Australian local government action on climate change adaptation: some critical reflections to assist decision-making

The primary objective of this paper is to discuss the limitations of risk management as a strategy for Australian local government climate change adaptation and explore the advantages of complementary approaches, including a social-ecological resilience framework, adaptive and transition management, and vulnerability assessment. Some federal and local government initiatives addressing the limitations of risk-based approaches are introduced. We argue that conventional risk-based approaches to adaptation, largely focused on hazard identification and quantitative modelling, will be inadequate on their own for dealing with the challenges of climate change. We suggest that responses to climate change adaptation should move beyond conventional risk-based strategies to more realistically account for complex and dynamically evolving social-ecological systems.     

Emissions trading,equity, and sustainability: the case for allocating entitlements to “individuals-in-community”

Given the likelihood that a post-Kyoto climate change agreement will include provisions for trading greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rights (carbon credits), it is timely and important to look more closely into the merits (or otherwise) of emissions trading systems (ETS), in particular with regard to the issue of the allocation and distribution of entitlements. Thus far, ETSs and other tradable permit systems have allocated entitlements to those historically responsible for emissions or the exploitation of resources (the “grandfathering” principle). There are, however, strong reasons for challenging this practice, and for advocating the allocation of entitlements to all people, in line with the per capita distribution principle. This article argues that GHG emission rights, if they are to be granted, should be distributed on a globally determined equal per capita basis, but collectively managed by community bodies (Community Carbon Trusts) on an “individuals-in-community” basis, instead of being granted or sold by governments to (big) emitters. The approach advocated here is not only ethically more justified, but also strengthens the capacity of communities to deal with climate change and to advance sustainability. It offers an example of how a significant environmental challenge can be met in a more positive way than by the prevailing approaches based on narrow, mainly economic, considerations.     

Integrating climate change adaptation into Dutch local policies and the role of contextual factors

Moving towards a more sustainable adaptation process requires closer integration of policies related to the environment. An important actor in this is the local government. This paper examines to what extend adaptation is currently being integrated into Dutch local policies, and what the role is of a municipality's size, risk and experience in the encountered manifestations of adaptation. First, it was determined that adaptations taking place only anticipate currently perceivable weather extremes – mostly increasing precipitation. Second, it was determined that the realisation of further adaptations is hindered by a strongly sectoral divided reality. Adaptation is now heavily dominated by the water department, while spatial planning and the environment are only limitedly involved. Finally, it was observed that the contextual factor size proved to most important for horizontal policy integration, whereas the contextual factor extreme-weather experience was the most definite for the realisation of adaptations. We conclude that a more sustainable adaptation should first tackle the sectoral divides which requires administrative efforts, for example, professional training. These would preferably be initiated from a vertical direction.     

Deforestation in the drylands of Africa: Quantitative modelling approach

This paper has developed a two-sector model of forestry that gives some insights into the interactions of poverty, land tenure insecurity, economic growth, trade and deforestation in the context of the drylands of Africa. Externally, the model results show that the world demand for non-timber forestry products can lead to a win-win situation whereby both trade and environmental sustainability can be promoted. Monopolistic measures to control the supply of these products, for short-term price gains, are harmful economically and environmentally. By contrast, productivity-raising measures have a favourable impact on both the economy and the environment. Internally, the model results show that the growth of the rest of the economy has driven the economic growth of the forestry sector, but at the same time, its environmental degradation. Poverty and land tenure insecurity also contribute to this degradation. Fortunately, policies promoting basic needs satisfaction and property rights security are shown to be effective in mitigating environmental degradation in the forestry sector. The paper results contribute towards a more sustainable exploitation of forestry.Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

排污权交易市场中政府角色研究

排污权交易的实质是利用市场机制来控制环境污染,这一市场行为正常运转的前提是明确政府部门在排污权交易市场中的职能和角色。本文从区域政府部门在排污权交易市场中需要发挥的重要作用,包括组织、监督、管理、协调等方面进行探讨,以对其职能和角色进行研究并得出结论,即现代政府在排污权交易中的角色定位应为管理者、协助者和引导者。     

五氧化二钒生产中的污染问题及治理研究

五氧化二钒生产过程中会产生一系列的污染物,这些污染物如果直接排入环境将会产生严重的影响。为了保护环境,必须采取合理的环境保护措施。广西某五氧化二钒生产企业产生的污染物主要是废水、废气、固体废弃物和噪声等四个方面。该企业针对污染物的成分和产生量,以及污染物的不同性质,从污染治理的角度,分别从废水、废气、固体废弃物和噪声等几个方面采取了治理措施。废水达到了第一类污染物最高允许排放浓度,废气达到了环境空气质量二级标准,固体废弃物得到了妥善处置,生产噪声对环境的影响得以有效降低。     

论民国初年我国的政府救灾行政系统

作为国家行政要务的救灾,民国初年中央政府救灾机关是内务部,内务部的权力职掌有一个变化的过程;虽然其名义上作为中央一级专门救灾机构,但由于机构初设.经验不足,再加上其他诸多因素的限制,无论是部务还是权限与其他部门如财政部,农商部等都颇有纠缠.至于地方政府救灾机构,作为地方政府组织机构的一部分,虽属专管,但有兼管之嫌.一些专门的赈济机构,只不过有时囡灾于公署内暂设,事毕即行撤消.当时除了政府救灾机构外,还存在着具有亚政府色彩社会救灾力量.内务部与地方救灾系统之隶属关系相对自由,并从上到下形成了一个错综复杂的网络格局.总体而论,民国初年的救灾机构从中央到地方都比清末进一步完善,其业务范围也逐渐趋于稳定,但由于中央政权极不稳定,内阁更替频繁,致使中央和地方国家机构撤设变化较多,从而引起救灾机构的相形混乱.     

全面推进可持续消费促进“十二五”环保目标实现

"十二五"规划中提出了加快建设资源节约型、环境友好型社会,提高生态文明水平的环保目标,要求全面推进可持续消费,并对可持续消费的三个主体即政府、企业与消费者提出了新要求。为推动我国可持续消费促进"十二五"环保目标实现,作为主导者的政府,应该建立国家可持续消费管理框架及相关的法律法规制度,运用经济手段引导可持续消费,深化配套的支撑性制度,同时加大政府信息公开以及环保宣传力度。企业作为实践者,应该引进高效的绿色供应链管理模式,通过试点方式由点到线到面逐步展开,并统一信息化管理开展高效的交流与协作。而消费者应该积极参与可持续消费,行使选择可持续消费的权利,积极参与环保监督。     

基于彼得斯治理理论的京津冀协同发展路径重构

基于彼得斯治理理论,分析了京津冀地区的协同发展现状和要求,重构了其协同发展路径。结果表明:①要素禀赋、区域政策分别是区域协同发展的客观基础和主观条件。②区域协调发展新机制为京津冀地区提出了“坚持以北京和天津尤其是以非首都功能疏解为引领,借助市场力量调动各个主体的积极性,同时注重协同方式(机制)建设”的新要求。③京津冀协同发展路径重构可从“由软硬兼施的市场(市场平台和政府效能)、三维协同的主体(地方政府,中央政府和非政府部门)和富有弹性的方式(临时机构和互动机制)”的“3M”策略入手。