INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE RIO GRANDE BASIN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO1

ABSTRACT. Despite radical differences in water laws, water management agencies, approaches to water planning, and financial resources, Mexico and the United States forged a common program to manage water and related land on the Rio Grande. Actions of Rio Grande Commissions related to stream gaging, boundary definition, and multiple-purpose construction projects are among the more successful international water-management efforts in the world. Cost-sharing arrangements promoted rapid completing of international works. However, joint action accomplished only part of expectations. International developments were competitive rather than complementary until basin water appropriation was virtually complete. Moreover, Commissions were not empowered to consider long-range competitive water needs, or regional water requirements, throughout the basin. International groundwater use coordination does not exist. International structures produce less than anticipated benefits. Hydroelectric generators are financial liabilities, irrigated acreage exceeds dependable streamflow, and soil salinization is experienced. Unanticipated environmental changes occurred in every major program. The Rio Grande experience points to the need for society to specify goals to which the use of water should contribute and to specify priorities for water use among different sectors of river basins and various segments of society.     

A Review of WTO and Environmental Issues

Multiple negotiating rounds of the GeneralAgreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World TradeOrganization (WTO) since 1947 have conferred economicbenefits through liberalized international trade. Agrowing body of evidence also points to linkagesbetween liberalized trade and damage to the globalenvironment, ecology, and natural resource base.Ironically, the increased economic well-beingconferred by trade liberalization ultimately providesthe basis for improved environmental protection. It isthe interim environmental damage due to tradeliberalization that is controversial and needingamelioration. The proposition here is to promotefurther trade liberalization, but only as long asenvironmental ethics and sustainability issues aresatisfactorily addressed. Trade liberalization shouldnot be permitted at the expense of adequateenvironmental protection and sustainability. FutureWTO rounds need to address both development benefitsand environmental ethics issues in a net socialwelfare maximization setting.     

跨国农业土地权属交易及相关国际规则制定动向

持续的农业投资是确保世界粮食安全的根本措施。随着全球粮价走高,农业投资再次升温,与此伴随的跨国土地权属交易以及相应国际规则的制定问题成为全球粮食安全治理的重大问题。本文通过分析跨国农业土地权属交易现状和相关国际规则的制定动向来洞察跨国农业投资的最新动态,为中国参与国际农业经济活动提供参考依据。研究显示,在新一轮的农业投资热潮中,投资主体依然是美国、欧盟和日本等传统农业投资国,新兴国家的投资规模较小但却备受国际社会关注。新的投资活动中出现了一些侵害当地居民土地权属权利的现象,跨国农业土地权属交易面临诸多争议。为了促进农业投资的有序进行,以联合国粮农组织为核心的国际机构着力进行农业土地权属治理和交易规则的制定,并在经过长时间的国际磋商之后形成了《国家粮食安全范围内土地、渔业及森林权属负责任治理自愿准则》。另外一部相关规则《促进农业和粮食系统负责任投资原则》还在磋商之中。两套规则解决的是一个问题的两个方面,前一个针对的是国内土地权属治理的制度安排,后一个则针对具体的农业投资活动。其目标都是要强化发展中国家的土地权属治理,保护农民尤其是小规模农户的权属权利,以实现更为全面的粮食安全。新的土地权属交易国际规则的出台抬高了农业投资的准入门槛,但也为农业投资营造更为良好的制度和法律环境,降低农业投资的不确定性。在此背景下,中国农业企业"走出去"要做出适当调整,以顺应新的投资环境。     

国际投资风险防范分析与策略

国际投风险的防范是国际投资中一个十分重要的问题。本文分析了国际投资风险的内涵，论述了国际投资风险分析的主要内容，指出了国际投资风险防范的基本策略和投资者风险自我防范策略。     

Wilderness and the Media Politics of Place Branding

It is 30 years since the Australian environmental movement enlisted the term “wilderness” to protect Tasmania's remote Franklin River from hydroelectric development. Environmentalists deployed “wilderness” strategically during the conflict to build public support for their no-dam campaign, aided by national and international media who used the term liberally, while Tasmanian news media and pro-development elites acknowledged the term's inherent political qualities by suppressing its use. Our interest is in the political and media framing of “wilderness” since the concept was “branded” by government and industry at the turn of the twenty-first century. Drawing on continuing environmental conflict over Tasmania's remote Tarkine region as a case study, we ask to what extent media portrayals of “wilderness” have changed since the Franklin dam was stopped and the Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area was created in 1982. Using content analysis of related articles in the local media and qualitative analysis of international travel journalism about Tasmania published over an extended period, we find that place branding has contributed to the routinization of “wilderness” and to a shift in the focus of mediated conflict from “wilderness” to “tourism.” The Tasmanian experience demonstrates that while the actions of the environmental movement can valorize place, branding can depoliticize contested natural areas. Yet brands that incorporate or allude to “wilderness” may have the unanticipated consequence of valorizing “wilderness” transnationally, in a manner that the environmental movement would struggle to emulate.     

化学氧呼吸器的现状与发展趋势

随着人类社会的发展进步,对生产安全和应急救生用呼吸器的需求越来越旺盛,化学氧呼吸器已经成为重要的研究方向。介绍了化学氧呼吸器的工作原理和发展历程以及技术现状,分析比较了化学氧呼吸器的优缺点。在此基础上指出,优化产氧装置、开发高效冷却技术、降低整体体积和重量、制定技术标准和开发检测技术是化学氧呼吸器研究开发重要而又迫切的任务。     

IEC61511标准及在石化行业安全管理中的应用

功能安全的定量评定技术已成为确保石化行业安全生产的重要手段。针对石化行业普遍存在的功能安全问题,笔者以国际电工学会(IEC)专门制定的功能安全评定标准IEC61508及IEC61511为指导,介绍其标准制定的背景、目的、体系结构以及如何利用标准开展石化行业安全联锁系统(Safety Instrumented System,SIS)的安全与误跳车定量分析。通过对SIS开展定量安全评估,可发现联锁功能存在的安全不足与误跳车现象,对于提高我国石化行业安全生产水平具有重要的促进作用,标准中有关寿命周期功能安全管理方法及重要的工程经验也对提高我国石化安全生产水平具有借鉴作用。     

关于国际河流生态环境安全的思考

生态环境安全是当今国际社会关注的热点,而国际河流流域的水资源保护与生态环境安全又是这一热点中的敏感点.本文结合中国与有关国家的国际河流的实际,分析了国际河流流域水资源保护与生态环境安全的有关问题、产生的原因与后果及其相互关系,指出维护生态环境安全存在的特殊问题,并提出了对策与建议.     

对外开放背景下中国粮食安全形势研判与战略选择

中美地缘政治竞争加剧,新冠肺炎疫情、极端天气气候等不确定性事件频发,依托两种资源两个市场的国家粮食安全策略面临新的挑战。结合统计数据与文献观点,分析了新时期中国粮食安全面临的主要问题,研究了农业开放保障粮食安全的主要效用,探索了扩大对外开放背景下我国粮食安全的保障思路。结果表明：（1）中国粮食安全取得了显著成就,但也存在粮食供应的经济与资源环境代价巨大、粮食稳定供应与获取的风险加大等问题,需要在开放条件下创新粮食安全实现路径。（2）农业对外开放可影响粮食供应、获取、利用与稳定性,当前对外开放促进了国家粮食供应,但尚未实现稳定的食物安全、有竞争力的食物安全。农业对外开放仍有广泛的互惠共赢基础,同时也面临更大的不确定性,考验我国粮食领域应对全球化“危”“机”的治理能力。（3）国家粮食安全治理对于保障粮食安全至关重要,建议采取凸显产能的粮食自给战略、全产业链的食物安全战略与高水平的农业对外开放战略,确保粮食安全落实落地。     

政府灾害应急管理体系的国际比较研究

2008年的南方雪灾和汶川大地震凸显出我国灾害应急管理体系的严重缺陷.本文旨在比较研究美日等几个先进国家灾害应急管理系统,以期为我国灾害应急管理体系的完善提供有益的借鉴.总的来说,我国灾害处理者对灾害管理的科学认识还不够,灾害法律法规体系和组织机构也不完善,救灾体系中存在着大量的非救灾人员和非专业救灾设备.针对以上问题,本文认为我国应尽快完善救灾应急管理系统的法律法规,促进我国救灾组织机构和以及设立培训机构以培养优秀的专业救灾队伍.