Gender, geography and policy: the conundrums of engagement

This paper contemplates the relationship between the discipline of geography, and the making of public policy. It is particularly concerned with the compatibilities and incompatibilities of the nature of academic knowledge production and public policy development. As such, we contribute to an ongoing debate among geographers regarding whether and how they should engage with policy, and utilize examples from our involvement in the Metropolis Project, a Canadian initiative based on interdisciplinary research networks linked to government and public service agencies involved in immigrant settlement. We argue ultimately that geographers do need to engage politically with policymaking, but that the manner in which to do this is never straightforward, but rather takes place across institutional, ideological, and political landscapes that are perpetually shifting. Finally we suggest some helpful tools from feminist methodologies with which to approach policy-related issues.     

Granville Solvents: growth and remediation of a chemical recycling facility in a small Ohio town

Granville Solvents Inc. (GSI) operated for years on the Raccoon Creek flood plain in the central Ohio town of Granville, handling bulk quantities of fuels and solvents. The site is adjacent to Granville’s public water supply. The water wells of the village draw from a substantial buried-valley aquifer, which is vulnerable to surface influences and contaminants. GSI received a 3-year Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part A permit without any siting evaluation because of its grandfather status, and was able to expand its operations greatly. During the expansion, continued negotiations involving permit applications and modifications were conducted; with continued disregard for site contamination. Although a Part B permit was never granted, GSI operated for 6 years under RCRA. Today the site is a Superfund operation and more than five million dollars have been spent on cleanup and maintenance of contaminated soil and groundwater. After 15 years of cleanup, the active remediation has been suspended for the present; however, management of the site for the protection of the adjacent well field is likely to continue well into the future.     

公共事业由政府管理向公共治理的转变--以"计划生育"为例

以我国普遍存在的计划生育问题为实例 ,管窥公共事业的治理之道。在我国公共事业的改革中 ,应重视重塑公众观念 ,以消除“公众失误”现象 ,将政府行为逐渐过渡到公共行为 ,改刚性管理为柔性管理 ,在重塑现代管理的同时 ,发挥公共管理应有作用。     

Enhancing the human benefits of flood warnings

This article evaluates some of the factors which limit the human benefits of hazard warnings, with specific reference to flood warnings, and we conclude by suggesting ways of enhancing these benefits. We focus mainly upon the economic benefits generated by flood damage savings by households that warnings facilitate; health effects of flooding and flood warnings; and the effects of warnings on loss of life and physical injury. Our results, based partly upon surveys of flooded households, reveal that economic benefits are currently more limited than we previously thought, but that for several reasons these benefits are likely to be under-estimated. We argue that the intangible benefits to public health, safety and security must also be taken into account in decisions about investment in flood warnings. In England and Wales, the public’s response to flood warnings is currently low and is a key benefit-limiting factor which could begin to undermine a recent major shift in national flood risk management policy towards a more people-centred, portfolio approach in which changing human behaviour is viewed as important. Using a trans-disciplinary approach, we discuss the evidence and literature surrounding this poor response, and suggest a number of ways in which the issue may be addressed in future.     

公众参与理论、方法及其在水资源集成管理研究中的国际进展

通过对国际上公众参与相关概念的辨析及其理论发展轨迹的评述，系统的总结出公众参与理论的主要内容与特征，并分别就公共参与的权利关系变化、主流价值观演变和组织管理方式特点展开详细说明。在此基础上，对国际水资源集成管理的公众参与目的、价值体现及具体实施目标、过程设计和保障条件做出全面、系统的解释说明；分别就公众参与式管理的过程、实力和关系作用，参与式管理过程核心控制点，各个运行环节监督评估效果的异同特征做出理论总结。基于对国际上公众参与理论及其应用的分析与总结基础上，提出就中国政治体制和现实实践条件而言，均需加强和发挥政府在参与式水管理的作用。进一步展望中国公众参与的研究方向与应用领域，得出具有中国特色的水资源集成管理中公众参与的定性、定量结合实证研究的发展方向。     

An overview of climate change impacts on the society in China

Society could sustain the impact of climate change by adapting to the change and mitigating risks from adverse effects of increasing changes, so that it can continue maintaining its prospect and improving wellbeing. Nevertheless, climate change is more or less affecting society's functions at different scales, including both individuals and communities. In this review, we discuss the relationship between society and climate change in China from the aspects of the needs at different socioeconomic developing stages. The relationship as well as the current spatial pattern and future risks of the climate change impacts on societies are summarized. The complexity of social and climatic systems leads to the spatial heterogeneity of climate impacts and risks in China. To more effectively leverage increasing knowledge about the past, we advocate greater cross-disciplinary collaboration between climate adaption, poverty alleviation and Nature-based Solutions (Nbs). That could provide decision makers with more comprehensive train of thoughts for climate policy making.     

The spaces of modernisation: Outcomes, indicators and the local government modernisation agenda

The modernisation of local government has attempted to reinvent central-local government relations by offering freedoms and flexibilities to facilitate the governance of local issues. At the same time, a shift to outcome focussed targets as a new form of governmental rationality allows central government to delimit these opportunities. Drawing on aspects of governmentality and actor-network theory, the paper explores the tensions between these modes of government. It argues that outcome focussed targets circumscribe the limits of local governance by offering a despatialised technology of government. Using a case study of Local Public Service Agreements, the paper highlights the problems 10 English rural local authorities have experienced in their attempts to construct and negotiate a series of local policy targets with central government. The paper shows how the spatial limitations of statistical governance conspire against the construction of targets which reflect local policy priorities. In conclusion we consider the extent to which these limitations are a deliberate act of control and consider the implications for agency within networks of governmentality.     

Mediterranean pollution: Health related aspects

Starting from the premise that the main Mediterranean pollution problems are all directly or indirectly health-related, this article surveys the health components of the Mediterranean Action Plan. The Action Plan's pilot projects are described and problems of coordinating national scientific methodologies are pointed out. The protocol on landbased pollution and the problem of mercury in seafood are analysed. The article concludes that, while there is no room for complacency, the extent of Mediterranean pollution has been exaggerated by some commentators.     

地理信息系统与公交企业的线路站点管理

分析了国内城市公共汽运交通的现状,阐述了在公共交通企业内部如何应用地理信息系统技术,提出了基于计算机自动化管理公交线路和公交站点的解决方案,并对未来城市公交的发展作以展望。