Implementing the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty: Future applications of geographic information systems within the Committee for Environmental Protection

With the entry into force of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Protocol) in January 1998, key operational aspects of the newly established Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP), such as its advisory capacity to Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs) need to be urgently addressed. This paper advocates the use of a geographic information system (GIS) environmental database to reinforce the advisory capacity of the CEP. The demonstrated links between the provisions of the Protocol and GIS capabilities illustrate the potential this has to assist the CEP in delivering informed advice to ATCMs. The range of GIS applications that could be utilized by the CEP in fulfilling its functions are examined by reference to precedents in Europe (CORINE) and Australia (ARIS).     

南极内陆科考站的环境影响评价及减缓措施

南极内陆地区以其特殊的地理位置和特有的生态环境在研究全球变化尤其是气候变化中发挥不可替代的作用.随着越来越多的科考站在南极内陆地区建立,人类活动对南极环境的不利影响的程度和性质正在发生范围的扩散和层次的转移.本研究以中国昆仑站为例,依据不同类型活动的发生概率、范围、持续时间,严重程度的不同,对在南极内陆地区建立科考站所产生的环境影响进行了综合分析,结果表明,科考站的建设和运行对南极内陆环境及其附属的生态系统带来了不可避免的负效应,提出相关减缓措施以期尽可能减缓不良的环境影响,这不仅为日后南极科考活动提供规范化指导,还为南极内陆地区环境污染的控制及管理和可持续发展提供参考.     

我国现行环境影响评价制度面临的问题与对策

环境影响评价制度在我国经过近30年的发展与完善,在有效加强环境管理,从源头上防止环境污染和生态环境破坏方面起到了重要作用。但从现实看,其并未能从根本上遏制我国生态环境的恶化,各级政府的发展观、环境职能部门的独立性和公正性、评价机构的中立性、环境报告编制的技术性缺失和环境影响评价制度的缺憾等问题都严重制约着环境影响评价的作用发挥,只有解决这些问题,通过完善制度、科学评价,公正审批和有效监督才能让环境影响评价真正成为环境的守护神,实现经济社会发展与自然的和谐。     

试论农业政策的环境影响评价简

为了实现农业政策的生态化,即农业政策以环境保护为导向,减少农业政策对环境的影响,需要对农业政策进行环境影响评价。通过深入分析农业政策的环境影响评价对法治建设和生态文明建设的意义,认为在当前我国环境影响评价制度缺少相关政策层面环评的情况下,应当先对农业政策进行环评,通过确立政策环评范围、主体,对其进行阶段性设置,从而完善环评的法律体系,实现农业政策与环境保护的统一。     

房地产开发建设项目环境影响评价要点评述

近年来随着房地产行业的蓬勃发展以及公众环保意识的不断增强,房地产开发建设项目环境影响评价水平不断被推向新的深度。本文将根据房地产开发建设项目自身的特点,综合论述此类项目环境影响评价中应关注的主要环境问题。     

PROFILE: Integrating Sustainability and Environmental Impact Assessment

/ Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been identified as an important instrument for facilitating sustainability. However, to do so requires the integration of sustainability into EIA theory and practice. The sustainability concept is a valid and important environmental management perspective. However, many issues and obstacles need to be addressed further if the concept is to be translated into practical strategies. Sustainability can potentially infuse EIA with a clearer sense of direction, an ethical foundation, a mechanism for establishing priorities and assessing choices, and a means of linking EIA to other environmental management instruments. Conceptually, EIA and sustainability can be integrated, but frameworks should be refined, adpated to context, and linked to related initiatives. Sustainability should be explicitly incorporated into EIA legislation, guidelines, and institutional arrangements. An experimental approach to testing, assessing, and sharing experiences is suggested.A framework is first presented that defines and characterizes the sustainability concept. A further framework is then described for integrating sustainability into EIA at the conceptual level. The integration of sustainability and EIA at the regulatory level is next addressed through an overview of sustainability initiatives in EIA requirements in Canada. The Canadian examples include many promising initiatives but these and other experiences will need to be monitored, shared, and integrated into comprehensive environmental management strategies. Finally, means of incorporating sustainability into each activity in the EIA planning process are identified.KEY WORDS: Sustainability; Environmental impact assessment     

Practitioner Perspectives on the Role of Science in Environmental Impact Assessment

A large body of literature addresses the role of science in environmental impact assessment (EIA) but less attention has been given to the views of practitioners themselves. In this research a survey of 31 EIA practitioners in Western Australia was undertaken to determine their perceptions of the quality and importance of science in EIA. The survey results are compared with previous theoretical, empirical, and survey studies of the role of science in EIA. Interview questions addressed the role of science in impact prediction, monitoring activities, mitigation and management, and EIA decision-making. It was clear from the interviews that many practitioners are satisfied with the quality of science currently used in EIA, but do not believe that it is given sufficient importance in the process. The quality and importance of science in the predecision stages of EIA was rated higher than in the postdecision stages. While science was perceived to provide the basis for baseline data collection, impact prediction, and mitigation design, it was seen to be less important during decision-making and ongoing project management. Science was seen to be just one input to decision-makers along with other factors such as sociopolitical and economic considerations. While time and budget constraints were seen to limit the scientific integrity of EIA activities, pressure from the public and regulatory authorities increased it. Improving the scientific component of EIA will require consideration of all these factors, not just the technical issues.     

Environmental Impact Assessment and Management: An Underexplored Relationship

In this paper the existing body of theory is reviewed to highlight the need for further attention to be paid to the EIA/management relationship. In particular it is shown that the majority of the literature to date has concentrated on the influence of EIA leading up to and including the decision to proceed or not with the proposed action. Less attention has been paid to the extension of the influence of EIA beyond this point to inform the process of ongoing environmental management. This relationship is then explored by reference to the Western Australian EIA system. One of the strengths of this system is its focus upon the implementation and management of proposed developments. The outcome of EIA is generally an approval to proceed with the development subject to meeting a suite of environmental design and management objectives.     

对提高环境影响评价质量的几点意见

本文从法制与技术两个方面的观点提出如何提高环境影响评价质量的几点意见。     

Structuring cooperative behavior under the National Environmental Policy Act of the United States

A trend is presently under way to streamline the compliance requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of the United States through cooperative assessment procedures. Since the law was enacted in 1970, however, participants in the assessment process have tended to settle disagreements by adversarial rather than cooperative means. This study focuses on a highly acclaimed environmental assessment procedure undertaken by the U.S. Steel Corporation for its proposed $4.0 billion Lakefront Steel Plant. Survey research data were gathered to measure the underlying management philosophy perceived by interorganizational representatives, who attended a series of Technical Team meetings designed to coordinate the assessment effort and to open communication channels. A social psychological scale of behavioral dimensions was adapted from Likert to define the composition and the extent of cooperation at these meetings. A newly constructed scale was used to measure the quantity and quality of representation by each of the major organizations involved. Informal interviews were conducted with project participants to obtain further insight into member interaction. Results indicate that democratic problem solving was in evidence but also suggest a preference by respondents for improved procedures. The paper outlines areas of concern voiced by respondents and offers the means for improving the operating procedures of similar interorganizational environmental assessments.     

大气环境影响评价中理解和执行国家标准的几个问题

就大气环境影响评价中理解和执行ＧＢ／Ｔ１３２０１－９１、ＧＢ３０９５－８２的几个问题提出了看法和建议。     

学习实施环境影响评价法

讨论了环评法涉及的环评主管部门、规划建设单位和环评机构三个主要对象之间的关系，规划环评、跟踪评价、后评价、公众参与，以及环境评价与环境工程等内容。     

增强环境影响评价公众参与有效性的研究

本文结合《环境影响评价公众参与暂行办法》的内容和要求,根据从事环境影响评价的工作经验,提出当前环评中公众参与存在的信息公开及听证主体不尽合理等问题,并加以分析。针对如何更好地做好公众参与工作,提出诸如扩大并完善公众可以参与评价的方式和媒体参与等一系列对策建议。     

采掘行业环境影响评价制度存在问题的探讨

环境影响评价是环境管理的重要组成部分,为我国的环境管理决策提供重要依据。但在实际工作中,我国的环境管理工作仍然存在一定的问题。本文结合采掘行业的特点,分别从法律层面、设计层面和环境影响评价层面等三个方向进行分析,结合发现的问题提出建议,力求从不同的角度完善相关制度和技术要求。从而使采掘行业的环境管理能全面涵盖采掘行业开发过程,最大程度地减少采掘行业开发过程中的环境影响,完善采掘行业环境影响评价制度,对我国采掘行业生态环境的改善及环境影响评价法制建设起到一定的借鉴意义。     

生态适宜度评价在开发区环评和环境规划中的应用——以江苏常熟东南开发区为例

本文以江苏省常熟东南开发区为研究对象,在开发区的环境影响评价和环境保护规划中引入土地利用生态适宜度评价的方法,建立开发区生态适宜度评价指标体系,并借助GIS技术将数值计算和图形叠置有机结合,实现了对经济开发区土地利用进行生态适宜度评价的定量化研究方法,为经济开发区的合理规划提供决策依据。     

提高公众参与环境影响评价有效性的研究

公众参与是促进决策科学化和民主化的重要手段。针对当前我国公众参与环境影响评价存在的诸多问题,本文剖析了问题存在的原因,并从立法、确定利益相关者、完善公众参与方式和内容、提高信息交流透明度、完善公众参与监督体系、完善公众意见筛选与评价方法、提高公众环保知识等方面提出了完善公众参与体系,提高公众参与有效性的建议。     

小水电站环境影响评价内容探讨

小水电站工程环境影响评价按有关规范规定为报告表,但其大纲内容不适合山区小水电站环评。通过总结30余座小水电站环评实践,探讨了小水电站环评基本内容应包括：环境影响分析与预测评价、涉及生态影响因子范围、环境保护措施、公众参与等,从技术角度能满足环保管理部门的审批要求。     

玻璃幕墙光污染环境影响评价案例分析

以两栋建筑为例探讨了玻璃幕墙光污染的环境影响评价体系。提出以眩光特征和不舒适眩光评价等级作为评价标准,同时通过计算确定污染范围和控制手段。结果验证了此评价体系的有效性和实用性。     

初探产业园区规划环境影响跟踪评价实施技术路线和指标体系构建

环境影响评价法颁布十年,规划环评实施进入进一步深化和拓展阶段,跟踪评价是规划环评实施重要内容之一。目前跟踪评价暂缺乏相关技术导则和规范,无法指导实际工作。本文就跟踪评价实施步骤、技术路线、指标体系构建3个方面,探讨跟踪评价在具体工作中如何实施。以产业园区规划为例,将步骤划分为已实施部分规划的回顾性评价、未实施部分规划的预测评价两部分分别分析;技术路线将规划要素与环境资源要素相互对应分析;指标体系构建以规划要素、环境要素、资源要素、管理要素4个方面进行讨论。