The paper scrutinizes that the changes in any sub-system(i.e.agriculture,livestock and forest) have direct impact on biophysical and social processes in village ecosystem of the central Himalayan region.In view of thi...The paper scrutinizes that the changes in any sub-system(i.e.agriculture,livestock and forest) have direct impact on biophysical and social processes in village ecosystem of the central Himalayan region.In view of this,we studied the changes in spatial patterns of agricultural land use and dependency of agroecosystem on forest and animal husbandry over a period of two decades.Based on data analysis it was found that the cultivation of some traditional crops has either been abandoned in the area or declined by 25%-85% due to introduction of cash crops viz.,potato,kidney bean and apple farming with acreage increased up to 51%-72% in the last three decades.Livestock population of different categories has declined drastically by 17%-75%,and has resulted shortage of farmyard manure,deterioration of soil quality and fertility which leads to un-sustainability of agriculture system.The changes in agrobiodiversity have led to the dramatic increase in soil loss and runoff from the croplands together with the increase pressure on forests.The economic evaluation of each crop showed higher monetary benefit from cash crops as compared to traditional crops.Among all the evaluated crops,the monetary output/input ratio was found highest(3.04) for kidney bean and lowest(1.26) for paddy.Changes in land use and management have improved household income but at the cost of forest degradation,less productive animal husbandry and loss of agrodiversity in the region.Therefore,there is an urgent need to bring desirable changes in agricultural policy,research,land use and efficient management of the resources for maintaining sustainability in agro and Himalayan forest ecosystem.展开更多
Energy plays an important role in the economic life. With the rapid development of economy, the constraint of energy on the sustainable development of economy is becoming more and more obvious. This paper just Studies...Energy plays an important role in the economic life. With the rapid development of economy, the constraint of energy on the sustainable development of economy is becoming more and more obvious. This paper just Studies the factors influencing energy efficiency of China and the relationship between energy efficiency and China＇s economic： growth. By using time series multivariable linear regression methods with China＇s relevant data from 1953 to 2006, this paper constructs the regression model to analyze the factors that would impact energy, efficiency. After that, a regression model of China＇s real output to capital, labor and energy e lficiency is conducted to estimate the marginal contribution of every factor to the real output to prove the fundamental influence of energy efficiency to the economic growth. In the end, some policies and recommendations are also put forward in order to improve the energy efficiency; of China.展开更多
In arid regions, fragile ecological environment is an obstacle to economic development; an efficient pattern of eco-economic development could be sought from different strategies in such regions. China＇s Xinjiang pro...In arid regions, fragile ecological environment is an obstacle to economic development; an efficient pattern of eco-economic development could be sought from different strategies in such regions. China＇s Xinjiang province is the most typical arid region in the world, in fact, contradiction among ecological issue and economic development is intense. In this paper, the natural resource condition, social and economic developments are analyzed in Xinjiang province, with emphasis on the economic development stages underpinned by resource superiority after the economic reform era. We argue that： Xinjiang＇s economic development was determined comprehensively by geography, ecological resources, and human activity; however to explore a new development pattern with lower dependence on ecological resources, lower cost, more protection to the environment, higher value added and levels of science and technology and knowledge is a key challenge for future economic development. Based on the comparison between past and present, Green strategies should be exclusively chosen for eco-economic development due to the pressure on ecological resources, and the sustainable developmental green strategies include： ecology stratagem, trade stratagem, structure adjustment stratagem, capital stratagem, human resources stratagem. The key challenge is to provide supportive policy and instructional environment to foster such strategies.展开更多
Current methods of evaluating long term Sustainable Development seldom take into account the time period over which an evaluation is made except through simplistic economic models which heavily discount the future. If...Current methods of evaluating long term Sustainable Development seldom take into account the time period over which an evaluation is made except through simplistic economic models which heavily discount the future. If sustainable development is to be a serious issue then the impact on the future of decisions made today must be properly assessed and evaluated. This requires a new understanding of time as a key feature of the Sustainability debate and new models of how this new understanding can be brought into the evaluation process. This was at the heart of the Torino declaration signed by the University organisations of the G8, G20 and developing nations in April 2009. Time is a critical part of the sustainability debate and is seldom addressed directly. This paper will provide a possible solution based on a strong theoretical and philosophical framework of how this difficult subject can be approached and applied to sustainable urban planning. The work presented is based on a philosophical model of the cosmos which has both internal and external credibility. It forms the basis ofa PhD study and has been applied to small case studies in Italy and elsewhere. These will be presented to encourage further study into this important area within the evaluation and assessment of sustainable development.展开更多
The financial implication of the adoption of corporate social responsibility （CSR） practices is still an obscure field of study, because studies suggest controversial results. Thus, this research aimed to examine th...The financial implication of the adoption of corporate social responsibility （CSR） practices is still an obscure field of study, because studies suggest controversial results. Thus, this research aimed to examine the relationship CSR and economic performance of the companies of corporate sustainability index （ISE） of mercantile and futures exchange of Silo Paulo stock exchange （BM＆FBOVESPA）. The amount of companies allowing online access to their responses of the ISE questionnaire determined the sample of this research. Thus, for the study period from 2011 to 2012, it has been possible to access the responses of 12 companies, composing the overall sample of this research. The results of the regression analysis allow to statistically assert that for the sample used, environmental performance （EP） contributes to improving economic performance, measured by all financial metrics used： return on equity （ROE）, return on assets （ROA）, and net profit （NP）. Statistically, it is only possible to say that social performance （SP） contributes to improving NP. In terms of market metrics, none of the null hypothesis was rejected, i.e., in any cases, it has been possible to affirm, on a statistical base, that SP and EP contribute to improving the market value （MV） and systematic risk. Thus, it is understood that the stakeholder theory has potential to explain the Brazilian situation regarding the aspects of CSR and financial ones under the accounting and the shareholder theory explains this relation, when viewed with the aid of market measurements.展开更多
Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequenc...Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequences of industrial Nr (excluding synthesized N fertilizer) remain poorly understood and quantified. We report here that industrial Nr flux has increased 13.4-fold over the past 30 years in China, reaching 3.7Tg N (1 Tg=10 12g) in 2008, accounting for over 50% of China's food Nr flux. Socioeconomic development (per capita GDP, urbanization and household size) significantly drives the growth of industrial Nr fluxes. This leads to "hotspots" of industrial Nr, mainly in relatively developed Eastern China. Industrial Nr loss rate during production is only 5%, much lower than that of cropland (50%) and livestock (80%). However, industrial Nr loss is point source pollution, and Nr release in concentrated doses produces serious risk in small regions. The contribution of structural N to total industrial Nr with a lifespan longer than one year (e.g., synthetic fiber, plastic) increased from 20% in 1980 to 70% in 2008. There was about 2.6 Tg N structural industrial Nr accumulated in human settlements in 2008, which could be one ex- planation of an unknown Nr sink of anthropogenic Nr input (mainly Haber-Bosch N fixation). Legacy effects caused by structural N accumulation have long-term consequences for environmental and human health, although structural N delays Nr release and reduces short-term Nr pollution. Industrial Nr use generates new features of modern global N biogeochemistry, such as increasing Nr species diversity, reducing Nr turnover rate. Future dynamics simulation of the earth system should involve industrial Nr. Explicit consideration and accounting of the fluxes and environmental consequences of industrial Nr would provide decision-makers a novel view of regional sustainable development.展开更多
基金TSBF/GEP/UNEP and DST(SSD) for partial financial support
文摘The paper scrutinizes that the changes in any sub-system(i.e.agriculture,livestock and forest) have direct impact on biophysical and social processes in village ecosystem of the central Himalayan region.In view of this,we studied the changes in spatial patterns of agricultural land use and dependency of agroecosystem on forest and animal husbandry over a period of two decades.Based on data analysis it was found that the cultivation of some traditional crops has either been abandoned in the area or declined by 25%-85% due to introduction of cash crops viz.,potato,kidney bean and apple farming with acreage increased up to 51%-72% in the last three decades.Livestock population of different categories has declined drastically by 17%-75%,and has resulted shortage of farmyard manure,deterioration of soil quality and fertility which leads to un-sustainability of agriculture system.The changes in agrobiodiversity have led to the dramatic increase in soil loss and runoff from the croplands together with the increase pressure on forests.The economic evaluation of each crop showed higher monetary benefit from cash crops as compared to traditional crops.Among all the evaluated crops,the monetary output/input ratio was found highest(3.04) for kidney bean and lowest(1.26) for paddy.Changes in land use and management have improved household income but at the cost of forest degradation,less productive animal husbandry and loss of agrodiversity in the region.Therefore,there is an urgent need to bring desirable changes in agricultural policy,research,land use and efficient management of the resources for maintaining sustainability in agro and Himalayan forest ecosystem.
文摘Energy plays an important role in the economic life. With the rapid development of economy, the constraint of energy on the sustainable development of economy is becoming more and more obvious. This paper just Studies the factors influencing energy efficiency of China and the relationship between energy efficiency and China＇s economic： growth. By using time series multivariable linear regression methods with China＇s relevant data from 1953 to 2006, this paper constructs the regression model to analyze the factors that would impact energy, efficiency. After that, a regression model of China＇s real output to capital, labor and energy e lficiency is conducted to estimate the marginal contribution of every factor to the real output to prove the fundamental influence of energy efficiency to the economic growth. In the end, some policies and recommendations are also put forward in order to improve the energy efficiency; of China.
文摘In arid regions, fragile ecological environment is an obstacle to economic development; an efficient pattern of eco-economic development could be sought from different strategies in such regions. China＇s Xinjiang province is the most typical arid region in the world, in fact, contradiction among ecological issue and economic development is intense. In this paper, the natural resource condition, social and economic developments are analyzed in Xinjiang province, with emphasis on the economic development stages underpinned by resource superiority after the economic reform era. We argue that： Xinjiang＇s economic development was determined comprehensively by geography, ecological resources, and human activity; however to explore a new development pattern with lower dependence on ecological resources, lower cost, more protection to the environment, higher value added and levels of science and technology and knowledge is a key challenge for future economic development. Based on the comparison between past and present, Green strategies should be exclusively chosen for eco-economic development due to the pressure on ecological resources, and the sustainable developmental green strategies include： ecology stratagem, trade stratagem, structure adjustment stratagem, capital stratagem, human resources stratagem. The key challenge is to provide supportive policy and instructional environment to foster such strategies.
文摘Current methods of evaluating long term Sustainable Development seldom take into account the time period over which an evaluation is made except through simplistic economic models which heavily discount the future. If sustainable development is to be a serious issue then the impact on the future of decisions made today must be properly assessed and evaluated. This requires a new understanding of time as a key feature of the Sustainability debate and new models of how this new understanding can be brought into the evaluation process. This was at the heart of the Torino declaration signed by the University organisations of the G8, G20 and developing nations in April 2009. Time is a critical part of the sustainability debate and is seldom addressed directly. This paper will provide a possible solution based on a strong theoretical and philosophical framework of how this difficult subject can be approached and applied to sustainable urban planning. The work presented is based on a philosophical model of the cosmos which has both internal and external credibility. It forms the basis ofa PhD study and has been applied to small case studies in Italy and elsewhere. These will be presented to encourage further study into this important area within the evaluation and assessment of sustainable development.
文摘The financial implication of the adoption of corporate social responsibility （CSR） practices is still an obscure field of study, because studies suggest controversial results. Thus, this research aimed to examine the relationship CSR and economic performance of the companies of corporate sustainability index （ISE） of mercantile and futures exchange of Silo Paulo stock exchange （BM＆FBOVESPA）. The amount of companies allowing online access to their responses of the ISE questionnaire determined the sample of this research. Thus, for the study period from 2011 to 2012, it has been possible to access the responses of 12 companies, composing the overall sample of this research. The results of the regression analysis allow to statistically assert that for the sample used, environmental performance （EP） contributes to improving economic performance, measured by all financial metrics used： return on equity （ROE）, return on assets （ROA）, and net profit （NP）. Statistically, it is only possible to say that social performance （SP） contributes to improving NP. In terms of market metrics, none of the null hypothesis was rejected, i.e., in any cases, it has been possible to affirm, on a statistical base, that SP and EP contribute to improving the market value （MV） and systematic risk. Thus, it is understood that the stakeholder theory has potential to explain the Brazilian situation regarding the aspects of CSR and financial ones under the accounting and the shareholder theory explains this relation, when viewed with the aid of market measurements.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41201502 and 31170305)China Postdoctoral Science Special Foundation (Grant No. 2012T50508)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2011M501010)
文摘Human activities are strongly modifying the global nitrogen (N) cycle through increasing input, N species diversity, and pool size of industrial reactive N (Nr). However, the fluxes, fates and environmental consequences of industrial Nr (excluding synthesized N fertilizer) remain poorly understood and quantified. We report here that industrial Nr flux has increased 13.4-fold over the past 30 years in China, reaching 3.7Tg N (1 Tg=10 12g) in 2008, accounting for over 50% of China's food Nr flux. Socioeconomic development (per capita GDP, urbanization and household size) significantly drives the growth of industrial Nr fluxes. This leads to "hotspots" of industrial Nr, mainly in relatively developed Eastern China. Industrial Nr loss rate during production is only 5%, much lower than that of cropland (50%) and livestock (80%). However, industrial Nr loss is point source pollution, and Nr release in concentrated doses produces serious risk in small regions. The contribution of structural N to total industrial Nr with a lifespan longer than one year (e.g., synthetic fiber, plastic) increased from 20% in 1980 to 70% in 2008. There was about 2.6 Tg N structural industrial Nr accumulated in human settlements in 2008, which could be one ex- planation of an unknown Nr sink of anthropogenic Nr input (mainly Haber-Bosch N fixation). Legacy effects caused by structural N accumulation have long-term consequences for environmental and human health, although structural N delays Nr release and reduces short-term Nr pollution. Industrial Nr use generates new features of modern global N biogeochemistry, such as increasing Nr species diversity, reducing Nr turnover rate. Future dynamics simulation of the earth system should involve industrial Nr. Explicit consideration and accounting of the fluxes and environmental consequences of industrial Nr would provide decision-makers a novel view of regional sustainable development.
