Controversial sectors in banks’ sustainability reporting

Albeit indirectly, through its lending and investing, the financial sector can contribute substantially to achieve sustainable development. One of such practices concerns investment on or financing of entities that deal with environmentally or socially sensitive transactions (gambling, tobacco, alcohol, arms, etc.). Although there is a wealth of literature on banks’ CSR and its reporting, one can count on the fingers of one hand the studies mentioning explicitly these issue. What is more, this CSR practice gets treated only cursorily in these few studies. This study focuses on the communication of information on investment and financing of firms from controversial sectors in banks’ sustainability reports. We begin by examining whether financial institutions in our sample report having such policies or not. Then, we investigate what kind of policies are reported. In addition, this study seeks to capture the influence of national culture and firm-specific characteristics (type of property, listing status and multinationality) on the reporting of such issues. Ordinal regression analysis is used to analyse the relation of these factors with such reporting. Our findings suggest that the disclosure of information on policies regarding investment on and financing of firms from controversial sectors is not widespread, and the organizations reporting policies of total exclusion of some sectors or projects on ethical grounds are few. This study may encourage more detailed analyses of the type of CSR policies examined and of their impacts. It also may be of utility to banks by raising awareness about the need to consider these issues.     

基于轴—辐理论的皖江城市带物流网络空间构建

大力发展现代物流业和皖江城市带承接产业转移示范区建设是两大重要国家级战略.首先对轴—辐理论的国内外研究现状进行了总结和归纳,分析了轴—辐网络的结构及其优劣势.其次,设计了物流中心性指数的评价指标体系,运用主成分分析法对皖江城市带的9个地级城市进行物流节点等级划分,根据分析结果的总得分和区位特征确定合肥、芜湖、安庆3个一级物流节点,形成轴三角.分析了各级物流节点间的干线及支线物流通道,构建了皖江城市带轴—辐物流网络空间.     

基于区域化过程的边缘地区发展模式——以南阳市为例

边缘地区的发展问题一直是区域研究中的重点和难点，研究其发展轨迹、机理对于促进经济相对滞后的边缘区域发展具有重要意义。以豫鄂两省交界地区的南阳地区为例，在实地调研基础上，对其处于“核心→边缘”中的区域化过程进行阐述，采用区位商和“三轴图”产业重心方〖JP2〗法对其边缘化过程进行分析，针对南阳地区实际发展状况，提出未来解决边缘化的主要发展模式：（1）“CI”区域形象设计，推行区域形象发展模式；（2）“特色农产品＋农户＋中介＋（市场）明星企业”的农业产业化模式、“特色资源+生态工业园”的工业发展模式；（3）以旅游和物流为主的交通驱动型第三产业发展模式，通过特色模式带动地区经济快速高效发展，以期为南阳地区及同类区域发展提供有益建议。     

Circular Economy Development Mode Based on System Theory

The paper tries to explore circular economy from the viewpoint of the system theory. Circular economy is a kind of complicated economic activity, and it is a wholly new ecotype economy proposed by Western countries after they had summed up many experiences and lessons from traditional economy. It is an entirety and has many layers. It keeps an open and dynamic balance. Because the system theory is the theoretical foundation of circular economy, we should systemically analyze and study circular economy from the macroscopic view, correctly grasp its operational laws, improve its service functions, and realize human beings＇ sustainable development. The paper introduces the content and general characteristics of the system theory and the idea of circular economy. Then it analyzes circular economy based on the system theory. The paper concludes that the integration of circular economy and the system theory can promote the functions of circular economy.     

国土资源规制:基本理论与中国实践

规制是政府或其特定部门,对企业及家庭、组织等行为,依据特定规定进行特定的约束.该文基于国土资源基础及其稀缺性和公共物品属性,以及企业活动的资源环境外部性等理论,提出国土资源规制的概念,认为国土资源规制既是对与国土资源相关的行为的规制,也是以国土资源为手段对企业及地方政府的规制.国土资源规制的基本内容包括:明晰国土资源基础状况、编制区域国土功能区划和国土规划、确定关键性国土资源的开发利用标准;优化国土资源规制路径,强化经济、法律、技术手段在国土资源规制中的运用;评定国土资源规制效果等.中国国土资源规制主要体现在土地参与宏观调控、用水配额管理和制定能源效率标准等方面.依据中国国土资源规制实践,选择出8个包含土地、水、能源、矿产和森林等在内的国土资源规制指标,以期建构我国国土资源规制的基本指标体系.同时,建议加强对重点行业和重点地区的国土资源规制,调整并完善现行统计指标体系和干部考核体系,以适应国土资源规制的需要.     

生态工业园区水资源梯级利用的博弈分析

水资源是生态工业园区中最重要的资源之一,模拟自然生态系统,园区中的水资源用户也可根据功能的不同分为生产者、消费者和分解者.由于供给量的限制和国家的排污政策逐渐趋紧,生态工业园区中水资源数量和质量的分配存在利益冲突的问题,矛盾日渐凸现.本文试图运用博弈论的方法,构建一个水资源管理的梯级利用模式,探讨生态工业园区内水质要求不同的企业间如何实现水资源的合理分配,使之既符合企业的需要,又符合整个园区的供给限制,同时对环境的损害最小.之后从微观经济学的角度对各利益主体参与水资源梯级利用的动因和积极性进行了经济学上的分析,得出生态工业园区中水资源梯级利用体系能否达成“物尽其用、废物最小化”的目标,取决于不同利益者的博弈结果.水资源价格和排污收费价格的提高,可以减少新鲜水资源的购买量和最终的排污量,有利于促进园区内企业间的水资源梯级利用;而梯级利用的过程,也是各级消费者之间的一场博弈,博弈结果将决定再生水资源的售出价格.     

中国农村发展的可持续走向

从三种生产的视角看，农村发展的可持续方向是指农村发展趋向于三种生产的和谐运行与环境社会系统的稳定演进。获得“经济-社会-环境”整体高效益。资源环境问题是与一定的发展模式相伴而生的，针对中国农村地区的资源环境问题，通过深入剖析城乡整体、城乡之间以及农村内部三种生产的状况，提出改善中国农村发展状况的对策。     

基于盲数理论的水体沉积物重金属污染评价模型

针对污染风险评价系统多种不确定信息共存的特点,将盲数理论引入污染评价领域,建立基于盲数理论的地累积指数评价模型.用盲数表示沉积物污染物浓度和地球化学背景值,并通过盲数可靠性分析BM模型和隶属度加权计算得出重金属污染程度等级.将该模型应用于洞庭湖水系沉积物重金属污染的评价,结果表明,这些重金属的富集程度由高至低排列的顺序为:Cd>Cr=Cu=Zn=Hg=As>Pb,Cd是洞庭湖沉积物污染的主要环境污染因子.该模型算出了重金属地累积指数的可能值区间,并且得出与其相对应的可信度水平,进而定量计算出重金属隶属于各污染程度的可能性,它弥补了传统确定性方法的不足,更真实、更客观地表征了评价区域沉积物重金属的富集污染程度.     

代际差异视角下农民工乡城迁移与宅基地退出影响因素分析——基于推拉理论的实证研究

在2011年天津市农民工调查数据的基础上,本文借鉴推拉理论重新梳理影响农民工城乡迁移与宅基地退出意愿的因素,建立了农民工宅基地退出影响因素的推拉分析框架,并通过实证研究析出和显化在不同代际农民工城乡迁移和宅基地退出过程中起关键作用的因素。研究发现:在推力因素方面,对第一代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是年龄、受教育程度、宅基地在住房养老中的作用、供养系数和对农村基础设施满意程度;对新生代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要有性别、教育程度、供养系数和对农村基础设施满意程度。在拉力因素方面,对第一代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是有无专业培训经历或证书、是否签订劳动合同、区位、单位性质和外出务工时所利用的方式;对新生代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是有无专业培训经历或证书、是否签订劳动合同、区位、单位性质、外出务工时所利用的方式和是否同城里的人交过朋友。在此基础上,提出了相应的政策建议。     

Between Guilt and Obligation: Debating the Responsibility for Climate Change and Climate Politics in the Media

ABSTRACT

The “common but differentiated responsibility” of developed and developing countries to mitigate climate change is a core principle of international climate politics—but there is disagreement about what this “differentiated responsibility” amounts to. We investigate how newspapers in developed countries (Australia, Germany, United States) and emerging economies (Brazil, India) covered this debate during the UN climate summits in 2004, 2009, and 2014. Newspapers in both types of countries attributed more responsibility to developed than to developing countries. In line with social identity theory, however, media in developed countries attributed less causal responsibility (blame) to other developed countries than media in emerging economies. The latter countries’ media, in turn, attributed less responsibility to other developing countries than media in developed countries. At the same time, in line with the “differentiated responsibility”, media in developed countries attributed more responsibility to their own countries than media in emerging economies.