Emerging contaminant control: From science to action

Since the concept of emerging contaminants (ECs) was first proposed in 2001, the global scientific research of ECs has developed rapidly. In the past decades, great progress has been achieved in the scientific research of ECs in China, including the establishment of EC analysis method system, the evaluation of the pollution status, pollution characteristics and environmental risk of ECs in typical regions of China, and establishment of EC control technology system. Continuous progress in scientific research of ECs promoted China’s action on EC control. It is planned that the environmental risk of ECs will be generally controlled by 2035 in China. Priority ECs should be screened for environmental management. Although great efforts have been made, the EC control in China still faces tremendous challenges. It is necessary to bridge the gap between scientific research and decision-making management. Based on the science and technology study, various measures such as engineering, policy management and public participation should be combinedly adopted for EC control.     

我国实施合同环境服务政策的思考

首先介绍了国外实施自愿性环境协议的基本情况与我国实施自愿性能源合同管理的主要经验。在此基础上,论述了我国实施合同环境服务政策的必然性。提出:进行合同环境服务政策的政策研究与设计是实施合同环境服务政策的关键;加大财政支持力度是实施合同环境服务政策的基础;建立合同环境服务政策的运行机制,有关部门与行业协会的作用,是实施合同环境服务政策的保证。     

Drivers for Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER)

There is a limited body of research into what drives some major companies to become aware of their environmental responsibility, what drives some to develop policies, and for an even smaller number of companies, what drives them to act on these policies and actually change their practices to become more environmentally responsible. This paper draws on part of the research conducted for a PhD, and looks at what a selection of senior business leaders from major Australian and international companies, as well as key academics, corporate analysts and environmentalists believe are the major drivers for corporate environmental responsibility (CER). While the key finding, namely that government legislation or the threat of legislation, is the number one driver, came as no surprise and concurs with findings of other studies (Emtairah et al.: 2002, Who Creates the Market for Green Products? An Analysis of the Role of Different Actors in Relation to Supply and Demand of Green Products, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm; Faruk: 2002, The Ashridge Journal; Husted: 2003, Environmental Science &; Policy 2, 61–74), what was a surprise was the level of support from business leaders for more government intervention in the form of policies, including legislative, to encourage or force greater CER.     

Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing: Using Geoinformatics to Inform Resource Policy in the Gulf of California,Mexico

In this issue of Environmental Management, Glenn and others posit that a previous study had analytical and interpretive errors in analysis of shrimp fishing in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico. Unfortunately, much of their evidence is too indirect and of insufficient scale to address the central question of salinity in the Upper Gulf. Also, many of their suppositions did not include direct interviews with local officials or a robust understanding of remote sensing literature. This response to their rebuttal presents a set of figures and analysis demonstrating that the Colorado River flows into a closed evaporative basin known as the Laguna Salada and thus cannot flow into the Gulf of California. Readers are asked to examine the images and interpret their meaning for themselves.     

Examining bushfire policy in action: Preparedness and behaviour in the 2009 Black Saturday fires

An important part of reducing the risk of disaster is the preparedness of the people at risk. Australian bushfire authorities have policies and publicity about what households should do to be prepared – which include knowledge about fire risk, awareness of one’s own risk, taking specific steps to reduce risk including having an emergency plan. Yet, there is sparse empirical evidence about the link between preparedness and actual behaviour in the face of a major disaster.The authors had an opportunity to examine the circumstances surrounding the 172 civilian fatalities which occurred in the 2009 Victorian ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires, through the examination of a detailed fatality dataset compiled by the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. This dataset allows detailed examination of Victorian bushfire safety policy (‘Stay or go’) in action on a day of extreme fire danger: from preparedness (both before and on the day of the fire) to behaviour on the day of the fire itself.This analysis presents three overarching findings. First, some aspects of ‘Stay or go’ appear to be supported: being well-prepared to evacuate remains the safest option in a bushfire; sheltering passively is very dangerous. Second, successful implementation of ‘Stay or go’ depends on a multitude of factors, which can challenge even the most capable householders. Third, events like Black Saturday challenge the ‘Stay or go’ approach, and indicate the need for a different approach on extreme fire danger days. We conclude by reflecting on the findings from this research in terms of the most recent changes to bushfire policy in Victoria.     

Public acceptability towards environmental policy measures: Value-matching appeals

People’s acceptability of environmental policy measures is vital for a successful implementation. Identifying how information concerning radical policy measures can be improved may increase support and generate more positive attitudes towards the policy. The effect of tailored information on acceptability towards implementing a proposed congestion charge was investigated by matching ecocentric arguments to biospherically value-oriented participants, and anthropocentric arguments to those who endorsed egoistic values. 627 respondents living in two small Swedish cities participated via a web-based survey. The results show that the single arguments (anthropocentric or ecocentric appeals) were evaluated more favourably than the combination of arguments (including both anthropocentric and ecocentric appeals). Strong biospheric and strong egoistic values were associated with positive and negative evaluations of the policy proposal, respectively. Finally, while respondents who endorsed egoistic values tended to be more positive towards the proposal after reading anthropocentric arguments (value match) than after reading pro-environmental arguments (value mismatch), the opposite effect was observed for respondents who did not endorse egoistic values. Our results suggest that tailoring information with regard to people’s values would be effective in promoting positive attitudes towards important policy measures.     

环境管制政策的局限性与变革--自愿性环境政策的兴起

我国虽然基本上避免了环境质量急剧恶化的局面。但是现行环境政策并没有从根本上遏制环境状况不断恶化的趋势，我国环境政策的效率亟待摄高。究其原因，我国环境政策以行政直控的管制政策为主。具有强烈的行政管理色彩，使得政府和企业的博弈长期锁定在非合作状态。要摆脱这种困境，必须引入第三方激励、监督机制。促使双方的博弈转变为合作博弈。20世纪90年代中期自愿性环境政策的渐渐兴起，是企业和公众在产品市场上互相影响的结果。而政府起到引导激励、信号传递作用。文章从博弈论的角度对此进行了分析，自愿性环境政策缓解了环境管制成本与效果冲突的困境，是未来环境政策的一个重要的方向。     

推动沿海海洋经济集成创新发展的思考

沿海海洋经济发展集成创新之路的选择和实施，首先要树立创新发展的理念。科学认识外部环境变化并作出有效的符合实际的战略决策。其次要遵循海洋经济发展的客观规律体系的综合调节。强化海洋经济倒新发展的合力、动态协调以及可持续。实现各项创新要素的全方位优化、合理搭配和有效协同；还要加强集成管理。形成综合协调机制。以提高海洋经济系统的、综合的、有效的倒新能力和竞争能力。从而促进海洋经济发展上新台阶。     

Using Citizen Science Programs to Identify Host Resistance in Pest‐Invaded Forests

Abstract: Threats to native forests from non‐native insects and pathogens (pests) are generally addressed with methods such as quarantine, eradication, biological control, and development of resistant stock through hybridization and breeding. In conjunction with such efforts, it may be useful to have citizen scientists locate rare surviving trees that may be naturally pest resistant or tolerant. The degree of resistance of individual trees identified in this way can be tested under controlled conditions, and the most resistant individuals can be integrated into plant breeding programs aimed at developing pest‐resistant native stock. Involving citizen scientists in programs aimed at identifying rare trees that survive colonization by pests provides a low‐cost means of maximizing search efforts across wide geographic regions and may provide an effective supplement to existing management approaches.