Sustainable development strategies: Tools for policy coherence

Many different approaches for national sustainable development strategies (NSDS) have been proposed since 1992, with some components common to all. A country's national strategy should be designed to help mainstream environmental concerns into policy. More broadly, it should coordinate local policy with global concerns, as well as integrate scientific knowledge into policy and development planning. The peer review mechanism for national strategies was piloted by France, and also involved representatives of countries from the North and the South as well as stakeholders. The peer review process allows countries to share their experience and information, and can assist them in identifying their own path to sustainable development. The business community can also contribute to sustainable development through provision of local and global public goods. Another input to sustainable development could come from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and its Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility (ISO 26000), as a coordinating mechanism between voluntary initiatives and binding obligations (such as international conventions). ISO standards and guidelines should therefore be integrated with national sustainable development strategies and local Agenda 21 frameworks.     

Sustainable development in the Mediterranean region

Considering its specific economic, social, environmental and political features, the status and evolution of the Mediterranean have always been of great interest to its countries and concerned partners. From the protection of the sea against pollution, the interest was progressively expanded to land based development and its impacts on environment, to coastal management and finally to sustainable development with the establishment of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD). Cumulated knowledge, coupled with political support and commitment to a common vision, has prepared the ground for the preparation of a regional strategy for sustainable development. Its preparatory process, coordinated by the MCSD Secretariat, has been very interactive, involving various stakeholders. The strategy, adopted in 2005, has raised awareness and induced the preparation of national sustainable development strategies.     

Brief description of the effects on health of the earthquake of 3rd March 1985 – Chile

Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. Earthquakes are periodic phenomena that test the quality of construction, as well as the capacity of the population to adapt to sharp changes in socio-environ-mental conditions.
Experience in this regard has demonstrated the desirability of being prepared, at the institutional level and at the level of the general population, to carry out investigations and to begin measures to cope with these catastrophes, in order to reduce damage and the interruption of normal life to a minimum.
In this paper some general aspects of the social and health impacts of the earthquake of 3rd March 1985 are examined. The shock affected the central area of Chile which contains 61% of the total population.
The earthquake occurred at 19:50 hours on Sunday, 3rd March, and was of magnitude 7.8. Recorded personal losses included 180 dead and 2,575 injured, and around 200,000 damaged or destroyed dwellings. The destruction also affected the infrastructure of the public services, such as energy, road, telecommunications and water supply, giving rise to an emergency in the provision of assistance.
Special reference is made to the effects, on the health care infrastructure, drinking water supply and, less important, on the behavior of some communicable intestinal diseases that are highly endemic in the area under study.     

Natural gamma radiation map (MARNA) and indoor radon levels in Spain

During the last decade, the Department of Applied and Medical Physics has been involved in the development of a radiation protection programme. In the framework of this programme, measurements of indoor radon, principally, have been carried out nationwide. Geometric mean radon concentrations of 45 Bq m(-3) in the whole country and 130 Bq m(-3) in the high natural radiation area have been estimated. On the other hand, the so-called MARNA Project is developed into the framework of an agreement subscribed between the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) and the National Uranium (ENUSA), the first phase of which has been the elaboration of the Natural Gamma Radiation Map of Spain on the scale of 1:1,000,000 using radiometric data generated in the 30 years of the lifetime of the ancient National Uranium Exploration and Investigation Plan mainly through airborne, carborne, and by foot surveys, within the MARNA Project itself. The lowest averaged dose rate from external gamma radiation (19.3 nGyh(-1)) was found in carbonate bedrock and the highest (87.7 nGyh(-1)) was found in granite and clay bedrock. This paper summarizes the main results obtained from the measurements performed in both projects, with special interest in those concerning the correlation between the data reported in order to conclude about the potential benefit of the MARNA maps in the definition of affected areas in the country.     

A Methodological Approach for Designating Management Zones in Mount Spil National Park, Turkey

/ This study was undertaken to (1) determine the suitability of ecosystems within Mount Spil National Park (Turkey) to human activities by a systematic zoning procedure, and (2) provide the basis for developing sound management strategies based on natural-cultural resource attributes of the park. After assessing natural-cultural resources and human activity requirements, the suitability of three zones (Strict Protection Zone, SPZ; Restricted Use Zone, RUZ; and Recreation and Administration Zone, RAZ) for proposed human activities/land uses was determined in order to maintain ecological sustainability and integrity through a weighting-ranking methodology, based on a grid cell resolution of 1 km x 1 km. Results showed that out of the three management zones, the RUZ in which the recreational activities that do not require physical developments are allowed constituted 82% of the park area as the first priority management zone. The proposed zoning procedure is believed to be a key step to improve management for both the study area and other national parks with the similar landscape features.     

石灰生产项目环评中应注意的几个问题

以燃煤石灰立窑为例主要从产业政策相符性分析、污染物产生量及产生浓度的计算、污染防治措施、卫生防护距离设置等方面论述石灰生产项目环评中应注意的几个问题,以供此类环评项目参考。     

用于流域管理的河流水生态系统健康评价初探

对生态健康、河流生态系统健康概念进行了简要的总结,回顾了国内外河流生态系统健康评价的方法,提出了现阶段河流生态系统健康评价的不足及今后应该进一步研究的内容,并提出了河流生态系统健康评价在流域科学管理中的作用。     

太平湖国家湿地公园生态保育区草本植物区系及其在不同干扰下的多样性动态

为探明人类活动对太平湖国家湿地公园生态保育区草本植物多样性的影响,对该区域草本植物区系及其在不同干扰下的多样性动态进行了调查分析。结果表明:①该区共有草本植物25科,56属,68种,以禾本科(G ram ineae)、莎草科(Cyperaceae)和菊科(Compositae)为优势科,属的成分相对分散,该区草本植物均为寡种属和单种属,植物区系成分简单;②狗牙根(Cynodondactylon)为湿地公园生态保育区优势种群,在5个样地均形成优势群落,但在不同干扰类型下重要值有所变化;③吴家洲为无人区,狗牙根占绝对优势,植物演替处于初始阶段;④大湖冲农业干扰时间久远,农田杂草向滩涂湿地演替推进,物种α多样性各指数为5样地中最高;⑤轻微游憩活动造成营盘山草本植物多样性各指数较吴家洲高,近期建造的水泥游道、观台和篝火场地等对湿地景观造成了一定破坏;⑥苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)因不被家畜食用、具化感作用,种子可随水和随家畜传播,造成石壁陈苍耳泛滥成灾,形成大面积优势群落,严重影响植被景观多样性和微生态系统的稳定性;⑦乌里村受渔业影响较大,滩地植被稀疏;⑧各样地草本植物β多样性显示,不同干扰类型已经对河口滩地的环境造成了影响,具体环境影响指标还有待于进一步研究。针对太平湖湿地公园生态保育区生物多样性保护存在的主要问题,提出了相应的保护和修复对策。     

论环境污染导致健康损害的公共化补偿制度

环境污染导致健康损害的公共化补偿制度具有明显的公益性,在污染频发的当今社会,该制度能起到促进社会和谐的重要作用。我国在借鉴国外先进经验的基础上,应该构建环境污染导致健康损害公共化补偿制度。该制度的主要理论基础就在于行政力量应该成为风险社会背景下抵抗环境污染风险的最终保障,因此其设立和运行着重强调政府责任,国家应该通过其主管的公共化补偿基金,依照法定程序对未能获得救济的健康受害人进行及时的救治和帮助。     

基于熵权法的连云港市入海河流环境健康评价——以蔷薇河为例

建立包含压力-状态-响应要素的指标体系,采用基于熵权的模糊数学评价方法,运用相对隶属度算法评价在快速城市化胁迫下(2000～2007年)连云港市入海河流(以蔷薇河为例)相对健康程度,该方法避免了主观判断河流环境健康标准的不确定性.评价结果表明2000～2007年,连云港市蔷薇河相对健康整体大致呈下降趋势,最优年为200...