Water quality monitoring using remote sensing in support of the EU water framework directive (WFD): A case study in the Gulf of Finland

Water quality monitoring using remote sensing has been studied in Finland for many years. But there are still few discussions on water quality monitoring using remote sensing technology in support of water policy and legislation in Finland under the WFD. In this study, we present water quality monitoring using remote sensing in the Gulf of Finland, and focus on the spatial distribution of water quality information from satellite-based observations in support of water policy by a case study of nitrate concentrations in surface waters. In addition, we briefly describe instruments using a system of river basin districts (RBD), highlighting the importance of integrated water resources and river-basin management in the WFD, and discuss the role of water quality monitoring using remote sensing in the implementation of water policy in Finland under the WFD.     

The case for policy‐relevant conservation science

Drawing on the “evidence‐based” (Sutherland et al. 2013) versus “evidence‐informed” debate (Adams & Sandbrook 2013), which has become prominent in conservation science, I argue that science can be influential if it holds a dual reference (Lentsch & Weingart 2011) that contributes to the needs of policy makers whilst maintaining technical rigor. In line with such a strategy, conservation scientists are increasingly recognizing the usefulness of constructing narratives through which to enhance the influence of their evidence (Leslie et al. 2013; Lawton & Rudd 2014). Yet telling stories alone is rarely enough to influence policy; instead, these narratives must be policy relevant. To ensure that evidence is persuasive alongside other factors in a complex policy‐making process, conservation scientists could follow 2 steps: reframe within salient political contexts and engage more productively in boundary work, which is defined as the ways in which scientists “construct, negotiate, and defend the boundary between science and policy” (Owens et al. 2006:640). These will both improve the chances of evidence‐informed conservation policy.     

Aligning science and policy to achieve evolutionarily enlightened conservation

There is increasing recognition among conservation scientists that long‐term conservation outcomes could be improved through better integration of evolutionary theory into management practices. Despite concerns that the importance of key concepts emerging from evolutionary theory (i.e., evolutionary principles and processes) are not being recognized by managers, there has been little effort to determine the level of integration of evolutionary theory into conservation policy and practice. We assessed conservation policy at 3 scales (international, national, and provincial) on 3 continents to quantify the degree to which key evolutionary concepts, such as genetic diversity and gene flow, are being incorporated into conservation practice. We also evaluated the availability of clear guidance within the applied evolutionary biology literature as to how managers can change their management practices to achieve better conservation outcomes. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of maintaining genetic diversity, conservation policies provide little guidance about how this can be achieved in practice and other relevant evolutionary concepts, such as inbreeding depression, are mentioned rarely. In some cases the poor integration of evolutionary concepts into management reflects a lack of decision‐support tools in the literature. Where these tools are available, such as risk‐assessment frameworks, they are not being adopted by conservation policy makers, suggesting that the availability of a strong evidence base is not the only barrier to evolutionarily enlightened management. We believe there is a clear need for more engagement by evolutionary biologists with policy makers to develop practical guidelines that will help managers make changes to conservation practice. There is also an urgent need for more research to better understand the barriers to and opportunities for incorporating evolutionary theory into conservation practice.     

能源结构与CO_2排放的定量关联机制研究

识别能源结构调整对CO2排放的定量影响可以为评估国家相关温室气体控制政策提供数理工具。首先基于中国的实际能源结构,对不同能源的标准煤CO2排放系数进行了测算和适用范围界定,在此基础上,定量分析了中国"十一五"期间能源结构调整对CO2排放的影响,指出了中国节能措施和能源结构调整措施对CO2排放影响的贡献率。通过对能源结构调整与CO2排放的敏感性定量测算,可知非化石能源替代煤炭具有最佳的CO2排放降低效益。在定量分析基础上,提出了基于能源结构的降低CO2排放的针对性措施和政策建议。     

The alignment of agricultural and nature conservation policies in the European Union

Europe is a region of relatively high population density and productive agriculture subject to substantial government intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Many habitats and species of high conservation interest have been created by the maintenance of agricultural practices over long periods. These practices are often no longer profitable, and nature conservation initiatives require government support to cover the cost for them to be continued. The CAP has been reformed both to reduce production of agricultural commodities at costs in excess of world prices and to establish incentives for landholders to adopt voluntary conservation measures. A separate nature conservation policy has established an extensive series of protected sites (Natura 2000) that has, as yet, failed to halt the loss of biodiversity. Additional broader scale approaches have been advocated for conservation in the wider landscape matrix, including the alignment of agricultural and nature conservation policies, which remains a challenge. Possibilities for alignment include further shifting of funds from general support for farmers toward targeted payments for biodiversity goals at larger scales and adoption of an ecosystem approach. The European response to the competing demands for land resources may offer lessons globally as demands on rural land increase.     

The Need to Disentangle Key Concepts from Ecosystem‐Approach Jargon

The ecosystem approach—as endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB) in 2000—is a strategy for holistic, sustainable, and equitable natural resource management, to be implemented via the 12 Malawi Principles. These principles describe the need to manage nature in terms of dynamic ecosystems, while fully engaging with local peoples. It is an ambitious concept. Today, the term is common throughout the research and policy literature on environmental management. However, multiple meanings have been attached to the term, resulting in confusion. We reviewed references to the ecosystem approach from 1957 to 2012 and identified 3 primary uses: as an alternative to ecosystem management or ecosystem‐based management; in reference to an integrated and equitable approach to resource management as per the CBD; and as a term signifying a focus on understanding and valuing ecosystem services. Although uses of this term and its variants may overlap in meaning, typically, they do not entirely reflect the ethos of the ecosystem approach as defined by the CBD. For example, there is presently an increasing emphasis on ecosystem services, but focusing on these alone does not promote decentralization of management or use of all forms of knowledge, both of which are integral to the CBD's concept. We highlight that the Malawi Principles are at risk of being forgotten. To better understand these principles, more effort to implement them is required. Such efforts should be evaluated, ideally with comparative approaches, before allowing the CBD's concept of holistic and socially engaged management to be abandoned or superseded. It is possible that attempts to implement all 12 principles together will face many challenges, but they may also offer a unique way to promote holistic and equitable governance of natural resources. Therefore, we believe that the CBD's concept of the ecosystem approach demands more attention. La Necesidad de Desenredar Conceptos Clave del Argot Ambiente‐Estrategia     

浅谈长江大流域旅游资源开发

本文对长江流域旅游资源的特点和开发条件进行了评价,同时论述了浦东开发对其的影响,提出了策应浦东开发的措施选择。     

我国造纸业发展循环经济构想

本文阐述了造纸业循环经济的内涵，分析了影响造纸业循环经济的各种因素，在此基础上。提出了实现造纸业循环经济的途径：优化原料和产品结构，建立废纸回收体系；实施企业规模化，加快技术开发和装备更新，加大治污力度；推行清洁生产和绿色管理，加强企韭和社会生态文化教育以及建立与之相适应的绿色政策保障体系。     

发展竹胶模板支援三峡工程建设促进库区经济发展

根据三峡工程建设中需要耗费大量木材的事实，结合三峡库区自然资源实际，着重探讨了开发新型竹胶台板代替木质模板，支援三峡工程建设，同时带动库区发展竹木种植及竹材深加工业，具体落实开发性移民方针的思路和对策。