Using many-objective trade-off analysis to help dams promote economic development,protect the poor and enhance ecological health

Allocating water to different uses implies trading off the benefits perceived by different sectors. This paper demonstrates how visualising the trade-offs implied by the best performing water management options helps balance water use benefits and find sustainable solutions. The approach consists of linking a water resources model that can simulate many management policies and track diverse measures of system performance, to a many-objective evolutionary optimisation algorithm. This generates the set of Pareto-optimal management alternatives for several simultaneous objectives. The relative performance of these efficient management alternatives is then visualised as trade-off curves or surfaces using visual analytic plots. Visually assessing trade-offs between benefits helps select policies that achieve a decision-maker-selected balance between different metrics of system performance. We apply this approach to a multi-reservoir water resource system in Brazil's semi-arid Jaguaribe basin where current water allocation procedures favour sectors with greater political power and technical knowledge. The case study identifies promising reservoir operating policies by exploring trade-offs between economic, ecological and livelihood benefits as well as traditional hydropower generation, irrigation and water supply. Results show optimised policies can increase allocations to downstream uses while increasing median land availability for the poorest farmers by 25%.     

The brief as an instrument of policy

A review of the use of planning and design briefs by local authorities in the United Kingdom was carried out in 1982–83 to test whether the role of the brief as an instrument of local policy and as a promotional tool in the development process was being fully exploited. The paper provides a state of the art review, presents a summary of the findings and offers some comments on the results. It concludes that most authorities now use briefs as part of their normal planning procedures, but that there is potential which is not yet being exploited.     

区域持续发展与地理信息系统的协调作用

环境与发展是当今人类社会所面临的两大主题,已引起各国政府和国际社会的广泛关注。持续发展代表了一种新的发展战略和我们从事经济活动的新方法。地理信息系统技术具有综合各种社会、经济和环境因素的能力,为科学决策和实现区域持续发展提供了一种强有力的工具。同时,地理信息系统为在区域持续发展中利用生态学方法、时序分析和科学决策提供了强有力的技术支持。在我国,区域持续发展已引起了越来越多的研究机构与政府部门的重视。应该注意到,实现这一目标离不开地理信息系统技术的支持。本文主要讨论地理信息系统对区域持续发展的作用和探讨建立区域持续发展的地理信息系统的理论模式。     

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis using FISH for carriers of Robertsonian translocations: the Portuguese experience

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an alternative to prenatal diagnosis for couples at risk of transmitting genetic disorders to their offspring. We present a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of embryos obtained after seven PGD cycles in six couples with Robertsonian translocations and male factor infertility: 4 der(13;14), 1 der(14;21) and 1 der(15;21). Of 74 metaphase II (MII) injected oocytes, 61 (82.4%) fertilized normally and cleaved. Of these, 37/61 (60.7%) embryos were of high morphological quality with ≥6 blastomeres. After biopsy of 44 embryos at day 3 of development, seven degenerated, seven arrested in development and 30/44 (68.2%) evolved, of which 25/30 (83.3%) reached the morula/blastocyst stage. Analysis of biopsied blastomeres showed 23/44 (52.3%) of normal/balanced embryos, of which 15 (11 at the morula/blastocyst stage) were transferred in six cycles. One term pregnancy was achieved, which ended by cesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation, giving birth to two healthy newborn. Analysis of 49 embryos (excluding 12 inconclusive cases) showed a predominance of alternate segregation (38/49, 77.6%) over adjacent segregation (7/49, 14.3%), with one (2%) being a polyploid mosaic and three (6.1%) chaotic. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

人与自然关系新认识及环境伦理学发展

随着当代人与自然关系的严重失调，环境伦理学逐渐兴起，它要求人类从道德的意义上来看待人与自然的关系，从而重视环境问题，走可持续发展的道路。     

我国资源与环境信息系统建立与应用

资源与环境信息系统是研究人口、资源与环境的重要工具。本文论述了其定义和意义,说明其在我国发展的情况,以及应用上的特点,提出其建立与应用的广阔前景。     

努鲁儿虎贫困山区生态环境综合治理方略探讨

努鲁儿虎贫困山区虽经多年治理,生态环境仍恶化,严重地制约当地经济的发展。为改善生态环境,必须正视本区缺粮食、缺资本、缺人才的区情,绿化工程建设必须紧紧围绕解决当地人民脱贫致富这一中心才有生命力,才有持久的后劲;必须营造适合当地具有生态经济效益的树(草)种;必须坚持谁种谁有,谁经营谁得利的政策;必须改变以往造林中“输血”型投资,为“造血”型投资等一系列方略。     

中国的人口,资源,环境问题及若干战略选择

中国具有十分特殊的基本国情,如何根据中国的国情以及特定的历史与现实条件,选择适宜的组织机制,实施正确的长期发展战略,加速中国的现代化进程,这是一个十分紧迫而又令人关注的重大课题。本文主要从人口、资源、环境等方面分析中国现代化所面临的困境,以及应采取的战略选择。     

洞庭湖滩地围垦及其对生态环境的影响

本文研究了建国以来洞庭湖区围垦利用方式及动态变化,分析了湖泊滩地浮涨,围垦利用与泥沙沉积的双重循环影响关系,在此基础上探讨了湖滩地围垦利用对生态环境的影响以及对湖滩地利用应采取的对策措施。     

长江上游攀西—六盘水地区资源开发与环境保护

长江上游攀西——六盘水地区是个资源富集的“金三角”。通过交通先行,加快资源开发,对增强21世纪经济发展后劲意义重大。但生态环境恶化,急需加强保护。