Improving pesticide regulation in the third world: The role of an independent hazard auditor

Central to the environmental and health hazards created by the expanding use of pesticides in developing countries is the weakness of national regulatory agencies. This article reviews current international efforts aimed at supporting these institutions and describes the contribution that an external “hazard auditor” might make in assessing the pesticide industry's adherence to accepted standards of health and environmental protection. An independent evaluation of this kind may prove attractive to all parties in the long-standing confrontation over the control of pesticide technology: the industry, public interest groups, developing and developed countries, and international agencies. The article outlines one approach to operationalizing the concept and examines initial responses to the proposal. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Commission on Occupational Health/International Development Research Centre Symposium on the Impact of Pesticide Use on Health in Developing Countries, 17–21 September 1990, Ottawa, Canada.     

COST ANALYSIS OF WATER AND WASTE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES1

ABSTRACT: Mathematical modeling techniques are used to develop predictive equations for cost of water and waste water treatment processes in developing countries utilizing socioeconomic, environmental, and technological indicators. Predictive equations are developed for each of the three regions (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) for construction, operation, and maintenance costs of slow sand filter, rapid sand filter, stabilization lagoon, aerated lagoon, activated sludge, and trickling filter. Data analysis indicated that cost of water treatment processes is a function of technological indicator (percentage of imported materials), population, and the design capacity. The variables which gave the best correlation for waste water treatment cost were population, design flow, and the percentage of imported waste water disposal materials.     

The resource curse

Countries that possess rich mineral deposits, it is widely assumed, are fortunate. Such deposits are assets, part of a country's natural capital. Mining is the key that converts dormant mineral wealth into schools, homes, ports, and other forms of capital that directly contribute to economic development. Over the past two decades, however, a more negative view of mining has emerged that questions the positive relationship between mineral extraction and economic development. The impetus for the alternative view came from empirical studies suggesting that countries where mining is important have not grown as rapidly as other countries. More recent studies have explored the possible reasons behind the disappointing performance of many mineral producing countries. While the central point of contention between the conventional and alternative views — namely, whether or not mining usually promotes economic development — remains unresolved, there is widespread agreement that rich mineral deposits provide developing countries with opportunities, which in some instances have been used wisely to promote development, and in other instances have been misused, hurting development. The consensus on this issue is important, for it means that one uniform policy toward all mining in the developing world is not desirable, despite the recent suggestions by some to the contrary. The appropriate public policy question is not should we or should we not promote mining in the developing countries, but rather where should we encourage it and how can we ensure that it contributes as much as possible to economic development and poverty alleviation.     

安全工程专业学历教育方案的中西对比研究

根据学科研究对象的异同 ,对中外不同名称的安全科学技术学科领域间对应关系的分析表明 ,我国的安全科学技术学科与美国、英国等西方国家称为公共健康的学科 ,我国的安全工程与西方国家的职业安全健康学科分别在宽泛和具体的意义上基本对应 ,相应的学历教育方案具有可比性。以此为据 ,运用案例比较研究了安全工程与职业安全健康学科专业学历教育方案中课程设置的多方面差别 ,分析了通过改善学历教育方案、加强职业安全培训途径来提高我国安全管理水平的努力方向。     

Sources of Deforestation in Tropical Developing Countries

/ Key causes of tropical deforestation are investigated using cross-sectional data for 90 developing countries for the period 1981-1990. Regression results reveal that deforestation is associated with both development and scarcity. Deforestation accelerates with expanding infrastructure, trade, debt, investment in the human capital base, and resource-based economic expansion. On the other hand, absolute and relative scarcities-manifested by growing population pressures, food and land shortages, fuelwood dependency, and inequalities in access to land-are also key factors explaining forest loss. Thus, results point to a fundamental environmental conundrum: Development is required if countries are to alleviate scarcity-driven forms of forest exploitation but is itself a major cause of deforestation. Can countries balance development goals with forest protection? Setting aside the issue of its practical realization, the paper concludes that forest sustainable development cannot be achieved by implementing simple technical improvements in land-use practices alone. Securing the foundations for the sustainability of the forest base will require that countries address the underlying social processes driving tropical forest loss as well.KEY WORDS: Tropical deforestation; Developing countries; Rural land-use practices; Development; Scarcity.     

Taxing mineral resource projects : Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines

Within the context of a case study of three Asia/Pacific countries' mineral taxation regimes, this article examines the impact of individual fiscal instrucments, and the total fiscal package, on investor risk perceptions, investor returns and government receipts. It shows that under conditions of uncertainty and risk aversion on the part of investors, significant gains in expected government revenues can be achieved without seriously affecting the investors' ex-ante assessments of projects by a judicious selection and mix of fiscal instruments.     

不同类型国家资源战略实施的启示及我国资源战略的选择

资源战略是经济发展战略的重要组成部分。不同的国家有着不同的资源战略。本文通过对不同类型国家资源战略实施成败的分析，从中总结了３点有益的启示：①世界经济发展中的相互依赖越来越强；②资源战略的选择要符合本国的实际；③经济结构要多样化。本文还对我国高耗、低效、封闭式的资源战略的形成作了深入的分析，并提出了我国资源战略选择的４个主要方面：①多样化是中国资源战略的出发点；②充分利用国内资源，积极利用国外资源是我国资源战略的核心；③保护资源与环境是我国资源战略的重要组成部分；④建立资源节约型国民经济体系，是我国资源战略的目标。     

Do Open-Cycle Hatcheries Relying on Tourism Conserve Sea Turtles? Sri Lankan Developments and Economic–Ecological Considerations

By combining economic analysis of markets with ecological parameters, this article considers the role that tourism-based sea turtle hatcheries (of an open-cycle type) can play in conserving populations of sea turtles. Background is provided on the nature and development of such hatcheries in Sri Lanka. The modeling facilitates the assessment of the impacts of turtle hatcheries on the conservation of sea turtles and enables the economic and ecological consequences of tourism, based on such hatcheries, to be better appreciated. The results demonstrate that sea turtle hatcheries serving tourists can make a positive contribution to sea turtle conservation, but that their conservation effectiveness depends on the way they are managed. Possible negative effects are also identified. Economic market models are combined with turtle population survival relationships to predict the conservation impact of turtle hatcheries and their consequence for the total economic value obtained from sea turtle populations.     

Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India

The rapid growth in motor vehicle activity in India and other rapidly industrializing low-income countries is contributing to high levels of urban air pollution, among other adverse socioeconomic, environmental, health, and welfare impacts. This paper first discusses the local, regional, and global impacts associated with air pollutant emissions resulting from motor vehicle activity, and the technological, behavioral, and institutional factors that have contributed to these emissions, in India. The paper then discusses some implementation issues related to various policy measures that have been undertaken, and the challenges of the policy context. Finally, the paper presents insights and lessons based on the recent Indian experience, for better understanding and more effectively addressing the transport air pollution problem in India and similar countries, in a way that is sensitive to their needs, capabilities, and constraints.     

主要发达国家职业安全培训与社会保障体系的构成对构建我国职业安全培训体系的启迪

美、日及西欧一些发达国家 ,把安全培训教育提到了十分重要的地位。经过半个世纪不断完善 ,先后都建立了一整套具有各自特点的安全培训体系。对构建我国职业安全培训体系会有很多借鉴和启示。