Rights to carbon and payments for services rendered under REDD+: Options for the case of Mexico

Mexico is relatively advanced in its preparation for international policy on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) and has many of the pre-conditions needed to support a community approach in the implementation of a national REDD+ programme, particularly as regards tenure of forests and experience with community forest management and PES schemes, although these conditions do not pertain everywhere. One critical issue that is yet to be resolved concerns rights to carbon credits and distribution of the financial benefits flowing from REDD+. We demonstrate that attribution of carbon credits from reduced deforestation and degradation at the community level is virtually impossible from a technical viewpoint, since these credits are counterfactual. Payments based on assessment of performance of each community in terms of such reductions would moreover be inequitable and inefficient. Flat rate payments in return for agreed improvements in management are likely to be more motivating and much easier to administer. However, increases in carbon stock (forest enhancement) can be physically measured on site, and could be more easily attributed to each individual community. We therefore propose a system in which reduced deforestation and degradation are considered environmental services, with credits accruing to national government. The financial value of the credits may be used to finance flat rate payments to communities who agree to implement improved management. On the other hand, credits for forest enhancement, which reflect measurable increases in carbon in the communities’ trees, would be considered environmental goods. These should be considered the direct property of the owners of the forest (in the same sense as wood or poles) and it would be possible for communities to sell these credits themselves. We acknowledge however that many other problems face implementation of REDD+ in Mexico, and provide a number of important examples.     

CDM and international technology transfer: empirical evidence on wind power

This article examines the effect of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) on the international transfer of wind power technologies. The analysis is conducted using patent data from over 100 countries during the period 1988–2008. It is found that transfers from Annex I countries to non-Annex I countries are significantly affected by the contemporaneous establishment of projects under the CDM. However, when taking into account the cumulative effect of CDM projects, the effect is negative. Finally, the effect of domestic absorptive capacity in the host country is positive and significant. Because involvement with the CDM may increase the latter, this is an important area for further research.     

What role for climate negotiations on technology transfer?

Little progress has been made in climate negotiations on technology since 1992. Yet the diffusion of climate change mitigation technologies to developing countries (non-Annex I) has increased dramatically over the last twenty years. The shift has mostly concerned emerging economies, which are now reasonably well connected to international technology flows. This is good news, as the bulk of emissions increases are expected to take place in these countries in the near future. In contrast, the least developed countries still appear to be excluded from international technology flows, mostly because of their negligible participation in the recent economic globalization. This article focuses on the policy implications of the contribution of climate negotiations to international technology diffusion.

Policy relevance

The discrepancy between the small amount of progress made in climate negotiations on technology since 1992 and the steady increase in the international diffusion of climate mitigation technologies leads to the perhaps controversial view that the diffusion of climate mitigation technologies does not need strong international coordination over technology issues under the UNFCCC. However, climate negotiations can play a key role in stimulating the demand for low-carbon technologies by setting ambitious emission reductions targets and policies.     

Fishing for justice: Human rights,development, and fisheries sector reform

A review of case law and other documentation of human rights issues in fishing communities highlights forced evictions, detention without trial, child labour, forced labour and unsafe working conditions, and violence and personal security, including gender-based violence, as key areas of concern. We argue that human rights violations undermine current attempts to reform the fisheries sector in developing countries by increasing the vulnerability and marginalization of certain groups. Citing cases from India, the Philippines, Cambodia, and South Africa, we show how human rights advocacy can be an effective element of support for development in fisheries. Finally, we outline how fisheries reform can better address human rights issues as an essential complement to the equitable allocation of fishing rights, contributing to improved resource management and human wellbeing.     

基于矿业权实地核查的湖北省矿政管理信息系统

为了将湖北省矿业权核查、矿产资源规划等数据库有机融合,为矿政管理提供一体化服务模式,提出了一张图管矿的总体工作思路、数据库建设、系统框架及实现方法,并开发了相应的信息系统。实际应用表明,＂一张图管矿＂系统改进了矿政管理业务模式,有效提升了服务水平,应用效果良好。     

辽宁数字化地震目录编辑

本文简述了基于MS Office套件的Excel和Word编制辽宁省地震目录编辑软件的过程,简介了辽宁省编辑地震目录软件的使用方法。该软件建立了通用的目录、报告数据库,定义出既完备又有利于检索和程序处理的库结构;编制了若干格式转换程序和自动入库程序。使多个来源于不同格式的数据,能自动合并到目录、报告数据库中;编制了基于通用目录、报告数据库的打印程序;编制了转换程序,在windows环境下实现上报国家地震局格式和适合辽宁地震预报使用需要的格式。     

Texas environmental flow standards and the hydrology-based environmental flow regime methodology

Abstract

In 2007, the Texas legislature created a program to identify environmental flow standards statewide through the coordinated efforts of scientific and stakeholder groups and rulemaking by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. To aid in this task, a Hydrology-based Environmental Flow Regime (HEFR) method was developed that combines a suite of user-customizable hydrologic statistics with an implementation framework. Following the concepts of the Natural Flow Paradigm, the methodology includes the separation of a long-term hydrograph into key flow components (e.g. subsistence, base, high-flow pulse and overbank) defined by the Texas Instream Flow Program. Seasonal, annual and inter-annual flow component statistics were then coupled with biology, water quality and geomorphology overlays, where available, and with implementation rules applied to example large-scale water supply projects to support development of environmental flow standards for use in water rights permit conditions. The HEFR methodology and resulting flow recommendations are compared to two contemporary in-stream flow studies and adopted environmental flow standards. Subsistence flows were fairly similar. Baseflows were in a similar range, but fewer than three seasonal levels have sometimes been specified in in-stream flow studies. Episodic events are quite different in terms of magnitude, frequency, duration and applicable number.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Guest editor M. Acreman

Citation Opdyke, D.R., Oborny, E.L., Vaugh, S.K., and Mayes, K.B., 2014. Texas environmental flow standards and the hydrology-based environmental flow regime methodology. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (3–4), 820–830.     

区域环境冲突与排污权交易模型探讨

废水排污权交易地区交叉补贴的设想是通过建立上下游地区之间的排污权交易模型,将下游地区的排污权交易所得向上游地区转移,解决上游地区对下游地区的二次污染问题,从而减少流域污染.本文在污染权交易基本思路和研究进展的基础上,在并不考虑交易成本的假设下,建立了流域污染总量分配模型和存在收入差别的地区间污染源排污权分配模型,以此来确定污染的总量分配及价格,计算污染权的地区分配及其收益.太湖流域由于经济最为发达,环境问题十分突出,是目前我国最适宜率先实施污染权交易试点的地区,因此假定以江苏省无锡和常州两个相邻城市进行污染权交易作为试点,运用上述模式,以分别计算基准价格、排污权交易量和交易效用,研究结果显示出交易具有明显的经济和环境效应.     

安徽省矿业权申请范围触摸屏重叠查询系统的设计与应用

矿产资源是国民经济与社会发展的重要物质基础,矿业权审批业务是国土资源管理部门的重要工作。安徽省矿业权申请范围触摸屏重叠查询系统不仅为矿业权申请人提供了方便实用的软件,方便了群众办事,而且对吸引矿业投资人、搞活安徽省矿业经济营造了良好的环境。本文从系统总体架构、GIS软件平台选型、开发架构等几方面讲述了系统的设计方法,并对系统的应用情况以及产生的社会效益及经济效益进行了分析和总结。     

基于地球椭球面模型的海上划界方法

目前,世界上还有许多国家的海洋边界没得到确定,由此引起的国家间海上争端事件不断。因此,开展海洋划界技术和方法研究,科学精确地确定两国间海洋边界显得十分必要。本文阐述了基于墨卡托投影的海图进行海上划界方法的不足,研究了利用高斯平均引数大地主题解算计算点到大地线的球面距离模型,最后设计了基于地球椭球面模型的等比例海上划界算法,并基于ArcGIS Engine实现划界功能。