Human adaptation to climate change: a review of three historical cases and some general perspectives

To study mitigation and adaptation to climate change, social scientists have drawn on different approaches, particularly sociological approaches to the future and comparative history of past societies. These two approaches frame the social and temporal boundaries of decision-making collectivities in different ways. A consideration of the responses to climate variability in three historical cases, the Classic Maya of Mexico and Central America, the Viking settlements in Greenland, and the US Dust Bowl, shows the value of integrating these two approaches.     

Botswana's environmental policy on recycling

Recycling operations have become one of the primary strategies for waste management, worldwide. Especially, recycling operations are viewed as among the most effective techniques for reducing the amount of municipal solid waste disposed at landfill sites. Botswana's environmental policy on recycling stipulates, among others, that all waste management authorities should provide information on the classification and quantities of controlled waste targeted for recycling. This paper, therefore, examines the extent to which recycling operations in Botswana have either been conducted in compliance with or in violation of some major environmental requirements as enunciated on statutory guidelines. Compatibility between environmental policies on recycling and actual practice is evaluated focusing on two companies (Dumatau trading and Botswana Tissue) involved in recycling operation. Data from the two companies is complemented by one collected from the Gaborone landfill site. Finally, this study discusses on the role played by various stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation with particular emphasis being placed on a select number of non-governmental organisations (NGO).     

我国重点行业环境保护与节能减排宏观要求及政策建议

从我国目前节能减排的形势出发,结合几大高污染、高能耗行业的环保现状,给出了能够实现环保与节能减排的总体原则并重点提出了相应的宏观政策建议。     

Critical review of Integrated Water Resources Management: Moving beyond polarised discourse

Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) emerged as a popular concept in the water sector in the 20th century. From a highly techno-centric approach in the past, it has taken a new turn embracing Habermasian communicative rationality as a place-based nexus for multiple actors to consensually and communicatively integrate decisions in a hydrological unit. The 'how to integrate' approach had remarkable appeal worldwide in promoting authentic participation of all stakeholders. However, critics argue that the domain of water resource management is a political process of contestation and negotiation; the emphasis is on complexities, contextuality, power dynamics and the importance of analysing real world situations. They demonstrate 'how integration cannot be achieved' given the power dynamics in social interactions. These apparently contradictory discourses draw on different theoretical paradigms and polarise the discourse on IWRM, without offering constructive alternatives. To this end, this paper offers an option to complement this polarised discourse by examining 'how integration actually does take place' in a strategic context thereby facilitating consensual decisions to integrate water management for a sustainable future.     

Linking Russia with the European and global greenhouse gas emissions trading markets: three paths for greening the Russian assigned amount under the Kyoto Protocol

This article examines possibilities for linkage between the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and Russia, with a view to enhancing cooperation on a broader scale than the project-based approaches that have been tested thus far. Three paths for possible EU-Russia linkage are presented by which the Russian Assigned Amount under the Kyoto Protocol can be greened in order to stimulate emissions trading: 1. Joint implementation—reductions earned via individual projects in Russia; 2. Greened allowances or green investment schemes; and 3. Linked cap-and-trade systems, in which a Russian domestic emissions trading system would link with the European Union Emissions Trading System. The authors conclude that the third option, emissions trading through linked domestic emissions trading systems, offers the best opportunities at the lowest transaction costs. The authors discuss useful innovative instruments like call options and slip level arrangements on government-to-government and business-to-business levels.

我国实施清洁生产的法制建设的探讨

阐述了我国推行清洁生产的现状和所面临的特殊性和普遍性障碍,提出了推行清洁生产的方式选择,以及将清洁生产融入现行环境各项具体制度的内容,并建议我国制定环境政策应向“第二代环境政策”转变。     

国土空间规划“三条控制线”划定的沈阳实践与优化探索

国务院机构改革前,生态保护红线、永久基本农田、城镇开发边界三条控制线分别由国家不同部委主导划定,存在划定过程统筹协同不够、划定结果交叉重叠、实施管理困难等问题。国务院机构改革后,自然资源部负责建立国土空间规划体系,要求在资源环境城镇能力和国土空间开发适宜性评价基础上,自上而下逐级统筹划定落实三条控制线。本文总结了沈阳作为试点城市,在三条控制线划定中的矛盾冲突表现与成因,构建三条控制线与生态、农业、城镇三大空间关系,建立管控体系与调整规则,并阐释在市级权限范围内的调整优化做法。研究发现：三条控制线存在空间交叉重叠、功能难以区分的现象,主要是因为基本农田承担了限制城市空间蔓延的使命,指标不允许跨行政区调整导致部分基本农田不得不安排到城镇内部;由于概念界定不同导致部分城市公园被划入生态保护红线;生态保护红线内的部分耕地被先期划为永久基本农田。提出国土空间规划背景下三条控制线优化建议：一是突出既是政策线又是技术线的特征,自上而下和自下而上相结合划定;二是国家自上而下对基本农田调整政策和制度进行创新;三是建立事权分级管理机制,合理预留地方事权弹性。     

香港的有害废物管理动向

为了给都市型地区的有害废物管理工作以借鉴，本文详细介绍了香港地区近１０年通过建立有害废物立法管理，制订污染控制总体规划，强化政府对有害废物的有效管理手段，以及近期和今后的主要管理措施的发展动态。     

如何实施工业企业厂界噪声的规范性监测

"工业企业厂界噪声"监测目的、测量条件、时段选择,规范的监测程序及注意的问题,完整的监测报告。     

CDM in the Kyoto Negotiations:

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has its origins in the decade of UNFCCC negotiations. ‘Joint implementation’ and ‘activities implemented jointly pilot’ opened the door for the project-based mechanisms between developed and developing countries. The US proposal of the Joint Implementation in the Kyoto Protocol negotiations was almost identical with CDM approved in Kyoto; however, a detour around the Clean Development Fund (CDF) concept raised by Brazil in the negotiations catalyzed the mutual understanding on the win-win nature of the concept of joint implementation.CDM has been played an important role to bridge the developed and developing countries in its development process initiated as the joint implementation in the UNFCCC, and can lead to the cooperative future in the implementation stage starting from the year 2003, including the development of future commitments beyond 2013. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.