Exploring discourses on international environmental regime effectiveness with Q methodology: a case study of the Mediterranean Action Plan

Extensive research has been done on the 'high politics' of negotiations of international environmental agreements. However, little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of their implementation after coming into force. Effectiveness cannot be easily measured, since different stakeholders use different criteria as the basis of their opinion. The purpose of this study is to investigate discourses on the effectiveness of an international environmental regime. The regime chosen is the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - and its legal framework, the Barcelona Convention - which was established in 1975 under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Q methodology was used to reveal discourses on the effectiveness of UNEP/MAP. After collecting relevant literature and identifying the stakeholders, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. The stakeholders were from the Secretariat of the Convention, academia, NGO workers, and others that studied or knew the subject well. From these interviews 294 statements were extracted, from which 44 were finally selected to be used in the Q study. The interviewees were approached for the second time to complete the Q sorts. This study revealed four distinct discourses concerning the effectiveness of international environmental regimes. It concludes that there is no one 'right' way of defining effectiveness and that no approach can provide more than a partial evaluation of the overall effectiveness of a regime.     

Delineation and functional status monitoring in small saline wetlands of NE Spain

The small playa-lakes and other saline wetlands of Monegros, scattered over a dry area with winter cereal monoculture, are threatened by the settlement of new irrigation districts and other kinds of human pressure. Enforcing the protection rules of European Union in these valuable habitats requires, first, their delimitation and monitoring. This article shows how these tasks can be undertaken using remote sensing in conjunction with field observations. A series of Landsat images covering different seasons provided a comprehensive view of these wetlands encompassing their changing facies, hydrologic regime, state of conservation, and functional status. Remotely-sensed data were the primary, and in most cases the only available, source of consistent information. Our approach can help planning and surveying for the implementation of saline wetland protection measures in harmony with the conterminous agricultural areas.     

Results from a national survey of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel on impaired driving in Canada: A “System Improvements” perspective

Introduction

This article summarizes the main findings from a study designed to examine the legal process in Canada as it applies to alcohol-impaired driving from the point of view of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel, and to identify evidentiary or procedural factors that may impact the legal process, the rights of the accused, and interactions of all parts in the legal process.

Method

The data in this study were collected by means of a survey that was mailed out to the population of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel in Canada. In total, 765 prosecutors and 270 defense lawyers or an estimated 33% of all Canadian prosecutors and 15% of defense lawyers completed and returned the questionnaire. The "systems improvement" paradigm was used to interpret the findings and draw conclusions. Such an approach acknowledges the importance of the context in which countermeasures are implemented and delivered and the structures or entities used to deliver countermeasures to a designated target group.

Results

Results on type of charges and breath alcohol concentration, caseload, case outcomes, case preparation time, conviction rate at trial and overall conviction rate, reasons for acquittals and time to resolve cases are described.

Discussion

The findings from this national survey suggest that there are important challenges within the criminal justice system that impede the effective and efficient processing of impaired driving cases. Some of these challenges occur as a function of practices and policies, while others occur as a function of legislation.

Impact on industry

This study illustrates that a "system improvements" approach that acknowledges the importance of all elements of the criminal justice system and the interaction between those elements, can be beneficial in overcoming the alcohol-impaired driving problem.     

Evaluation method of automobile recycling systems for Asia considering international material cycles: application to Japan and Thailand

To examine an appropriate recycling system for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) from Japan in the context of Asia, an Asian international automobile recycling input-output (AI-ARIO) analysis is presented. The AI-ARIO analysis spatially expands the existing ARIO analysis within the framework of the waste input-output (WIO) analysis developed by Nakamura et al., which considers the interdependence between the flow of goods and wastes in a country. This analysis focuses on the local and global cycles for ELVs in Asia and can evaluate the environmental and economic effects of alternative recycling systems. We estimated the AI-ARIO table for Japan and Thailand and applied it to scenario analyses covering the restriction of ELV trade between the two countries, the introduction of new recycling techniques in Thailand, and centralized treatment in Japan. We verified the applicability and effectiveness of the AI-ARIO analysis through the scenario analyses.     

国内外生物柴油的生产现状及发展前景

介绍了生物柴油的特性、能耗及生物柴油的制备方法（直接混合法、微乳液法、高温热裂解法、酯交换法、超临界甲醇法）和生物柴油在工业应用巾存在的主要问题,阐述了国内外生物柴油的产业发展现状,展望了该产业在我田的发展前景。     

Brood sex ratios, female harem status and resources for nestling provisioning in the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

The theory of parental investment and brood sex ratio manipulation predicts that parents should invest in the more costly sex during conditions when resources are abundant. In the polygynous great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, females of primary harem status have more resources for nestling provisioning than secondary females, because polygynous males predominantly assist the primary female whereas the secondary female has to feed her young alone. Sons weigh significantly more than daughters, and are hence likely to be the more costly sex. In the present study, we measured the brood sex ratio when the chicks were 9 days old, i.e. the fledging sex ratio. As expected from theory, we found that female great reed warblers of primary status had a higher proportion of sons in their broods than females of lower (secondary) harem status. This pattern is in accordance with the results from two other species of marsh-nesting polygynous birds, the oriental reed warbler, Acrocephalus orientalis, and the yellow-headed blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. As in the oriental reed warbler, we found that great reed warbler males increased their share of parental care as the proportion of sons in the brood increased. We did not find any difference in fitness of sons and daughters raised in primary and secondary nests. The occurrence of adaptive sex ratio manipulations in birds has been questioned, and it is therefore important that three studies of polygynous bird species, including our own, have demonstrated the same pattern of a male-biased offspring sex ratio in primary compared with secondary nests. Received: 1 June 1999 / Received in revised form: 10 January 2000 / Accepted: 12 February 2000     

黄河三角洲生态现状及保护对策

在分析黄河三角洲生态现状和特点的基础上 ,阐述了黄河三角洲存在的生态问题 ,并提出了生态保护对策     

广西地下水污染现状与防治对策研究

基于广西地下水基本现状,分析广西地下水污染成因及地下水污染防治中存在的不足,提出建立健全地下水污染防治法律法规;完善地下水监测站网规划,建立地下水监测信息系统;加大宣传力度,提高公众环境保护意识;从整体规划广西地下水的使用与治理;加大资金投入,重视地下水科学研究5点污染防治建议,为今后广西地下水开发利用及污染防治研究提...     

环境污染的法律控制路径论说

市场失灵决定法律作为国家手段必须介入环境污染控制.无论是传统法还是针对具体环境污染问题而制定的单项环境法,都因其"滞后性和片面性",难以收到良好的控制效果.为有效应对环境问题,必须贯彻"事先预防、全面控制"的理念,制定以"计划性、综合性"为特点的环境基本法.鉴于环境基本法在各国控制环境污染的实践中成效显著,应坚持中国《环境保护法》的环境基本法定位,并随着环境问题的发展,不断完善之.     

医疗废物处置设施建设规划实施的现状、问题和对策

根据对“全国危险废物和医疗废物处置设施普查”数据的分析,得出全国现有医疗废物集中处置设施的数量、分布、规模、达产率等现状,并发现现有设施普遍存在缺乏统一规划、工艺技术落后、设备市场混乱、市场化导向过重等四方面的主要问题.《全国危险废物和医疗废物处置设施建设规划》实施中存在新老项目协调困难、产业化支撑能力较弱、可研报告质量较差、工艺技术路线选择不当等主要问题.为加快该规划的实施进程,提出加强监督检查、强化过程性控制指标的制定、适时淘汰现有不能达标的设施、加快能力建设等建议.