Bolder science needed now for protected areas

Recognizing that protected areas (PAs) are essential for effective biodiversity conservation action, the Convention on Biological Diversity established ambitious PA targets as part of the 2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. Under the strategic goal to “improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity,” Target 11 aims to put 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine regions under PA status by 2020. Additionally and crucially, these areas are required to be of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative, and well‐connected and to include “other effective area‐based conservation measures” (OECMs). Whereas the area‐based targets are explicit and measurable, the lack of guidance for what constitutes important and representative; effective; and OECMs is affecting how nations are implementing the target. There is a real risk that Target 11 may be achieved in terms of area while failing the overall strategic goal for which it is established because the areas are poorly located, inadequately managed, or based on unjustifiable inclusion of OECMs. We argue that the conservation science community can help establish ecologically sensible PA targets to help prioritize important biodiversity areas and achieve ecological representation; identify clear, comparable performance metrics of ecological effectiveness so progress toward these targets can be assessed; and identify metrics and report on the contribution OECMs make toward the target. By providing ecologically sensible targets and new performance metrics for measuring the effectiveness of both PAs and OECMs, the science community can actively ensure that the achievement of the required area in Target 11 is not simply an end in itself but generates genuine benefits for biodiversity.     

庐山

探讨庐山形成发展过程，描写庐山奇峰、名瀑、绿色植被和宜人气候等优美的自然风光；介绍庐山悠久的历史文化和丰富的人文景观。容地学知识于迷人的山水景色之中，从而增加人们对庐山的认识和旅游的兴趣。庐山于１９９６年被联合国教科文组织批准为“世界文化景观”，列入《世界遗产名录》。     

WTO规则对西部开发的风险及机遇浅探

随着中国加入WTO进程的加快和西部大开发战略的实施，依法治国无疑是改善投资环境、促进西部开发的最有效手段之一。本文根据WTO基本原则与法制经济的相互关系和影响深入浅出地论述了WTO对西部开发的风险及机遇，并提出了针对性的策略和措施。     

Mapping convergence points in the initial emergency response to 9/111

In response to extreme events, researchers have recognised the convergence of volunteers, emergency responders, and other individuals and organisations. In 2000, geographer Paul Routledge presented the concept of convergence spaces as a theoretical means to explain social movements. In applying this concept, this paper explores the geographic space in which organisations and individuals converged immediately following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The paper begins to answer the question of whether there were in fact any patterns of convergence among the locations utilised by organisations responding to the attacks. Using data collected from field documents, these geographic locations are mapped over 12 days to help identify possible patterns of clustering. Results of this analysis will begin to provide researchers, policy makers and practitioners with a better understanding of how emergency response evolves geographically following an event.     

Capital allowance schemes for mining projects in LDCs

The capital allowance structure for mining projects in developing countries affects the supply price of investment by determining the payback period, reinvestment and the timing of government receipts. Using the capital allowance structures of Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia, the article develops a financial model and examines the effect of capital allowances on foreign investor and host government cash flows under various cost-price conditions. The study stresses the importance to governments of making accelerated depreciation a flexible tool to trade off against other elements in the fiscal package. From the government viewpoint, faster write-offs of capital are preferable to a tax holiday. The article places particular emphasis on evaluating the relationship between capital allowances, income tax and a rent resource tax.     

减灾与可持续发展模式--从第二次世界减灾大会看中国减灾战略的调整

简要介绍了2005年1月17日-22日在日本神户召开的世界减灾大会的基本内容,并着重论述了当前国际减灾领域的重要进展和发展趋向,就减灾与可持续发展作了系统的论证,提出了我国减灾领域近期发展的主要方向.从世界减灾大会的各项议程和各类论坛可以看出,未来世界减灾的战略可以概括如下:加强减灾能力建设是促进区域可持续发展的核心任务,全面推进社区减灾体系的建设是实现未来10年减灾目标的关键任务;建立与灾害风险共存的经济与社会体系,必须把减灾与区域发展有机地整合起来,寻求除害与兴利并举的可持续发展模式,建设接受一定风险水平的安全社区体系;重视包括全球气候变化、经济全球化、世界城镇化等自然与人文过程引发或孕育的新的灾害风险;建立满足区域减灾目标需要的预警系统,加强减灾信息共享,充分利用现有的减灾资源.针对国际减灾发展趋向,提出了中国减灾战略调整的建议,即实施"区域减灾"、"综合减灾"、"科教减灾"、"提高区域减灾能力"和"加强减灾科技能力建设".     

基于中国出口产品在国际贸易摩擦中的风险研究

进入21世纪以来,国际贸易摩擦已成为各国经济发展中难以避免的问题,随着中国在国际贸易领域中的迅速发展,中国与其他国家的贸易摩擦也不断出现,为此所承担的风险也越来越大。笔者对中国在国际贸易中出现的摩擦的表象成因进行了认真、深刻的分析,从8个方面提出了中国防范国际贸易摩擦风险的对策:行使世贸组织赋予的权利,处理多种贸易纠纷;完善我国对外贸易法律体制,建立合乎国际惯例的贸易救济体系;建立产业投资损害预警机制,减少因盲目投资带来的风险损失;加大技术开发力度,促进产业升级与产品档次的提高;转变政府职能,运用国际惯例调控贸易经济;企业练好国际市场竞争的内功,提高防范贸易摩擦风险的能力;强化行业协会职能,协调对内、对外关系;慎重处理好人民币汇率升值与汇率机制问题。同时,就中国出口产品在国际贸易摩擦中应注意的问题,也提出了尽快制定《反垄断法》、积极参与国际多边谈判等4个方面的建议。     

Dilemmas and advances in corporate social responsibility in Brazil. The work of the Ethos Institute

This article discusses the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Brazil from the perspective of the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility. The Institute is a not‐for‐profit, non‐governmental organization, that has played a leading role in the Brazilian CSR effort. In Brazil, CSR initiatives have a long tradition of philanthropy, a consequence of the country's great social inequalities. The increased attention to corporate social responsibility has paralleled growing concern about sustainable development and the intensifying activities of pressure groups (consumers, customers, investors, NGOs, labour unions, the media, among others) that have been increasing since the 1990s as natural resources are progressively becoming exhausted, social tensions rising and environmental conditions deteriorating worldwide. This article identifies problems and obstacles to the growth of corporate social responsibility in Brazil, as well as advances and alternatives for CSR and towards creating conditions for the country to be internationally competitive and sustainable in the financial, social and environmental areas.     

中国加入WTO环保产业面临的机遇与挑战

中国加入世界贸易组织（ＷＴＯ）意味着中国将与世界上１３５个国家相互开放市场，对中国的环境保护、环保产业将来产生何种影响，文章进行了分析与阐述。总的结论是：机遇是主要的且具有深远意义；挑战是现实的且又不可回避。     

绿色贸易壁垒与农业生态环境保护

概述了世界贸易组织有关绿色贸易壁垒的原则和规则。阐述了欧盟的有关农产品质量标准和农产品标准的管理法规。分析了绿色贸易壁垒对我国农业结构战略性调整带来的影响以及对农业生态环境建设所提出的要求。最后，提出了我国克服绿色贸易壁垒的措施和手段。