Review on Quantitative Research Methods of Regional Sustainable Development in China

Since the 1990s, with the in-depth study and understanding of sustainable development, quantitative study of regional sustainable development (RSD) was increasingly hot in China. Based on quantitative study of RSD from Core Periodical in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1992–2008), statistical analysis on the annual distribution, periodicals distribution and changes of the distribution were made. And from perspectives of social–economic, ecological, systematic and emerging methods, the course, probl...     

Review on Quantitative Research Methods of Regional Sustainable Development in China

Abstract

Since the 1990s, with the in-depth study and understanding of sustainable development, quantitative study of regional sustainable development (RSD) was increasingly hot in China. Based on quantitative study of RSD from Core Periodical in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1992–2008), statistical analysis on the annual distribution, periodicals distribution and changes of the distribution were made. And from perspectives of social–economic, ecological, systematic and emerging methods, the course, problems and trends of the quantitative study methods on RSD were examined and analyzed to get a clear summary. By the review, the context on the quantitative study of RSD was to be clarified. The study also showed that, primarily, fields involving quantitative study are expanding; second, big progresses and constant development have been made on the systematic method gradually sophisticated, the flourishing ecological method and emerging new methods in the context of cross and integration which has made complex integrated systems a more satisfactory solution; third, the method system has been more multi-angled, and the clues of independent innovation have been observed despite the fact that the introduction of imported method is the main trend. Although many problems exist, multi-scale study, dynamic timeseries study and inter-regional comparative study will be further exploited and increasingly carried out with the progress of spatial information technology, which would boost the development and application of new methods in RSD study.     

Progress in Enclave Tourism Study of Overseas： A Literature Review

In response to the ＂isolated island＂ phenomenon emerging from the development of tourist resorts in China, this paper reviews the study of enclave tourism overseas, which has similar features to the resort ＂island＂. Based on the literatures related to enclave tourism from Tourism Management and Annals of Tourism Research, this paper reviews the study of enclave tourism from the following aspects： definition discussion, theories used, causation of enclaves, characteristics and impacts of enclave tourism. The understanding of the overseas researches on enclave tourism would provide instructions for the study on the problems of Chinese resorts, such as enclavity and ＂island effects＂, and suggest measures for the sustainable development of resorts in China. This paper is divided into three sections. Section 1 briefly introduces the development of enclave tourism in developing countries and the outline of enclave tourism study. Section 2 elaborates on the contents of enclave tourism research and gives deep insights into the study on concepts, characteristics, causations and effects respectively, which is the key part of this paper; Section 3 concludes the review and proposes suggestions for the enclave tourism study in China.     

高(灾害)风险区土地资源可持续利用与管理的若干基本问题探讨──以洞庭湖区为例

本文通过对国内外防洪工程的两难境地和国内外研究现状及发展趋势的分析 ,论证了开展高 (灾害 )风险区土地资源可持续利用与管理研究的必要性和紧迫性 ,结合洪涝高风险区──洞庭湖区的实际 ,提出了开展此项研究的基本思想原理和研究构想     

工业化与城市化关系研究综述与评价

论文首先从关系测度、关系模式、理论阐释三个方面总结了工业化与城市化一般关系的研究论点、进展及理论基础；接着指出我国工业化与城市化关系研究的三个重点：时空差异研究、滞后城市化之争、偏差问题研究；最后对工业化与城市化关系研究现状与进展做出了简要的评价。     

Progress in Enclave Tourism Study of Overseas: A Literature Review

Abstract

In response to the “isolated island” phenomenon emerging from the development of tourist resorts in China, this paper reviews the study of enclave tourism overseas, which has similar features to the resort “island”. Based on the literatures related to enclave tourism from Tourism Management and Annals of Tourism Research, this paper reviews the study of enclave tourism from the following aspects: definition discussion, theories used, causation of enclaves, characteristics and impacts of enclave tourism. The understanding of the overseas researches on enclave tourism would provide instructions for the study on the problems of Chinese resorts, such as enclavity and “island effects”, and suggest measures for the sustainable development of resorts in China. This paper is divided into three sections. Section 1 briefly introduces the development of enclave tourism in developing countries and the outline of enclave tourism study. Section 2 elaborates on the contents of enclave tourism research and gives deep insights into the study on concepts, characteristics, causations and effects respectively, which is the key part of this paper; Section 3 concludes the review and proposes suggestions for the enclave tourism study in China.     

海岸带土地开发利用及生态环境效应研究简述

海岸带土地利用变化是影响海岸带生态环境的一个重要方面,也是目前国内外学术界广为关注和研究的热点问题,研究海岸带土地利用变化及其对生态环境的影响对于了解区域的生态环境演变乃至全球变化具有重要意义。分析海岸带土地利用变化研究在全球变化研究中的地位,阐述海岸带地区土地利用变化及生态环境效应研究,对研究全球气候变化、海平面上升、陆地与海洋交互作用及由此引起的岸线变迁、入海营养盐和悬浮物及沉积物等物质通量变化、海岸带生物多样性、海岸带区域乃至整个全球C、N等物质总循环等都具有重要意义。基于以上研究,简述海岸带土地利用变化及其对生态环境影响研究进展,总结分析海岸带土地利用变化及环境效应影响研究目标和重点研究内容     

Linking satellite-based forest cover change with rainfall and land surface temperature in Kerala,India

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Forest cover change is having an enduring link with climatic factors. This study was designed to study the impact of forest cover change in the Western...     

Who cares about climate change reporting in developing countries? The market response to,and corporate accountability for,climate change in Bangladesh

Undoubtedly, climate change is one of the greatest problems facing today’s world. Despite this, traditional research has ignored the market response to, and accountability for, climate change reporting in developing countries. Hence, this study critically examines climate change reporting practices in the most affected countries in the world, with specific reference to Bangladesh. In the study, 32 semi-structured interviews and 71 annual reports are evaluated. Using legitimacy theory, the study contributes to building an understanding of companies’ attitude toward stakeholder accountability regarding climate change. The study finds that Bangladeshi companies are reporting climate change information on an average of 2.23 %. More specifically, the study demonstrates that large companies are reporting on more climate change issues than others because of their legitimized positions in the market. Again, a lack of regulation and a culture of low social accountability among the companies contribute to a very low level of disclosure on climate change. Surprisingly, multinationals are not providing satisfactory disclosure. The study has policy implications in developing countries for both local policy makers (the government) and international policy makers (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the European Union, the World Bank, the UN Environment Programme, the International Energy Agency and the World Economic Forum) as to how to engage local companies so that they become more socially accountable to climate change reporting.     

Impacts of climate change on rice production: evidence from 30 Chinese provinces

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study examined the effects of climate change on rice production in 30 Chinese provinces spanning 1998–2017. The study used the pooled mean...     

Reimagining Sustainability: An Interrogation of the Corporate Knights' Global 100

This study examines sustainability reports of the Corporate Knights' “Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies in the World” in order to examine if and how they have been affected by Arturo Escobar's original critique of sustainable development (SD). Via thematic analysis, the study reveals that these corporations have circumvented Escobar's assessment by emphasizing sustainability as corporate growth and profit, without addressing some of the most prominent social concerns in our world today. The goal of this study was to trigger new ways of imagining SD, which speak to issues of equality and justice. Thus, it advances a view of sustainability that is driven by the logic of nature rather than by the logic of market. This study also suggests that researchers and practitioners should define praxis through engagement with local communities rather than through the traditional top-down approaches to sustainability.     

Use of geographic information systems for assessing groundwater pollution potential by pesticides in Central Thailand

This study employed geographic information systems (GIS) technology to evaluate the vulnerability of groundwater to pesticide pollution in Thailand. The study area included three provinces, Kanchana Buri, Ratcha Buri, and Suphan Buri, located in west-central Thailand. Factors used for the vulnerability assessment included soil texture, slope, land use, well depth, and rainfall. These vulnerability factors were reclassified to a common scale, and a weighted average was computed to yield a vulnerability score. Vulnerability factors and weights were assigned considering pesticide concentrations in 90 wells throughout the study area. Well depth was the most significant vulnerability factor. Groundwater vulnerability maps were generated for several pesticides. The eastern, agricultural part of the study area has relatively deep wells and fine soils. Shallow wells are present in the mountainous west; however, fewer pesticides are applied in that region. Consequently, much of the study area had a medium groundwater vulnerability rating, although there were pockets of high vulnerability, for example, in agricultural areas with shallow wells. The groundwater vulnerability maps are effective for identifying locations warranting more detailed groundwater pollution and vulnerability investigations.     

Study on Spatial Pattern of Urban Employability of Northeast China

On the basis of systematic analysis and study of the theories and methods related to employment, this article abstracts the influential elements which can judge regional employability. And then, in light of this study, based on the theories and methods related to region and space, under the guidance of the systematic idea and the theories of index and index system, the authors attempt to work out an index system which can judge regional employability. Then, the article applies the index system to 35 prefectural-class cities in Northeast China for quantitative comparison and analysis, in order to study and analyze the regional differences, spatial pattern characteristics, and time development law of the employability of 35 cities. On the basis of systematic analysis and study of the theories and methods related to employment, this article abstracts the influential elements which can judge regional employability. And then, in light of this study, based on the theories and methods related to region and space, under the guidance of the systematic idea and the theories of index and index system, the authors attempt to work out an index system which can judge regional employability. Then, the article applies the index system to 35 prefectural-class cities in Northeast China for quantitative comparison and analysis, in order to study and analyze the regional differences, spatial pattern characteristics, and time development law of the employability of 35 cities.     

Household-specific variables and forest dependency in an Indian hotspot of biodiversity: challenges for sustainable livelihoods

Deforestation studies have attracted considerable attention over the past two decades. Analyses of local deforestation examine the significance of numerous explanatory variables for the extraction of forest products. This study distinguishes among the explanatory variables as household-specific and site-specific, and argues for in-depth analysis of household-specific variables. It examines the role of household size, income, and education on firewood extraction and beedi-making in the Western Ghats of India, a hotspot of biodiversity. The study documents the incidence of these livelihoods, investigates the interaction among the three variables, and uses logistic regression models to determine the exact probability for the livelihoods. Two novel features of the study include analysis of wood and non-wood extraction through a single dataset and determination of model by the data. The results show high dependency of households on forest-based livelihoods, situations when the probability of livelihoods changes substantially, and non-parallel trends for household dependency. The study suggests the role of household-specific variables as the agents of motivation and persistence for forest-based livelihoods and presents a hypothesis about the critical size of household in forest dependency. The study recommends four measures—harvest of ecosystem services, rise in income, migration and mobility, and environmental education—to promote sustainable livelihoods.     

Study abroad in support of education for sustainability: a New Zealand case study

This article presents a case study of an existing study abroad program to New Zealand interested in infusing sustainability themes into the curriculum. The review of the program is set in the context of United Nations Education for Sustainable Development goals and the role of sustainability in institutions of higher education. The author was an invited external observer and suggests that study abroad programs in support of sustainability education provide transformative learning experiences that invest in the well being of both people and places. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Socio-economic potentials and environmental implications of coastal tourism at Adiabo, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study examines the present environmental and socio-economic status of Adiabo Community in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State against the background of the proposal of the Cross River State Government to site a tourism resort in the community. The paper utilizes participatory appraisal techniques to document information on the existing environmental and socio- economic structure of the study area. It also analyses the potential effect of the proposed tourist resort on the community dwellers and finally recommends strategies to ensure the sustainability of the proposed project and livelihood activities of the natives in the study area.     

绿色产业与绿色产业法

环境保护产业化是环保工作发展的主要趋势之一。在理论研究和实际工作中。环保产业、环境产业、绿色产业等概念的研究与应用日趋增多。就环境法学而言，界定一个适应环保产业发展的相关概念，并研究其相关法制的构建与发展是十分必要的。绿色产业与绿色产业法研究正是这一思路的具体落实。     

Cross-Platform Framing and Cross-Cultural Adaptation: Examining Elephant Conservation in Thailand

This case study investigates cross-platform framing process and framing alignment strategies of the world famous elephant conservation NGO. It examines how the intercultural adaptation facilitates the frame transformation against entrenched domesticated elephant traditions in Thailand. Besides web observation, this study conducted two field trips to interview the NGO staff and conservation experts, and observed human–elephant interaction. Enhancing the understanding of ecotourism, this study expands the framing theory by incorporating cross-platform and cross-cultural adaptation factors and provides insights of an effective Asian ecotourism model which transcends cultural differences and overcomes resistance by disseminating culturally sensitive and integrated framing strategies through various communication channels.     

Investigating the relationship between air pollution, health and social deprivation in Leeds, UK

This study examines the relationship between air pollution, social deprivation and health in the city of Leeds, UK under a baseline and three distance-based road user charging (RUC) scenarios set at 2 pence, 10 pence and 20 pence/km. Through application of a series of linked models of traffic, emission and pollutant dispersion, air quality was modelled in response to RUC scenarios. The pollutant modelled were NO(2), PM(10), CO, benzene and 1,3-butadiene, though results of NO(2) are used in this study. The RUC scenarios were compared with the 'base' scenario, all set for the year 2005. The RUC initiatives result in the differences in ambient concentrations of NO(2). The study correlates NO(2) concentrations with derived indices of social deprivation and health. The study concludes that positive but weak relationship exists between air quality and social deprivation, and indicates that deprived population groups are disproportionately exposed to higher NO(2) levels. The relationship between air quality and health status of the population is weak. There is a strong relationship between social deprivation and health status of the population. The study concludes that RUC scenarios result in reducing disparity between affluent and deprived populations.     

The design considerations for ozone and acid aerosol exposure and health investigations: The fairview lake summer camp — Photochemical smog case study

The health effects associated with ozone and acidic particulate sulfate exposures to active children have been and are being addressed in field epidemiological studies at summar camps in rural areas of the Northeastern U.S. The rationale and study design for studies, which have been conducted in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are developed and reviewed. As background, results are summarized for human clinical and epidemiological studies and animal studies. These provided the basis for selection of health outcomes measured results from chemical characterization and transport studies are reviewed to define the criteria used for selection of a site which is effected by high ozone and acid species during photochemical smog episodes. The integration of the study design is discussed in detail by reviewing it application to the 1984 — Fairview Lake Camp Study (July 8 to August 4). The features of the camp study are reviewed, including the study population, pulmonary function procedures and analyses, air pollution monitoring instrumentation, and the site characteristics. The pollution exposure data are presented, for ozone and acidic sulfates and examined for the range and distribution concentration. Further information is provided on the intensity and duration of episodes encountered over the course of the study. Episodes occurred which had ozone and acid sulfates, ozone alone, and acid sulfates alone.