Human population as a dynamic factor in environmental degradation

The environmental consequences of increasing human population size are dynamic and nonlinear, not passive and linear. The role of feedbacks, thresholds, and synergies in the interaction of population size and the environment are reviewed here, with examples drawn from climate change, acid deposition, land use, soil degradation, and other global and regional environmental issues. The widely-assumed notion that environmental degradation grows in proportion to population size, assuming fixed per capita consumption and fixed modes of production, is shown to be overly optimistic. In particular, feedbacks, thresholds, and synergies generally amplify risk, causing degradation to grow disproportionally faster than growth in population size. Based on a presentation to the Bixby Symposium on Population and Conservation, UC Berkeley, May 2006.     

浅析吴越生育文化

本文通过对长江三角洲地区文化和环境对人口观念的影响进行分析,初步揭示了这一地区生育文化的特征     

Climate Change Adaptation: Community Action,Disadvantaged Groups and Practice Implications for Social Work

This paper explores community-level action in relation to socially based climate change adaptations for vulnerable citizens—older people in particular. While awareness of risk and adaptation has increased in various institutions across Australia, the translation of awareness into action is limited, particularly in the area of socially based adaptive measures for the most vulnerable. Through content analysis of local government documents in two major Australian cities, this paper assesses the extent of action and identifies trends and strategies in relation to social adaptation. Findings indicate varying levels of action and some examples of “best practice,” but overall, evidence indicates more effort is needed at the community level. The role of the social work profession in challenging and broadening discourse is also explored especially in terms of highlighting the social impacts of climate change in future policy development, community action, and initiatives.     

Multi‐Case Review of the Application of the Precautionary Principle in European Union Law and Case Law

The precautionary principle was formulated to provide a basis for political action to protect the environment from potentially severe or irreversible harm in circumstances of scientific uncertainty that prevent a full risk or cost‐benefit analysis. It underpins environmental law in the European Union and has been extended to include public health and consumer safety. The aim of this study was to examine how the precautionary principle has been interpreted and subsequently applied in practice, whether these applications were consistent, and whether they followed the guidance from the Commission. A review of the literature was used to develop a framework for analysis, based on three attributes: severity of potential harm, standard of evidence (or degree of uncertainty), and nature of the regulatory action. This was used to examine 15 pieces of legislation or judicial decisions. The decision whether or not to apply the precautionary principle appears to be poorly defined, with ambiguities inherent in determining what level of uncertainty and significance of hazard justifies invoking it. The cases reviewed suggest that the Commission's guidance was not followed consistently in forming legislation, although judicial decisions tended to be more consistent and to follow the guidance by requiring plausible evidence of potential hazard in order to invoke precaution.     

中国与海合会国家金融合作的问题及对策分析

近年来,中国与海合会国家的金融合作形式日益多元,同时也取得了一定成果并积累了宝贵经验,为双方进一步开展金融合作打下了坚实基础。当前,中国与海合会国家的金融合作深度有限,具体表现为金融合作规模增长缓慢,互设金融机构数量不足,合作水平参差不齐、层次不高,平台作用不足等问题。本文从政治环境、金融体系、文化认同等方面分析影响中国与海合会国家金融合作的主要因素,并提出从政治评估、战略对接、货币结算、文化认同等方面进一步提升中国与海合会国家金融合作水平的应对策略。     

浅谈地质工程建设的科学发展

以人———地关系为主题,运用自然辩证法讨论了工程地质学与科学发展观之间的关系,论述了“控制自然与自然控制”在工程地质学中的重要应用;讨论了工程地质学与环境工程学的学科交叉的锐意创新与实现自然控制的关系,按照科学发展观的理论,探讨了实现工程建设与环境全面、协调、可持续发展的基本对策。     

产业生态化及其实施路径选择——我国生态文明建设的重要内容

经济增长的资源环境代价过大是我国生态文明建设要解决的突出问题。作为人类经济活动的主要载体,产业系统代谢是连接经济系统与生态系统的重要纽带,因此,产业生态化是生态文明建设的重要内容。在梳理国内外产业生态化研究的相关成果基础上,产业生态化研究要综合运用经济学、生态经济学、产业生态学等相关理论,并以融入社会经济因素的物质经济代谢分析拓展已有的分析方法。围绕我国产业生态化实施路径选择,以促进产业发展与生态环境保护的动态良性互动为目标定位,强化"让市场说出生态真理"的运行机制;并在时空分析的基础上,进行区域差异化发展,统筹整体与局部、现在与未来的产业生态化发展。     

目前生态环境史研究中的陷阱和误区

特定民族文化所处自然生态环境之间的互动制衡关系具有高度的复杂性,而历史文献对生态环境变迁的记载又难以具有准确性,因此,借助历史典籍记载从事生态史研究,客观上存在着四大陷阱和五大误区.若不借助民族文化的整体观、结构功能观和价值相对观来规避这些陷阱,揭示这些难以发现的误区,可信可凭的生态史研究就难以做好.     

A Hypothetical Model of a New Business System Responsive to the Global Environment: A Connected Model

Within developing economies, in particular, but also in underdeveloped economies, current business priorities and practices have appeared to be incongruent with the general discourse of environmental sustainability. It is clear that the different players within the economic framework: government, education system, producers, and consumers—appear to hold differing interests, none of which places any meaningful emphasis on environmental sustainability. Following this observation, this paper seeks to argue for a change of tactics within which current players are treated as stakeholders and co-opted into a new business model that is fundamentally sensitive to the promotion and development of environmental sustainability. This approach is intended to interconnect the key market players’ interests and systematically weave them into a modern environmentally sustainable compliant business ethos.      

开放式教育体系的教学环境理论构建与实践探索——以西昌学院为例

通过对开放式教育的内涵、特征及原则进行探讨,阐述了开放式教学环境的特征、功能、设计与优化。转变教育观念,构建开放式教学环境与教学体系,搭建开放式实践教学平台,建立和完善质量监控体系等方面介绍了构建与开放式教育体系相适应的校园环境。