Eco-environment Evolution and Its Sustainable Development Strategies in Western China

Natural condition in Western China is relatively poor and regional economy level is low. The ecological environment has been seriously damaged by population growth and over-exploitation of natural resources. It is very important for coordinating the regional development and safeguarding ecological security to discuss the eco-environment evolution trend and its sustainable development strategies in Western China. Based on analyzing documents and relative research,the changes of main ecological and environmental problems in the western region,such as degradation of forest and grassland ecosystems,shrinkage of wetland,desertification,water and soil erosion,etc. were synthetically discussed. Then,according to the development trend,some countermeasures for eco-environment protection and rehabilitation and sustainable development were proposed.

Current situation of Chinese forestry tactics and strategy of sustainable development

Based on the analysis of the current situation of Chinese forestry and a series of ecological, environmental, eco-nomic, and social problems, this paper emphasized on the importance of forests in social and economic development in China The author pointed out that sustainable development, particularly the sustainable development of forestry, is the inevitable choice to solve the problems of ecological environment and social economics. The objectives, criteria, and strategies of sus-taining forestry were also demonstrated and expounded, from the viewpoints of ecology, economics, and sociology.

地理教学中人类命运共同体意识的培养——以人教版七年级地理下册为例

面对日益紧密的全球联系和需要共同应对的全球危机,如何从人类命运共同体的角度进行审视,如何在地理教学中培养中学生的人类命运共同体意识,值得思索。本文从人类命运共同体价值观中的文化多样、经济均衡和环境可续三个维度,梳理人教版七年级下册地理教材,分析教材中人类命运共同体内容的体现,解读其中的人类命运共同体意蕴。从教师、教材、学生活动三方面,提出地理教学中培养人类命运共同体意识的策略。

Analysis on Countermeasures of Water and Soil Conservation and Eco-environment Construction in China

With economy development,human destruction of eco-environment is deteriorating,which has become a key treatment nationwide.What＇s more,eco-environment construction is proceeding and multi-eco-environment projects are developing.Water and soil conservation and eco-environment construction should be a strategic task long-term insisted on,which is a part of agricultural construction.The research analyzed the relationship between water and soil conservation with eco-environment,concluded the process of ecological civilization construction in promoting water and soil conservation,and proposed countermeasures,laying foundation for water and soil conservation and ecological construction.

Ecosystem health: ecological sustainability target of strategic environment assessment

Strategic environment assessment (SEA) and ecosystem health are two new ideas on environmental management. On the basis of reviewing some relevant literature, this paper made discussions on the ecological sustainability target of SEA, the content of ecosystem health as well as the interrelations between SEA and ecosystem health. For a good SEA, its ecological sustainability principles should be provided with distinct content and a general assessment system. A framework for ecosystem health assessment was established according to the content of ecosystem health, and combined into SEA as SEA抯 ecological sustainability target, we can effectively guide decision-makers to make suitable indigenous means and local solutions. , The basic principles and procedure of SEA for ecosystem health are also discussed in the paper.

IRP/DSM and Sustainable Development

This paper introduces the energy consumption status in China, elaborate the affects of the unreasonable energy consumption structure on energy environment and sustainable development of economy. Simultaneously, it points out the solution, i.e., to implement integrated resources planning (IRP)/demand side management (DSM), and gives some recommendations on the way of implementing IRP/DSM.

Study on Sustainable Utilization of Resources of the Damp-heat Karst Mountainous Areas in China

Damp-heat karst mountainous areas are unique areas in terms of socialeconomic development, resource endowment and eco-environment in China, where natural resources are abundant,unique and diverse. However, fragile eco-environment, undeveloped economy and culture, and conflict of human and environment should not be ignored. In the research, a framework of integration of resource-development and environment-protection in damp-heat karst was designed on basis of resource and environment integration, which was applied to Daxin County in Guangxi Province. Furthermore, some integration models were proposed, including integration of development of characteristic agricultural resources and protection of eco-environment, integration of development of manganese ore resources and protection of eco-environment, integration of development of tourism resources and protection of ecoenvironment and integration of development of clean energy and protection of eco-environment.

Effect of Reclamation on Soil Environment in Sanjiang Plain

Soil environment in Sanjiang Plain has changed greatly because of the reclamation on a large scale.The physical and chemical properties of soil have changed, and soil erosion, soil saline-alkalization and soil pollution occurred in some areas. These problems have obstructed the sustainable development of agriculture. For the sustainable use of soils in Sanjiang Plain, in this paper we raise some suggestions and countermeasures which might be references for experts and departments concerned.

Rural Environmental Pollutions and Countermeasures Research in Fengxiang County,Shaanxi Province

With economy develops, rural modernization and urbanization proceed faster in China, and environment issue increasingly draws attention. ln order to ex-plore rural environment contamination, the research made survey and interview in Shijiaying and Daxin Vil ages in Fengxiang County, Shaanxi Province. Based on the results, the research analyzed environment pol ution in surveyed vil ages and dis-cussed pol ution causes, with countermeasures proposed.

Multi-agent Blind Model and Its Application to Regional Eco-environmental Quality Assessment

Through denoting each expert as an agent and viewing a multiple criteria decision-making as a synthesis problem of aggregating experts＇ ratings, a multi-agent blind model （MABM） is developed for regional eco-environmental quality assessment. In this model, the ratings of the evaluated object under an index, given by expert group, are first utilized to construct a series of blind numbers. In general, each index will correspond to different blind numbers. On the basis of aggregating index weights, the rank score in the form of a blind number is obtained for the evaluated object. Then, by means of calculating expected value of the above blind number, its rank score is further converted into a crisp value. By way of comparing the expected value with classification standards, eco-environmental quality of the evaluated sample could he identified successfully in the end. As a case, the MABM is used to evaluate the eco-environmental quality of Chaohu Lake basin. Study result shows that the MABM is a useful model for regional eco-environmental quality assessment.

Sustainable Application of a Novel Water Cycle Using Seawater for Toilet Flushing

Global water security is a severe issue that threatens human health and well-being. Finding sustainable alternative water resources has become a matter of great urgency. For coastal urban areas, desalinated seawater could serve as a freshwater supply. However, since 20%-30% of the water supply is used for flushing waste from the city, seawater with simple treatment could also partly replace the use of freshwater. In this work, the freshwater saving potential and environmental impacts of the urban water system （water-wastewater closed loop） adopting seawater desalination, seawater for toilet flushing （SWTF）, or reclaimed water for toilet flushing （RWTF） are compared with those of a conventional freshwater system, through a life-cycle assessment and sensitivity analysis. The potential applications of these processes are also assessed. The results support the environmental sustainability of the SWTF approach, but its potential application depends on the coastal distance and effective population density of a city. Developed coastal cities with an effective population density exceeding 3000 persons.km-2 and located less than 30 km from the seashore （for the main pipe supplying seawater to the city） would benefit from applying SWTF, regardless of other impact parameters. By further applying the sulfate reduction, autotrophic denitrification, and nitrification integrated （SANI） process for wastewater treatment, the maximum distance from the seashore can be extended to 60 km. Considering that most modern urbanized cities fulfill these criteria, the next generation of water supply systems could consist of a freshwater supply coupled with a seawater supply for sustainable urban development.

More than Target 6.3： A Systems Approach to Rethinking Sustainable Development Goals in a Resource-Scarce World

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines 17 individual Sustainable Development Goals （SDGs） that guide the needs of practice for many professional disciplines around the world, including engineering, research, policy, and development. The SDGs represent commitments to reduce poverty, hunger, ill health, gender inequality, environmental degradation, and lack of access to clean water and sanitation. If a typical reductionist approach is employed to address and optimize individual goals, it may lead to a failure in technological, policy, or managerial development interventions through unin- tended consequences in other goals. This study uses a systems approach to understand the fundamental dynamics between the SDGs in order to identify potential synergies and antagonisms. A conceptual system model was constructed to illustrate the causal relationships between SDGs, examine system structures using generic system archetypes, and identify leverage points to effectively influence intentional and minimize unintentional changes in the system. The structure of interactions among the SDGs reflects three archetypes of system behavior： Reinforcing Growth, Limits to Growth, and Growth and Underinvestment. The leverage points identified from the conceptual model are gender equality, sustainable management of water and sanitation, alternative resources, sustainable livelihood standards, and global partnerships. Such a conceptual system analysis of SDGs can enhance the likelihood that the development community will broaden its understanding of the potential synergistic benefits of their projects on resource management, environmental sustainability, and climate change. By linking the interactions and feedbacks of those projects with economic gains, women＇s empowerment, and educational equality, stakeholders can recognize holistic improvements that can be made to the quality of life of many of the world＇s poor.

Roles of State Strategy of Adaptation to Climate Change in China

For the adverse impacts of climate change, China gov- ernment should place the problem of adaptation to climate change on the agenda. It is time to institute and implement a state adap- tive strategy to reduce the adverse impacts on economy, commu- nity and people's health and life by international cooperation and our own endeavor. A state strategy of adaptation to climate change should be closely linked with other current interrelated national strategies, and they should be supplemented and improved by each other. This paper discusses the roles of the state strategy of adaptation to climate change in the state climate change integra- tive strategy, the environmental protection strategy, and the sus- tainable development strategy in China. Furthermore, it proposes the main aims of the state adaptive strategy of China.

River Rafting in Mountainous Regions of Uttarakhand:Impacts,Suggested Mitigation Measures and Sustainability

Uttarakhand state in India is well known for its mountainous ecosystems, traditional communities and a variety of ecotourism destinations. Among various tourism activities, River Rafting along the banks of the Ganges River has increased tremendously for two decades, and has had unprecedented impacts on the traditional communities and the bio-diversity. Therefore, it is meaningful to do a comprehensive study on the various impacts associated with river rafting so as to suggest the pathways to achieve the environmental sustainability in this region. In this study, we collected primary data from randomly selected population units across all stake holders such as local people （n = too）, and camp personnel （n = 22）, through a pre-tested questionnaire survey between August 2009 and May 2010. The questionnaire contains issues on culture, social, economic, institutional and associated perceived impacts on pollution and biodiversity including views for sustainability. Secondary information was also collected from various sources and government records to supplement and strengthen the analysis. The impacts were analyzed qualitatively through a ranking mechanism to facilitate the decision making process. The perception of the interviewee about the various possible impacts of rafting was discussed with mitigating mechanism. The ranking analysis as percollected data reveals that economy and education of local community was improved significantly; however aquatic and terrestrial fauna, social cohesion and pollution （water, air, land） were significantly deteriorated. The results show that the existing practices are not sufficient to address the adverse impacts. Improvement in practices is necessary, mainly in the policy regime. Based on the analysis, some measures are recommended on how to protect community interest and environment with the development of river rafting as an ecotourism opportunity.

Uses of Blast Furnace Slag as Complex Fertilizer

Significant quantities of slag are generated as waste material or by-product every day from steel industries. They usually contain considerable quantities of valuable metals and materials. Transforming these solid wastes from one form to another to be reused either by the same production unit or by different industrial installation is very much essential not only for conserving metals and mineral resources but also for protecting the environment. The sustainable development concept requires a more efficient management of waste materials and preservation of environment. The paper presents the basic characteristics of slag, analyses and it＇s modification by incorporating some essential plant nutrients and the possibility of its application as fertilizer was studied.

Quality-Oriented Facade Systems： Technical Data Referred to Maintenance Phase and Residual Value

Nowadays, clients require solutions that are efficient during the service life as a whole. In this view, maintenance has functional value and greatly contributes to increasing quality in environments. With reference to maintenance phase and residual value of building products upon dismantling, the present manuscript investigates a set of technological packages of quality and technical value referred to two alternative facade systems available for recovery actions on Italian council buildings--the ETICS （external thermal insulation composite system） and the external cladding system--complying with one thermal-insulation strategy, but different in terms of service life duration. Preservation of technical value and value increases are strictly related to maintenance quality and efficiency. Volume of investments in maintenance is not the only parameter to be considered to assess facade-system-management quality. Time-accurate economic assessment requires the entity to be related to periodical checks on performance quality in the building system and in its parts. Effective technical data to draw up consistent estimates and appraisals are rarely available in literature. With all that stated above, the present manuscript aims at introducing technical data related to drawing up reliable cost estimates and effective appraisals in terms of economics, quality and environmental sustainability. Conclusions will be drawn from the end of the manuscript.

Issues of Agricultural Sustainable Development in Environment with Limited Resources——A Case Study of Xinjiang

Based on natural resources in Xinjiang, some problems existing in agricul- tural sustainable development in Xinjiang were explored, such as simple agricultural structure （unbalanced development in different regions）, dispersed production pattern, and lower efficient water use for agriculture. Furthermore, some countermeasures for Xinjiang agricultural sustainable development were proposed as well, including ad- justment of agricultural structure for optimization of resource allocation, strict control of population for improvement of people education, strengthening of S＆T innovation for popularization of sustainable development, and construction of macro-adjustment mechanism of resources use for virtuous environment.

China’s Food Security Status:Assessment and Strategic Reflections

Based on an internationally recognized concept of food security, this paper has created a system of eight indicators to analyze China＇s food security. For the proper control and analysis of this study, the authors of this paper have chosen these indicators： supply, distribution, consumption, utilization efficiency, food security results, stability, sustainability and controllability. Results indicate that China＇s food security is currently at a high level and has been increasing in recent years. China＇s food security has multiple advantages with various indicators that include a self-sufficiency ratio, per capita calorie intake and protein supply that are above world average levels, even exceeding the average level of some developed countries. Major challenges facing China＇s food security include an unreasonable nutrition structure and poor environmental sustainability. In order to increase China＇s food security level, efforts must be made to adjust output structure, adopt an environmentally friendly pattern of production, attach importance to demand management, reduce unreasonable consumption and loss and moderately lower China＇s food reserve ratio.

SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PLANNING BASED ON ECOLOGICAL HEALTH——Case Study of Beiwenquan Town, Chongqing, China

This paper, taking Beiwenquan Town of Beibei, Chongqing as an example, assessed the impacts of land use on ecological health by comprehensive index method, and discussed methodological system of sustainable land use planning based on ecological health. Results indicated that: 1) From 1992 to 2002, land use changes focused on 12 patterns with the total conversion area of 92.11%, which were related to cultivated land, residential and industrial-mining area, and orchard land. Urbanization and economic reconstruction were the leading driving forces. 2) There was obvious difference of the areas of ecotypes driven by land use change in wide valley and mild slope between 1992 and 2002, while there were little or no difference in steep slope and very steep slope. 3) Both of the conditions of ecological health in 1992 and 2002 were sound, and the ecotypes focused on the types of health and sub-health. But, health ecosystem in 1992, with an area of 764.64ha, accounting for 38.51% of the total evaluation area, was better than that in 2002, with an area of 636.10ha, accounting for 34.19% of the total evaluation area. 4) The ecotypes involved into different ranges have already degenerated, due to humankind’s disturbance, while the conditions of ecological health in the same ranges in 1992, regardless of stability and reconstruction, were better than that in 2002. 5) The planning scenario based on ecological health was accorded with the practice condition of Beiwenquan Town: 388.29ha of cultivated land could meet the Beiwenquan demand of food and byproduct; 1045.26ha of forest land area, the Beiwenquan demand of ecological health; and 1004.73ha of the residential and industrial-mining area, the Beiwenquan building demand. 6) Sustainable land use planning based on ecological health had higher useful value, because it not only stood to ecological theory, but also satisfied the developmental demand of society and economy.

Geo-environment in the Sustainable Development of Chinese Cities

Urban geo_environment mainly concerns those regards in and around a city,such as the movement of earth crust and earth surface,conditions of hydrology,geology,geography and meteorology.The relevant studies on geo_disaster reduction and the influences resulted from human activities on the geo_environment are included as well.It is stressed in the paper that geo_environmental protection and management are of significance to the sustainable development for Chinese cities.