的相互关联。研究结果可以为基于利益相关者生态系统服务需求的青藏高原生态资产价值化与管理提供借鉴。     

Voluntary approaches in protection of forests in Austria

Voluntary contributions to biodiversity conservation efforts in private forests of Austria have a long tradition which dates back to the 19th century. The most important remnants of undisturbed forests of the Alps today owe their existence to these voluntary initiatives by forest owners. In this earlier period the protection of forest areas by decree or biodiversity conservation initiatives on public owned forests, did not play such a prominent role. But as well as national parks, Natura 2000 areas and other programmes based on protection by decree, significant new voluntary approaches have emerged recently. The Austrian Forest Reserves Programme started in 1995, as a specific approach to voluntary participation in biodiversity conservation by private landowners is discussed in detail. This programme is based on the concept of nature conservation by contracts under private law, agreed between the forest owners and the Republic of Austria. The main characteristics of the programme are presented and experiences gained during the establishment and the maintenance of the network are discussed. Other voluntary initiatives, such as an Austrian network of gene conservation forests, as well as an initiative of a forest owner’s association, are also presented and discussed.     

Air Quality Action Plans: early indicators of urban local authority practice in England

The delivery of improved local ambient air quality in the UK has emerged through the implementation of the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland [DETR, Welsh Office, Scottish Office, Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, CM 4548, London, The Stationery Office, 2000] by the air quality management (AQM) regime. Local authorities now have the responsibility to undertake a review and assessment of air quality in their area and to identify locations where health-based objectives are likely to be exceeded. If relevant public exposure exists, an air quality management area must be designated. Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) provide the mechanism by which local authorities, in collaboration with national agencies and others, will state their intentions for working towards the air quality objectives through the powers they have available and by collaboration with other bodies who are in the position of implementing solutions to their air quality hot spots. This management regime will require a new way of local authority working, involving not only local authority joint working but also regional collaboration and co-operation with outside agencies and authorities such as health authorities, regulators of industry and highways managers. Management aspects of the AQM process have been investigated through the data collection from a series of questionnaire surveys. It is argued that the extent to which a local authority is able to show integration of its air quality management responsibilities is an indicator of their capability for delivering AQAPs. Although local authorities appear to be making moves towards a more integrated approach to managing environmental issues, there are still significant gaps in joint working identified through questionnaire surveys and case studies undertaken by the authors. Some recommendations for the successful implementation of AQAPs are also included.     

利用马尔柯夫过程预测锡林河流域草原退化格局的变化

以我国北方典型草原模式地段之一的锡林河流域草原为研究对象,根据研究区两个时期遥感影像解译的植被类型图衍生出草原植被退化图。在对草原退化图统一网格化后,计算各网格草原退化指数,并加以分级,确定不同草原退化等级之间转移概率,并应用马尔柯夫模型预测锡林河流域草原退化格局的演变趋势。结果表明:如果不采取防止草地退化的根本性措施,草原退化态势还将继续下去。以每个网格草原退化指数值为各网格草原退化状况划分依据,以3km×3km网格为统计单元,在流域总面积为10701km₂情况下,预测结果是:2005年,锡林河流域草原退化为3级的网格总面积是3776km₂,占流域总面积的35.29%;4、5级网格面积之和为5427km₂,达到流域总面积的50.71%。2025年,锡林河流域草原退化为3级的网格面积总和是3389km₂,占流域总面积的31.67%;4、5级网格面积之和为6406km₂,达到流域总面积的59.86%。     

Policy implementation of catchment-scale flood risk management: Learning from Scotland and England

Recent years have seen a gradual adoption of a “catchment-scale” approach to flood risk management into European policy-making which, amongst other objectives, promotes rural land use change to reduce flood risk. While some exploratory studies of land managers’ attitudes exist, research is lacking on how public policies can be mobilised locally to implement these ideas. Two local initiatives were analysed in the transboundary River Tweed basin in Scotland and England during which public authorities negotiated with land managers. A combination of documents (N = 21) and interviews (N = 63) forms the basis of the data analysed. The results showed that implementation is highly dependent on the local policy framework, the activities of implementers, and land managers’ responses to (combination of) policy instruments. Several factors were identified influencing implementation such as devolution arrangements (i.e. from national to regional/local), the level of local interest on flood risk, local attitudes to compromise and collaboration, available policy instruments, and the existence of participatory catchment organisations. With limited scope for stand-alone regulatory action or funding in the short term, synergies and measures promoting co-benefits in flood risk management should be further sought in the Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans, as well as in cross-compliance and the new agri-environment-climate strategies of the common agricultural policy.     

基于DPSIR模型的环境友好型社会评价指标体系构建

为评价区域环境友好型社会建设程度,采用DPSIR概念模型,构建起包涵5大类因子指标的评价体系。此体系评价重点在于社会子系统发展对社会所造成的资源、环境、生态压力,居民生活环境状态的改变和在社会结构与居民生活的影响,以及所导致的各项政策响应。并以沈阳市浑南新区为例,选取了包括科技技术贡献率、生态用地比例、公众对生活环境满意度在内的44项指标,构建起针对浑南新区的评价指标体系,可对浑南新区的环境友好型社会建设以及管理决策起到辅助支撑作用。     

基于RDA-REM模型的我国再生水开发利用潜力

为促进我国再生水资源高效利用,优化水资源配置结构,针对再生水开发利用潜力开展再生水开发利用影响因素分析,剖析再生水资源的特殊性与竞争性,揭示再生水开发利用的驱动机制与约束机制,建立再生水供需双侧协调交互式的潜力指标体系,并基于冗余分析（RDA）筛选潜力预测关键指标,并以此为基础,构建具有随机效应的潜力预测模型（REM）,预测全国再生水开发利用潜力.同时,针对REM模型参数的不确定性,刻画10%~90%分位数水平下的参数置信区间.结果发现,生态用水量、建成区供水管道密度、再生水处理设施建设固定资产投资和污水处理总量这4项指标与再生水开发利用紧密相关,为潜力预测关键指标.REM潜力预测模型拟合精度较高,最大拟合误差为-8.5%.未来一段时期内,我国再生水开发利用量将继续保持高速增长趋势,2025年全国开发利用潜力有望达到129亿m³,将有助于优化城市供水结构,提高区域水资源循环利用率.     

Building regional priorities in forests for development and adaptation to climate change in the Congo Basin

Indentifying common priorities in shared natural resource systems constitutes an important platform for implementing adaptation and a major step in sharing a common responsibility in addressing climate change. Predominated by discourses on REDD + (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries) with little emphasis on adaptation there is a risk of lack of policy measures in addressing climate change in the Congo Basin. Forest products and ecosystem services provide security portfolios for the predominantly rural communities, and play major roles in national development programmes in both revenue and employment opportunities. Thus, raising the profile of forests in the policy arena especially in the twin roles of addressing climate change in mitigation and adaptation and achieving resilient development is crucial. Within the framework of the Congo Basin Forests and Climate Change Adaptation project (COFCCA) project, science policy dialogue was conducted to identify and prioritize forest based sectors vulnerable to climate change but important to household livelihoods and national development. The goal of the prioritization process was for the development of intervention in forest as measures for climate change adaptation in Central Africa. Participants constituted a wide range of stakeholders (government, Non Governmental Organizations, research institutions, universities, community leaders, private sectors etc.) as representatives from three countries directly involved in the project: Cameroon, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo. Building on national priorities, four forest related sectors were identified as common priorities at the regional level for focus on climate change adaptation. These sectors included: (1) energy with emphasis on fuel wood and Charcoal; (2) Water principally quality, quantity, accessibility, etc.; (3) Food with emphasis on Non Timber Forest Products, and (4) Health linked to healthcare products (medicinal plants). Using these prioritized sectors, the project focused on addressing the impacts of climate change on local communities and the development of adaptation strategies in the three pilot countries of the Congo Basin region. The four sectors constitute the key for development in the region and equally considered as priority sectors in the poverty reduction papers. Focused research on these sectors can help to inject the role of forests in national and local development and their potentials contributions to climate change adaptation in national and public discourses. Mainstreaming forest for climate change adaptation into national development planning is the key to improve policy coherence and effectiveness in forest management in the region.     

基于民生满意度的资源型城市转型绩效测度及群体差异研究——以湖北省黄石市为例

民生满意度评价是资源型城市转型绩效测度的终端体现,对于改善转型绩效、促进资源型城市可持续发展具有重要的现实意义。论文以民生满意度为视角,从居民生计、公共服务、民生环境、文化消费4个方面构建资源型城市转型绩效测度指标体系,采用专家群决策及AHP方法确定指标权重,运用顾客满意度评价法对黄石这一典型资源型城市转型绩效进行测度并进一步揭示被调查群体的差异特征。研究结果表明:1)基于民生满意度的黄石市转型绩效测度值为4.17,总体上处于"优秀"等级水平,但在某些局部指标上仍略显不足;2)黄石市转型绩效存在由被调查者特征而引起的群体和区域差异:不同性别、年龄、文化程度、职业类别、家庭年经济收入群体对转型民生满意度评价不同,并呈现一定规律;从区域差异来看,铁山区、大冶市等传统老矿区依托国家资源型城市转型政策支持,转型民生满意度绩效值相对较高,西塞山区、下陆区、黄石港区等中心城区历史包袱沉重、转型升级民生满意度暂时落后,以阳新为代表的农业县市,民众对于转型的认知和感受相对滞后,转型升级民生满意度居末;3)黄石市转型的民生满意度赋值与其物质产出绩效具有一致性。     

The role of co-operation between academia and policymakers for the development and use of sustainability indicators – a case from the Finnish Kymenlaakso Region

In this article, we analyze the co-operation between academia and other stakeholders in the development and use of sustainability indicators. The empirical case is a self-assessment of a Life-Environment project, ECOREG (2002–2004), in which eco-efficiency indicators were constructed for the Finnish Kymenlaakso Region. In the article the relationship between academia and local decision-makers in both the ECOREG Project and the activities thereafter is examined. Contrary to many sustainability indicator initiatives the ECOREG indicators have been updated and used after the original project ended. A main conclusion of the article is that the use of the indicators is largely influenced by how they were originally developed. More specifically, that knowledge was jointly produced instead of being merely transferred from academia to policymakers affected the relevance of the indicators as well as the capabilities of local actors to use, update and further develop the indicators.     

环境保护目标和公众感知:现状与反思

在环境规划过程中,设立科学且合理的环境保护目标至关重要。公众既是环境公共物品的享用者、环境保护工作的参与者,又是环保工作绩效的评价者。因而有必要了解公众对环境目标的感受和评价。文章对北京、天津、上海、重庆和南京5地进行了问卷调查和访谈,考察了公众对环保任务规划感知、环境治理成效和环境质量指标的感知。研究结果发现,公众对我国环境保护任务目标存在较高期盼,环境治理成效与公众感知存在偏差,将公众直观感受纳入环境质量指标评价体系值得关注等。进而文章就提升公众环境质量获得感提出了建议。     

An exploration of measures of social sustainability and their application to supply chain decisions

Sustainability recognizes the interdependence of ecological, social, and economic systems – the three pillars of sustainability. The definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) often advocates ethical behavior with respect to these systems. As more corporations commit to sustainability and CSR policies, there is increasing pressure to consider social impacts throughout the supply chain. This paper reviews metrics, indicators, and frameworks of social impacts and initiatives relative to their ability to evaluate the social sustainability of supply chains. Then, the relationship between business decision-making and social sustainability is explored with attention initially focused on directly impacting national level measures. A general strategy for considering measures of social sustainability is proposed, and a variety of indicators of CSR are described. Several of these indicators are then employed in an example to demonstrate how they may be applied to supply chain decision-making.     

Environmental management in the Brazilian non-metallic small-scale mining sector

Non-metallic mineral resources, albeit very important to meet the needs of the Brazilian population and for exportation, are ill-favored by governments and ignored by the public. Most of this mining is performed by small-scale companies and informal operations that cause extensive and widespread environmental damages. In addition to examining the current state of the industry and its environmental impacts, this paper outlines a series of initiatives for improving (environmental) performance. The suggestions made include improved coordination among public entities responsible for the control of the mining sector; the undertaking of environmental management and reclamation initiatives; research and diffusion of mining and environmental technology; the development and implementation of appropriate licensing procedures for small-scale mines; and the reviewing of environmental impact evaluation and enforcement procedures, and improved regional planning. It is concluded, however, that the proposals will only become a reality if the necessary political actions are taken, and are supported by adequate financing and technical assistance.     

鲁尔关税同盟矿区转型研究：多主体治理的经验借鉴

工业区转型一直备受关注,德国鲁尔区是其中最为典型的案例之一。选取鲁尔区关税同盟矿区为研究对象,基于实地考察和半结构式访谈,剖析其转型过程中的多主体参与机制,总结其治理框架发现:在多渠道的资金投入、矿区工业文化的保护与开发、建筑与环境的更新改造、日常运营与管理及社区生活与空间活化等方面,政府自上而下管理与适度放权相结合扮演支柱角色,社会公众在分担公共事务与参与公共生活过程中活化社会空间,市场主体的自身发展与矿区转型形成良性循环。三类主体活跃互动,其多主体协作治理的经验值得借鉴。我国在工业区转型过程中,政府可尝试脱离"全能包办"的思想,将部分职能释放予社会和市场,吸引其主动进入和发展,共同推动区域转型。