Adaptation policy and community discourse: risk,vulnerability, and just transformation

How can public engagement assist in the development of just processes and outcomes in adaptation discourse and policymaking? A concern with justice is at the center of thinking about adaptation that is not only resilient, but also public, engaging, and transformative. Theoretically, the intersection of adaptation, transformation, and environmental and climate justice is examined, before exploring the specific concerns and normative foundations for adaptation policy articulated by local governments, environmental groups, and local residents engaged in adaptation planning in Australia. Despite a discursive disconnect between governmental focus on a risk or resilience-based approach and a community concern with the vulnerability of basic needs and capabilities of everyday life, deliberative engagement in adaptation planning can both address issues of justice and represent a transformative practice.     

Elite cues,media coverage,and public concern: an integrated path analysis of public opinion on climate change, 2001–2013

To analyze the factors affecting US public concern about the threat of climate change between January 2002 and December 2013, data from 74 separate surveys are used to construct quarterly measures of public concern over global climate change. Five factors should account for changes in levels of concern: extreme weather events, public access to accurate scientific information, media coverage, elite cues, and movement/countermovement advocacy. Structural equation modeling indicates that elite cues, movement advocacy efforts, weather, and structural economic factors influence the level of public concern about climate change. While media coverage exerts an important influence, it is itself largely a function of elite cues and economic factors. Promulgation to the public of scientific information on climate change has no effect. Information-based science advocacy has had only a minor effect on public concern, while political mobilization by elites and advocacy groups is critical in influencing climate change concern.     

Why does the United States lack a global warming policy? The corporate inner circle versus public interest sector elites

Why has the United States not adopted global warming policies? Because the inner circle of the corporate elite has opposed these policies despite some corporate support for cap-and-trade and other policies. Pro- and anti-positions taken by think tanks that have led the policy debate in the post-Kyoto period are analyzed in order to demonstrate this. The corporate and upper class social ties of the directors of these pro- and anti-think tanks are examined, revealing a corporate elite split between the inner circle opposing these policies, and a ‘public interest sector’ of corporate law and media corporations along with top executives from higher education and other nonprofits that is supportive of policies addressing global warming. To enable adoption of major global warming policies, the corporate inner circle will need to become supportive and forge a class-wide corporate consensus on the need to address global warming.     

中部地区资源型城市城市化与生态环境动态耦合关系

通过构建城市化与生态环境耦合模型,利用中部地区37个资源型城市2005—2014年城市化系统和生态环境系统的30个指标数据,对城市化与生态环境耦合关系动态变化进行测度,并比较分析不同类型资源型城市城市化水平、生态环境水平及其二者耦合协调度的变化。结果表明:(1)2005以来人口城市化对资源型地区城市化综合水平的影响力减弱,社会城市化的影响力逐渐加大并趋于比较重要的地位。尽管资源条件对资源型城市的生态环境综合水平影响最大,但生态环境治理水平对资源型地区生态环境综合水平的影响力正变得日益重要。(2)各城市间城市化综合水平差异较大,而生态环境综合水平差异较小。自2005年以来城市化发展综合水平的城际差异无较大改变,但生态环境发展水平的城际差异正变得日趋缩小。位于山西省的资源型城市城市化综合水平和生态环境综合水平的变动较之其他省份更为显著。(3)中部地区资源型城市的协调类型处于勉强协调、初级协调和中级协调,并以初级协调型为主。2005以来中部地区多数资源型城市城市化与生态环境关系保持不变,关系恶化的资源型城市主要分布在安徽、江西和湖南,关系更为协调的资源型城市主要位于山西。(4)不同类型资源型城市的城市化综合水平差异显著,而生态环境综合水平差异并不明显。再生型和衰退型城市的耦合协调度水平较高,成熟型城市的耦合协调度较低。(5)城市化滞后仍是资源型城市城市化与生态环境关系不协调发展的主要原因。     

Constructing the sustainable city: examining the role of sustainability in the ‘smart city’ discourse

The idea of the ‘smart city’ is increasingly central to debates on urban development and sustainability, and a host of cities are now pursuing ‘smartness’ as a way to improve energy efficiency, transport, and public services. However, existing research does not provide a clear picture of how this smart city agenda actually contributes to sustainability. The social science literature has been critical toward urban smartness, with most of the empirical research focusing on the politics of data-driven and entrepreneurial urbanism. This article seeks to contribute to this debate by empirically examining the role that sustainability plays in the smart city discourse. Its distinctive approach is to investigate how urban smartness and sustainability are framed by an authoritative institution (the European Union) and then to trace these framings down to a particular city (Stavanger, Norway). The data show that the smartness approach is strongly tied to innovation, technology, and economic entrepreneurialism, and sustainability does not appear to be a very important motivating driver. Nevertheless, the ‘sustainability component’ of the smart city agenda becomes clearer the closer we come to the city level.     

城市大气环境治理成本核算及其总量、结构分析——以西安市为例

基于单位成本分析模型对2000—2009年西安市大气环境治理的价值量进行了系统核算,并从总量与结构两方面对核算结果进行了深入和全面的分析。结果表明,从西安市历年大气环境的实际治理成本(除2002、2006、2009年)来看,该市在大气环境治理方面的投资基本上逐年增加,但是增加幅度较小,而大气环境虚拟治理成本在一般年份(除2002、2006、2009年)总体上呈现先增加后减小的变化趋势。可见,西安市为改变环境污染状况,不断增加大气环境治理方面的投资,但在初期治理资金缺口仍在增加,而随着投资的持续增加,许多大气环境治理设施的建立与作用的发挥,大气环境污染状况逐渐减轻,治理资金缺口开始变小;在核算年份中,西安市工业大气环境污染治理的重点主要放在了烟尘方面,城镇生活SO2虚拟治理成本在生活废气总虚拟治理成本中所占比例最高。最后,针对发现问题,对该市今后大气环境治理工作的方向和措施给出了建议。     

中瑞排污许可证制度的对比研究

对中国水排污许可和瑞典综合排污许可的审批程序和要求、审批内容等进行了对比分析。重点分析了环境法庭在瑞典综合排污许可申报过程中的作用和功能,以及瑞典排污许可证文件的起草和颁发过程。在此基础上,从政府、企业和公众3个层面提出了瑞典综合排污许可证制度对中国排污许可证制度建设和完善的重要借鉴意义。     

输变电工程电磁环境公众参与及环保对策探讨

以广州市部分变电站环境影响评价及其审批过程中的公众参与为例,归纳公众对输变电工程在电磁环境方面的感受和利益相关方的观点,并从科普宣传、确保达标、建立风险沟通机制、加强科研、改善公众交流策略等方面提出了环保对策。     

广州市建筑垃圾资源化的必要性分析

摘要：随着广州市城市化进程的不断加快,城市建筑垃圾的排出量也在快速增长,如何应对和处理建筑垃圾所带来的“垃圾围城”困境,已经成为人们不得不面对的重要问题,推进建筑垃圾资源化是开展建筑垃圾综合治理的有效途径。论述了建筑垃圾资源化再生利用的必要性、紧迫性,指出了广州市建筑垃圾资源化过程中存在的问题,为推进广州市建筑垃圾综合处理实践提供了参考。     

低碳城市理念下的郑州市绿地系统优化研究

低碳城市是一种实现低碳经济、进行低碳生产与消费、形成低碳生活、建设良性与可持续发展的能源生态体系的城市模式。通过调控城市绿地系统、优化城市开放空间,有利于低碳城市理念下的生态城市建设,实现城市的可持续发展。首先对低碳城市建设与城市绿地系统优化的关系进行了分析;其次对郑州城市绿地系统建设存在的主要问题进行了探讨,借助AreGIS9．3软件分析了郑州市绿地服务区的影响范围;最后基于城市绿地系统优化原则提出四方面的优化建议——注重城市的生态设计;优化绿地系统的空间布局;实现“点”、“线”、“面”的有机结合;实施适度的绿地容量限制;发展立体绿化与推广绿色建筑材料的使用。