The link between 'green' and economic success: environmental management as the crucial trigger between environmental and economic performance

The link between environmental and economic performance has been widely debated in the literature for the last ten to fifteen years. One view is that improved environmental performance mainly causes extra costs for the firm and thus reduces profitability. However, also the opposite has been argued for: improved environmental performance would induce cost savings and increase sales and thus improve economic performance. Theoretical and empirical research have provided arguments for both positions and have not been conclusive so far. This article discusses reasons for the different views and the differences in empirical research and presents a theoretical framework to explain the coexistence of the conflicting views. It is argued that not merely the level of environmental performance, but mainly the kind of environmental management with which a certain level is achieved, influences the economic outcome. The model presented provides implications for both empirical research and company management in practice. Research and business practice should focus less on general correlations and more on causal relationships of eco-efficiency, i.e. the effect of different environmental management approaches on economic performance.     

石油短缺与中国经济安全

石油短缺已经成为引起中国能源危机最核心的问题,本文分析了中国石油短缺的背景及其影响因素,在实证分析的基础上,提出了“对石油依赖程度”这一概念。本文还把石油短缺与经济安全问题联系了起来,并提出了确保我国经济安全的具体对策。     

A review of WTO and environmental issues

Multiple negotiating rounds of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1947 have conferred economic benefits through liberalized international trade. A growing body of evidence also points to linkages between liberalized trade and damage to the global environment, ecology, and natural resource base. Ironically, the increased economic well-being conferred by trade liberalization ultimately provides the basis for improved environmental protection. It is the interim environmental damage due to trade liberalization that is controversial and needing amelioration. The proposition here is to promote further trade liberalization, but only as long as environmental ethics and sustainability issues are satisfactorily addressed. Trade liberalization should not be permitted at the expense of adequate environmental protection and sustainability. Future WTO rounds need to address both development benefits and environmental ethics issues in a net social welfare maximization setting.     

Soil phytoremediation from the breakdown products of the chemical warfare agent, yperite

A plant-based bioremediation (phytoremediation) strategy has been developed and shown to be effective for the clean-up of soil contaminated by the breakdown products of the chemical warfare agent (CWA), yperite. The method involves exploiting the plant growth hormone, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), to intensify the phytoremediation. For determination of the yperite breakdown products, gas chromatography is used. Soil and plant samples were analysed with a gas chromatograph fitted with an atomic emission detector. The method of standard-free determination was employed to identify sulphur-containing substances (SCSs). A series of soil tests was conducted, which showed that the level of SCSs decreased 4, 8, and more than 20-fold compared with that found in contaminated soil. This decrease was dependent upon the IAA concentrations used for plant treatment. The treated plants accumulated 2.7 to 2.9-fold larger amounts of the SCSs than did the untreated plants. Owing to its simplicity, environmental safety and inexpensiveness, the method can be recommended for the restoration of soil fertility in areas of storage and destruction of blister CWAs.     

复合菌种发酵酒糟菌体生长量和COD去除率的研究

在１００ｍＬ混合酒精培养液中接种优质复合菌种８５０３和８５０５,在接种量为体积浓度１０％,温度为３０．０℃,转速为１７０ｒ／ｍｉｎ的条件下,经摇床培养４８ｈ后,绝于菌体质量最高可收获１．４６９３ｇ,ＣＯＤ去除率高达６７．７４％,即ＣＯＤ由发酵前的３２６８０ｍｇ／Ｌ,降为发酵后的１０５４４ｍｇ／Ｌ。     

开辟湛江海洋型经济产业开发带的构想与策略

湛江具有较强的港口、地缘和腹地优势。要充分利用这些优势,开辟海洋型经济产业开发带,开发利用好海洋资源,促进湛江经济的腾飞。     

A Review of WTO and Environmental Issues

Multiple negotiating rounds of the GeneralAgreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World TradeOrganization (WTO) since 1947 have conferred economicbenefits through liberalized international trade. Agrowing body of evidence also points to linkagesbetween liberalized trade and damage to the globalenvironment, ecology, and natural resource base.Ironically, the increased economic well-beingconferred by trade liberalization ultimately providesthe basis for improved environmental protection. It isthe interim environmental damage due to tradeliberalization that is controversial and needingamelioration. The proposition here is to promotefurther trade liberalization, but only as long asenvironmental ethics and sustainability issues aresatisfactorily addressed. Trade liberalization shouldnot be permitted at the expense of adequateenvironmental protection and sustainability. FutureWTO rounds need to address both development benefitsand environmental ethics issues in a net socialwelfare maximization setting.     

环境污染经济损失估算模型的构建及其应用

基于污染物的环境污染损失机理性模型,Logistic方程及环境价值的相关理论,建立了环境污染经济损失估算模型.该模型不仅能反映出污染物浓度、污染物排放量、环境资源价值与经济价值损失间的关系,而且利用该模型可以定量地反映环境污染对环境资源价值造成的损害.将该模型用于估算福州市工业水污染造成的经济损失,其估算量与利用经济计量法计算出的结果进行比较发现:二者评价结果较为一致,但前者略大.      

中国适宜人口分布研究——从人口的相对分布看各省区可持续性

本文分析了中国人口分布现状与水资源、海拔高度、地表起伏指数和多种社会经济因素之间的关系,建立了综合的适宜人口分布模型,计算了中国各省的理论人口密度发布,并对模型进行检验。     

Human Population Numbers as a Function of Food Supply

Human population growth has typically been seen as the primary causative factor of other ecologically destructive phenomena. Current human disease epidemics are explored as a function of population size. That human population growth is itself a phenomenon with clearly identifiable ecological/biological causes has been overlooked. Here, human population growth is discussed as being subject to the same dynamic processes as the population growth of other species. Contrary to the widely held belief that food production must be increased to feed the growing population, experimental and correlational data indicate that human population growth varies as a function of food availability. By increasing food production for humans, at the expense of other species, the biologically determined effect has been, and continues to be, an increase in the human population. Understanding the relationship between food increases and population increases is proposed as a necessary first step in addressing this global problem. Resistance to this perspective is briefly discussed in terms of cultural bias in science.