The influences of climate and hydrology on population dynamics of waterbirds in the lower Murrumbidgee River floodplains in Southeast Australia: Implications for environmental water management

Restoration of waterbird diversity and abundance is a key objective of river system management in Australia. Therefore, understanding the effects of climatic and hydrological variables on waterbird population dynamics is fundamental for successful river restoration programs. We investigated the population dynamics of waterbirds (total abundance) and seven functional waterbird groups in the floodplains of lower Murrumbidgee River. We found a general declining abundance trend from 1983 to 2007, except for the deep water foragers. We modelled the relative contribution of the climatic and hydrological factors to waterbird population decrease using the generalized additive model (GAM) framework after identifying the negative binomial distribution. Most of the seven functional groups were positively related to both annual rainfall and water usage, defined as the total water volume intercepted by the river reach, and the models indicated that rainfall was slightly more important. Temperature also played a role in waterbird abundance: the maximum summer temperature negatively influenced the abundance of dabbling ducks, shoreline foragers and fish eaters, while the minimum winter temperature positively affected the abundance of dabbling ducks and shoreline foragers. Overall, our results support the practice of providing environmental water for sustaining waterbird populations. However, environmental water provision is likely to be most effective when timed to coincide with antecedent rainfall.     

A review of Defra's approach to building an evidence base for influencing sustainable behaviour

Defra's approach to influencing people to live sustainably has evolved considerably since 2005 when the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable called for greater efforts by Government to better understand people, and how to influence changes in the way they behave. In response, Defra has developed a substantial evidence base devoted to improving understanding of the drivers for sustainable behaviours and how these can be applied to develop more effective environmental policies and programmes.A core focus of Defra's research programme has been to identify and build on existing research and evidence which has the potential to inform new and innovative policy approaches. In some cases, this has involved work which looks at particular behavioural drivers, such as habits and norms, considering how these insights can inform and improve outcomes from policies that aim to influence citizen's behaviours. Other work has focused on operationalising this knowledge through trials and demonstration projects with an aim of understanding the practical implications of applying them, and measuring the benefits they can provide.This paper reviews the key strands of Defra's behavioural research programme and some of the tools the department has used to apply this research. It considers Defra's work in building an evidence base that can be embedded into policy making and concludes with some insights drawn from this evidence. These address both why people are likely to act and why they might not, and best practice principles for delivering change.     

U.S. Electric Utilities and Renewable Energy: Drivers for Adoption

Renewable energy can address rising demand for energy, environmental protection, energy security, and job creation. This paper assesses resource, economic, social, and political drivers for the adoption of renewable energy. Analysis of the data collected from over 100 interviews with utility managers reveals that production tax credits significantly influence the percent of renewable energy in a utility's portfolio. The availability of renewable energy resources, economic drivers, social influences, and political drivers such as renewable portfolio standards and government grants are not significant drivers. Understanding these drivers can help electric utilities, governments, and other stakeholders with their efforts to reap the benefits of renewable energy.     

Information requirements of integrated environmental policy experiences in the Netherlands

During the last few years in the Netherlands an integrated environmental policy has been developed. Solving environmental problems by means of effective and efficient solutions requires that the entire environmental cycle be considered in order to take all relevant compartments and aspects into account. Four different phases can be identified during the treatment of an environmental problem by management: recognition, formulation, solution, and control.Some qualitative and quantitative aspects of the information demand of environmental policy are explored. Special attention is given to the consequences of the integral approach in environmental policy in terms of information requirements. The process of information supply starts with an analysis of the demand. Subsequently data from the environmental cycle have to be selected, aggregated, and presented adequately. Further, integrated environmental policy puts increased demands on the associative power of environmental information systems.     

我国农村生态贫困研究

本文在界定生态贫困内涵的基础上，对我国农村生态贫困的规模作了粗略的估计，并对我国农村生态贫困的特征、形成机理和治理对策进行了分析。     

盐城海涂环境质量的调查分析

调查发现，盐城海涂环境的污染物主要是工业废水中的化学需氧量，氨氮和硫化物。射阳和东台两地区是主要的污染区域。     

1980-2000年中国发展的资源环境成本分析

21世纪头20年是中国实现现代化、全面建设小康社会的重要时期，也是中国走可持续发展道路面临机遇与挑战并存的时期。在这20年内，中国要实现国内生产总值翻两番、人均国内生产总值接近3000美元的目标，首先离不开自然资源、生态环境的支撑。本文通过对改革开放20年中国社会经济发展对资源、生态环境消耗情况的全面分析，阐述了发展与资源、生态环境的关系，系统地评估了中国目前资源、生态环境的基础。     

如何化解煤炭环保政策与其在现实中的矛盾

阐述了煤炭在我国能源中的地位及其与环境之间的矛盾，介绍了我国现行的煤炭资源环境保护政策，之后就化解煤炭资源环境保护政策与其在现实中的矛盾提出了几项措施。     

城市政府建立环境管理体系的绩效分析

从城市的可持续发展和建立循环经济社会框架的需求出发．阐述了城市政府建立环境管理体系的必要性和意义；并分别从构筑沟通、监督、服务、链接四大平台．提高政府对突发事故的应急能力。建立循环经济社会框架，提高招商引资的竞争力和培养全员环境保护意识从五个方面分析论证了建立环境管理体系可以取得的环境绩效，最终做到规范政府管理，实现环境与经济，社会的协调发展。     

水泥行业节能减排与清洁生产——以鞍山某水泥有限责任公司清洁生产为例

以典型的水泥行业清洁生产审核为例,阐述传统的水泥行业,通过实施清洁生产是实现企业节能减排的重要手段之一,从而实现企业环境效益、经济效益双赢,为水泥行业的可持续发展奠定基础。