Institutional deficiencies and capacity building constraints: the dilemma for environmentally sustainable development in Africa

SUMMARY

The authors question Africa's ability to achieve sustainable development in view of the erosion of its institution building capacity, a problem compounded by the alarming rate of Africa's continuing marginalisation in the world economy. The situation has been provoked by inappropriate domestic policies which have not only compromised Africa's competitiveness, but also made it particularly vulnerable given the increasing globalisation of markets and factors of production. The benefits associated with effective global economic participation transcend direct financial gains and include technology transfers, technical and managerial skills transfers, and other skills transfers associated with the ‘learning and doing’ process. These benefits are instrumental in the development of the economic, administrative, legislative and social institutions that prescribe the organisational and managerial structure of an economy and define its capacity for sustainable growth. In Africa, the absence of such structures has undermined development efforts and created large impoverished populations. But poverty in living standards is not only prevalent, there is also the acute poverty in knowledge and skills which is so damaging to institution building capacity. The socio-economic impact is manifest in dilapidated infrastructure, decaying institutions, the exodus of the professional and managerial cadre, and the almost total disintegration of society. It is within this context that Africa's ability to evolve and effectively manage sustainable development policies is questioned. The study concludes that the continent's capacity to initiate sound environmental and sustainable development policies depends crucially on its ability to develop appropriate and functional institutions.     

Challenges for a sustainable resource use: Uncertainty,trade, and climate policies

We integrate new challenges to thinking about resource markets and sustainable resource use policies in a general framework. The challenges, emerging from six papers that JEEM publishes in a special issue, are (i) demand uncertainty and stockpiling, (ii) international trade and resource dependence, (iii) deforestation, and (iv) intertemporal effects of climate change policies (“Green Paradox”). We discuss new insights and results on these issues by fitting them into the Hotelling model of non-renewable resource depletion.     

基于WBA方法的冲出跑道事故风险管理研究

为改善当前冲出跑道事故在风险辨识环节上存在的不足,提出运用寻因分析(WBA)法,对冲出跑道事故存在的风险进行更加严格、准确的辨识。首先简要介绍WBA方法的内容,然后运用WBA方法对具体事故进行危险源辨识,最后根据辨识出的危险源构建WBA结构图并进行分析。分析结果显示:实例事故的危险源共有14项,分别属于人、机、环,管4个方面。在此基础上,利用模糊层次分析法(FAHP)对辨识出的危险源进行权重排序,得出机组人员处置失误、飞行机组技术欠缺、天气原因、跑道表面积水、机组训练问题等5个最主要因素,并针对这5个因素提出改进对策。     

有机磷酸酯阻燃剂分析方法及其污染现状研究进展

有机磷酸酯(OPEs)阻燃剂作为溴代阻燃剂的主要替代品,由于大量广泛使用并且极易释放到环境中而受到广泛关注.毒理学研究表明,多种OPEs具有明显的神经毒性、致癌性和基因毒性,对生态环境和人体健康造成潜在威胁.本文介绍了OPEs的使用现状、毒性效应、不同环境介质中的分析方法,及其在水环境系统中(水、污泥、沉积物和水生生物)的污染现状和迁移转化行为,最后指出了目前研究中存在的问题,并对未来研究进行了展望.在今后,应该加强污泥和沉积物等复杂环境基质中多种OPEs的分析方法研究;系统研究环境中OPEs的污染现状和迁移转化行为,并开展OPEs的环境风险和人体健康风险研究.     

Trust via disasters: the case of Chile's 2010 earthquake

Chile has a long‐standing history of natural disasters and, in particular, earthquakes. The latest big earthquake hit Chile on 27 February 2010 with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale. As an event that had a profound impact on significant portions of the population, the earthquake could theoretically have served to build trust by promoting new trust networks through the enhancement of distant family ties and the interaction between affected neighbours. This study offers an empirical analysis of this theory in the Chilean case. It finds that if initial social capital is very low (thus allowing for post‐disaster looting and violence), then the impact of the trust‐increasing effect is smaller. It also shows that the effect of the disaster was not transitory, but that it persisted and actually increased over time.     

我国政府应急管理日常机构的设置模式与制度架构

应急管理日常机构既负责政府应急管理的日常事务,又负责政府应急响应中的具体协调。当前,我国各级政府的应急办存在着权力过小、层级过低、能力有限、和其他机构职权冲突等问题,将其简单扩充、升级又会导致新问题,需要加以改革。在应急管理日常机构的各种代表性设置模式中,美国的FEMA值得借鉴。我国政府应当组建一个综合性的应急管理部门,整合部分职能单一的应急机构,并对其他履行应急管理职能的部门行使协调权,同时承担政府应急办公机构的职能。     

基于比较思维的安全经济学研究

为探究比较思维对安全经济学发展影响,以扩展安全经济学的研究领域,基于比较学与安全经济学的基本理论,提出比较安全经济学的定义和内涵,并阐述其研究意义,描述其基础理论和研究层次。基于比较安全经济学的属性,提出研究比较安全经济学的10个角度,总结比较安全经济学的应用领域,构建比较安全经济学“方法—知识—步骤—逻辑”四维结构体系,举例阐述其研究步骤及其安全应用。研究表明:比较安全经济学是安全经济学与比较学交叉融合形成的一门新兴安全科学分支学科,其研究旨在为企业安全资源优化配置提供理论基础。     

关中城市群生态足迹演变趋势及公平性评价

自然资本与人造资本的分配公平与配置效率是可持续共享区域生态资源的保证。论文在测算2005—2014年关中城市群生态足迹的基础上,以生态足迹、生态承载力、GDP分别表征区域内自然资本需求、自然资本收益、人造资本收益,采用基尼系数、时空分析指标、生态承载系数、经济贡献系数分析区域资源分配公平与配置效率的程度。结果显示,2005—2014年,关中城市群生态承载基尼系数、经济贡献基尼系数、综合基尼系数分别置于 [0.18, 0.20]、[0.24, 0.29]、[0.23, 0.28]区间。同时,结果表明,关中城市群GDP上升趋势显著快于生态足迹,生态要素匹配较好,其中,咸阳市、宝鸡市、铜川市属相对“高生态承载贡献、低经济贡献”城市,西安市、杨凌示范区属相对“高经济贡献、低生态承载贡献”城市。     

碘代X射线造影剂的环境浓度、分析方法与毒性评估研究进展

碘代X射线造影剂(ICMs)是使用最广泛的血管内药物,近年来在水生环境中频繁检出.由于其高稳定性、高极性和持久性,ICMs会在水生环境中持续存在并且难以被降解.在水生环境中会与消毒剂、天然有机物结合生成具有毒性的消毒副产物(DBPs),由于其本身毒性以及转化产物DBPs的毒性增强了环境健康风险,进而引发了人们的密切关注.本文介绍了ICMs的环境浓度、分析方法以及毒性风险.重点描述了ICMs的前处理技术、检测方法及ICMs毒性评价现状,并展望了以后ICMs毒性的研究方向.     

生态环境重大工程项目全过程管理体系评价与对策

生态环境重大工程是实施国家中长期规划、具有中国特色的一项制度安排。本研究通过梳理我国重大生态环境工程项目管理现状,包括制度建设、工程标准体系建设、绩效管理体系建设等,结合“十四五”生态环境保护形势和任务要求,分析当前我国在生态环境工程项目管理体系建设上存在的主要问题。在此基础上,构建出我国重大生态环境项目组织管理的框架和路线图,提出“十四五”加强和提升我国重大生态环境保护项目全过程管理的对策与建议。