When implementation works: A comparison of Ramsar Convention implementation in different continents

What are the processes that shape implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) in multilevel governance? In an attempt to address this question, we move from a top-down view of implementation as compliance with international rules to viewing it as a dynamic process shaped by action at various levels. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands offers an important context to understand the mechanisms that shape multilevel implementation outcomes. We examine Ramsar Convention implementation in Austria, Mexico, and the Republic of Korea in order to identify relevant processes that define multilevel implementation. These cases represent three different types of government, and shed light on the ways in which international law is implemented by respective governments. The Austrian case, a federal government, illustrates the ways in which subnational authorities (the provinces) are influenced by binding regional institutions (EU-rules) to create a more robust context for protection in terms of designation of Ramsar sites. The Mexican case, a semi-federal government, shows how spurred involvement by local NGOs, states, and scientists can result in significant expansion of efforts. The Korean case, a unitary government, demonstrates the ways in which aligning institutional interests (in this case local governments with national ministries) can lead to strong implementation. Analysis of these cases provides two robust findings and one deserving additional study. First, overlapping governance efforts where activity has ties with multiple regional and international biodiversity efforts tend to see cumulative implementation. Second, institutional and organizational complexity can provide opportunities for local actors to drive the implementation agenda through a mix of processes of coordination and contentious politics. A third, more tentative finding, is that multilevel funding sources can ease implementation.     

The effects of climate warming on microbe-mediated mechanisms of sediment carbon emission

Due to significant differences in biotic and abiotic properties of soils compared to those of sediments, the predicted underlying microbe-mediated mechanisms of soil carbon emissions in response to warming may not be applicable for estimating similar emissions from inland water sediments. We addressed this issue by incubating different types of sediments, (including lake, small river, and pond sediments) collected from 36 sites across the Yangtze River basin, under short-term experimental warming to explore the effects of climate warming on sediment carbon emission and the underlying microbe-mediated mechanisms. Our results indicated that under climate warming CO₂ emissions were affected more than CH₄ emissions, and that pond sediments may yield a greater relative contribution of CO₂ to total carbon emissions than lake and river sediments. Warming-induced CO₂ and CH₄ increases involve different microbe-mediated mechanisms; Warming-induced sediment CO₂ emissions were predicted to be directly positively driven by microbial community network modularity, which was significantly negatively affected by the quality and quantity of organic carbon and warming-induced variations in dissolved oxygen, Conversely, warming-induced sediment CH₄ emissions were predicted to be directly positively driven by microbial community network complexity, which was significantly negatively affected by warming-induced variations in pH. Our findings suggest that biotic and abiotic drivers for sediment CO₂ and CH₄ emissions in response to climate warming should be considered separately when predicting sediment organic carbon decomposition dynamics resulting from climate change.     

Altitudinal and horizontal shifts of the upper boundaries of open and closed forests in the Polar Urals in the 20th century

In the Polar Urals (the Rai-Iz massif and Mounts Tchernaya and Malaya Tchernaya), altitudinal and horizontal shifts of the upper boundary of open and closed larch forests in the 20th century have been studied. Spatiotemporal parameters of these shifts have been assessed with the aid of the ARC/INFO geographic information system (ESRI Inc., United States), using our original large-scale geobotanical maps showing the distribution of different types of forest-tundra communities in the early 1910s and 2000s. The results show that tree vegetation has been actively expanding to higher elevations over the past 90 years. On average, the upper boundaries of open and closed forests have ascended 26 and 35 m and shifted horizontally 290 and 520 m, respectively. These shifts have been conditioned by climate warming and increasing humidity observed since the 1920s.     

The case for international emission trade in the absence of cooperative climate policy

We evaluate the efficacy of international trade in carbon emission permits when countries are guided strictly by their national self-interest. To do so, we construct a calibrated general equilibrium model that jointly describes the world economy and the strategic incentives that guide the design of national abatement policies. Countries’ decisions about their participation in a trading system and about their initial permit endowment are made non-cooperatively; so a priori it is not clear that permit trade will induce participation in international abatement agreements or that participation will result in significant environmental gains. Despite this, we find that emission trade agreements can be effective; that smaller groupings pairing developing and developed-world partners often perform better than agreements with larger rosters; and that general equilibrium responses play an important role in shaping these outcomes.     

Analysing the influence of visualisations in global environmental governance

Visualisations can highly contribute to the importance and authority of new ideas, concepts, and knowledge claims. Among the many visualisations, few become well-known and influential in environmental governance. Whilst these have been objects of specific research, this study questions what constitutes and underpins their influence. For this, the paper codifies influential visualisations and defines criteria for studying their visual characteristics. The criteria are applied to two case studies, the “traffic light” and the “planetary boundaries” diagrams. To increase the validity of the findings, the study also introduces two “failure cases” as a plausibility check.     

全球变暖对青藏高原腹地草地资源的影响

全球变化导致青藏高原腹地气候的暖干化趋势,也引起该区高寒草甸植被向高寒草原植被的退化。研究区内为高寒草甸一高寒草原过渡区,高寒草甸植被的退化速率为14.2km/10a,而相应地在退化区内生物总量亦呈下降趋势。气候暖干化是引起高原腹地植被退化的原因。而植被退化与区域生物总量的下降将成为影响该区环境自调能力和牧业经济发展的消极因素。     

Too hot to handle: The effects of high temperatures during pregnancy on adult welfare outcomes

This paper studies the long-term effects of high temperatures during pregnancy on later-life outcomes for Chinese adults. Adults experienced one additional high-temperature day during in utero period, on average, attain 0.02 fewer years of schooling, increase the risk of illiteracy by 0.18%, achieve lower standardized word-test score by 0.48%, and are shorter by 0.02 cm. The impacts are greater in the first and second trimesters. Additionally, we find that income effects represent one important channel to explain the adverse effects of hot weather. Back-of-the-envelope predictions suggest that by the end of the 21st century, a 0.14–0.54 reduction in years of education and a 0.21–0.84 cm reduction in height is likely to result from climate change, ceteris paribus.     

The G-Index: a sustainability reporting assessment tool

The subject of sustainability reports, especially those related to GRI, has become an interesting topic to academics and practitioners. This paper seeks to propose an easy-to-use sustainability reporting assessment tool that is suitable to the GRI G4 guidelines. Our idea is to provide a tool that can be applied by an organization, based in GRI indicators, in a quick and easy way. The tool, called G-Index, represents the organizational sustainability performance. The index is a sum of four factors, and a questionnaire about the GRI elements raised the data to elaborate a Mudge diagram, which was used to define the weight values. Finally, the method for the evaluation tool was established, and a case study with the automotive sector was performed. The results showed us the G-Index represents a good option to assess the organization’s disclosure practices in sustainability reports based on the GRI framework. The report analysis presented some important facts, it is more common the disclosure of the Management Approach then the application of External Assurance. Furthermore, even the General Standard Disclosures of the GRI guidelines being mandatory, some companies do not fully disclose them, as shown in the GS factor, that makes up, the G-Index.     

近60年黄河流域典型区域气温突变与变暖停滞研究

以黄河流域典型区域-黄河流域内蒙古段为研究区,采用1951~2012年62年气温区域平均数据,应用M-K检验等方法对研究区区域平均最高气温、平均气温、平均最低气温突变前后变化及气温突变后变暖停滞特征进行了分析.结果表明：年（季）平均最低气温首先发生突变（1977~1987年）,平均气温次之（1978~1993年）,平均最高气温最晚（1978~1994年）,平均最高气温与平均气温秋、冬季发生突变时间一样;年内突变早晚顺序为冬季最早（1977~1978）,夏季最晚（1987~1994）.冬季比夏季、平均最高气温比平均最低气温变化更剧烈.平均最低气温（0.231~0.604℃/10a）对升温贡献较大.各类气温年（季）突变后在1997~2007年间先后发生变暖停滞现象,春季和冬季首先发生变暖停滞,秋季较晚,夏季未停滞,年气温最晚（2007年）,大部分年（季）气温要素变暖停滞晚于全球变暖停滞时间（1998年）.年际气温突变后到停滞前平均最高气温的升温速率相对最慢,而其停滞后降温速率反而最快,平均最低气温与其相反,初步说明平均最低气温对升温反应较为明显,平均最高气温对降温反应较为明显.季节中,突变后到气温停滞前,春季平均最高气温增长速率最快;气温停滞后,春季最低气温下降速率最快（-0.324℃/a¹）.     

An assessment of China-Japan-Korea Free Trade Agreement’s economic and environmental impacts on China

Recently, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (Korea) are conducting a government-commissioned feasibility study on the Free Trade Agreement among the three countries (CJKFTA) to form a regional free trade zone in East Asia. Considering that freer trade can cause unexpected impact on domestic environment, there is a need to evaluate the environmental impact of such a trade policy. This move should be made to help negotiators understand and pay more attention to environmental issues during CJKFTA negotiations, and to help lobby with the government to carry out appropriate policy instruments for adaptation or mitigation. Following the Chain Reaction Assessment Method that integrates and links the elements of trade, production, and environment, the present research aims to quantitatively assess CJKFTA’s possible impact on China’s environment. This is done by estimating the variations of China’s major conventional pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission in two policy scenarios to represent CJKFTA’s scale and composition effects on China’s environment. Estimating the variations is based on a static Computable General Equilibrium model, working with Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) 7 database and China’s energy-environment statistics. Based on these assessments, CJKFTA is predicted to lead to notable environmental impact, including increased emissions of agricultural total nitrogen, agricultural total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, and GHGs. On the other hand, decreased emissions of industrial SO₂ and dust are also expected to happen. Suitable policies need to be made to combat negative effects and amplify positive ones, while aiming at a more sustainable regional freer trade system.