Reviews

Books reviewed:
Bjørn Lomborg, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the real state of the world
B. Dalal–Clayton and D. Dent, Knowledge of the Land: Land resources information and its use in rural development
Krishna B. Ghimrie, The Native Tourist: Mass tourism within developing countries     

The geography of water conflict and cooperation: internal pressures and international manifestations

Studies on transboundary water conflict and cooperation generally consider interstate relations over shared water resources as distinct from intrastate relations. While connections have been made between international water relations and regional relationships in general, it is conceivable that international water conflict and cooperation may also be influenced by domestic water events and vice versa. This paper seeks to investigate the dynamics of water interactions across geographic scale and their relationship to broader international affairs. The research approach involves the creation of an analytical framework for assessing possible linkages between external and internal interactions over freshwater resources. The framework is applied to three case studies – the Middle East, South Asia and Southern Africa – utilizing 'event data'. To validate the findings from the quantitative analyses, the results are compared with conventional qualitative understandings of water and overall relations in the three regions. The comparison demonstrates not only the efficacy of the analytical framework in general, but also highlights, at least in terms of the specific case studies selected, the disparate water dynamics across geographic regions and the importance of considering water events, both national and international, within larger political and historical contexts.     

The Mekong River Commission: transboundary water resources planning and regional security

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) was established in 1995 and represents a third chapter in the Mekong Project's organizational history. The MRC's predecessors – the Mekong Committee (1957–78) and the Interim Mekong Committee (1978–95) – operated under difficult circumstances, yet made many contributions to transboundary river basin planning and international diplomacy. The MRC's 2001 Work Programme represents a shift in Mekong basin planning from the era of the Mekong Committee. This shift is largely embodied by a change from a project–oriented focus to an emphasis on better management and preservation of existing resources. The MRC is in a position to help address the related issues of population growth, environmental preservation and regional security. In doing so, the MRC will benefit from the programmes and international collaboration established by its predecessors.     

Equitable utilisation and effective protection of sharing transboundary water resources:international rivers of western China

Western China includes 12 provincial divisions (the 7 provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and; 5 autonomous regions of Tibet, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Guangxi; and one city of Chongqing), which comprise 71.4% of the national land area, 28.5% of the national population and produce 17.5% of the national GDP in China. There are 17 countries that have riparian relationships with western China, most of which are water-short countries. All are listed by UN ESCAP as countries with potential water crisis. The co-operative development and coordinated management of international rivers in western China is an important step toward the implementation of the national Great Western Development program. Taking into account of the national strategy and object hierarchy, as well as the development demand of the western region, it is necessary to pursue the multi-disciplinary study of the equitable allocation, utilisation, and ecoenvironment protection of transboundary water resources in the region. Such efforts will undoubtedly provide scientific evidence and support for the decision-making of the environmental protection and ecological construction and management in the western regions, the enforcement of the sub-regional economic co-operation, mitigation of trans-boundary conflicts, and enhancing bio-diversity conservation.     

Equitable utilisation and effective protection of sharing transboundary water resources: international rivers of western China

1 Introduction Recently, some important international institutions, like the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank, have pointed out that there will exist water crises, water conflicts, and even water wars in the 21st century. The equitable utilisation and co-ordinated management of the shared freshwater resources in international watercourses (sharing rivers, lakes, and underground water layers) were particularly emphasised and are turning out to be the international hot point an…     

尼罗河水资源与水冲突

自从阿斯旺高坝建成以来的30年间，尼罗河水资源供需矛盾继续存在。第一期琼格莱工程搁置，使尼罗河增水计划在可预见的未来难以实现。流域各国之间水冲突时有发生，构成影响东北非洲地区政局稳定的不容忽视的因素。有关各国在流域合作框架内，通过平等协商，努力减少矛盾和冲突，是唯一正确的选择。     

咸海流域水资源利用的区域合作问题分析

咸海的主要水源为阿姆河和锡尔河,自20世纪60年代以来由于人口的增加和农业政策导致的灌溉面积的迅速扩大,河流径流被大量引入且消耗于农业灌溉,使得入湖地表径流大幅度减少。原本是地球上的第四大湖泊的咸海,目前面积已缩小到只有原来的十分之一,并分离形成三个主要的残留湖,湖泊及湖滨的生态环境极度恶化。同时,巨大的干涸裸露湖床已成为盐尘和有毒物的发源地,严重威胁周边地区的人类健康。中亚五国自独立后于1992年签订了《中亚五国水协定》,旨在通过协定和后续协议加强区域合作扭转咸海流域严重的水危机与生态危机。但事与愿违,危机事态未得到抑制且有扩大趋势。通过对相关事态进行的深入分析,认为除改变该地区经济发展模式以减少农业用水外,在公平合理分配水资源的基础上加强国家间的合作,开展全流域水资源的综合开发、利用与管理才是扭转目前危机的最有效的途径。     

大尺度流域水污染防治能力综合评估及动力因子分析——以淮河流域为例

水污染是影响公众健康和经济可持续发展的突出问题之一。随着城镇化、工业化和农业化快速发展,流域水环境污染防治压力日趋严峻。以淮河流域为研究对象,在遵循大尺度流域水污染内在机理的基础上,采用熵值法、GIS空间分析法和回归模型等技术方法,通过流域水污染控制处理、监测预警、监督管理、防治投入等四个方面的能力,对流域35个城市水污染防治能力进行了综合评估,并对流域水污染防治的动力因子进行探讨。结果表明:①流域水污染防治力空间差异显著,东部平原地区污染防治能力较高,西部山区以及各子流域大部分地区防控能力较低,淮河干流及干流以南的中游区域防治能力中等偏低。②污染防治驱动力多元回归分析表明,流域内源动力,即公众教育、区域经济发展水平等因子是流域水污染防治的根本驱动力;舆论监督、外商投资等外源动力是区域水污染治理关键动力。     

Impacts of climate change on glacial water resources and hydrological cycles in the Yangtze River source region, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China: A Progress Report

The Yangtze River Source Region has an area of 137,704 km2.Its mean annual runoff of 12.52 billion m3,which was recorded by the Chumda Hydrological Station in 1961-2000,accounts for only 0.13 percent of the Yangtze River’s total annual streamflow.The extensive rivers,lakes,wetlands,glaciers,snow fields,and permafrost of the Yangtze River Source Region,as well as the region’s vast alpine grasslands,play a critical role in storing and regulating the flow of water not only in the upper Yangtze River watershed of Qinghai,Sichuan,the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) (Tibet) and Yunnan,but also throughout the entire lower Yangtze River basin.Climate change has been the dominant factor in recent fluctuation in the volume of the Yangtze River Source Region’s glacier resources.The Chumda Hydrological Station on the lower Tongtian River has registered a mean annual glacial meltwater of 1.13 billion m3 for the period 1961-2000,makes up 9 percent of the total annual runoff.Glacial meltwater makes up a significant percentage of streamflow in the Yangtze River Source Region,the major rivers of the upper Yangtze River Source Region:the Togto,Dam Chu,Garchu,and Bi Chu (Bu Chu) rivers all originate at large glaciers along the Tanggula Range.Glaciers in the Yangtze River Source Region are typical continental-type glaciers with most glacial meltwater flow occurring June-August;the close correlation between June-August river flows and temperature illustrates the important role of glacial meltwater in feeding rivers.Glaciers in the source region have undergone a long period of rapid ablation beginning in 1993.Examination of flow and temperature data for the 1961-2000 period shows that the annual melting period for glacial ice,snow,and frozen ground in the Yangtze River Source Region now begins earlier because of increasing spring temperatures,resulting in the reduction of summer flood season peak runoffs;meanwhile,increased rates of glacier ablation have resulted in more uneven annual distribution of runoff in the source region.T     

黄河大柳树水利枢纽工程区生态修复绿水资源消耗量定量模拟

绿水的确定和有效利用对于干旱半干旱地区水资源配置和生态建设有重要的意义。在绿水概念界定基础上,构建基于生态水文理论的绿水资源消耗量定量模型,并以大柳树水利工程区为研究对象,对工程区20世纪50年代以来绿水资源消耗量进行定量模拟,得到研究区绿水资源消耗量现状时空结构特征,进而得到不同水分供应条件下不同植被类型绿水资源消耗定额,确定生态修复措施下工程区的绿水资源消耗量。结果表明:(1)大柳树水利枢纽工程区绿水资源消耗量受降水影响明显,50年代以来整体上表现出增加到降低的变化趋势;(2)不同植被类型绿水资源消耗量差异明显:林地最大,其次为农用地;(3)大柳树水利枢纽工程区不同水平年绿水资源定额,其中枯水年:林地341.2 mm,灌丛241.1 mm,草地200.8 mm,农用地291.5 mm;丰水年:林地444.4 mm,灌丛306.1 mm,草地271.2 mm,农用地399.9 mm;平水年:林地370.3 mm,灌丛295.3 mm,草地250.6 mm,农用地360.6 mm;(4)根据各水平年不同植被类型绿水资源定额以及工程区生态修复方案,利用面积定额法得到工程区各生态修复措施需水总量及工程区各分区生态...     

The application of spatial data processing to land use conflict resolution in the lal lal water catchment of the Ballarat growth corridor: a case study from chapter one of the Buninyong planning scheme

Land use conflict within the Lal Lal Water Catchment is between landowners, the Shire, the Water Board and those directing regional pressures for development. It is exacerbated by inconsistency in building permit appraisal outcomes. The deliberations involved would clearly have benefited from access to spatial data sets through use of a Geographical Information System (GIS) during applications appraisal, in that inconsistencies are most obvious when mapped in relation to the criteria applied. GIS methodologies would ensure that information of a high standard was produced. Three strategic points are identified for the implementation of GIS: at the planning scheme formulation stage; the permit application stage; and the formal conflict resolution stage. Reference to GIS at the first two stages presupposes the existence of a local government area (LGA) spatial data base and a GIS/LIS that can output overlay maps. Application of GIS at the third stage is somewhat ‘after the event’. This study suggests that without such a regional review of the spatial patterns of permit appraisal criteria (including overland flow modelling) each appeal or negotiation is likely to yield an outcome that is inconsistent in relation to other cases. An LGA planning office maintaining a GIS with all layers relating to these criteria will have assembled its spatial data according to the requirements of its planning scheme and will make most use of it in a GIS at the permit appraisal stage.