Environmental technology assessment for enhanced green economy transition in South Africa

Abstract

South Africa has in place policies that promote green economy and sustainable development path. For example, the National Environmental Management Act Principle 3 states that development must be socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practice in South Africa was formalised in 1997 when the first set of EIA regulations were passed. The DEA EIA review report however suggested that the EIA does not contribute adequately to achieving sustainable development. To this end, a framework is outlined to incorporate the key elements of the environmental technology assessment (EnTA) to EIA, consequently strengthening the EIA process for enhancing green economy transition in the context of sustainable development. The method used consists of case studies and survey data. It is established in the article that there is a level of incorporation between some EnTA elements and issues considered in EIA. It is, however, also established that, of the twelve key elements of EnTA, institutional capacity is the least considered in the EIA. Further research is recommended to investigate the extent to which the lack of consideration for institutional capacity relates to the EIA not contributing to sustainable development.     

Dirty Businesses in Italy: A Case-study of Illegal Trafficking in Hazardous Waste

This article focuses on trafficking in hazardous and special waste in Italy during the past decade with particular attention to the role played by mafia groups and other legal and illegal actors. A number of examples of illegal management and trafficking of waste are analysed to show the techniques used and the kind of actors involved (traditional mafia-type organisations, corporate entities, legitimate enterprises and businessmen, local authorities and other official actors). It concludes that a number of factors have facilitated and/or enhanced the development and growth of the illegal waste trafficking business (such as the growing demand for clandestine and cheaper services in the sector, the low business ethic of some segments of Italian industry, the delay in implementing proper waste-management policies and legislation, and the low public awareness regarding the threat posed by eco-crimes).     

Sustainable Development: Concepts and Rankings

One way of thinking about development - endorsed by the UNDP and the Brundtland Commission - involves improvements in the quality of life which are equitable. This conception invokes two values - equity and well-being - which can conflict. The potential conflict suggests that countries which are doing well in terms of well-being may perform badly on environmental concerns. Desai argued to the contrary that there are positive linkages between human development and environmental protection. He found tentative support for this claim in rankings of developing countries in terms of the HDI and indices of environmental exploitation. This result is not robust when similar exercises are carried out using a different set of countries and closely related indices.     

城市如何创新:概念特征、动力机制与发展方向

城市创新是解决城市经济增长、环境可持续发展、城市安全等问题的关键手段,也是全球城市转型和政府革新的动力源泉。通过研究"创新"与"城市"的概念以及二者之间相互促进的关系,可以界定城市创新的概念及其具有的五个特征:内容的新颖性、行动主体的多样性、场域的公共性、创新范围的复合性、结果的不确定性。继而对"城市创新何以产生"方面,分析了环境要素驱动、行动者驱动、需求-供给驱动的三重驱动逻辑,利用结构功能主义、组织行为学、市场均衡理论三重视角对城市创新的动力机制进行归纳。未来城市创新的研究要更注重城市创新研究的系统性、精细化,对不同城市创新类型的比较研究、城市创新驱动机制的深层次揭示、城市创新效果评估等议题需要给予更多的关注。     

关于我国环境责任保险制度的现状分析及立法构想

环境责任保险在我国尚处雏形期,保险方式、具体制度设置不够合理,保险经营技术落后,政府支持度不够,企业认识不深入。未来应当从完善环境责任立法出发,实行保险分业管理,强制险与任意险相结合,优化各项具体保险制度,加大政府扶持力度。     

环境正义与生态帝国主义:基于美国利益集团政治和全球南北对立的分析

环境正义属于环保中的公平正义,与阶级、种族和收入差距直接相关。环境正义运动起源于美国,突出表现为反对环境种族主义的斗争,与民权运动相关联。本文系统考察了美国环境正义运动的历史及相关的国内外研究文献,并运用美国密执安大学社会研究所的《美国全国选举研究》(ANES)民意测验资料,分析了围绕环境正义问题的美国利益集团和政治意识形态冲突。同时,考察了其他一些国家的环境正义问题以及环境正义问题的国际延伸,即生态帝国主义和围绕环境正义的南北政治意识形态冲突。最后,探讨了环境正义和生态帝国主义议题对中国的启示。     

我国环境犯罪刑罚问题研究

随着环境问题逐步受到世界各国的普遍关注,环境保护成为了世界的主题。鉴于我国环境保护的现实需要,1997年《刑法》设专节规定了"破坏环境资源保护罪",形成了相对独立的环境刑法,在环保中发挥了越来越重要的作用。但是,随着工业的发展,新的环境问题层出不穷,现有的环境犯罪立法逐渐暴露出其不足之处,如何运用刑法武器来保护环境已经成为摆在我们面前亟待解决的问题。因此,有必要从我国的环境刑罚现状及存在的缺陷出发,对国外环境刑法进行借鉴,完善我国环境刑罚相关制度。     

环境法上的公正

环境法的公正具有自己的特征,环境法上存在着区域公正,国际公正,社会公正和代际公正。区域公正是指在相关区域环境权利与义务的分配是否恰当平衡。国际公正涉及国与国之间享有环境的权利和国际环境义务的分担。社会公正要求将环境行为置于社会背景下认识和解决。代际公正要求现实环境问题的解决方案要考虑到下代人的利益。     

毛发枪弹损伤的环境扫描电镜研究

目的探讨毛发枪弹损伤微观形态与射击距离之间的关系。方法应用环境扫描电镜/能谱仪对64式手枪在0~200cm范围内射击造成的毛发损伤及附着物进行形态和成分分析。结果0~30cm射击,毛发表面粘附有大量密集分布的球形射击残留物颗粒,鳞片有严重斑纹状损伤和崩裂缺损;30~60cm射击,毛发表面粘附有较多散在分布的球形射击残留物颗粒,鳞片有轻微斑纹状损伤和崩裂缺损;100cm距离射击,毛发表面粘附有少数个别射击残留物颗粒,鳞片无斑纹状损伤;200cm距离射击,毛发表面无射击残留物。毛发枪弹射击断裂形态差异较大,大体分为剪切断裂和牵拉断裂两种类型,与射击距离无明显相关性。结论毛发表面粘附的大量球形射击残留物颗粒及其造成的鳞片斑纹状损伤对于法医学鉴定贴近距离射击((30cm)具有重要的实用价值。