Regional Perspectives on Resource Policy: Implementing Sustainable Management in New Zealand

In 1991, New Zealand implemented new legislation to govern the management of natural resources and the environment. The Resource Management Act establishes sustainable management as the guiding principle for decisions in respect of the allocation and use of natural resources. The reform has also brought about the devolution of decision-making authority from central government to the local level. Underlying this shift to a 'bottom up' decision-making framework is the belief that it is communities of interest that should have the most direct voice in the allocation and use of natural resources. Regional policy statements will be amongst the most important mechanisms through which the principle of sustainable management will be implemented at the local scale. A sample of these policy documents is reviewed, with the aim to identify what specific regional interpretations are given to the principle of sustainable management, what particular resource management issues are considered to underpin the achievement of the principle and to identify what visions have been crafted for the future. An underlying objective was to identify whether characteristics of locality have influenced the interpretations of sustainable management.     

Agroecology in the tropics: Achieving a balance between land use and preservation

Agroecology is the application of ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agricultural systems. An agroecological approach to agriculture has special importance in the humid tropics where agricultural development and the preservation of tropical forests are most often in direct conflict. It is proposed that a more sustainable approach to development is needed, where agroecosystems depend on low external inputs, function more on the use of locally available and renewable resources, have benign impacts on the environment, and are based on the knowledge and culture of the local inhabitants. Examples of traditional agroecosystem management in Mesoamerica that can provide this basis are presented. The preservation of both biological and cultural diversity are integral to the long-term sustainable management of natural resources in the tropics.     

Natural resources planning, management, and sustainable use in China

Almost all the issues of sustainable development in China relate to natural resources. Sustainable development as one of the most important strategies has been incorporated into all the actions related to the planning and management of natural resources in China. This paper gives an overview of the contributions of natural resources and the challenges facing the natural resource sectors. It contributes a series of proposals on the planning and management of natural resources. It also outlines the general framework of the planning system for natural resources and summarizes the Great Survey of Natural Resources Program that the Ministry of Land and Resources is implementing.     

农业自然资源综合管理立法与农业可持续发展

本文通过对持续农业的法律内涵、农业自然资源的普遍特征及中国资源立法现状分析,建议制定农业自然资源综合管理法规,以确保农业自然资源的合理利用和有效管理,推动农业的持续发展     

生态系统管理理论在山地生态旅游开发中的应用

生态系统管理是一种可持续的系统的自然资源和环境管理理念,综合了生态、经济和社会的发展要求。以大别山区岳西县为例,探讨了山地生态旅游开发的生态系统管理,提出从整体上综合分析旅游流对山地自然生态环境的影响,研究具有关键性影响的生态要素和生态过程,采取适应性管理,确保旅游客流、当地民众和自然生态环境之间的和谐。     

生态建设与环境保护促进贵州旅游业持续发展

分析得出贵州旅游资源具有自然资源富集、自然景观奇特、民族文化资源浓厚、红色旅游资源宝贵而丰富、气候资源宜人等比较优势。从生态环境与旅游业可持续发展角度,探讨了生态建设、环境保护对贵州旅游业可持续发展的积极作用。针对贵州旅游业加快发展面临的生态环境问题,提出了加强生态环境保护促进贵州旅游业可持续发展的对策措施。     

关于中国可持续农业问题的研究

农业可持续发展是国家可持续发展的根本保证和优先领域,实现农业可持续发展必须建立可持续农业。本文认为,高科技生态农业是中国可持续农业的唯一战略选择和最终出路。为实现这一战略选择,在继续贯彻实施计划生育和环境保护两个基本国策的同时,必须调整现有的农业结构和资源管理模式,制定可持续利用的资源管理政策,发展以生态农业为基础、以高新农业技术为手段的高科技生态农业。     

Comparative capitalism and sustainable development: Stakeholder capitalism and co-management in the Kenyan fisheries sub sector

This paper argues that stakeholder capitalism is more appropriate to natural resource management and rural development in Africa than other varieties of capitalism. It examines different management arrangements in Kenyan Lake Victoria fisheries resources to argue that whilst stakeholder capitalism is still far from being the mainstream model of capitalism in Kenya, theoretically and empirically, it is more appropriate to sustainable development than the Anglo‐Saxon variety of capitalism that the country inherited from its British colonizers. The paper demonstrates that the concepts of ownership and management rights are social, economic and political constructs that are continuously contested, with huge implications for sustainable development and natural resource management.     

我国小型矿山的可持续发展战略

目前 ,我国小型矿山普遍存在着缺乏规划、设备简陋、工艺落后、管理和技术水平低、安全保障条件差、运销不畅以及职工素质低等问题 ,并由此造成的浪费资源、污染环境十分严重。当前 ,经济建设中 95%的能源和 80 %的原料依赖矿产资源供给 ,矿产资源探明的储量已显不足。进入 2 1世纪后 ,保证经济可持续发展的矿产资源更加不足 ,尤其是小型矿山要在 2 1世纪保持可持续发展成为一项非常艰巨的任务。     

Attitudes towards current and alternative management of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest,Bangladesh to achieve sustainability

This paper examines the challenges of achieving sustainable management of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans (SMF) in Bangladesh. During the past two decades, conflicts between mangrove maintenance and the pressure to provide economic livelihoods to forest-dependent communities (FDCs) have emerged and persisted. The SMF is currently managed by the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) under a state property rights regime. This study explores an alternative property rights regime which includes participatory approaches and co-management with FDCs to achieve sustainability, both economically and environmentally. Focus group discussions and a survey were the methods used to assess the prospects. The study finds that the absence of a management partnership between the BFD and FDCs is mainly responsible for the policy failures to achieve sustainable management of the SMF. However, evidence is presented that a ‘co-management’ property rights regime cannot be established until FDC capacity is enhanced through the formation of community level institutions.     

Towards sustainable community‐based natural resource management in the indigenous Meqmegi community in Taiwan: Rethinking impacts of local participation

This paper examines approaches for local resident participation in community‐based natural resource management (CBNRM); focusing particularly on the potential impacts that local participation imposes on the natural environment. This study used qualitative methods to collect data, and selected Meqmegi, an indigenous community in Taiwan, as a case study. The findings indicate that many opportunities can be created that stimulate a community to participate in natural resource management; moreover, residents are prone to use their own ways to participate. Therefore, although local participation is praised for its people‐oriented way of natural resource management, impacts from the participation process will ultimately be imposed on the environment. We suggest that more consideration be given to the environmental conditions during the process of local participation via CBNRM to make sure that impacts on the environment are positive, and lead to a truly sustainable future.     

Environmental management policy in a coastal tourism municipality: the case study of Cervia (Italy)

The sustainability concept applied to human activities implies the need to harmonise the protection of environment with a satisfactory economic and social development. This is particularly true for tourism development: a misuse of the natural resources can cause a degradation of the tourist appeal of the destination, bringing it finally to its economic decline. This problem is particularly important in coastal tourism destinations. The implementation of an environmental management system is a powerful way for progressing towards better environmental performances. In this paper, the main results obtained in applying the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme procedure to the municipality of Cervia, a well-known tourist destination located on the Adriatic coast of Italy are described. This research puts into evidence that the main environmental pressures in the summer season are related to the supply of potable water, the production of solid wastes and wastewater air pollution and noise, etc. However, if correctly planned and managed, tourism can also contribute to environmental protection, to the conservation of biodiversity and to a sustainable use of natural resources.     

Natural resources assessment in the Okavango Delta, Botswana: Case studies of some key resources

This article makes an assessment of the following key natural resources in the Okavango Delta: arable land, basket-making resources, fish stocks, and river reeds. Non-data-intensive socio-economic indicators (as opposed to conventional data-intensive indicators) of trends in resource prices, trends in labour time for resource extraction, substitution of less preferred commodities, maximum sustainable yield and perceived scarcity were utilized to assess the scarcity of the resources. The study reveals that basket-weaving resources, land for flood recession arable (molapo) agriculture, and river reeds are increasingly becoming scarce in the harvesting areas, whereas fish stocks are still abundant. It is recommended that appropriate policies should be introduced for the management of natural resources. Property rights could be granted to communities to manage natural resources such as fish and veld products in line with the wildlife model for community based natural resources management (CBNRM). In addition, the authors suggest that the Government of Botswana should take the responsibility for allocating land for molapo arable farming in order to make it more accessible.     

Framework for Measuring Sustainable Development in Catchment Systems

Integrated catchment management represents an approach to managing the resources of a catchment by integrating environmental, economic, and social issues. It is aimed at deriving sustainable benefits for future generations, while protecting natural resources, particularly water, and minimizing possible adverse social, economic, and environmental consequences. Indicators of sustainable development, which summarize information for use in decision-making, are invaluable when trying to assess the diverse, interacting components of catchment processes and resource management actions. The Driving-Forces–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) indicator framework is useful for identifying and developing indicators of sustainable development for catchment management. Driving forces have been identified as the natural conditions occurring in a catchment and the level of development and economic activity. Pressures include the natural and anthropogenic supply of water, water demand, and water pollution. State indicators can be split into those of quantity and those of quality. Impacts include those that affect the ecosystems directly and those that impact the use value of the resource. It core indicators are identified within each of the categories given in the framework, most major catchment-based management issues can be evaluated. This framework is applied to identify key issues in catchment management in South Africa, and develop a set of indicators for evaluating catchments throughout the country.     

石门台自然保护区可持续发展对策

石门台自然保护区具有调节气候、涵养水源、调节径流、保持水土、降低河流含沙量、净化大气和水质、保护野生生物物种等多种生态功能,但其生态系统也具有脆弱性.为了促进自然环境的良性循环,促进水资源的可持续利用和经济的可持续发展,提出以下建议:加强宣传教育,加强保护措施,改善管理技术水平,建立可持续发展的经济体系.     

Sustainable pesticide governance in Bangladesh: socio-economic and legal status interlinking environment,occupational health and food safety

Pesticides, regardless of their known toxic impacts to human health and environment, are widely used in the rapid growing agricultural sectors of developing countries. As an agricultural country with small lands and enormous population to feed, a developing country like Bangladesh rely heavily on the uses of pesticides to increase crop yields. Nevertheless, during the past decades, Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh has experienced 26.46% decrease in total pesticide consumption. However, the presence of unregistered pesticides in the environmental samples and agricultural products has pointed out the weakness in the existing legal regime of the pesticide governance. This, in turn, is threatening the livelihood and health of the farmers, food safety and consumer health. This paper reviews the antiquity of the status of pesticide consumption, evolution and drawbacks of pesticide in the context of existing socio-economic position of Bangladesh. A consolidated uniform system is lacking to project pesticide management in the country. Existing legal policy, rules and regulations in the context of international agreements regarding pesticide management have been reviewed and suggested for further amendment. Moreover, role of green microfinance in sustainable management of pesticides and food safety were recommended. A framework is proposed for pesticide governance with a stronger pesticide surveillance program and coordination of ministries interlinking environmental, occupational health and food safety.     

Implementing Sustainability: the Use of Natural Channel Design and Artificial Wetlands for Stormwater Management

Sustainability is a concept that has been widely embraced both politically and intellectually but has not been addressed in terms of practical application. In most resource sectors, the features of a sustainable future remain unclear and there are few examples that give practical expression to sustainability. This is especially true in the case of water resources management which has been conspicuous in its absence from the majority of the literature. This paper attempts to address this deficiency on two counts. First, it provides a discussion of sustainability and the application of the concept to the management of water resources. Second, the paper illustrates how the concept can be utilized for the management and planning of urban stormwater. The paper concludes by offering research opportunities to investigate the feasibility of adopting natural channel design and artificial wetlands for sustainable stormwater management.     

Understanding the Value of Local Ecological Knowledge and Practices for Habitat Restoration in Human-Altered Floodplain Systems: A Case from Bangladesh

Worldwide there is a declining trend in natural fish catch (FAO, The state of world fisheries and aquaculture. , 2002) and Bangladesh is no exception. The vast inland fisheries of Bangladesh have been declining over the years, largely a result of human alteration of the aquatic habitats arising from human interventions in the floodplain systems such as the establishment of water control structures which favor agricultural production but reduce fish habitats. It can be assumed that conventional management measures are not adequate to conserve natural fisheries and exploring alternative knowledge systems to complement existing management is warranted. This paper focuses on local ecological knowledge and several other local practices held by fishers engaging directly with floodplain ecosystems. These knowledge systems and practices may be valuable tools for understanding ecosystems processes and related changes and developing local level responses to avert negative consequences of such changes. This may help in devising alternatives to ecosystem management and the conservation of floodplain fish habitats of Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world. This study was conducted in a natural depression (locally called beel) and its surrounding floodplain system located in north central Bangladesh which has become highly degraded. The results of the study indicate that the fishers and local users of the floodplain ecosystems are rich in local ecological knowledge concerning the hydrology of the floodplains and small lakes, the habitat preferences of fish, the role of agricultural crops on fish habitats, and the impact of habitat human interventions in aquatic ecosystems. Given the apparent inadequacy of the present management regime, this article argues for an inclusion of local knowledge and practices into habitat management as a more holistic approach to floodplain habitat restoration and conservation that encourages multi-level cooperation and which builds on diversified knowledge systems.     

中国城市垃圾资源循环利用问题探讨

长期以来,人们提到的资源一般是指自然资源。从当前世界发展趋势看,自然资源虽然对区域社会经济发展十分重要,甚至起到某种决定性作用,但社会经济发展水平往往取决于社会经济资源对自然资源的作用效率。在现代社会中,资源的概念迅速扩展,人们对复杂问题的理解和思维方式正在发生日新月异的变化。特别是面对全球经济一体化、资源环境和生态全球化趋势,考虑可持续发展的总体要求,资源、人口、经济、环境、生态、社会等越来越明显地交织在一起。"垃圾"作为一种资源类型,愈来愈受到世界各国决策界和学术界的高度重视。通过我国经济增长和城市垃圾增长的正相关关系,分析了城市垃圾资源循环利用的操作原则和相应对策。     

论土地资源的永续利用

土地资源是最重要的自然资源,而土地资源的永续利用是实现社会、经济和生态可持续发展的基础。本文分析了土地资源永续利用的重要性,讨论了土地永续利用的概念、内涵、判据、利用方向和模式等内容,并在此基础上提出了实现我国土地资源永续利用的生态经济措施。