Improving collaboration in the implementation of global biodiversity conventions

Eight conventions make up the biodiversity cluster of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) that provide the critical international legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of nature. However, concerns about the rate of implementation of the conventions at the national level have triggered discussions about the effectiveness of these MEAs in halting the loss of biodiversity. Two main concerns have emerged: lack of capacity and resources and lack of coherence in implementing multiple conventions. We focused on the latter and considered the mechanisms by which international conventions are translated into national policy. Specifically, we examined how the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the associated Aichi Biodiversity Targets have functioned as a unifying grand plan for biodiversity conservation. This strategic plan has been used to coordinate and align targets to promote and enable more effective implementation across all biodiversity-related conventions. Results of a survey of 139 key stakeholders from 88 countries suggests streamlining across ministries and agencies, improved coordination mechanisms with all relevant stakeholders, and better knowledge sharing between conventions could improve cooperation among biodiversity-related conventions. The roadmap for improving synergies among conventions agreed to at the 13th Convention on Biological Diversity's Conference of Parties in 2016 includes actions such as mechanisms to avoid duplication in national reporting and monitoring on conventions and capacity building related to information and knowledge sharing. We suggest the scientific community can actively engage and contribute to the policy process by establishing a science-policy platform to address knowledge gaps; improving data gathering, reporting, and monitoring; developing indicators that adequately support implementation of national plans and strategies; and providing evidence-based recommendations to policy makers. The latter will be particularly important as 2020 approaches and work to develop a new biodiversity agenda for the next decade is beginning.     

Analysis on causes of chemical industry accident from 2015 to 2020 in Chinese mainland: A complex network theory approach

Chemical manufacturing is a long-process industry, where an end product may pass through numerous dangerous and complex steps. In such long chains of coordinated activity, accidents remain common. This study made loss-prevention recommendations for the chemical industry after conducting a review of accident reports and creating a complex network model. A human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) was used to classify data from 109 investigation reports from the Chinese mainland (2015–2020). Levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ of the HFACS output were fed into a complex network model to generate a map of causes and chains of risk. It was shown that most accidents were directly or indirectly caused by human action, and human factors played a decisive role in occurrence, evolution, and resolution. The model used was visualized in Gephi, and the key cause nodes were identified by their topological characteristics. A modularity algorithm was used to derive the community structures and segment the network map. Crucial nodes in each community were compared with factors for each class in the HFACS model. It was also found that there was a biasing factor in the causal processes of explosive accidents and poisoning and asphyxiation accidents according to the associations classified by modularity. Risk abatement strategies were proposed for the crucial factors.     

学校灾害教育现状调查研究及其启示

调查旨在了解学校灾害教育实施的实际情况,总结问题,提出相应策略。按照地理区划,分别选取了部分省市不同地区、不同学校的教师作为调查对象,回收有效问卷共计375份。调查结果表明:灾害教育实施现状不尽如人意,存在诸如"教师虽积极认同灾害教育价值,但教学中却较少主动实施"等问题,提出应构建灾害教育体系,形成长效机制,促进灾害教育开展。     

Complexity,continuity and change: livelihood resilience in the Darfur region of Sudan

Darfur farming and pastoralist livelihoods are both adaptations to the environmental variability that characterises the region. This article describes this adaptation and the longer‐term transformation of these specialised livelihoods from the perspective of local communities. Over several decades farmers and herders have experienced a continuous stream of climate, conflict and other shocks, which, combined with wider processes of change, have transformed livelihoods and undermined livelihood institutions. Their well‐rehearsed specialist strategies are now combined with new strategies to cope. These responses help people get by in the short term but risk antagonising not only their specialist strategies but also those of others. A combination of factors has undermined the former integration between farming and pastoralism and their livelihood institutions. Efforts to build resilience in similar contexts must take a long‐term view of livelihood adaptation as a specialisation, and consider the implications of new strategies for the continuity and integration of livelihood specialisations.     

地理标志农产品种植户气象灾害的适应策略研究——以陕西猕猴桃种植户为例

基于地理标志农产品种植户的实地调研数据,利用多元线性回归模型从生计维度研究种植户对猕猴桃物候期内气象灾害的感知及适应策略的影响因素。物候期内气象灾害的感知对种植户适应能力有显著影响。不同类别生计资本对于种植户采取适应策略的影响具有差异性：自然资本通过提升家庭生计基础显著影响种植户采取越冬期冻害、芽膨大期冻害适应策略;物质资本通过改善家庭生产物资形式影响种植户采取越冬期冻害适应策略;金融资本通过拓宽家庭金融收入渠道等方式显著影响种植户采取越冬期冻害、芽膨大期冻害、高温日灼灾害适应策略;社会资本通过丰富家庭同质性和异质性社会资本显著影响种植户采取夏季干旱适应策略;人力资本则通过提升家庭整体教育质量并推动再生产能力显著影响种植户采取芽膨大期冻害与秋季连阴雨适应策略。最后,建议政府应通过提升种植户获取气象信息能力、加强举办农业培训等技能学习活动、完善农业组织建设等措施以提升其适应能力。     

Coping strategies and risk manageability: using participatory geographical information systems to represent local knowledge

The accumulated knowledge and perceptions of communities 'at risk' are key elements in managing disaster risk at the local level. This paper demonstrates that local knowledge of flood hazards can be structured systematically into geographic information system (GIS) outputs. When combined with forecasting models and risk scenarios, they strengthen the legitimacy of local knowledge of at-risk populations. This is essential for effective disaster risk reduction practices by external actors, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and municipal authorities. The research focused on understanding coping strategies and 'manageability' of flood hazards as defined by communities. 'Manageability' is how people experience flooding in relation to their household capacity and the coping mechanisms available. The research in the Philippines highlights the significance of localised factors, including socioeconomic resources, livelihoods, seasonality and periodicity, for understanding manageability. The manageability concept improves practice at the municipal level by legitimising local coping strategies, providing better indicators, and developing understanding of flooding as a recurrent threat.     

Complementing institutional with localised strategies for climate change adaptation: a South-North comparison

Climate change and disasters pose a serious risk to sustainable development. In the South, local coping strategies are an important element of adaptation to climate and disaster risk. Such strategies have emerged because of the limited assistance provided by urban actors and associated social security and governance systems. In the North, in contrast, local coping strategies are comparatively poorly developed. However, the extent of the changing climatic conditions is also reducing the capacity of Northern institutions to deal with climatic extremes and variability, which emphasises the need for more local-level engagement in the North. This paper analyses the differences in local and institutional responses to climate change and disasters in a Southern and a Northern city (San Salvador, El Salvador, and Manchester, United Kingdom, respectively), and highlights how the lessons learned might be translated into an improved distributed governance system; that is, an 'integrated engagement model', where local and institutionalised responses support rather than hinder each other, as is currently the case.     

浙江省人地关系变化阶段特征及调整策略

经济快速发展地区工业化和城市化的加速发展对耕地的占用使这些地区的人地关系日趋紧张。从发展的角度看。若缺乏科学的人口再生产与土地调控机制。人地关系矛盾将直接制约这些区域经济的可持续发展。本文在翔实的历史资料基础上。通过对浙江省人地关系阶段变化特征的分析。认为浙江省人地关系紧张的状况有着历史延续性。接着分析了浙江省现代人地关系矛盾的焦点在于不断减少的耕地问题。探讨了经济发展与耕地变动的内在联系。认为只有遏制耕地减少的态势才能缓解浙江省人地关系日趋紧张的局面。同时对浙江省未来人地关系发展的态势进行了预测，佐证了如果不采取积极的应对措施。未来人地关系将日益恶化。最后。提出了浙江省人地关系的调整策略。试图为经济快速发展且人地关系紧张地区的土地利用管理提供一种新的路径选择。     

Analysis of CO2 emissions peak: China’s objective and strategy

Establishing positive and urgent targets for CO₂ reduction and emission peak, and promoting energy conservation and energy structure adjustment are among the strategies to address global climate change and CO₂ emissions reduction. They are also means to break through the constraints of domestic resources and environment, and internal needs, to achieve sustainable development. Generally speaking, a country's CO₂ emission peak appears after achieving urbanization and industrialization. By then, connotative economic growth will appear, GDP will grow slowly, energy consumption elasticity will decrease, and energy consumption growth will slow down – dependent mainly on new and renewable energies. Fossil fuel consumption will not increase further. When CO₂ emission reaches its peak, the annual reduction rate of CO₂ intensity of GDP is greater than GDP annual growth rate; and the annual reduction rate of CO₂ intensity of energy use is greater than the annual growth rate of energy consumption. Therefore, three important approaches to promotion of CO₂ emission peak can be concluded: maintaining reasonable control of GDP growth, strengthening energy conservation to significantly reduce the GDP energy intensity, and optimizing the energy mix to reduce the CO₂ intensity of energy use. By around 2030, China will basically have completed its rapid development phase of industrialization and urbanization. Connotative economic growth will appear with the acceleration of industrial structure adjustment. The target of GDP energy intensity will still be to maintain an average annual reduction of 3% or higher. The proportion of non-fossil fuels will reach 20–25%, and the aim will be to maintain an average annual growth rate of 6–8%. The total annual energy demand growth of 1.5% will be satisfied by the newly increased supply of non-fossil fuels. The annual decline in CO₂ intensity of GDP will reach 4.5% or higher, which is compatible with an average annual GDP growth rate of approximately 4.5% in order to reach CO₂ emission peak. This corresponds to the level of China's potential economic growth. Achieving CO₂ emission peak will not impose a rigid constraint on economic development, but rather promote economic development and accelerate the transformation of green, low-carbon development. The CO₂ emission peak can be controlled with a cap of 11 billion tons, which means that CO₂ emission will increase by less than 50% compared with 2010. The per capita emission peak will be controlled at a level of less than 8 tons, which is lower than the 9.5 tons in the EU and Japan and much lower than the 20 tons in the US, future economic and social development faces many uncertainties in achieving the CO₂ emission peak discussed above. It depends on current and future strategies and policies, as well as the pace and strength of economic transformation, innovation, and new energy technologies. If the economic transformation pattern fails to meet expectations, the time required to reach CO₂ emission peak would be delayed and the peak level would be higher than expected. Therefore, we need to coordinate thoughts and ideas and deploy these in advance; to highlight the strategic position of low-carbon development and its priorities; to enact mid- to long-term energy development strategies; and to establish and improve a system of laws, regulations, and policies as well as an implementation mechanism for green, low-carbon development. Oriented by positive and urgent CO₂ reduction and peak targets, the government would form a reversed mechanism to promote economic transformation and embark on the path of green, low-carbon development as soon as possible.     

Mapping out the design opportunities: pathways of sustainable behaviour

To advance the area of design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB), a common behaviour terminology is needed to enable comparisons of studies across application areas. Thus, the map of pathways of sustainable behaviour was created with the aim of charting different paths that users can follow to reduce environmental impact when interacting with artefacts. The construction of the map results from a comparative analysis of sustainable behaviours identified in previous studies in conjunction with a review of existing behaviour classifications. The proposed map of pathways gives a comprehensive overview of all artefact-related resource-consuming usage behaviours, organised according to a design perspective and divided with regard to aspects of use and obtainment, primary and secondary artefact, duration and type of effort. Through design, the user can be encouraged to take any of the five identified paths: choice of artefact, changed use, maintenance and repair, mediated use and regulated artefact. Using the map in a DfSB process can guide the exploration phase and highlight potential design opportunities when choosing target behaviour. If adopted by the DfSB community, the united typology of the map also provides means necessary to make rigorous comparisons and develop the field and its tools.