The influence of Chinese population policy change on resources and the environment

Universal two-child policy has been implemented since the end of 2015 in China. This policy is anticipated to bring a significant increase in the total population, with profound influences on the resources and environment in the future. This paper analyzes the changing dynamics of urban and rural population, and forecasts urban and rural population from 2016 to 2030 at national and provincial scale using a double log linear regression model. Drawing upon the results of these two predictions, the impact of the population policy change on Chinese resources consumption and environmental pollution are predicted quantitatively. Given the future total population maintains current levels on resources consumption and environmental emission, the additional demand of resources and environment demand for the new population is forecasted and compared against the capacity on supply side. The findings are as follows: after implementing the universal two-child policy, China’s grain, energy consumption, domestic water demand, and pollutant emissions are projected to increase at different rates across provinces. To meet the needs arising from future population growth, food and energy self-sufficiency rate will be significantly reduced in the future, while relying more on imports. Stability of the water supply needs to be improved, especially in Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, and Sichuan where the gap in future domestic water demand is comparatively larger. Environmental protection and associated governing capability are in urgent need of upgrade not least due to the increasing pressure of pollution.     

长江中游城市群空间联系研究

基于城市流强度模型和城市间相互作用模型,以长江中游城市群27个地级市为研究对象,分析了城市群内的城市辐射能力及其内在的经济联系。结果表明:(1)长江中游城市群整体集聚和辐射能力较弱,区域内中低级城市流强度的城市占多数;(2)城市群内第二、三产业辐射能力存在较大差异,第二产业呈现出较强的辐射能力,而第三产业辐射能力较弱,并且其空间分布相对较为分散;(3)区域中心城市的核心带动作用总体较弱,辐射范围和辐射强度都有待加强;(4)长江中游城市群内城市间空间联系不够紧密,且联系程度空间差异较大。省际城市之间联系贫乏,城市间尚未形成联系紧密的辐射网络。     

未来30a凉山州水稻盛夏低温危害风险分析

根据(BCC)气候系统模式第五阶段试验计划(CMIP5-RCP6.0)预测的2006~2050年各格点逐日平均温度,通过订正反演出2021~2050年凉山州各站点逐日平均温度,结合凉山州不同区域水稻抽穗杨花期低温指标,统计了各站水稻盛夏低温频次、水稻安全播种期、安全齐穗期以及安全生长季差,构建了水稻盛夏低温危害风险指数I=exp(Id+ip-2),并以此进行低温危害风险的区域划分,结果表明:(1)凉山州水稻盛夏低温频次为0.1~3.0次/a,在区域和年际之间差异很大;(2)与近30a比较,凉山州水稻安全播种期普遍提前10 d左右,提前最多的达20 d以上。安全齐穗期只有少数站点推迟,大多数站点都有提前的趋势;(3)海拔1 500 m以下为无风险区,1 500~2 000 m的区域为低风险区,2 000~2 500 m为中风险区,2 500~2 600 m为高风险区,分区结果与实际情况相符,为凉山州未来水稻生产布局、应对气候变化的影响提供科学依据。     

过江通道建设对相对落后地区发展的影响——以江苏省南通市为例

苏通大桥及沪崇苏通道的建设将引致区域交通格局的演化,从而对相关地区经济社会发展产生深远影响。对于相对落后的南通市而言,快速过江通道建设既是促进发展的良好机遇,同时也将带来新的挑战和威胁：（1）交通可达性改善明显,南向联系趋于便捷,运输成本相应减小,要素集聚呈现加速态势,但优质要素面临流失威胁;（2）产业规模迅速扩张,但以低层次产业为主,进一步加大了产业层次提升的压力,同时建设用地的盲目扩张和散乱布局,使得空间开发无序风险加剧;（3）进入上海都市圈的紧密圈层,有望成为长江三角洲北翼重要的次中心城市,但面临的竞争压力也不断增大。为促进南通市的可持续发展,政府部门应在推进都市区建设、促进要素集聚、空间资源的合理和统筹利用等方面制定科学有效的区域政策。     

上海都市旅游与长三角区域旅游的互动响应

随着经济全球化和区域一体化进程的加速,从长江三角洲地区区域旅游发展的视角重新审视上海都市旅游发展,探析都市旅游与其周边区域旅游发展的互动响应,具有重要的先导和示范效应。基于上海都市旅游发展面临挑战及长三角区域旅游合作进程的梳理,在对长三角旅游城市体系规模结构、长三角城市旅游经济联系度等指标的测评分析与研究基础上,提出上海都市旅游与长三角区域旅游互动响应路径首先是长三角核心城市（上海 南京 杭州）网络化发展,通过旅游产业网络化、市场网络化、组织网络化、服务保障体系网络化等各个子（分）网络共同构成互补、协作和理性竞争的长三角大旅游产业体系,尝试构筑“上海都市旅游 长三角区域旅游”共轭型的旅游地域综合体,旨在推进上海都市旅游与长三角区域旅游的和谐可持续发展,进而提升长三角区域旅游的整体竞争优势。     

长江中上游防护林体系森林植被碳贮量及固碳潜力估算

基于“八五”期间长江中上游流域各省的森林资源调查资料,结合经典的材积源生物量法估算了长江中上游防护林体系生物量碳密度和碳贮量,并根据不同树种生物量-生产力回归关系推算了该地区当前的固碳潜力。结果表明：长江中上游地区森林平均碳密度为2575 t/hm2;碳贮量为1 39459 Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g),其中林分（包括经济林）碳贮量为1 20430 Tg,灌木林为13437 Tg,竹林为5592 Tg,三者分别占总碳贮量的8636%、963%和401%。整个防护林体系森林植被的固碳潜力为36856 Tg/a。位于本区西部的四川盆地嘉陵江流域和西部高山峡谷区,其森林碳密度、碳贮量和固碳潜力较高,而东部地区的川鄂山地长江干流、鄱阳湖水系以及洞庭湖水系相对较低,因此,长江中上游森林碳密度、碳贮量和固碳潜力总体上呈现自西向东逐渐降低的趋势。     

利用猪场废弃物发展生态农业的模式研究

规模养猪是专业化、集约化生产方式,也是农业产业化经营的发展趋势。如果养猪场产生的大量粪尿得不到妥善处置和充分利用,将对环境产生很大的危害。猪粪尿中含有大量的营养物质和生物质能,以猪粪尿厌氧发酵为纽带,充分利用沼液和沼渣作为发展种植业和渔业的肥料或饲料,形成“农林渔牧”生态农业体系,不仅有效促进农村经济发展、增加农民收入,而且能够保护生态环境、节约资源。剖析了小、中、大3类猪场以沼气建设为纽带发展生态农业的规律、生产模式、系统结构及其效果。结果表明,为了促进规模养猪健康发展,形成“农林渔牧”生态农业体系,养猪专业户必须增强节约资源、保护环境的社会责任感,政府要加强猪场污染物排放的监管,同时制定优惠政策引导和促进猪粪尿资源综合利用。     

Australia and Russia: How do their environmental policy processes differ?

This paper focuses on comparative review and analysis of the systems of environmental protection, national environmental strategies and fundamentals of environmental legislation in Australia and the Russian Federation. These countries have many socioeconomic similarities, such as low population densities and richness in natural resources which are largely exported. The main disparity between Australia and Russia is in the types of economy. This paper ‘continues’ the sequence of recent scholarly publications on comparison of various features of environmental policies in the countries from all over the world. Comparative analysis in this research has been based on examination of scholarly publications, legislation, government documents, mass media sources and NGO responses. The analysis has revealed a number of differences including top-down implementation of policies in Russia whereas in Australia, each State (Territory) implements policies with significant independence from the Commonwealth Government. At the same time, similarities between the countries have been identified: for example, in deficits in the budget of local environmental authorities and in the presence of contradictions in legislation at national and regional levels of government. Suggestions resulting from this analysis include further integration of sustainable development strategies at all levels of Australian government to encourage further protection of the environment and, for Russia, creating a separate Ministry of Environmental Protection. These approaches should assist facilitation of sustainable development for both nations. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

A methodology for assessing urban sustainability: Aalborg commitments baseline review for Riga, Latvia

Both the Aalborg Commitments and the guidance on integrated urban environmental management and sustainable urban transport plans proposed by the EU Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment foresee a baseline review as the first step in developing integrated urban management plans and systems. A baseline review of urban sustainability undertaken in Riga reveals significant discrepencies between the sustainability criteria of the Aalborg Commitments and the: responsibilities and competencies of the municipal government and administration as defined by statutes; policy goals and measures defined in municipal planning documents; policy goals and measures defined in the Riga Development Plan. To better orient the mandate of the municipality towards sustainable development, municipal statutes should be supplemented to more fully reflect the issues defined by the Aalborg Commitments and should include sustainability as a goal. In order to strengthen the implementation of sustainable development specific policy goals, measures and targets should be formulated for all the Aalborg Commitments issues when revising existing municipal planning documents or developing a municipal sustainable development management plan. An analysis of the European Common Indicators and the State of the Environment in Riga 2001 indicators indicates that they can only partially fulfill a monitoring function for the implementation of the Aalborg Commitments. This highlights a need to better coordinate sustainable development initiatives at the European level. The methodology used for the baseline review in Riga is useful for assessing the status of urban sustainability when preparing integrated urban management plans or systems, but requires testing elsewhere. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Balancing Conservation and Economic Sustainability: The Future of the Amazon Timber Industry

Logging has been a much maligned feature of frontier development in the Amazon. Most discussions ignore the fact that logging can be part of a renewable, environmentally benign, and broadly equitable economic activity in these remote places. We estimate there to be some 4.5 ± 1.35 billion m³ of commercial timber volume in the Brazilian Amazon today, of which 1.2 billion m³ is currently profitable to harvest, with a total potential stumpage value of $15.4 billion. A successful forest sector in the Brazilian Amazon will integrate timber harvesting on private lands and on unprotected and unsettled government lands with timber concessions on public lands. If a legal, productive, timber industry can be established outside of protected areas, it will deliver environmental benefits in synergy with those provided by the region’s network of protected areas, the latter of which we estimate to have an opportunity cost from lost timber revenues of $2.3 billion over 30 years. Indeed, on all land accessible to harvesting, the timber industry could produce an average of more than 16 million m³ per year over a 30-year harvest cycle—entirely outside of current protected areas—providing $4.8 billion in returns to landowners and generating $1.8 billion in sawnwood sales tax revenue. This level of harvest could be profitably complemented with an additional 10% from logging concessions on National Forests. This advance, however, should be realized only through widespread adoption of reduced impact logging techniques.