Is Multilateralism the Future? Sustainable Development or Globalisation as ‘A Comprehensive Vision of the Future of Humanity’

This paper provides an overall evaluation of the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), which took place in Johannesburg from 26 August to 4 September 2002, in a historical perspective, against the background of earlier major United Nations conferences and General Assembly resolutions on environment and development. It focuses on the political and institutional context of the WSSD and its preparatory process and explores its policy implications for future international cooperation on sustainable development in a globalizing world. Both the results of the formal intergovernmental negotiations and the new phenomenon of partnerships for sustainable development between governments, international organizations, the private sector and other major groups are analysed. The Johannesburg Declaration and the WSSD Plan of Implementation are shown to contain little in the way of political vision, credible new commitments and innovative approaches, likely to reinvigorate the implementation of the objectives of sustainable development as formulated in Rio. Though ostensibly designed to give a new political impetus to multilateralism, the WSSD rather revealed the inadequacy of intergovernmental political governance structures to address the social and environmental consequences of economic globalization.     

Perception of the environmental impacts of current and alternative modes of pig production by stakeholder groups

The current industrial pig production model is in crisis, due to its association with environmental pollution, doubtful product quality and lack of animal well-being. In Bretagne (France), a region of intensive pig production, a survey of seven stakeholder groups concerned with pig production was conducted, as part of a research programme dedicated to the assessment of the environmental impact of different modes of pig production. A very large majority of pig producers (93%) and their suppliers (100%) considers pig farms as an asset for the region, whereas a majority of scientists (58%), activists (78%) and consumers (54%) sees it as a handicap. Differences among stakeholder groups are minor with respect to the perceived importance of environmental and social issues. Stakeholders agree on the relative level of responsibility of pig farms with respect to specific problems. For all groups unpleasant odours and water quality come first with respect to responsibility, for most groups soil quality comes second, followed by product safety and air quality. For a future improved mode of pig production, 76% of pig producers and their suppliers prefer to adapt the current model, for all other groups the majority prefers an alternative model. While pig producers and their suppliers prefer a slurry-based housing system, all other groups prefer a straw-based system. Pig producers see the slurry-based system as technically superior and associate the straw-based system with poor working conditions, whereas consumers associate the slurry-based system in the first place with poor water quality and associate the straw-based system with less pollution. These results will be of use in the research programme on the environmental impact of modes of pig production, as they indicate the environmental impacts to be considered and their relative importance. The results will also help in deciding which options should be assessed. It is concluded that the poor image of the current pig production model and its production practices with consumers does not seem compatible with a sustainable demand for pork products.     

Watershed associations in West Virginia: their impact on environmental protection

Grassroots watershed associations have formed as an avenue to facilitate public involvement in protecting watersheds. Growth in the number of watershed associations has created a need to evaluate whether their existence enhances environmental protection by local communities. In this research, environmental protection was measured by the number of watershed protection activities conducted and amount of funding directed towards protecting surface waters by non-profit, volunteer organizations. Regression models were utilized to examine the influence of population demographic and watershed characteristics variables to explain the formation of watershed associations along with watershed protection activities and funding. Regression results showed that the presence of watershed associations had positive impacts on both the number of activities and financial resources acquired. The results confirm that watershed associations enhance the ability of communities to obtain funding and to implement watershed protection actions. Thus, watershed associations serve as an effective institution for promoting environmental protection.     

西南地区天然林资源近60年动态分析

天然林资源是衡量区域生态环境状况的重要指标之一。分析天然林资源动态对提高其管理水平和促进区域可持续发展具有重要意义。通过对西南地区1949年以来天然林资源数据的挖掘和比较分析,结果表明:天然林发展可以1981年为界分为前后两个阶段,前阶段天然林面积和蓄积因木材消耗分别降低了26%和33%,后阶段在生态建设工程推动下两者分别增加了58%和42%,达到2008年的25.87×106hm2和31.84×108m3,恢复到了1949年的资源总量水平;但天然林整体质量提高缓慢,平均每hm2蓄积123 m3尚处历史低位;天然林年龄结构也不均衡,幼、中龄林的面积占天然林的58%,蓄积仅占30%,成、过熟林面积占28%,蓄积却占55%;目前天然林中公益林和商品林的面积比约7∶3,蓄积量比约8∶2;商品材采伐量在天然林保护(简称天保)工程实施初期锐减了80%,但在2008年又回升到了天保工程前,且总体增长趋势未变。经过10 a天保和退耕还林工程后,目前西南地区天然林总面积增长放缓,但单位面积的蓄积还很低,故建议天然林发展策略从增加天然林面积转向保持面积和提高整体质量。保持面积的关键是划定天然林面积红线和严格控制天然林采伐,提高整体质量的重点是调整商品林年龄结构,适当提高薪炭林和特用林面积比重,加强退化天然林的生态恢复和重建。     

盐龙湖水源生态净化系统FG和MBFG演替特征及水质响应性评价

为探究水源生态净化系统水质净化及浮游植物控制效能,并评价FG(functional group,FG)和MBFG(morphology-based functional group,MBFG)两种功能群对水源生态净化系统内部环境以及水质响应的有效性,于2018年夏季对盐龙湖生态净化系统各单元出水水质和浮游植物功能群进行监测分析.结果表明,盐龙湖生态净化系统能够有效净化水质,进水总磷、总氮、溶解氧和浊度的平均值分别为0.20 mg·L~(-1)、 1.91 mg·L~(-1)、 2.88 mg·L~(-1)和60.23 NTU,经系统处理后分别为0. 09 mg·L~(-1)、 0.95 mg·L~(-1)、 6.26 mg·L~(-1)和39.53 NTU.同时,系统内部水质的空间分布具有异质性,其中溶解氧(DO)、酸碱度(pH)和浊度的空间差异显著(P0.001).盐龙湖生态净化系统在出水处于轻度富营养状态下仍能够有效控制浮游植物密度(4.42×10~5～4.32×10~6cells·L~(-1)),降低水华风险.研究期间绝对优势FG功能群有5个:B、 P、 TC、 J和W1,绝对优势MBFG功能群有6个:GroupⅠ、 GroupⅢ、 GroupⅣ、 GroupⅤ、 GroupⅥ和GroupⅦ,两种绝对优势功能群都能够有效指示生境条件的变化.RDA分析表明MBFG功能群的环境解释度要高于FG功能群.研究结果表明,选择MBFG分类法研究夏季盐龙湖生态净化系统中浮游植物的动态来了解生境的变化更合适.     

北京灰霾天PM_(2.5)中有机官能团和无机离子的ATR-FTIR研究

采用傅里叶变换衰减全反射红外光谱法(ATR-FTIR)研究北京西北城区灰霾天气下PM_(2.5)中有机官能团(R-OH羟基、R-CH脂肪族碳氢基、R-CO-羰基、R-NO2硝基官能团)和无机离子(NH_4~+、SO_4~(2-)、NO_3~-)的变化规律.结果表明,PM_(2.5)中无机离子(NH_4~+、SO_4~(2-)、NO_3~-)的ATR-FTIR吸收峰值高于有机官能团(R-CH,R-CO-,R-NO_2,R-OH)的峰值;有机官能团R-CH的吸收峰峰值高于R-CO-和R-NO_2官能团的吸收峰,R-OH官能团的吸收峰峰值最低.灰霾天PM_(2.5)中各有机官能团和无机离子的ATR-FTIR吸收峰值明显高于非灰霾天.说明灰霾天气下PM_(2.5)中这些官能团及无机离子的质量浓度均高于非灰霾天.灰霾天PM_(2.5)中无机离子(NH_4~+、SO_4~(2-)、NO_3~-)质量浓度高于有机官能团(R-CH,R-CO-,R-NO_2,R-OH)的质量浓度,且有机官能团以R-CH为主,R-CO-,R-NO_2次之,R-OH最少.     

The effect of motorcyclists’ age on injury severities in single-motorcycle crashes with unobserved heterogeneity

Introduction: Due to the myriad of unique characteristics associated with motorcycle operation, motorcycle safety is a public health concern as complex as it is serious. National crash data suggest motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to be killed when compared to passenger car occupants. In the state of Florida, motorcycle crashes are 1.5 times more likely to result in the death of the rider, placing Florida among the top deadliest states for motorcyclists in the nation. Using police-reported data from 2016, this study addresses the complex and interconnected nature of the many characteristics associated with motorcycle operation by investigating the effect of age on motorcyclists’ riding behavior as it relates to injury severity for single-motorcycle crashes in the state of Florida. Method: To account for unobserved heterogeneity in the crash data, mixed logit models with heterogeneity in means and variances were estimated to model three injury severity outcomes (non-visible, severe, and fatal) for three age groups (under 30, 30–49, and 50 and above). Results: Model results indicate that age affects motorcyclists’ safety perception and ability to assess risks, thereby influencing their involvement in risky behaviors. Characteristics unique to motorcycle operation—spatial characteristics, speed, motorcycle type, time of day, helmet usage, alcohol consumption, ejection from motorcycle, passenger presence, endorsement status, and lighting—are further complicated by their dependency on the characteristics of the individual motorcyclist. Age of motorcyclist indicates a relationship between motorcyclists’ behavior and perceived safety. Conclusion: The model results indicated that statistically significant parameters constituted different models and they were not equal across the age groups of motorcyclists: aged under 30, aged 30–49, and aged 50 and above. Through advanced econometric modeling, this study fills a gap in the existing literature and assists the safety professionals, motorcycle trainers, policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and roadway designers in developing countermeasures.     

四明湖水库浮游植物功能类群的季节演替及其影响因子

浮游植物群落变化既受到环境因子单独作用的影响,也受到各因子之间交互作用的影响.为探究浮游植物群落结构的季节演替规律,对四明湖水库浮游植物群落及水体11项非生物因子和4项生物因子进行周年采样调查,分析了水库内浮游植物功能类群组成、季节演替规律及其与生物因子和非生物因子的关系.结果显示,调查期间四明湖水库的浮游植物种类可归入22个功能类群,其优势功能类群主要隶属于绿藻门和硅藻门.非度量多维尺度分析(NMDS)显示,浮游植物群落结构呈现出明显的季节性演替;通过SIMPER分析,筛选出10个与季节变化显著相关的功能类群,其主要变化过程表现为:夏季D+Lo→秋冬季D+P+Lo→春季X2+P+MP.方差分解分析(VPA)显示,浮游植物功能类群的季节变化是由水温-浮游动物交互作用与水温单独作用共同影响的结果;典范对应分析(CCA)发现,水温(WT)、透明度(SD)和硝态氮(NO-3-N)以及浮游动物生物量是影响该水库浮游植物群落结构动态变化的主要因子.     

小关水库夏季浮游植物功能群对富营养化特征的响应

为了解贵州高原小型水库的浮游植物功能群分布、富营养化状况以及浮游植物功能群如何响应富营养化特征,于2014年7月25日至9月27日对小关水库浮游植物与水样进行每周一次的采样分析.结果表明,浮游植物可分为22个功能群,S1、D、J、B、G、MP、LO、SN、X1、Y、Xph、F、T、W1为水库常见功能群,其中S1、D、J为优势功能群.优势功能类群周动态变化为:S1→S1→S1→S1→S1→S1→S1→J/D/S1→S1→S1/D.功能群S1表现出绝对的优势地位,其丰度于第5周与第7周出现两次峰值,然而在第8周采样中丰度急速下降,其后又有所回升,但与两次峰值相比已经由108cells·L~(-1)下降至107cells·L~(-1),人工放闸导致的短期剧烈冲刷作用是主要原因.通过浮游植物功能群、藻类生物学评价以及综合营养指数三者综合评价发现,小关水库正处于中度富营养-富营养化状态.经RDA分析得出,透明度为影响浮游植物功能群分布的主要因子之一,营养盐不再成为限制因子.研究结果表明,功能群能够对富营养化特征做出良好响应:优势功能群S1、J常共生于浑浊的富营养化水体中,功能群D适应生境为浅的浑浊水体,对营养耗尽敏感,G、X1、W1、F等常见功能群也大都适于富营养化水体中生长.     

三峡水库蓄水对支流浮游植物功能群的影响及与资源利用效率的关系

为探究三峡库区腹地重要支流浮游植物功能群组成与资源利用效率的关系,于2020年8月和11月对香溪河、大宁河、梅溪河、彭溪河和黄金河这5条支流进行浮游植物采集,夏季共计检出浮游植物119种,隶属7门62属,冬季共检出浮游植物118种,隶属7门58属.依照Padisak理论,将所有浮游植物划分为25个功能群,冬季和夏季均出现6种重要功能群,其中夏季以L0、 H1、 D、 Y、 MP和P为主,而冬季则主要以L0、 H1、 A、 M、 MP和Y为主.根据浮游植物功能群多样性分析结果可知,冬季α多样性低于夏季,且下游河段浮游植物功能群多样性更高,群落结构更复杂.浮游植物功能群及其驱动因子RDA分析表明,ν、 pH、高锰酸盐指数、 WT和RUE_TN是显著影响浮游植物功能群的环境因子(P<0.05).VPA结果显示,夏季环境变量对功能群组成变化的解释度较高(45.23%),而冬季则相反,资源利用效率具有更高的解释度(42.33%).进一步对重要功能群与资源利用效率进行线性拟合发现,夏季功能群L0、 H1、 D和Y与RUE_TN和RUE_TP