The discourse of democracy in Canadian nuclear waste management policy

Canadian nuclear waste management policy has taken a deliberative democratic turn. What explains this turn? What is its significance? What lessons does it teach us? I trace a narrative of a powerful discursive coalition that was able to take advantage of institutional and financial opportunities to advance deliberative democratic decision making. I identify limitations in this turn by evaluating the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s subsequent consultation process against the criteria of inclusion, equality, reciprocity, agreement, and integration. Despite impressive deliberative democratic designs, the process falls short of each criterion. This analysis clarifies the relative importance of actors to coalitions and institutions. Even with a strong coalition and favorable institutional context, realizing deliberative democracy is contingent on the will of involved actors. This conclusion has implications for the theory and practice of deliberative democracy.     

宁夏南部山区马铃薯淀粉加工废水处理与污染现状调研

宁夏南部山区马铃薯种植面积不断扩大,淀粉加工企业迅速增加,马铃薯产业已成为农民增收的重要渠道。但随之产生的水资源浪费和污水排放问题日趋严重。     

绿化废弃物资源化利用与前景展望

绿化废弃物的高效、经济、资源化利用是现代城市发展的重要内容之一,针对中国绿化废弃物总量不断增加而处理比较困难的现实,该文介绍了国内绿化废弃物资源化处理与利用现状,重点综述了国外绿化废弃物资源化利用的生态途径包括有机覆盖物、堆肥、生物质能源等,以及具体应用情况,最后对国内绿化废弃物资源化利用的前景进行了展望,指出与发达国家相比,中国废弃物资源化利用仍处于起步阶段,没有形成产业化、规模化、无害化,面临着许多问题,因此需要解决现存问题来实现绿化废弃物的可持续发展。     

《巴塞尔公约》与危险废物越境转移的责任

1980年《巴塞尔公约》没有具体规定危险废物越境转移的责任条款,实际上,只要出现了可归因于国家的违背国际义务的非法越境转移有害废物的行为,出口国就应承担国际责任。损害后果大小和国家是否有故意或过失,只是国际不当行为的情节问题而言。就危险废物越境转移的国际责任而言,应从公平原则出发,其赔偿额不仅应包括进口国及其国民所受的生命和财产等直接损失,也应当包括环境方面的间接损失,并且在计算间接损失时。还应充分考虑环境损害的长远性。     

Simplification： A single tax and a single entitlement

The United States is experiencing a very serious economic downturn. It is now necessary to consider some significant changes in government policy. The system of revenue collection should be simplified with a single tax levied and itemized at the national, state, and local levels. Likewise, the system of benefit distribution should be simplified with a single entitlement paid to each individual at every level with absolutely no strings attached. Such simplification would save a massive amount of time and money even if it was neutral in terms of overall revenue and expenditure. And, it would minimize fraud, waste and abuse. The gains in efficiency and accountability would be enormous.