The importance of mangrove forest in tsunami disaster mitigation

Tsunamis and storm surges have killed more than one million people and some three billion people currently live with a high risk of these disasters, which are becoming more frequent and devastating worldwide. Effective mitigation of such disasters is possible via healthy coastal forests, which can reduce the energy of tsunamis. In recent years, these natural barriers have declined due to adverse human and natural activities. In the past 20 years, the world has lost almost 50 per cent of its mangrove forests, making them one of the most endangered landscapes. It is essential to recover them and to use them as a shield against a tsunami and as a resource to secure optimal socio-economic, ecological and environmental benefits. This paper examines the emerging scenario facing mangrove forests, discusses protection from tsunamis, and proposes a way to improve the current situation. We hope that practical tips will help communities and agencies to work collectively to achieve a common goal.     

An analysis of the effect of public policy on community garden organisations in Edinburgh

Several community gardens have been developed in Edinburgh over the past five years, which reflects renewed interest in “grow your own” projects, and the recognition of the associated environmental and social health benefits they provide. Community gardens have been included in a range of policy documents at national and local levels, acknowledging their contribution to sustainable food systems, health and well-being and environment and biodiversity. This research explores how public policy influences community garden practice and, reflexively, how organisations running community gardens in the third sector are represented in public policy frameworks. A mixed methodology of desk-based research of policy documents, associated reports and academic literature; and informal interviews with community gardens staff and organisers was utilised. It was found that while community gardens are represented in policy, at a national level the framing of community gardens and related food growing projects as “alternative” hinders their full potential. Community gardens fulfil a wide range of policy goals, particularly in the health, social capital and well-being sectors which can minimise their capacity to contribute to local food production in a substantial way. It is proposed that community gardens could be normalised by promoting gardens in visible locations in neighbourhoods and within local plans; and through reflexive strategic and community action utilising a reasoning backwards approach to planning and funding.     

皖江城市带温泉旅游地定量评价及开发策略

运用专家咨询法,从温泉资源质量、市场区位条件、区域支持条件3个方面构建了涵盖13个评价因子的温泉型旅游地开发评价指标体系。为最大限度降低评价的主观性,将评价因子分为数值型和模糊型两种,综合运用菲什拜因 罗森伯格模型和模糊数学模型,在深入调研皖江城市带各温泉旅游地并掌握相关数据的基础上,从市域层面对皖江城市带6个地区的温泉旅游开发条件进行了量化评价。结果显示: 合肥、马鞍山开发条件最优,其温泉旅游资源与市场区位及区域支持条件匹配良好;安庆、六安次之,宣城、池州较差。最后结合评价结论,先从文化和竞合2个方面提出皖江城市带温泉旅游地整体开发和提升的策略,再针对得分不同地区的开发现状和所处阶段,分别提出“共生模式”和“提升模式”两大对策     

气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响

人类活动所引起的温室效应及由此造成的气候变化和对全球生态环境的影响已受到国际社会的普遍关注。火干扰作为森林生态系统重要的干扰因子,对森林生态系统碳循环产生重要影响以及对未来气候变化的响应更是人们关注的重点。正确理解气候变暖、火干扰与森林生态系统碳循环之间的因果循环关系,了解气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响,对制定科学合理的林火管理策略、充分发挥林火管理在森林生态系统碳循环和碳平衡以及缓解碳排放中的作用均有重要的意义。系统论述了气候变暖、火干扰与森林生态系统碳循环之间的逻辑循环关系,并对相关的研究进展进行综述。重点剖析了气候变暖对火干扰的影响,气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响,并提出了全球变暖背景下科学有效的林火管理策略与措施,以及今后需要加强的一些研究领域及方向。     

A methodology for estimating health benefits of electricity generation using renewable technologies

At Copenhagen, the developed countries agreed to provide up to $100 bn per year to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation by developing countries. Projects aimed at cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will need to be evaluated against dual criteria: from the viewpoint of the developed countries they must cut emissions of GHGs at reasonable cost, while host countries will assess their contribution to development, or simply their overall economic benefits. Co-benefits of some types of project will also be of interest to host countries: for example some projects will contribute to reducing air pollution, thus improving the health of the local population.This paper uses a simple damage function methodology to quantify some of the health co-benefits of replacing coal-fired generation with wind or small hydro in China. We estimate the monetary value of these co-benefits and find that it is probably small compared to the added costs. We have not made a full cost-benefit analysis of renewable energy in China as some likely co-benefits are omitted from our calculations. Our results are subject to considerable uncertainty however, after careful consideration of their likely accuracy and comparisons with other studies, we believe that they provide a good first cut estimate of co-benefits and are sufficiently robust to stand as a guide for policy makers.In addition to these empirical results, a key contribution made by the paper is to demonstrate a simple and reasonably accurate methodology for health benefits estimation that applies the most recent academic research in the field to the solution of an increasingly important problem.     

城市综合防灾减灾规划方法研究——以廊坊市为例

在分析我国城市防灾减灾工作现状的基础上,指出我国在城市综合防灾减灾规划方面的不足;针对我国中小城市的特点,提出一套城市综合防灾减灾规划的工作程序与技术方法,该方法包括灾害识别,财产易损性分析,灾害风险分析,损失预测与风险区划,确定规划目标与减灾措施,规划编制6个阶段;以廊坊市为例,拟定了一个综合防灾减灾规划方案。在规划过程中采用了风险分级法和减灾措施优先级评分法等,找出威胁廊坊城市安全的主要灾害和防治的主要措施,为廊坊市的灾害管理提供了依据。     

21世纪前期长株潭城市群农业定位及发展途径

多个城市组合而成的城市群（或城市复合体）是区域经济发展的重要增长极,城市群区域农业的发展具有科技、经济、社会资源的多种优势。湖南的长沙、株洲、湘潭三市是我国南方最好的城市群建设地域之一。该区农业发展具有靠近农业科技发达地带、自然资源与条件优越、农业物质装备与原有生产基础良好和农产品市场容量及资金投入量大等优势。长株潭经济一体化后,该区域农业应成为湖南外向型农业基地、湖南高科技农业产业化基地、城郊都市农业基地和湖南农产品加工基地。相应的农业发展途径为：统一规划、统一部署、明确分工;建立和完善农业高科技园区体系,以农业高新技术的产业化带动全区农业的高效发展;调整发展重点,培植新的高效产业;建立农产品创汇基地,提高创汇能力;加快土地使用权流转,扩大农业经营规模,为科技成果产业化创造条件;加大农产品市场体系建设力度,促进全省农产品流通。     

关于地震人员伤亡因素的探讨

地震灾害对人类生命安全的威胁十分巨大,本文对地震造成人员伤亡的因素进行了探讨。首先,分析了地震造成人员伤亡的原因及人员死亡的主要形式;接着,详细研究了影响人员伤亡数量的因素;最后,提出了减少人员伤亡应当采取的几种措施,为减轻地震灾害损失提供了依据。     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: John Twigg and Mihir R. Bhatt, eds, Understanding Vulnerability Joachim von Braun, Tesfaye Teklu and Patrick Webb, Famine in Africa: Causes, Responses, and Prevention C. Emdad Haque, Hazrads in a Fickle Environment: Bangladesh Walter Gillis Peacock, Betty Hearn Morrow and Hugh Gladwin, eds, Population and Food: Global Trends and Future Prospects Roy Gutman and David Rieff, eds, Crimes of War: What the Public Should Know     

主要污染物总量减排国家战略与四川省实践

"十一五"期间中国提出了主要污染物总量减排,污染减排成为中国"十一五"环境保护的重中之重。本文结合国家战略需求,研究了四川经济社会发展和环境保护工作的耦合关系。分析认为,四川省环境容量较为充裕,但产业发展水平较低,本文由此提出产业发展和环境保护的建议。