Striking the balance: Challenges and perspectives for the protected areas network in northeastern European Russia

Increasing anthropogenic pressure on the largest remaining tracts of old-growth boreal forest in Europe necessitates additional conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity in northeastern European Russia. In a regional network comprising 8 % of the Nenets Autonomous District and 13.5 % of the Komi Republic, 248 areas have varying protected statuses as state nature reserves (zapovedniks), national parks, reserves/sanctuaries (zakazniks), or natural monuments. Due to increased natural resource extraction in this relatively pristine area, designation of additional protected areas is critical for the protection of key ecological sites. The history of ecological preservation in these regions is herein described, and recent recommendations for incorporating additional ecologically representative areas into the regional network are presented. If the protected area network can be expanded, the overall environmental stability in these globally significant ecosystems may remain intact, and can help Russia meet the 2020 Aichi conservation targets, as set forth by the Convention of Biological Diversity.     

关于完善规划环境影响跟踪评价制度的思考

规划环境影响跟踪评价制度是规划环评制度的重要组成部分,完善跟踪评价制度对健全以环境影响评价制度为主体的预防体系具有重要意义。在分析我国规划环境影响跟踪评价制度与实践进展的基础上,系统梳理了现行制度存在的启动情形不明、程序亟待规范、约束力不足等问题,并从按照审查意见要求启动跟踪评价、保障生态环境部门知情权与建议权、强化违反跟踪评价义务的法律后果等方面提出对策建议,为《中华人民共和国环境影响评价法》的修订完善提供参考。

     

Assessing health impacts in complex eco-epidemiological settings in the humid tropics: Modular baseline health surveys

The quantitative assessment of health impacts has been identified as a crucial feature for realising the full potential of health impact assessment (HIA). In settings where demographic and health data are notoriously scarce, but there is a broad range of ascertainable ecological, environmental, epidemiological and socioeconomic information, a diverse toolkit of data collection strategies becomes relevant for the mainly small-area impacts of interest. We present a modular, cross-sectional baseline health survey study design, which has been developed for HIA of industrial development projects in the humid tropics. The modular nature of our toolkit allows our methodology to be readily adapted to the prevailing eco-epidemiological characteristics of a given project setting. Central to our design is a broad set of key performance indicators, covering a multiplicity of health outcomes and determinants at different levels and scales. We present experience and key findings from our modular baseline health survey methodology employed in 14 selected sentinel sites within an iron ore mining project in the Republic of Guinea. We argue that our methodology is a generic example of rapid evidence assembly in difficult-to-reach localities, where improvement of the predictive validity of the assessment and establishment of a benchmark for longitudinal monitoring of project impacts and mitigation efforts is needed.     

Policy implementation of the Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 in the Philippines: A case study of Cebu city

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is considered to be one of the most serious environmental issues in the Philippines. The annual waste generation was estimated at 10.6 million tonnes in 2012 and this is expected to double in 2025. The Republic Act (RA) No. 9003, widely known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, provides the required policy framework, institutional mechanisms and mandate to the Local Government Units (LGUs) to achieve 25% waste reduction target through establishing an integrated solid waste management plan based on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycling). Although the initial impact of the LGUs is still very limited in implementing the national mandate, this article highlights the successful experiences of Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines, in reducing its MSW generation by more than 30% in the past three years. This study also explores the implementation process, innovative actions taken by the Cebu City Government in implementing the national mandate at local level and identifies the factors that influence the policy implementation. The findings suggest that the impacts of the national mandate can be achieved if the LGUs have the high degree of political commitment, planning and development of effective local strategies in a collaborative manner to meet with local conditions, partnership building with other stakeholders, capacity development, adequate financing and incentives, and in the close monitoring and evaluation of performance.     

而今迈步从头越——《安全生产法》征求意见稿学习体会和修改建议

首先分析了我国《安全生产法》的发展沿革,且认真学习了目前发布的《安全生产法》征求意见稿,归纳了征求意见稿还应实现四个重点突破:必须体现以人为本的执政理念;职业危害防治应列为《安全生产法》的重要条款之一;安全生产执法监察应与公共安全及行政管理分离;应对工伤保险预防机制作出明确要求。此外,建议通过《安全生产法》的进一步修订实现我国安全生产的制度化建设:建议逐步建立安全生产分级监察管理体制;推进风险管理制度,对企业实行风险分级与分级监管;逐步提出建立安全生产监察员专业化制度;建立与国际接轨的生产安全事故统计报告系统;强化城市建设土地使用规划的风险管理和安全许可;生产安全事故应急管理应强化应急准备工作;建立独立生产安全事故调查机构和公开公正调查程序;应在《安全生产法》中明确"安全生产委员会"的组织形式和功能;生产安全事故责任追究应与激励政策相结合。     

新中国70年生态环境建设发展的艰难历程与辉煌成就

中国的生态环境建设,经历了新中国建立之初生产力低下的农耕文明、改革开放后的工业文明、迈向生态文明的三大阶段,每个阶段都有自身的特质、挑战、应对和成效。从1949年到改革开放前,中国整体上表现为农耕文明特征,自然灾害频发、粮食生产短缺、城市化水平低下。为了跳出"马尔萨斯陷阱",新中国的缔造者带领人民治理水患,兴修水利,拓荒垦殖,问题得到缓解但没有得到解决,贫困落后依然,没能彻底摆脱"马尔萨斯魔咒"。改革开放后,工业化快速推进,城市化加速发展,使农民得以从土地中解放出来,极大地提升了劳动生产力;同时也使土地得以从农民手中部分释放出来,不仅大幅提升了土地资源价值,也使土地得以休养生息自我生态修复。虽然快速的工业化、城市化进程大幅提升了生产力、积累了巨量的物质财富,但是进入21世纪以来,中国的发展逼近工业文明的生态红线、环境底线和资源上线,可持续发展挑战不断凸显。2010年后,中国全面启动生态保护、污染控制和资源节约的转型发展进程,高质量、大力度建设生态文明,推进人与自然的和谐 发展。     

CHANGES IN WATER POLICY IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA1

ABSTRACT: Ideology has predisposed the People's Republic of China against the use of prices to allocate water. Prolonged drought in north China has made the Chinese more aware of their unfavorable water resource inventory and the expense of expanding supply. Therefore, as part of the economic liberalization commenced since the death of Mao Zedong, China has started to make more active use of pricing to regulate demand and reduce the need for supply expansion.     

An evaluation of legislative measures on electrical and electronic waste in the People's Republic of China

With the increasing number of recycling mishaps in connection with waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) in the People's Republic of China, it is imperative that the handling and recycling of WEEE be sufficiently regulated in China. Regulations covering three major issues, namely, take-back issues, controls on hazardous substances in WEEE and the assurance of good environmental management in WEEE plants, were promulgated between 2006 and 2008. The evaluation in this country report shows that few of these regulatory measures have performed satisfactorily in terms of enforcement, of public acceptance and of environmental concerns. In brief, the take-back requirements and the associated financial responsibilities are only vaguely defined; the control on hazardous substances and the so-called "environmental expiry date" requirements cannot be properly enforced, and the resources needed to ensure the satisfactory enforcement of the environmental abatement and pollution control requirements in WEEE plants are overwhelming. In addition, the use of a "multiple enforcement body" approach to the control of hazardous substances in WEEE is an indication that the Chinese government lacks the determination to properly enforce the relevant legal requirements.     

民国时期川东北灾荒严重的社会因素

民国时期川东北地区的干旱、洪水、滑坡、泥石流等灾害频发,范围广,灾情较严重,危害大。除自然因素外,各种社会因素对灾荒的严重程度也有直接影响。在军阀混战、赋税繁重、政治腐败、土匪横行的大背景下,政府防灾、救灾水平较为低下,民间赈灾杯水车薪,灾后恢复难度大。整体上防灾、救灾水平较低,人祸不亚于天灾。     

论民国时期河南灾荒的社会成因

民国年间河南灾荒现象异常突出，虽与当时整体气候背景及河南特殊的地理特征相关，但灾荒背后的社会原因更应引起我们的关注。其主要表现为：一、社会经济乏力，百姓抗灾能力低；二、政治腐败，体现在政府的赋税名目繁多、政府官员失职渎职以及挪用、贪污河防公款等几个方面；三、战争与灾荒；四、帝国主义列强对中国的残酷掠夺。