Significant developments in sustainable development law and governance: A proposal

This article develops a practical proposal for progress on sustainable development law. It examines the prospects for an international sustainable development law to provide a framework for more effective, coherent governance. Sustainable development law is briefly defined and an analytical framework is provided. Different degrees of integration between economic, social and environmental law are described. Certain principles of international law related to sustainable development are also highlighted. It is argued that these principles may serve to guide law‐makers and jurists where social, economic and environmental law and policy conflict or overlap. Continuing, underlying questions of sustainable development governance are addressed and its global frameworks analysed. The article also focuses on the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in August‐September 2002, and its specific mandate for the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to take related legal developments into account. The article advances a proposal: that governments, economic, social and environmental intergovernmental organizations and other actors establish a ‘network of inquiry’ with members from relevant groups, including legal and academic organizations, and other expert groups, in order to follow, research, analyse and debate legal developments in a balanced way.     

Transforming open mining pits into fish farms: Moving towards sustainability

The legacy of mining activities has typically been land ‘returned to wildlife’, or, at some sites, degraded to such an extent that it is unsuitable for any alternate use. Progress towards sustainability is made when value is added in terms of the ecological, social and economic well‐being of the community. In keeping with the principles of sustainable development, the innovative use of flooded open pits and tailings impoundments as commercial, recreational or ornamental fish farms should be considered in some locations, as it could make a significant contribution to the social equity, economic vitality and environmental integrity of mining communities. This article highlights the growing significance of aquaculture and explores the benefits and barriers to transforming flooded pits and impoundments into aquaculture operations. Among other benefits, aquaculture may provide a much‐needed source of revenue, employment and, in some cases, food to communities impacted by mine closure. Further, aquaculture in a controlled closed environment may be more acceptable to critics of fish farming who are concerned about fish escapes and viral transmissions to wild populations. Despite the potential benefits, aquaculture in flooded pits and impoundments is not without its complications — it requires a site‐specific design approach that must consider issues ranging from metals uptake by fish, to the long‐term viability of the aquatic system as fish habitat, to the overall contribution of aquaculture to sustainability.     

Effect of selected and non-selected urban waste compost on the initial growth of corn

Brazil produces approximately 242,000 t of waste per day, 76% of it being dumped outdoors and only 0.9% recycled, including composting, which is an alternative still little known in Brazil. In search of a better destination for residues produced by domestic activities, composting stands as a feasible alternative. Organic compost from waste may be used for various purposes, among which are soil recovery, commercial production, pastures, lawns and reforestry and agriculture. However, the quality of the compost determines the growth and the development of plants. The effect of compost made from urban waste on corn plant (Zea mays L.) growth was investigated. Two types of compost were used: the selected compost (SC), produced from organic waste selectively collected; and the non-selected compost (NSC), taken from a 15-year-old cell from the Canabrava land-fill, located in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (altitude 51 m, 12°22′–13°08′S, 38°08′–38°47′W). Corn was seeded in polyethylene pots, with soil-compost mixing substrate in the proportion of 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 t ha⁻¹ equivalent doses. Chemical analyses of the compost and growth properties of the plant like chlorophyll content; height and stem diameter; aerial and radicular dry biomasses, were used to evaluate compost quality. Plants cultivated with SC presented a superior gain, being of 52.5% in stem diameter, 71.1 and 81.2% in root and stem biomasses, respectively. Chlorophyl content alterations were observed in plants from treatments using 30 t compost ha⁻¹ dose onwards. Conventional and multivariate statistical methods were used to evaluate these results. The beneficial action of organic compost in plant growth was confirmed with this research.     

NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS IN ILLINOIS RIVERS 1967 TO 1974: COMPARISON AMONG REPORTING AGENCIES1

ABSTRACT: Long term data on surface water quality can sometimes be assembled by combining data collected by different agencies at different times and assuming that between agency differences in data quality are insignificant. The objective of this paper was to assess the quality of riverine nitrate (NO₃) concentrations in Illinois measured and reported by four agencies from 1967 to 1974 by comparing median values for similar sampling locations and periods. A total of 17 river reaches were identified for which two agencies reported NO₃ concentrations during similar periods. Nonparametric comparison of median values and analysis of covariance with discharge as a covariant produced similar results. Nitrate concentrations reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from 1967 to 1971 were not statistically (P > 0.05) different from values reported by the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) for two of three river reaches. Additionally, NO₃ concentrations reported by USGS from 1972 to 1974 were not statistically different than concentrations reported by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for four of five river reaches. From 1969 to 1971, NO₃ concentrations reported by the Illinois Department of Public Heath and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IDPH/IEPA) were less than one‐fourth the magnitude of values reported by ISWS. The median NO₃ concentrations measured by the Central Illinois Public Service (CIPS) were significantly greater than those measured by USGS and IDPH/IEPA in the three comparable sampling locations. The use of NO₃ concentrations measured by CIPS and IDPH/IEPA prior to 1972 is not recommended.     

中国湿地现状综述

湿地是重要的自然资源,对人类生存起着重要作用。本文综述了湿地的含义、功能与 价值、中国湿地的特点与现状,以促进中国湿地的可持续发展与利用。     

关于我国能源安全稳定供应的思考

简要介绍了中国的能源供求现状,指出中国能源的两大特征:①煤炭消费为主;②人均消费低、能源利用率低。笔者强调,中国能源对外依存增大,已成为能源输入国;提出逐步调整以煤为主的能源结构,实现能源替代,构建优质化、多元化的能源结构的策略;着重从5个方面进行调整———重点解决石油供不应求的能源结构性矛盾、加强煤炭资源的清洁和优质开发利用、发展以利用洁净煤技术为基础的电力工业、提高核电的比例、加强新能源和可再生能源的开发利用,确保我国能源的安全稳定供应和可持续发展。     

客户关系生命周期管理及其策略

客户关系生命周期理论的提出对服务经济时代的企业产生了巨大的影响,该理论在强调了客户关系存在周期性的同时,也提出了对客户关系应当进行阶段性管理;阐述了客户关系生命周期理论,并在此基础上提出了客户关系动态发展模型,旨在帮助管理人员更清楚地认识到客户关系的长期价值和对客户关系的各个阶段进行良好的管理.     

欠发达地区县域经济可持续发展障碍与对策--以云南省凤庆县为例

通过对区位优势不明显,社会、经济和文化落后,但资源丰富的典型的欠发达县域凤庆县的实证研究,从思想观念、所有制结构、产业结构、基础建设、社会文化和经济,以及生态环境和农业基础等方面剖析了凤庆县经济不可持续发展的主要症结及原因,提出了该县经济可持续发展的总体思路,并作了对策探讨.     

民族生态系统的可持续发展模式--以哈尼梯田为例

从民族生态学的角度分析哈尼梯田民族生态学实践,阐述了哈尼梯田民族生态系统可持续发展的限制性因素.从认识论、方法论和技术三个层面构建了哈尼梯田民族生态系统的可持续发展模式,旨在为民族生态系统的可持续发展和新的文化生态伦理观的确立提供有益借鉴.     

平朔矿区生态经济重建的意义及其内容

以处于生产鼎盛期的全国最大露天煤矿之一的平朔矿区为例,针对它与区域生态经济紧密相关的特点,分析它在生态经济方面存在的问题,研究生态经济重建对资源型区域可持续发展的作用,提出生态经济重建的主要内容.