How to address data privacy concerns when using social media data in conservation science

Social media data are being increasingly used in conservation science to study human–nature interactions. User-generated content, such as images, video, text, and audio, and the associated metadata can be used to assess such interactions. A number of social media platforms provide free access to user-generated social media content. However, similar to any research involving people, scientific investigations based on social media data require compliance with highest standards of data privacy and data protection, even when data are publicly available. Should social media data be misused, the risks to individual users' privacy and well-being can be substantial. We investigated the legal basis for using social media data while ensuring data subjects’ rights through a case study based on the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation. The risks associated with using social media data in research include accidental and purposeful misidentification that has the potential to cause psychological or physical harm to an identified person. To collect, store, protect, share, and manage social media data in a way that prevents potential risks to users involved, one should minimize data, anonymize data, and follow strict data management procedure. Risk-based approaches, such as a data privacy impact assessment, can be used to identify and minimize privacy risks to social media users, to demonstrate accountability and to comply with data protection legislation. We recommend that conservation scientists carefully consider our recommendations in devising their research objectives so as to facilitate responsible use of social media data in conservation science research, for example, in conservation culturomics and investigations of illegal wildlife trade online.     

突发环境事件应对中信息公开制度的完善

近年来我国突发环境事件频发,给经济社会带来了严重影响。对突发环境事件的应对,暴露出信息公开不及时、不充分,对谣言回应不及时等不足。此外,谣言的广泛存在与传播,使得突发环境事件应对效果难以实现最大化。产生这种情况是因为突发环境事件应对中,信息公开法律规定与实践不足、信息传播不对称与集体行为等。对此,体系化的信息公开法律制度建设与完善显得尤为重要。为减少突发环境事件中因信息公开不足及谣言产生的危害,我们一方面需要通过扩大信息公开主体范围、明确信息公开程序、对象等措施强化信息公开制度建设,另一方面需要开展谣言与集体行为方面的研究,为突发环境事件的应对提供有效支撑。     

国家公园分区管控的实践总结与制度进阶

分区管控是实现国家公园严格保护与合理利用双重目的的基础制度,也是保障原住居民发展权益的有效途径。梳理总结各试点公园的分区管控制度,本文发现存在实体规范各行其是、程序规范先天不足、责任规范流于形式的问题,难以实现保护优先、兼顾利用之间的关系。国家公园法应统一分区标准,采取二阶结构的分区管控制度,首先以世界自然保护联盟提出的"三圈层"模式划分严格保护区、缓冲区、一般控制区,进而将一般控制区划分为游憩展示区和传统利用区,并将生态保育修复区作为特别的"动态分区"。同时,提高国家公园规划及变更的审批权限并完善分区管控的法律责任,以实现实质的差别化管控和严格规范的管理。     

制氧企业安全评价探讨

制氧企业的事故致因错综复杂,主要危害因素有火灾、爆炸、窒息及噪声等。对制氧企业进行危险化学品的专项安全评价,可将企业划分为主体和辅助两个生产系统,其中主体生产系统可划分为9个评价单元,辅助生产体系可划分为8个子系统。在此基础上,根据制氧企业安全生产特点,本文提出了5种评价方法及其相应的评价对象,系统阐述了实施评价过程中所要重点关注的若干安全技术问题。     

关于修改我国环境保护法的思考

当前,我国资源破坏和环境污染问题相当严重,要实现中国跨世纪环保政策目标和可持续发展战略,必须有健全的环境保护法律制度作保障。我国现行《环境保护法》制定于20世纪80年代末,已经不能适应现阶段的经济发展要求。本文从环境保护法的立法目的、基本原则、环境法律制度等方面对《环境保护法》的修改进行了论述。     

试论公民环境权的性质

公民环境权是在环境危机产生后才愈加受人关注.本文通过对公民环境权的定义的探讨,对公民环境权的性质进行剖析,并且认为公民环境权是一项法定权利,它是由生存权发展而来的一项基本人权.但期待高位阶的法律做出更为明确的规定.     

WATERLAW AND THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE: A TEXAS EXAMPLE1

ABSTRACT Scientists usually regard all water as merely passing through, but in different phases of, the endless hydrologic cycle. The law divides water in the cycle into several different classes. Each is treated separately and generally without consideration of interconnections existing within the cycle. Different rules of law have arisen concerning the ownership and use of each legal class. Under Texas law several classes of surface and ground water are recognized, and weather modification efforts bring yet another class, atmospheric moisture, under consideration. It is instructive to follow water moving through the hydrologic cycle in the Nueces River basin, Texas, as a framework for discussing the substantial interconnections between the various legal classes of water and the difficulties that arise from attempts to apply different rules of law to each class. Strictures imposed by Texas water law can seriously interfer with coordinated, efficient use and management of water resources, as evidenced by the Nueces River basin. Well-recognized, existing water rights in the several phases of the hydrologic cycle make change of these institutional constraints difficult to achieve.     

Adrift on a sea of platitudes: Why we will not resolve the greenhouse issue

The issue of greenhouse warming has received a great deal of attention in recent years. It has become the object of much scientific scrutiny, media coverage, and political rhetoric. What is our current state of knowledge regarding this phenomenon? What are the possible options for preventing or slowing its advance, or for living with its consequences? What obstructs our taking actions to deal with this issue? These are the questions addressed here. Beginning with a brief overview of our current knowledge, I then examine potential policy options, and finally assess the likelihood of constructive actions. The conclusion reached is that we will probably not deal with this issue, not because we lack a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon, its consequences and workable solutions, but because we lack the philosophical, ethical, and political will to do so. As a result we are likely to continue to drift across a sea of platitudes.     

A case study of urban heat islands in the Carolinas

Urbanization tends to aggravate the negative effects of climate. The objective of this research is to aid in the understanding of the spatial variation of urban heat islands within selected cities in North and South Carolina. This understanding will help guide efforts to cool cities in order to increase human comfort, conserve energy and resources, and reduce air pollution in both of these states.     

Social features of energy production and use in Brazil: Goals for a sustainable energy future

This paper focuses on the social features of ene rgy production and use in Brazil and discusses the role of the energy policy goals of accessibility, affordability and acceptability in defining a sustainable energy future for the country. The major findings are that social inequalities in Brazil regarding energy use continue to be substantial and important. This can be explained by the fact that, although recent decades have seen significant improvements in energy accessibility all over the country, much more needs to be done to provide affordable, and socially acceptable modern energy carriers to all socio‐economic groups in all regions.