地方协调发展的政府财政保障分析——以三亚市实施全面建设小康社会战略为例

将全面建设小康社会置于实施可持续发展战略的大背景下研究政府财政特别是地方政府财政的保障作用,具有非常强的实践意义和理论意义.文章立足于全面建设小康社会监测指标体系,充分利用现行有关监测全面小康社会实现程度的测算结果,同时引入发展协调度的应用.在梳理政府财政与经济社会发展间的理论关系基础上,文章明确了地方政府财政保障经济社会发展中的协调作用.通过综合运用了加权平均、回归拟合、主成分分析等方法进行实证,不但验证了发展的协调能力与发展的综合能力的高度相关性,还验证了财政保障地方协调发展的有效性.亦即,地方政府财政通过发挥协调功能,可以以更快的速度促进全面小康社会的实现.在结合三亚实际进行分析的基础上提出了地方政府在实施全面建设小康社会的协调发展战略中应采取优化财政支出结构优先保障提供公共产品和服务,建立财政保障长效机制调整既有的利益格局等一系列有益的政策建议.     

中国西部矿产资源产业集聚度与竞争力研究

促进矿产资源产业集聚是推动我国西部矿产资源产业发展的主要路径之一,开展我国西部矿产资源产业集聚度与产业竞争力相关性的研究可以为西部矿产资源产业竞争力提升提供相关决策指导.为分析矿产资源产业集聚对矿产资源产业竞争力和区域经济的推动作用,本文选取区位熵反映矿产资源产业集聚度,具体地,选择企业数量区位熵反映矿产资源产业区域集聚度.选取产业产值区位熵反映矿产资源产业经济集聚度;矿产资源产业竞争力则选取产值利润率借以反映.通过衡量我国西部9个矿产资源产业的区域集聚度、经济集聚度和产值利润率,得出我国西部大部分矿产资源产业仍停留于企业"扎堆"的区域集聚,经济集聚不足,尤其是下游加工业,这导致我国西部矿产资源产业集聚效应难以充分发挥,产值利润率低下;进一步的相关性分析表明,西部矿产资源产业集聚度与产业竞争力正相关,且经济集聚对产业竞争力的推动作用更强.因而,不仅要发展下游加工业,而且要提高产业集聚度尤其是经济集聚度,以更有效地推动我国西部矿产资源产业竞争力的提升.     

国外资源型城市发展与转型研究综述

资源型城市的建设与发展是一个世界性的普遍问题.目前我国资源型城市的持续、健康发展已成为全社会共同关注的焦点.为借鉴国外相关领域最新理论研究和实践经验,促进我国资源型城市的转型与可持续发展,本文以国外资源型城市研究中引用率较高的文献作为主要参考,结合一些新近发表的相关论著,对国外资源型城市发展与转型研究进行了系统的总结和分析.结果表明:国外资源型城市研究经历了理论奠基与初步发展、理论规范性研究、转型研究和可持续发展研究四个阶段,各阶段在研究背景、研究内容、理论基础、研究重点等方面具有不同的特点.进而开展国内外资源型城市研究的对比分析,发现它们在资源型城市的定义和范畴、城市特征、企业与城市关系,以及研究领域和研究传统、研究手段和研究方法等方面存在联系与差异.最后提出应从完善研究内容、改进研究方法等方面出发,构建符合我国国情和资源型城市特征的资源型城市发展与转型研究方法和理论框架.     

湖北“人口-经济-空间”城市化及其层级结构

城市化的内在协调性是城市（区域乃至国家）综合竞争力、国民生计及可持续发展能力的综合体现。基于对城市化概念与内涵的认知--城市化是一个“人口 经济 空间”三维一体的过程,其中人是行为主体,经济是驱动力,空间是载体,构建了城市化综合测度指标,并运用时序全局主成分分析法,对2000年以来湖北省12个地级市的城市化层级结构演变过程及趋势进行了分析。结果表明湖北省城市化具有如下特征：① 城市化总量时序演变上呈现出明显的上升趋势,且存在经济城市化>空间城市化>综合城市化>人口城市化的变化趋势,但也表现出一定程度的粗放增长的内在特征;② 整个城市化过程是一个由人口城市化导向型向经济城市化导向型转变的过程;③ 城市化相关系数的时序演变与人口城市化集聚程度>空间城市化集聚程度>经济城市化集聚程度的演变趋势密切相关,表明综合城市化与人口城市化的地域协调性最高,而与经济的最低;④ 城市化等级体系空间结构及其时序演变具有首位度城市层级结构、城市层级结构动态演变,以及城市化地域协调性不强等特征;最后就城市化的协调发展提出对策和建议。为我国城市化可持续发展研究以及湖北省今后的城市化发展战略提供了理论借鉴和实践指导     

Engineered nanomaterials in rivers--exposure scenarios for Switzerland at high spatial and temporal resolution

Probabilistic material flow analysis and graph theory were combined to calculate predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in Swiss rivers: 543 river sections were used to assess the geographical variability of nano-TiO₂, nano-ZnO and nano-Ag, and flow measurements over a 20-year period at 21 locations served to evaluate temporal variation. A conservative scenario assuming no ENM removal and an optimistic scenario covering complete ENM transformation/deposition were considered. ENM concentrations varied by a factor 5 due to uncertain ENM emissions (15%-85% quantiles of ENM emissions) and up to a factor of 10 due to temporal river flow variations (15%-85% quantiles of flow). The results indicate highly variable local PECs and a location- and time-dependent risk evaluation. Nano-TiO₂ median PECs ranged from 11 to 1′623 ng L⁻¹ (conservative scenario) and from 2 to 1′618 ng L⁻¹ (optimistic scenario). The equivalent values for nano-ZnO and nano-Ag were by factors of 14 and 240 smaller.     

N deposition as a threat to the World's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity

This paper combines the world’s protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that 40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030 indicating that this situation is not expected to change. Furthermore, 950 PAs are projected to receive >30 kg N/ha/yr by 2030 (approx. twice the 2000 number), of which 62 (approx. 11,300 km²) are also Biodiversity Hotspots and G200 ecoregions; with forest and grassland ecosystems in Asia particularly at risk. Many of these sites are known to be sensitive to N deposition effects, both in terms of biodiversity changes and ecosystem services they provide. Urgent assessment of high risk areas identified in this study is recommended to inform the conservation efforts of the CBD.     

Innovative applications of subgrade biogeochemical reactors: Three case studies

Subgrade biogeochemical reactors (SBGRs) are an in situ remediation technology shown to be effective in treating contaminant source areas and groundwater hot spots, while being sustainable and economical. This technology has been applied for over a decade to treat chlorinated volatile organic compound source areas where groundwater is shallow (e.g., less than approximately 30 feet below ground surface [ft bgs]). However, this article provides three case studies describing innovative SBGR configurations recently developed and tested that are outside of this norm, which enable use of this technology under more challenging site conditions or for treatment of alternative contaminant classes. The first SBGR case study addresses a site with groundwater deeper than 30 ft bgs and limited space for construction, where an SBGR column configuration reduced the maximum trichloroethene (TCE) groundwater concentration from 9,900 micrograms per liter (μg/L) to <1 μg/L (nondetect) within approximately 15 months. The second SBGR is a recirculating trench configuration that is supporting remediation of a 5.7‐acre TCE plume, which has significant surface footprint constraints due to the presence of endangered species habitat. The third SBGR was constructed with a new amendment mixture and reduced groundwater contaminant concentrations in a petroleum hydrocarbon source area by over 97% within approximately 1 year. Additionally, a summary is provided for new SBGR configurations that are planned for treatment of additional classes of contaminants (e.g., hexavalent chromium, 1,4‐dioxane, dissolved explosives constituents, etc.). A discussion is also provided describing research being conducted to further understand and optimize treatment mechanisms within SBGRs, including a recently developed sampling approach called the aquifer matrix probe.     

The forgotten pillar: a definition for the measurement of social sustainability in American cities

This article provides a timely review of the interdisciplinary and disjointed literature on social sustainability and identifies some readily available measures of this concept for American cities. Based upon a comprehensive review of the literature, four broad dimensions are identified as being reflective of social sustainability: equal access and opportunity, environmental justice, community and the value of place, and basic human needs. Breaking these four dimensions into measurable indicators, this research provides a method for researchers and for American cities to begin to evaluate and to assess social sustainability efforts within their jurisdictions.     

Community participatory landscape classification and biodiversity assessment and monitoring of grazing lands in northern Kenya

In this study, we asked the Ariaal herders of northern Kenya to answer "why, what and how" they classified landscape, and assessed and monitored the biodiversity of 10 km(2) of grazing land. To answer the "why question" the herders classified grazing resources into 39 landscape patches grouped into six landscape types and classified soil as 'warm', 'intermediate' or 'cold' for the purpose of land use. For the "what question" the herders used soil conditions and vegetation characteristics to assess biodiversity. Plant species were described as 'increasers', 'decreasers' or 'stable'. The decreaser species were mostly grasses and forbs preferred for cattle and sheep grazing and the increasers were mostly woody species preferred by goats. The herders evaluated biodiversity in terms of key forage species and used absence or presence of the preferred species from individual landscapes for monitoring change in biodiversity. For the "how question" the herders used anthropogenic indicators concerned with livestock management for assessing landscape potential and suitability for grazing. The anthropogenic indicators were related to soils and biodiversity. The herders used plant species grazing preferences to determine the links between livestock production and biodiversity. By addressing these three questions, the study shows the value of incorporating the indigenous knowledge of herders into classification of landscape and assessment and monitoring of biodiversity in the grazing lands. We conclude that herder knowledge of biodiversity is related to the use as opposed to exclusive conservation practices. This type of knowledge is extremely valuable to conservation agencies for establishing a baseline for monitoring changes in biodiversity in the future.     

Determination of direct and fugitive PM emissions in a Mediterranean harbour by means of classic and novel tracer methods

Remodelling works are frequent in harbour areas, given that they must adapt to rapidly changing market requirements. Depending on their nature (construction, demolition, etc.), these works may be carried out during long periods of time and thus exert a significant impact on the air quality at the harbours and their surroundings. The air quality at the Valencia harbour was studied during an enlargement project. Four sampling stations aimed to cover the major dust-emitting activities in the harbour. In addition, a sampling campaign was carried out to collect dust materials at their emission sources (e.g., loading and unloading of clinker and petroleum coke, as well as the enlargement works). Differences obtained between PM levels at the monitoring sites were correlated with the distance between sampling stations and enlargement works and/or harbour operations, as well as with the preferential wind direction. In all cases, the days with the highest PM_10 levels were linked to wind directions coinciding with the location of the enlargement works or the clinker and petroleum coke stocks. Classic source apportionment methodologies (PCA and CMB) were applied to the data, but their interpretation was complex due to the similar chemical signatures of PM originating from direct and fugitive emissions from stocked materials (e.g., clinker), and the enlargement works. To overcome this difficulty, a novel non-statistical approach was used to obtain quantitative estimations of the contributions from sources (petroleum coke and clinker), based on the correlation between specific PM components (e.g., carbonaceous species) and source tracers (e.g., V). Finally, a qualitative test using phenolphthalein was devised to identify the presence of clinker on the filters, which provided positive results. This novel tracer approach is thus recommended for harbour authorities.