What shapes municipalities’ perceptions of fairness in windpower developments?

ABSTRACT

Siting controversies have become familiar in windpower development. Process and outcome fairness in the form of economic benefits to local communities and inclusion in decision-making processes are recognised as important elements in local acceptance of windpower installations. To these, we add the concept of “relative fairness” influencing perceptions of overall fairness. In this article, we examine why Norwegian municipalities agree to host windpower, and the role of process, outcome and relative fairness in this decision. Municipalities are central in providing welfare services, and in ensuring a viable local economy and local workplaces. Process fairness is important, as is evident when municipalities have little influence in the detailed planning of the plants. Also, outcome fairness, in the form of economic compensation – particularly through property tax – is decisive for positive attitudes towards windfarms, as municipalities can strengthen their role as welfare providers and boost local economic activities. Less emphasised are the effects on global climate and national climate goals. However, effects on local landscape and nature are also important for municipalities, as became clear when the national government proposed withdrawing the municipalities’ possibilities of levying property taxes. The municipalities argue that it is only fair to receive something in return for hosting windmills, and relative fairness is important to their argument for equal treatment regarding hydro- and wind-power electricity production in the form of a natural resource tax.     

基于纳污红线的河流排污权优化分配模型

实行水功能区限制纳污红线的水资源管理制度,在理论和实践中必须要建立河流污染物总量控制管理制度,而实行污染物总量控制,首先要确定河流排污权的初始分配方案。结合我国现行流域水功能区划成果,以水功能区作为排污权初始分配主体开展排污权分配研究,提出由河流环境保护部门确定河流总体排污权,首先通过纵向配置将排污权分配给水功能区,然后通过横向配置将初始排污权分配给排污者的一种纵向加横向分配模式。以资源分配的公平性和效率为管理目标,并以污染物总量控制、浓度控制、企业生产连续性等为约束条件,建立了河流排污权多目标分配优化模型。最后利用多目标演化算法对算例进行了求解,验证了方法的可行性,且此分配方式所获得的环境节余容量最大     

基于基尼系数的水污染负荷分配模糊优化决策模型

从水污染负荷分配涉及的社会、经济、资源、环境和技术管理等领域筛选出6个指标,构建以基尼系数为度量标准的水污染负荷公平分配评价指标体系。基于统计数据信息的模糊性、不准确性以及不同评价指标重要性程度的差异,建立了带有弹性约束和信息熵权的水污染物总量分配模糊优化决策模型,并将其应用于巢湖流域COD和氨氮削减负荷的分摊。研究结果表明,所建模糊优化模型较好地克服了现有基尼系数分配方法的不足,是一种较为理想的分配模式。     

美欧中印“国家自主贡献”目标的力度和公平性评估

基于气候公平的不同原则,采用动态的衡量指标,建立了公平分配未来碳排放空间的综合性框架,计算了基数、平等、能力、责任和混合方案下2010~2100年全球累积碳排放配额的地区分布,并评估了美欧中印“国家自主贡献（Intended Nationally Determined Contribution,INDC）”目标的力度,提出了各国减排目标力度应当增加的程度.结果表明：美欧中印总体的INDC力度离实现2℃目标仍有差距,不同方案下的排放差距为8.0~9.6Gt CO₂,超出2030年2℃目标下全球排放的比例为20%~24%.在各自最为有利的方案下,中印能满足实现2℃目标的公平分配方案的低限要求.而在所有方案下美欧距离实现2℃目标的公平分配要求均有差距,需要进一步提高力度.公平指标的动态和静态衡量方法,以及历史责任计量起始年的选取,对公平分配的结果影响很大.     

Environmental justice: A louisiana case study

The paper begins with a brief analysis of the concepts of environmental justice and environmental racism and classism. The authors argue that pollution- and environment-related decision-making is prima facie wrong whenever it results in inequitable treatment of individuals on the basis of race or socio-economic status. The essay next surveys the history of the doctrine of free informed consent and argues that the consent of those affected is necessary for ensuring the fairness of decision-making for siting hazardous facilities. The paper also points out that equal opportunity to environmental protection and free informed consent are important rights. Finally, it presents a case study on the proposed uranium enrichment facility near Homer, Louisiana and argues that siting the plant would violate norms of distributive equity and free informed consent. It concludes that siting the facility is a case of environmental injustice and likely an example of environmental racism or classism.     

It is time for justice: How time changes what we know about justice judgments and justice effects

Organizational justice is an important determinant of workplace attitudes, decisions, and behaviors. However, understanding workplace fairness requires not only examining what happens but also when it happens, in terms of justice events, perceptions, and reactions. We organize and discuss findings from 194 justice articles with temporal aspects, selected from over a thousand empirical justice articles. By examining temporal aspects, our findings enrich and sometimes challenge the answers to three key questions in the organizational justice literature relating to (i) when individuals pay attention to fairness, including specific facets, (ii) how fairness judgments form and evolve, and (iii) how reactions to perceived (in)justice unfold. Our review identifies promising avenues for empirical work and emphasizes the importance of developing temporal theories of justice. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Practical sustainability criteria for decision-making

SUMMARY

The new paradigm of sustainability necessitates revisions to traditional decision-making processes. This paper, which is the first in a series of four, outlines the changes required for decision-making to reflect sustainability concerns. Three sustainability criteria, that are the focus of the three subsequent papers, are introduced and the rationale for each is explained. A framework for incorporating the three sustainability criteria into the decision-making process is briefly outlined. The paper ends with the introduction to a case study, the North Central Project (NCP) for electricity supply alternatives. The NCP is used in the three following papers to demonstrate the individual components of the new approach to sustainable decision-making.     

Defining and achieving sustainable development

SUMMARY

This paper analyses the fundamental problems of defining and achieving sustainable development. A common core of the various definitions of sustainability circulating is identified. Economic and scientific approaches to operationalize sustainability generally lead to management rules, which — if obeyed — should guarantee sustainability. Since it is not possible to precisely predict the future, this scientific—technical—economic route to sustainability may fail. A second, ethical way, to sustainability which interprets sustainability as an ideal for fair play is introduced. How the two different ways may complement one another with a three-step hierarchy of political goals is elucidated.     

水污染物总量分配方法研究进展

水污染总量分配是水污染总量控制的核心,分配的原则包括可持续性、公平性、经济性和可行性。为了解目前国内外水污物负荷总量分配研究的主要动向,在搜索整理相关文献的基础上,总结出国内外研究存在的特点:(1)基于经济(效益)最优化原则建立的最优化数学模型;(2)基于公平原则建立数学模型。并且在此基础上区分了其优缺点,认为今后负荷总量分配方法要更多地兼顾效益与公平。     

淮河流域省界水质标准的确定——以淮河流域为例

省界水质标准确定是流域环境管理的重要工作。本文运用冲突分析理论研究边界水质标准确定问题,提出了排污总量分配公平性的准则,详细阐述了边界水质标准确定的必要性、基本原则、技术步骤和计算方法。以沙颖河－淮河干流水系为例进行的实例研究得出了该水系的省界水质标准。本文的研究成果对于跨边界河流的水环境管理具有重要指导意义。