Environmentalism and the internet: corporate greenwashers and environmental groups

Environmental degradation is a serious problem, for current populations and for future generations. Corporations are the largest offenders but seldom face the consequences of their actions. This article proposes that public relations campaigns and conflicting information on the internet pose significant challenges to calling for environmental accountability from corporations. Three companies – Coca‐Cola, Georgia Pacific, and Shell – are examined here in terms of questionable practices and public relations campaigns. While the internet could be an alternative news source, ‘corporate greenwash’ muffles a definitive voice on environmental issues. Both retributive and restorative justice processes are thwarted by misleading information. Despite environmental laws and efforts to increase accountability, calling for necessary change will continue to be exceedingly difficult without public knowledge of corporate behavior.     

基于善治取向的政府回应力：逻辑、环境与成长

善治理论的实质在于政府与多个治理主体间的平等协商与合作,其核心内容体现为政府与公众之间的互动关系。这种基于善治取向的政府回应力体现着民主、责任、服务、公正、合作的价值指向,它的运行必然实现从工具意义到责任意义、从单向回应到双向互动、从个体利益到公共利益的逻辑转向。而实践中,这一运行逻辑与现代民主政治基因、公共行政理念、公民社会制度之间存在着很大程度的不适应性,为此,提高政府回应力,应加速现代民主政治基因成长,充分彰显公共行政理念,不断完善公民社会制度,从而真正促进政府善治。     

“路西法效应”对研究侦查讯问的启发

源自“斯坦福监狱实验”的“路西法效应”告诉我们,特定的情境诱发特定的行为,在适当的条件下“好人也会做坏事”。在侦查讯问过程中,时空环境、角色扮演、权力差异、受挫反应等情境因素有时会挑战侦查人员稳定的个性特质,成为诱发侦讯冲突的主要原因。为此,在分析侦查讯问中的人际冲突的时候应首先分析讯问情境,从情境入手找出冲突产生的原因,进而为寻找缓解人际冲突的方法提供准确的依据。     

循环经济发展中的公众参与:问题与思考

循环经济的发展离不开公众的参与。但是,我国公众在参与意识和参与理念上与循环经济发展的要求仍有很大差距;在参与主体上相对单一,民间环保组织参与不足;在参与内容上过于狭窄,公众参与权有限;在参与方式和参与途径上亦难以有效满足公众参与的要求。因此,亟需加强对公众参与意识和环境保护理念的培养和教育,促进民间环保组织的发展并充分发挥其在公众参与中的积极作用,扩大公众参与的权利,并不断拓展公众参与的方式与途径。     

宪法视野下环境制度与国家安全的关系分析

“国家安全”这一概念的含义广泛,从法学角度可以将国家安全定义为一国法律秩序的稳定状态。目前,我国环境状况持续恶化,环境安全已成为我国国家安全体系的短板且严重威胁到我国法律秩序的稳定。法律具有秩序价值,能够维护社会秩序的稳定。通过对宪法文本的分析,可以认清宪法中关于环境保护相关条款对于维护国家安全的巨大作用。     

Competition and cooperative practices in Sino-Japanese energy and environmental relations: towards an energy security ‘risk community’?

Abstract

This article reexamines the conventional wisdom that characterizes Sino-Japanese energy relations as predominantly competitive, but views Sino-Japanese environmental relations as essentially cooperative. Using sociological theories of risk, it is argued that Sino-Japanese cooperation is more likely in both the energy and environmental areas when common risks are perceived and relative gains are minimized. Despite their many conflicting strategic, political, and economic interests, as energy importers who are vulnerable to supply interruptions in the Middle East and competitors for global energy supplies, China and Japan share common risks to their energy security. Consequently, there actually may be increasing opportunities for China and Japan to address their common concerns through bilateral and multilateral cooperative practices, such as common positions on pricing or energy conservation initiatives. Although one would expect China and Japan to highlight their mutual interests in tackling environmental problems such as air pollution, in fact relative gains often impede cooperation. Japan increasingly views China as an economic competitor and is reducing environmental aid, while China continues to set a priority on economic growth, which sets limits on the use of costlier Japanese green technologies. By examining a selection of scholarly articles, reports and newspaper articles by Chinese and Japanese analysts, as well as material from interviews in Beijing and Tokyo in May–June 2007, the paper shows how environmental and energy issues in Sino-Japanese relations may be framed as threats, requiring counter-measures, or common risks, which can be addressed through cooperative practices. Lastly, the paper discusses the possibility of the development of an energy security ‘risk community’ as cooperative practices develop between China and Japan. Nonetheless, conflicting political interests, strategies, and self-images, accentuating relative gains, may provide obstacles to their cooperation in both energy security and environmental protection.     

Comment on Dowell Myers and Elizabeth Gearin's “current preferences and future demand for denser residential environments”

Abstract

New construction reflects demand for housing that cannot be met by existing stock. Although a change in the overall preference for denser residential environments could have a disproportionate impact on the characteristics of new homes, it is not clear that changing demographics or changing tastes will call for such a change.     

The myth of social capital in community development

Abstract

This article argues that contemporary interest in social capital by community development theorists, funders, and practitioners is misguided and needs to be thoroughly rethought. It argues that social capital, as understood by Robert Putnam and people influenced by his work, is a fundamentally flawed concept because it fails to understand issues of power in the production of communities and because it is divorced from economic capital. Therefore, community development practice based on this understanding of social capital is, and will continue to be, similarly flawed.

The article further argues that instead of Putnam's understanding of social capital, community development practice would be better served by returning to the way the concept was used by Glenn Loury and Pierre Bourdieu and concludes with a discussion of how these alternative theories of social capital can be realized in community development practice.     

危害环境行为的刑法规制问题研究

世界上各国均进行了关于危害环境行为的刑事立法。我国虽在1997年刑法中规定了破坏环境资源保护罪一节,但由于环境犯罪刑事立法理念陈旧、罪名体系设置不合理、刑法规制的范围较窄及惩罚力度较轻等问题,导致刑法在惩治危害环境行为时没有发挥出足够的作用,部分危害环境的行为难以得到有效的刑罚处罚。文章通过分析国内外环境犯罪刑事立法的现状,研究我国环境犯罪立法的不足,鉴于环境的重要性及其他国家环境立法的可借鉴性,提出应确立环境犯罪在刑法典中的重要地位,并应从立法模式、罪名体系、刑罚适用原则及种类等方面加以完善。     

比较视野下适老化改造的国际经验与中国路径

适老化改造是当代实现居家养老的前提条件,已成为各国应对人口快速老龄化的基本政策。国内自2013年新《老年人权益保障法》强调建设老年宜居环境以来,各地开始推动老年人生活环境的改善,但由于责任主体不明、操作程序不清等诸多问题,改造成效相对有限。较早步入老龄化的西方发达国家已普遍实施居家适老化改造,建构了一套切实可行的制度体系和服务路径。本文通过比较分析美国、日本、瑞典在不同福利政策下形成的适老化改造实践,总结这些国家的典型做法和先进经验,进而提出我国适老化改造的规范化建议及可行性路径,以解决环境设施和老龄社会要求之间日益凸显的矛盾。