Enhancing transboundary natural tourism resources governance:unveiling the spatial pattern and its influencing factors

Tourism resources that span provincial boundaries in China play a pivotal role in regional development,yet effective governance poses persistent challenges.This study addresses this issue by constructing a comprehensive database of transboundary natural tourism resources(TNTR)through amalgamation of diverse data sources.Utilizing the Getis-Ord Gi^(*),kernel density estimation,and geographical detectors,we scrutinize the spatial patterns of TNTR,focusing on both named and unnamed entities,while exploring the influencing factors.Our findings reveal 7883 identified TNTR in China,with mountain tourism resources emerging as the predominant type.Among provinces,Hunan boasts the highest count,while Shanghai exhibits the lowest.Southern China demonstrates a pronounced clustering trend in TNTR distribution,with the spatial arrangement of biological landscapes appearing more random compared to geological and water landscapes.Western China,characterized by intricate terrain,exhibits fewer TNTR,concurrently unveiling a significant presence of unnamed natural tourism resources.Crucially,administrative segmentation influences TNTR development,generating disparities in regional goals,developmental stages and intensities,and management approaches.In response to these variations,we advocate for strengthening the naming of the unnamed transboundary tourism resources,constructing a geographic database of TNTR for government and establishing a collaborative management mechanism based on TNTR database.Our research contributes to elucidating the intricate landscape of TNTR,offering insights for tailored governance strategies in the realm of cross-provincial tourism resource management.

The role of natural resources in financial expansion:evidence from Central Asia

Central Asian States(CAS)have diverse natural resources.This research aims to shed light on the finance–natural resource’s association in the context of CAS namely Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,and Uzbekistan in 1996–2020 using the cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag technique.It seeks to examine the research question,“What is the effect of natural resource wealth on the financial expansion(FE)of Central Asia?”The results demonstrated an inverted U-shaped association between financial growth and natural resource rents.It implies that natural resources are initially a“resource blessing”that later becomes a“resource curse.”Additionally,the effect of institutional quality(INQ)and human development(HD)on financial growth is examined.The results reveal that INQ and HD positively affect FE.Moreover,a bidirectional causal relationship exists between FE and INQ.Finally,all variables contribute to a long term FE.Based on these outcomes,the major policy recommendations are that the CAS authorities diversify their financial services and products and direct the proceeds from natural resource rents to effective invest-ments particularly in HD.In addition,the social and political infrastructures in CAS must be restructured to achieve a high-quality institutional environment,which is necessary to increase the role of the private sector.

Discussion on Green Development of Fenlong for Yield Increase, Quality Enhancing, Water Retaining and Multiple Use of Natural Resources

Fenlong green ecological agriculture technology （Fenlong technology）, a new smash ridging farming method developed by Guangxi Academy of Agdcultural Sciences, has been elected as the recommended cultivation technique by the Ministry of Agriculture of China. It replaces the traditional plowshare with spiral drill, and its tilth depth is twice deeper than that by tractor tilthing. It also extends soil nutrient, moisture, oxygen and microorganism, the so-called ＂Four pools＂. Soil nutrient, oxygen, microorganism, light and rainfall use ratio is increased by 10%-100%, creating a platform for natural increase of more than 10% of crop yield. Its application to over 20 kinds of crops in 21 provinces has proved that the yield increases 10-30% with quality enhancing 5% and double water retaining capacity but no more input. When the application area of Fenlong could reach 67 million hm2, the amount of fertilizer can be reduced by 40-50 billion kg, saving 120-150 billion Yuan. In this paper, we put forward the strategy of ＂4＋1＂ （arable, saline-alkali soil, grasslands, Sponge City ＋ rivers） green development in China, and deepened the Fenlong cultivated tilled layer from 16.5 cm to 35 cm for 67 million hm2 arable land, ridged 13.3 million hm2 of saline-alkali soil for 35 cm, and also 35 cm for 67 million hm2 degraded steppe, which could have the following 3 effects： first, the 147 million hm2 of land with Fenlong cultivation could increase loosing soil to 315.491 billion m3, in＊ creasing by 159.26% for 120 million hm2 of arable land with the average tilled layer of 16.5 cm, which has loosing soil of only 198.1 billion m3, that is, the space of the land increases 1.6 times. Second, every hectare of plowland could store up to 450 m3/hm2 of natural rainfall, and the unused 60 m3 of saline-alkali soil and grasslands could store water of 102 billion m3, showing an increase of over 88.89% for the current plowland storage of 54 billion m3 at now, that is, double the natural rainfall storage capacity. Third, the two multiple increase of natural resources application can bring trillions of resource activation, environmental cleaning, food security, citizens, health, economic, ecological and social benefits, and makes the Chinese nation move forward in green development. Its application in ＂big scientific research＂ and ＂One Belt And One Road＂ will contribute Chinese strength to the world.

Natural Resources Balance Sheet:Chinese Characteristics and International Practices

This paper examines the explorations and practices of environmental- economic accounting in the international community, provides a comprehensive overview and evaluation of the nature and research progress of China＇s natural resources balance sheet, reviews the relevant systems of China＇s natural resources balance sheet and the development of ecological civilization, identifies the issues in the formulation of natural resources balance sheet and makes suggestions for improvement.

Hydrocarbon Generation Characteristics of Coal-measure Source Rocks and their Contribution to Natural Gas:A Case Study of Middle and Lower Jurassic Targets from the Southern Junggar Basin Margin

In order to study the hydrocarbon generation(HCGE)characteristics of coal-bearing basins,the coal-measure source rocks of the Middle Jurassic-Lower Jurassic(MLJ)of the piedmont thrust belt in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin in Northwest China are taken as research objects.More than 60 MLJ samples were collected from outcrops and wells.Total organic carbon(TOC),rock pyrolysis(Rock-Eval),organic petrological,vitrinite reflectance(%Ro),and hydrous pyrolysis were performed to analyze the relevant samples.The pyrolysis gases and liquid products were measured,and then the chemical composition,as well as carbon isotopes of the gases,were analyzed.The results indicate that the MLJ source rocks have the capacity for large-scale gas generation.In addition,for coal-measure source rocks,the heavier the carbon isotope of kerogen(δ^(13)C_(kerogen)),the lower the liquid hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon gas yield,and the easier it is to produce non-hydrocarbon gas.It is worth noting that when theδ^(13)C_(kerogen)in organic matter(OM)is relatively heavier,the fractionation of its products may become weaker in the evolutionary process.The vital contribution of the MLJ source rock to natural gas resources in the study area was further confirmed by comparing it with the Jurassic source gas.

Planning and construction of Xiong’an New Area(city of over 5 million people):Contributions of China’s geologists and urban geology

China established Xiong’an New Area in Hebei Province in 2017,which is planned to accommodate about 5 million people,aiming to relieve Beijing City of the functions non-essential to its role as China’s capital and to expedite the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.From 2017 to 2021,the China Geological Survey(CGS)took the lead in multi-factor urban geological surveys involving space,resources,environments,and disasters according to the general requirements of“global vision,international standards,distinctive Chinese features,and future-oriented goals”in Xiong’an New Area,identifying the engineering geologic conditions and geologic environmental challenges of this area.The achievements also include a 3D engineering geological structure model for the whole area,along with“one city proper and five clusters”,insights into the ecology and the background endowment of natural resources like land,geothermal resources,groundwater,and wetland of the area before engineering construction,a comprehensive monitoring network of resources and environments in the area,and the“Transparent Xiong’an”geological information platform that is open,shared,dynamically updated,and three-dimensionally visualized.China’s geologists and urban geology have played a significant role in the urban planning and construction of Xiong’an New Area,providing whole-process geological solutions for urban planning,construction,operation and management.The future urban construction of Xiong’an New Area will necessitate the theoretical and technical support of earth system science(ESS)from various aspects,and the purpose is to enhance the resilience of the new type of city and to provide support for the green,low-carbon,and sustainable development of this area.

Investigation of Anthropogenic Activities along the Mamouwol River in the Urban Commune of Mamou (Republic of Guinea)

The monitoring of our watercourses for their preservation must be an imperative concern of the whole population.The aim of this study is to describe the main causes of degradation and destruction of the natural resources of the Mamouwol River in the Mamou commune.Data were collected using a survey method(questionnaire,interviews and observations).The study revealed that extensive agro-pastoral activities are the main socio-economic activity of the population,accounting for 78.5%-90%and 20.30%respectively.Fishing follows(1.2%).Related activities include handicrafts and petty trade;Other human activities:hunting(11%),charcoal burning(58%),brick making and firing(45.6%).Riverbanks and water resources in the vicinity of dwellings are damaged and polluted by socio-economic activities and the use of agricultural inputs.The absence of industrial units on the path for the data collection.

Virtual Water Flows of Brazil’s International Trade

The study aims to measure virtual water flows in Brazil’s international trade. The methodology is based on the input-output matrix, and the database used was the Eora Global Supply Chain Database. The results showed that Brazil exported 230.8 billion m3 of virtual water per year, representing approximately 34.7% of the water footprint of the national production system in 2015. Virtual water imports totaled 111.6 billion m3 with a positive balance (net exports) of 119.2 billion m3. The country is a net exporter of this resource except for trade relations with South America and Africa, regions with negative balances of −36 billion m3 and 3 billion m3, respectively. The main destinations for virtual water exports from Brazil are Europe, with 41% of the total exported, followed by Asia and North America, with values close to 20%. The fact that Brazil is a net exporter of water makes sustainable use of the resource important, as the diversity of climate, soil, and water availability at a regional level is a challenge, which makes it essential to increase the efficiency of the use and management of water resources.

Evaluation of urban underground space resources using a negative list method: Taking Xi'an City as an example in China

Utilization of urban underground space has become a vital approach to alleviate the strain on urban land resources,and to optimize the structure and pattem of the city.It is also very important to improve the city environment,build livable city and increase the capacity of the city.Based on the analysis of existing evaluation methods and their problems,a method for evaluating underground space resources based on a negative list of adverse factors affecting underground space development is proposed,to be primarily used in urban planning stages.A list of the adverse factors is established,including limiting factors,constraining factors and influencing factors.Taking Xi'an as an example,using a geographical information system platform,a negative list of adverse factors for the underground space resources in Xi'an City are evaluated,and preventive measures are proposed.Natural resources,exploitable resources,and the potential growth of exploitable underground space resources are evaluated.Underground space assessment in the different development stages of the city,collaborative utilization and safety evaluation for multiple subsurface resources,environmental impact and assessment,as well as evaluation methods based on big data and intelligent optimization algorithms are all discussed with the aim of serving city planning and construction.

Evaluation of natural gas hydrate resources in the South China Sea using a new genetic analogy method

Natural gas hydrate(NGH)has attracted much attention as a new alternative energy globally.However,evaluations of global NGH resources in the past few decades have casted a decreasing trend,where the estimate as of today is less than one ten-thousandth of the estimate forty years ago.The NGH researches in China started relatively late,but achievements have been made in the South China Sea(SCS)in the past two decades.Thirty-five studies had been carried out to evaluate NGH resource,and results showed a flat trend,ranging from 60 to 90 billion tons of oil equivalent,which was 2-3 times of the evaluation results of technical recoverable oil and gas resources in the SCS.The big difference is that the previous 35 group of NGH resource evaluations for the SCS only refers to the prospective gas resource with low grade level and high uncertainty,which cannot be used to guide exploration or researches on development strategies.Based on the analogy with the genetic mechanism of conventional oil and gas resources,this study adopts the newly proposed genetic method and geological analogy method to evaluate the NGH resource.Results show that the conventional oil and gas resources are 346.29×10^(8)t,the volume of NGH and free dynamic field are 25.19×10^(4)km^(3) and(2.05-2.48)×10^(6)km^(3),and the total amount of in-situ NGH resources in the SCS is about(4.47-6.02)×10^(12)m^(3).It is considered that the resource of hydrate should not exceed that of conventional oil and gas,so it is 30 times lower than the previous estimate.This study provides a more reliable geological basis for further NGH exploration and development.

A Review of Environmental Sociology and the Sociology of Natural Resources:Insights for the Development of Environmental Sociology in China

Environmental sociology and the sociology of natural resources are two key subdisciplines of the sociological study on the interactions between nature and human society.Previous discussion on the relationships of these two fields has largely focused on their distinctions and synthesis in western(particularly American) academia.Environmental sociology emerged as an important sociological subdiscipline in China in the early 1990s and is under vigorous disciplinary construction at present.By contrast,the sociology of natural resources is still a novel term for most Chinese researchers.This article provides a systematic review of recent literature on the relationships between environmental and natural resource sociologies,which should provide important implications for the further development of environmental sociology in China.

Values of the Times of Marx's Theory of Science and Technology Progress and Utilization of Natural Resources

Marx's theory of scientific and technological progress and utilization of natural resources is an indispensable and important part of Marx's economic theory.To realize the harmonious unification of man and nature,man must correctly understand the effect of scientific and technological progress on the use of natural resources,fundamentally solve the problem that scientific and technological progress cannot replace the position of natural resources in economic development,and objectively evaluate the relationship between human power and the power of nature.Grasping and comprehending the scientific connotation of Marx's theory of scientific and technological progress and utilization of natural resources has a very important theoretical value and practical significance for saving and effectively using natural resources and building an environment-friendly society.

Optimal control of natural resources in mining industry

The paper focuses on the optimal control of natural resources in mining industry. The purpose is to pro- pose an optimal extraction series of these resources during the lifetime of the Mine＇s maintenance. Fol- lowing the proposed optimal control model, a sensitivity analysis has been performed that includes the interest rate impact on the optimal solution. This study shows that the increasing of the interest rate sti- mulates faster extraction of the resources. The discounting factor induces that the resource has to be extracted faster hut this effect is counterbalanced by the diminishing returns of the annual cash flow. At higher parameters of ＂alpha＂ close to one of the power function about 80% from the whole resource will be extracted during the first 4 years of object/mine maintenance. An existence of unique positive root with respect to return of investment has been proposed and proved by two ways： by the ＂method of chords＂ and by using specialized software.

Assessment of natural resources and the policy of subsidies in grain production

Based on the analysis on the status quo of natural resources input in Brain production and on the policy of Brain subsidies, this paper puts forward a new idea - establishing grain subsidies through assessing the value of the natural resources in Brain production. The assessment of the natural resources in Brain production provides rationale and reference standard for the policy of Brain subsidies, which will promote the sustainable use of natural resources accordingly. This paper concludes： （1） it is necessary for the grain subsidies to assess the full value of natural resources, including economic value, ecological value and social value： （2） the government should give farmers direct subsidies or environment subsidies according to the economic and ecological value of natural resources in grain production, （3） the social value of natural resources can be realized by establishing the country social security system, taking the social value as the criterion for the payment for part of farmers＇ insurance.

Theory and practice of value management and its innovation for natural resources from the perspective of sustainable development

The supreme obstacle for sustainable development of natural resources is the scarecity, bottleneck. So how to promote the sustainable utilizing and increase the using efficiency of natural resources is worth studying. This paper suggests that we should improve the model and means of evaluating method and value management based on th~ theory of natural resource compensation. This paper discusses the User Cost Method based on the microeeonomicaspect which can change the evaluating method for natural resources. From the perspective of value managemen model, we should use the User Cost Method to realize the linkage and integration of micro and macro eompensation for natural resources. Based on the evaluating and aecounting idea User Cost Method, this paper presents a theo. retical framework to harmonize and link micro and macro compensation for natural resources. At present, we should seek the new approach and method to manage natural resources, so can we realize the capitalization managemen focusing on the vahte management for natural resources.

Population Growth,Available Resources,and Quality of Life:China’s Post-Reform Economic Development

Two opposing intellectual traditions and their contem-porary developments regarding the relations among population, available resources, and quality of life as reflected in economic growth are reviewed. What is at issue is whether population growth is detrimental to or beneficial for economic development. Neither of the extreme views gives a complete picture of the interplay among population, resources, and quality of life. Following previous literature on the topic, this paper establishes a more balanced approach that considers the function linking population and quality of life not constant but variable and regards the limitedness of resources as not absolute but relative to regions and societies. The proposed approach is more flexible in better explaining the relation between population and economic growth. China is examined as a case in point to shed light on the interaction of population growth, economic development, and available resources, and its recent post-economic reform experiences showcase the appropriateness of the synthetic approach.

Dynamic Tracking and Comprehensive Evaluation on the Natural Resources Security Elements and System in China

System theory,pressure-state-response and drivingpressure-state-impact-response model have been applied to establishing China's dynamic tracking evaluation system of natural resources security in this article.Based on analytic hierarchy process and Delphi methods,the natural resources security situation has been evaluated systematically from 1991 to 2007.The result showed that the overall level of China's natural resources security presented a downtrend from 1991 to 2007.The basic reasons are the pressure indicators such as population,GDP,natural resources trade increased gradually,resulting in tension and fragility of natural resources security.

Stochastic Optimal Economic Growth Model with Natural Resources

The paper examines an economic growth problem how social planners reasonably open up and retain natural resources. The objective is to maximize the total expected discounted utility of comsumption. Social planners＇ optimal decision and optimal expected rates at the steady state are derived. At last, how productivity and productivity shock affect on the expected growth rate, consumption-resources ratio and the fraction of exploited resources, are analyzed.

Characteristics,Current Status and Strategy on Exploitation of Agricultural Natural Resources in China

This paper formulated the present characteristics, current status and the problems of agricultural natural China. Measures of preservation and strategy about exploitation of agricultural natural resources were put forward, provide a scientific basis for the government to make policies .

Evaluation and reasonable exploitation on the natural view resources of Lushan Mountain scenic spot

The paper carried on the classified and rating evaluation primarily on natural landscape resources in Lushan Mountain. According to the evaluation, exploiting and utilizing the situation of scenic spot natural landscape resources, some reasonable advices were given on further exploiting Lushan Mountain natural scenic spot, expecting that it could supply some theoretical references for the natural landscape resources sustainable development in Lushan Mountain in the future.