Testing The Pearl Hypothesis: Natural resources and trust

Do natural resources reduce social trust? This paper reviews the literature on natural resources and on trust. The existing theoretical and empirical literature suggests that natural resources can reduce trust through several indirect mechanisms. Notably, studies show that natural resources lead to institutional degradation, corruption, inequality, and civil war, all of which have been associated with reduced trust. In addition, game theoretical work on windfall gains suggests that there may be direct effect of natural resources on trust. This paper tests empirically whether there is a direct effect of natural resources on trust (The Pearl Hypothesis), using cross-country data. The results indicate that no such direct effect exists, but we find a significant effect on trust of intermediate variables affected by natural resources, such as institutions, corruption, inequality and/or civil war. Importantly, the relationship between corruption and trust turns out to be non-linear, indicating that the effect of natural resources on trust depends on the initial corruption level of a country. In highly corrupt societies, institutional improvements that reduce corruption may also undermine trust, which poses difficult challenges for anti-corruption policy.     

基于层次分析法的古村落旅游资源评价——以世界遗产地西递、宏村为例

以世界遗产地皖南古村落——西递、宏村为研究区域,从研究区域的资源价值和区位条件两个方面,选取了5个Ⅰ级指标：历史文化价值、科学价值、艺术价值、区域规模、交通便利程度,12个Ⅱ级指标：年代久远程度、民俗代表性、历史事件名人影响度、科学考察、科普教育、完整性、典型性、观赏性、地域组合、环境容量、通达性与服务中心距离,建立评价指标体系,并结合YAAHP软件对该指标体系进行层次分析,得出了各指标的相对权重。结果表明,西递、宏村的历史文化价值与艺术价值在其旅游资源评价中具有重要地位。在此基础上对其进行了分析并提出了相应的保护措施和对策,以期达到对西递、宏村旅游资源合理保护与开发的目的。     

张家界溶洞旅游资源价值评价与开发研究

溶洞是重要的旅游资源,开发得当可获得良好经济效益,否则便会造成不可逆的资源破坏。以张家界溶洞资源为研究对象,在对溶洞资源基本情况进行调查的基础上,对溶洞的景观价值进行定量评价,并提出溶洞开发措施,为张家界市溶洞旅游的可持续开发利用提供理论依据。     

森林碳汇资源开发潜力定量评价与研究——以黑龙江省为例

森林碳汇资源是开展森林碳汇贸易的基础。森林碳汇潜力的定量评价,将为森林碳汇贸易提供可靠的依据。在对森林碳汇资源开发潜力的定量方法进行深入研究的基础上,以黑龙江省为案例进行潜力评价,明确了黑龙江省具有巨大的森林碳汇增量潜力,提出了进一步发展森林碳汇贸易及构建森林碳汇交易市场的可行性。     

结构红利与资源诅咒——西部大开发以来内蒙古产业结构变迁绩效评价

统计分析表明,西部大开发以来内蒙古经济存在越来越严重的就业-产值结构偏离趋势。采用shilt—share方法分别对西部大开以来内蒙古、西部和全国的劳动生产率进行分解和比较分析发现,内蒙古的结构红利不显著。因此,近年来内蒙古经济虽有良好的增长绩效,但其资源依赖型增长正通过价格机制和制度效率两个途径制约着产业结构的高级化与合理化变迁,即存在潜在的资源诅咒问题。     

System Dynamics to Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer Under Water Supply Uncertainty1

Abstract: Water supply uncertainty continues to threaten the reliability of regional water resources in the western United States. Climate variability and water dispute potentials induce water managers to develop proactive adaptive management strategies to mitigate future hydroclimate impacts. The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer in the state of Idaho is also facing these challenges in the sense that population growth and economic development strongly depend on reliable water resources from underground storage. Drought and subsequent water conflict often drive scientific research and political agendas because water resources availability and aquifer management for a sustainable rural economy are of great interest. In this study, a system dynamics approach is applied to address dynamically complex problems with management of the aquifer and associated surface‐water and groundwater interactions. Recharge and discharge dynamics within the aquifer system are coded in an environmental modeling framework to identify long‐term behavior of aquifer responses to uncertain future hydrological variability. The research shows that the system dynamics approach is a promising modeling tool to develop sustainable water resources planning and management in a collaborative decision‐making framework and also to provide useful insights and alternative opportunities for operational management, policy support, and participatory strategic planning to mitigate future hydroclimate impacts in human dimensions.     

基于GIS的茂县水资源开发利用信息管理评价系统设计

为了实现对茂县水资源的高效利用,将水资源开发利用评价的知识与地理信息系统结合在一起,设计出一个基于GIS的水资源开发利用评价系统,从而对茂县的水资源合理利用和加大开发提供一个有力支持,以满足对茂县经济社会发展的要求。本文对该系统的需求分析、系统结构、数据、系统各功能、系统实现进行了说明。     

水资源生态足迹分析——以安康市为例

根据生态足迹分析方法,建立了水资源生态足迹概念模型,确定了计算水资源帐户生态足迹所需的3个关键参数,即平均水资源产量、均衡因子和地区产量因子,计算了安康市1996—2007年水资源生态足迹和生态承载力。引入水资源生态足迹压力指数、万元GDP水资源生态足迹、累积水资源生态足迹等指标,利用水足迹模型评价水资源可持续发展程度的全面性和对比性。结果表明,计算结果可客观评价安康市水资源可持续发展与利用情况,为地区水资源的可持续利用与管理提供了科学的依据。     

Mapping Biological Resources in the Coastal Zone: An Evaluation of Methods in a Pioneering Study from Norway

For many years, the planning and management of terrestrial areas has been supported by a detailed knowledge of the distribution of habitats and their associated species. However, the detailed mapping of biological resources in extent coastal areas, such as the Norwegian coastal zone, is unrealistic due to its enormous coastline. Here, we present a useful and feasible approach and a set of simple, cost-effective methods which are suitable for providing a broad-scale overview of marine habitats and fish resources. This approach was developed in conjunction with a pioneer study conducted along the southern coast of the Skagerrak, where we combined knowledge gathered from local fishermen with scientific knowledge of important species and nature types to establish a coastal sea mapping program. GIS modeling tools were used in both the mapping program and to integrate local and scientific knowledge into digital maps made available to local area management. This multi-faceted approach, which combines local knowledge and scientific methods, provides valuable information with respect to marine biodiversity, and has been used extensively by local environmental management.