Seismic isolation by rubber–soil mixtures for developing countries

This paper proposes a promising seismic isolation method particularly suitable for developing countries, which makes use of rubber–soil mixtures. Apart from reducing the level of shaking in the horizontal direction, the distinctive advantage of the proposed method is that it can also significantly reduce the shaking level of vertical ground motion, to which an increasing attention has been paid in the earthquake engineering community. On the other hand, the use of scrap tires as the rubber material can provide an alternative way to consume the huge stockpile of scrap tires all over the world. Moreover, the low cost of this proposed seismic protection scheme can greatly benefit those developing countries where resources and technology are not adequate for earthquake mitigation with well‐developed, yet expensive, techniques. The proposed method has been demonstrated through a series of numerical simulations and a parametric study has also been carried out. Lastly, five important issues regarding the concept and feasibility have been discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价特点浅析

相比陆上油气开发工程和其他海洋工程而言,海洋油气开发工程有其自身的特点,海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价应关注的内容与其他工程有所不同。文章通过分析海洋油气开发工程的特点以及对环境影响的特点,提出海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价要点,即包括施工期悬浮泥沙及钻井液钻屑排放对海洋生态环境的影响、运营期含油生产水排放对海洋生态环境的影响、工程建设对海洋环境敏感目标的影响、溢油事故环境风险分析、污染防治及生态保护措施,并针对目前海洋油气开发工程环境影响评价存在的问题提出改进建议。     

美、日、欧、俄空间政策调整产生的机遇与挑战

冷战结束后,以军事利用为基本特征的美苏空间争夺,已经被以科技创新和经济为中心的综合国力竞争所替代,信息技术和经济全球化的发展,导致外层空间成为具有知识创新要素和技术带动能力的竞争新领域。世界经济大国已经认识空间政策的设计是事关提升综合国力和竞争优势的重大意义。近年来,美、日、欧对空间政策进行了冷战结束后的第一次,全面重大的调整,伴随着体制转型俄罗斯空间政策调整也在展开,面对即将形成的国际空间竞争与合作新的格局和带来新发展机遇,如何清晰地鉴别、定位,对空间政策做出正确的调整,抓住历史机遇应对挑战是摆在中国面前的战略性、全局性和方向性问题。     

地理信息系统的发展现状和趋势

当前,在世界范围内,一个以GIS技术为核心,集遥感、GPS等技术为一体的新产业——地理空间信息产业——正在形成,并积极推动着传统测绘、地理和制图等产业向现代数字、知识经济产业发展。文章首先介绍当前地理信息系统研究中的几个热点研究领域;然后对GIS软件业界的现状进行详细分析,指出了我国测绘软件业存在的七个方面的问题,提出了“集约型、跨越式”发展我国GIS自主产权技术的具体政策和措施;最后介绍了GIS应用系统的发展及特点。     

How to increase technology transfers to developing countries: a synthesis of the evidence

The existing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has failed to deliver the rate of low-carbon technology transfer (TT) required to curb GHG emissions in developing countries. This failure has exposed the limitations of universalism and renewed interest in bilateral approaches to TT. Gaps are identified in the UNFCCC approach to climate change TT: missing links between international institutions and the national enabling environments that encourage private investment; a non-differentiated approach for (developing) country and technology characteristics; and a lack of clear measurements of the volume and effectiveness of TTs. Evidence from econometric literature and business experience on climate change TT is reviewed, so as to address the identified pitfalls of the UNFCCC process. Strengths and weaknesses of different methodological approaches are highlighted. International policy recommendations are offered aimed at improving the level of emission reductions achieved through TT.     

中国与周边国家地缘经济关系的双向互动分析

贸易关系可用来刻画中国与周边国家地缘经济关系的双向互动。本文通过构建源—汇互动矩阵分析框架,借助商品贸易数据,从出口与进口两个断面,选取偏好率、市场占有率和集中度3个指标分析了中国与周边国家地缘经济关系双向互动时序变化。结果表明：①周边国家出口到中国偏好率整体上升,且高于中国出口到周边国家偏好率;②中国出口到周边国家市场占有率远高于周边国家出口到中国市场占有率;③周边国家从中国进口偏好率高于中国从周边国家进口偏好率,中国从周边国家进口的偏好率主要集中在周边发达国家以及部分东盟国家;④中国从周边国家进口市场占有率总体上呈增长趋势,且高于周边国家从中国进口市场占有率;⑤中国与周边国家地缘经济关系双向互动主要集中在日本、韩国和新加坡等发展经济体以及东盟中的经济发展水平较高国家。周边国家和地区经济发展水平差异巨大,需要进一步探讨中国与周边国家和地区的地缘经济合作差异和演化规律,服务于“一带一路”建设和提升“周边是首要”的地缘边际效应。     

What drives policy change for REDD+? A qualitative comparative analysis of the interplay between institutional and policy arena factors

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) has emerged as a promising climate change mitigation mechanism in developing countries. In order to identify the enabling conditions for achieving progress in the implementation of an effective, efficient and equitable REDD+, this paper examines national policy settings in a comparative analysis across 13 countries with a focus on both institutional context and the actual setting of the policy arena. The evaluation of REDD+ revealed that countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America are showing some progress, but some face backlashes in realizing the necessary transformational change to tackle deforestation and forest degradation. A Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) undertaken as part of the research project showed two enabling institutional configurations facilitating progress: (1) the presence of already initiated policy change; and (2) scarcity of forest resources combined with an absence of any effective forestry framework and policies. When these were analysed alongside policy arena conditions, the paper finds that the presence of powerful transformational coalitions combined with strong ownership and leadership, and performance-based funding, can both work as a strong incentive for achieving REDD+ goals.

Key policy insights

• The positive push of already existing policy change, or the negative stress of resource scarcity together with lack of effective policies, represents institutional conditions that can support REDD+ progress.

• Progress also requires the presence of powerful transformational coalitions and strong ownership and leadership. In the absence of these internal drivers, performance-based funding can work as a strong incentive.

• When comparing three assessments (2012, 2014, 2016) of REDD+ enabling conditions, some progress in establishing processes of change can be observed over time; however, the overall fluctuation in progress of most countries reveals the difficulty in changing the deforestation trajectory away from business as usual.

     

地下水脆弱性概念的发展过程与评价现状及研究前景

地下水脆弱性概念的发展过程是一个由简单到复杂,由单纯考虑内因到综合考虑内外因,由分以趋同的不断丰富、完善与发展的过程。评价方法由应用图件定性描述发展到应用模型定量表达。本文指出了目前地下水脆弱性评价中存在的若干问题,并指出应用灰色系统理论、模糊数学理论、ＡＨＰ与ＧＩＳ技术进行地下水脆弱性评价将是地下水脆弱性研究的一个主要的发展方向。     

Perceptions of local community members towards foreign aid: A case study of Vava'u,Tonga

Foreign aid has arguably played a significant role in the economic development of the Pacific Island countries. Tonga is deemed to have succeeded in implementing the principles of the Paris Declaration of 2005, especially Ownership, Alignment and Harmonisation, by aid funding channelled through state institutions. Nevertheless, it is still unknown if the aid effect has reached civil society, and how community members perceive aid. This article examines the perceptions of community members towards foreign aid, using the case study of the archipelago of Vava'u, Tonga.