Risk of Public Disclosure in Environmental Farm Plan Programs: Characteristics and Mitigating Legal and Policy Strategies

Although various studies have shown thatfarmers believe there is the need for a producer-ledinitiative to address the environmental problems fromagriculture, farmers in several Canadian provinceshave been reluctant to widely participate inEnvironmental Farm Plan (EFP) programs. Few studieshave examined the key issues associated with adoptingEFP programs based on farmers', as opposed to policymakers', perspectives on why producers are reluctantto participate in the program. A study adapting VanRaaij's (1981) conceptual model of the decision-makingenvironment of the firm, and prospect theory on valuefunctions associated with the gains and losses fromrisky choices can be used to characterize how farmersperceive potential risks in environmental farmplanning. This framework can be used to assert thatfarmers are concerned about risks of public disclosureof potentially incriminating environmental informationfrom farms because the EFP program requirements foridentification and extensive documentation of farminformation is perceived by farmers as facilitatingthe accessibility of environmental information to thepublic, and public investigative efforts. Although theEFP program does not explicitly generate informationabout the environmental conditions of a farm nor thedisclosure of such information to the public, itcreates the possibility of generating and divulgingpotentially incriminating information that the farmermay want to treat as confidential. Yet, alone, theserisks of public disclosure concerns should not preventfarmers from participating in the EFP. Awareness ofand participation in environmental farm planning canbe increased if farmers and policy makers understandwhat the risks are, and how they arise. Aspects of theEFP process that have the potential to generate riskof public disclosure concerns relate to farm reviews,documentation and record keeping, and correctiveaction plans. There are legal and policy instrumentsthat can offer various forms of protection and helpminimize such risks, and these need to be assessed.     

Googling Trends in Conservation Biology

Web‐crawling approaches, that is, automated programs data mining the internet to obtain information about a particular process, have recently been proposed for monitoring early signs of ecosystem degradation or for establishing crop calendars. However, lack of a clear conceptual and methodological framework has prevented the development of such approaches within the field of conservation biology. Our objective was to illustrate how Google Trends, a freely accessible web‐crawling engine, can be used to track changes in timing of biological processes, spatial distribution of invasive species, and level of public awareness about key conservation issues. Google Trends returns the number of internet searches that were made for a keyword in a given region of the world over a defined period. Using data retrieved online for 13 countries, we exemplify how Google Trends can be used to study the timing of biological processes, such as the seasonal recurrence of pollen release or mosquito outbreaks across a latitudinal gradient. We mapped the spatial extent of results from Google Trends for 5 invasive species in the United States and found geographic patterns in invasions that are consistent with their coarse‐grained distribution at state levels. From 2004 through 2012, Google Trends showed that the level of public interest and awareness about conservation issues related to ecosystem services, biodiversity, and climate change increased, decreased, and followed both trends, respectively. Finally, to further the development of research approaches at the interface of conservation biology, collective knowledge, and environmental management, we developed an algorithm that allows the rapid retrieval of Google Trends data.     

Computer‐Aided Negotiations of Water Disputes: An Interdisciplinary Role‐Playing Course

This study examines the evolution of a microworld created in a stakeholder process into educational materials used in a classroom setting. Microworlds have been used to stimulate learning through engagement in classroom and professional settings, but to our knowledge this is the first example that demonstrates utilization of the same process in both settings in the field of water resources, involving collaboration between the educational and professional sectors. An interdisciplinary role‐playing course in Computer‐Aided Negotiations (CAN) of water disputes is used as a case study. Upper‐level undergraduate students of varied academic backgrounds interacted in both the CAN process and river basin management model used in the CAN process as microworlds for one semester. We found evidence of meaningful engagement with both the process and model by all students. This finding has implications for engaging stakeholders without technical backgrounds in CAN processes. Students reported learning gains on surveys and pre/posttest scores improved, although only one item showed a statistically significant increase. During and after the teaching of this course, there was feedback of work products from the students to river basin managers. The course also provides the opportunity to learn the art of collaborative modeling through example and practice. Course materials are available at http://www.hydrologics.net/CAN_Course/.     

基于碳普惠制的城市公共自行车个人碳减排量计算

碳交易是为促进全球温室气体减排、减少全球二氧化碳排放所采用的市场机制。广东省作为中国七个碳交易试点之一,将碳交易的核心理念应用于促进居民生活减碳,首次提出碳普惠制创新。碳普惠制旨在将公众的低碳行为量化并予以激励,以此促进低碳生活实践,降低生活领域碳排放。本文以公共自行车交通系统为研究对象,借鉴CCER方法学,对公共自行车项目的个人减排量核算方法进行了设计,并参考文献统计数据举例说明个人减排量核算公式。公共自行车项目个人减排量核算的方法学设计中,减碳系数的计算考虑自行车可代替的所有出行方式,且在不同出行方式比例的统计中考虑出行距离的影响,设置随出行距离变化的减排系数,在减排量的计算中有效突出个人的减排贡献量。依据本方法学计算得到了城市公共自行车项目个人减排系数曲线及减排量核算公式。最后从数据收集的角度出发,提出相应的改进建议以提高方法学的科学性及适用性。本方法学能客观评估城市公共自行车出行的个人碳减排量,为碳普惠制的实施提供量化方法学参考,同时填补了目前个人碳减排核算研究领域的空白。     

亲贫式增长刍议:论少数民族地区的扶贫政策取向

考察了经济增长和扶贫政策之间的跨国证据,突出了区域差异和国家经验这两个层面上形成的促进共同发展的多样性。对亲贫式增长的定义表明经济增长和扶贫这两个发展战略之间可能存在一种权衡问题。跨国证据表明,平均收入增长率和低收入者的收入增长率之间关系的巨大差异性,使得扶贫战略完全基于经济增长政策的论断存在争议。持续的快速增长显然有益于贫困人口,但是,如果整体的快速经济增长伴随着收入分配的缓慢恶化,这对贫困人口的福利比对经济增长影响更大。如果一国总体处于低增长环境,那么经济增长将难以获得贫困人口的支持。同时面向经济增长和旨在明确经济增长所带来的好处的混合策略被证明在实现持续减贫中可能是最为成功的。研究认为,在中国长期高速经济增长的支撑下,少数民族地区在收入改善和贫困人口数量显著减少方面取得了另世人瞩目的成就,为促进经济增长的倡导者和干预式扶贫的拥护者提供了实践支持。然而,普适的经济增长有利于贫困人口,但不会以相同的程度发生在少数民族地区。显然,一项公共政策更关注经济增长是必要的,但也同时必须关注经济增长所带来的收益是否会反映在提供贫困人口收入和贫困人口不可能轻易放弃的福祉上。针对于少数民族地区最有效的发展政策,是那些主张共同发展和利用公共政策创造增长的战略,同时还有利于贫困人口的共同参与,以确保他们成为积极的参与者和增长的受益者。自然资源收益管理,原生态农产品开发和区域经济带建设被列为促进这种增长战略实施的三个最有前途的领域。     

论环境公共规制有效性约束体系的完善

外部性与公共产品是环境规制的理论基础，以此为基点各国实行了包括税收、补贴、市场交易、行政强制等在内的多种规制政策，各种政策具有不同的作用机制和政策效果，需据实选择。我国现行的环境公共规制体系存在一定的缺陷。主要表现在4个方面：公共规制手段过手单一，政策效果难以保证；环境保护收费制度不完善。政策效果受限；环境保护税制不健全，导向作用不突出：排污权交易制度尚处手试点阶段，作用空间太小。为了有效实现环境保护目标，需要进一步构建并不断加以完善多元化的环境公共规制体系，即：改革环境收费制度，加强资金管理；完善现行税制，发挥税收的环保导向与激励作用；综合利用财政激励机制，扶持环境保护产业的发展；建立排污权交易市场，全面推行排污交易制度。     

基于环境行为理论的公众一次性塑料减量政策研究

公众行为心理是影响一次性塑料减量政策有效性的关键因素。为针对公众心理制定差异化的政策措施,借鉴环境行为理论的计划行为理论(TPB)和规范激活理论(NAM),构建了一次性塑料减量行为意向模型;基于该模型编制了调查问卷,通过线上、线下相结合的方式,共获得408份有效问卷;采用AMOS软件对结构方程模型进行了分析。结果表明:(微)塑料污染的后果意识对公众一次性塑料减量的意向产生了显著的正向影响,政府应扩大宣传(微)塑料的环境影响,特别是要使公众感受到(微)塑料污染对健康的负面影响;受访者减少使用一次性塑料制品的正面态度对其行为的影响尚不显著,因此针对一次性塑料减量行为的奖惩机制必不可少,以增加公众执行一次性塑料减量行为的动力。     

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT POLICIES FOR URBAN WATER SUPPLY1

ABSTRACT .This paper attempts to spell out the difficult conditions faced by urban water supply managers in achieving overall efficiency. Based upon these conditions, and changes that are likely in the next decade, it then tries to suggest strategies that would lead to even higher levels of efficiency in the future. A blending of political and economic concepts is used to make what is hoped to be a realistic analysis. What do we mean by “efficient”? The usual welfare economics definition is attainable only under a very special and highly unrealistic set of institutional arrangements. As soon as we delegate responsibility to a specialized agency we provide the opportunity, indeed we make it imperative that, in a social sense, a sub-optimization will take place. From the specifics of the indictment of this sub-optimization we can learn something about the opportunities for more efficient management in the future. In general there is an under-exploitation of multiple-function, multiple-objective opportunities. The pressures for sub-optimization hinge very directly on the sources of support and opposition to the water supply agency. A change requires the creation of a broader political base. The search for regional solutions is largely a political problem, and probably the development of flexible, responsive regional agency, so long sought, is still the answer.     

MONTANA'S EXPERIENCE IN RESERVING YELLOWSTONE RIVER WATER FOR INSTREAM BENEFICIAL USES - LEGAL FRAMEWORK1

ABSTRACT: The Yellowstone River historically has produced an ample supply of high quality water which is widely used for irrigation, municipal and industrial purposes, recreation, and fish and wildlife. Recently, energy companies have attempted to obtain water rights in the Yellowstone basin for energy conversion facilities in coal-rich southeastern Montana. Existing users fear that energy diversions will impair their rights, preclude expansion of present beneficial users, degrade water quality, and adversely effect fish and aquatic life. In response to these concerns, the Montana Legislature enacted several laws to regulate water appropriations in the Yellowstone River basin, including means by which state and federal agencies could apply for reservations of water for future beneficial uses. Thereafter, both the Montana Fish and Game Commission and the State Water Quality Bureau formally requested relatively large instream flows to protect fish and wildlife and to maintain water quality. This paper describes Montana's experience through December of 1977 with the administration of water in the Yellowstone basin under these laws; emphasis is placed on the major requests for instream flows. The final resolution of the reservation applications, and the related ramifications, will be discussed in a future paper.     

IMPACT OF SEWAGE TREATMENT MODIFICATIONS ON WATER QUALITY OF A RESERVOIR1

ABSTRACT. As a result of several investigations conducted in the Department of Civil Engineering through the Water Resources Research Center at The University of Tennessee, dating from 1966 to the present, a rather comprehensive surveillance of water quality conditions has been maintained in Forth Loudoun Reservoir on the Tennessee River near Knowville, Tennessee. During the period covered by these investigations, the Knoxville Third Creek Sewage Treatment Plant was upgraded from a primary plant to a secondary (activated sludge) treatment plant. Comparison of the collected data is being undertaken herein to elucidate the impact of these modifications upon water quality conditions in the reservoir. Consideration is given to the improvements of water quality as related to the expenditure for modification of the treatment facilities. In addition, comment is directed toward the public health significance of the water quality conditions determined.