BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Development and Environment in Peninsular Malaysia . S. Robert Aiken, Colin H. Leigh, Thomas R. Leinbach, Michael R. Moss. The Rural-Urban Fringe: Canadian Perspectives . Ken B. Beesley and Lorne H. Russwurm, eds. Women and Development . Lourdes Benería, ed. The Border that Joins: Mexican Migrants and U.S. Responsibility . Peter G. Brown and Henry Shue, eds. Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development . Stanley D. Brunn and Jack L. Williams, eds. Time Resources, Society, and Ecology: On the Capacity for Human Interaction in Space and Time (Vol. I, Preindustrial Societies). Tommy Carlstein. Urban Geography . David Clark. Spanish City Planning in North America . Dora P. Crouch, Daniel J. Garr, and Axel I. Mundigo. Not On Our Street: Community Attitudes to Mental Health Care . M. J. Dear and S. M. Taylor Unequal growth: Urban and Regional Employment Change in the U.K. Stephen Fothergill and Graham Gudgin. Agricultural Land in an Urban Society . Owen J. Furuseth and John T. Pierce. The Petroleum Industry in Oil-Importing Developing Countries . Fariborz Ghadar. Historical Understanding in Geography, An Idealist Approach . Leonard Guelke. Regional Planning in Europe . R. Hudson and J. R. Lewis, eds. Remote Sensing for Resource Management . Chris J. Johannsen and James L. Sanders, eds. Geography and The State . R. J. Johnston. Texas Graveyards: a Cultural Legacy . Tlrry G. Jordan. The Politics of Location: An Introduction . Andrew Kirby. A Social Geography of the City . David Ley. Energy and the Future . Douglas MacLean and Peter Brown, eds. The Natural Environment of Newfoundland Past and Present . A. G. Macpherson and J. B. Macpherson, eds. Tourism: Economic, Physical and Social Impacts . Alister Mathieson and Geoffrey Wall. Railroads and Land Grant Policy: A Study in Government Intervention . Lloyd J. Mercer. Progress in Rural Geography . Michael Pacione, ed. Progress in Urban Geography . Michael Pacione, ed. Models of Spatial Inequality: Settlement Patterns in Historical Archaeology . Robert Paynter. Natural Hazard Risk Assessment and Public Policy, Anticipating the Unexpected . William J. Petak and Arthur A. Atkisson. The Nature of Geomorphology . Alistair F. Pitty. Regional Conflict and National Policy . Kent A. Price Women and Spatial Change: Learning Resources for Social Science Courses . Arlene C. Rengert and Janice J. Monk, eds. Urban and Regional Analysis for Development Planning . Richard Rhoda. Rivers: Form and Process in Alluvial Channels . Keith Richards. This Remarkable Continent: An Atlas of United States and Canadian Society and Culture . John F. Rooney, Jr., Wilbur Zelinsky, and Dean R. Louder, gen. eds. The Origins of Open-Field Agriculture . Trevor Rowley, ed. Residential Location Determinants of the Older Population . Gundars Rudzitis. Borderland Sourcebook: A Guide to the Literature on Northern Mexico and the American Southwest . Ellwyn R. Stoddard, Richard L. Nostrand, and Jonathan P. West, eds. Arctic and Antarctic . David Sugden. Tall Timbers Ecology and Management Conference, February 22–24, 1979, Proceedings No. 16 . Graphic Communication and Design in Contemporary Cartography (Progress in Contemporary Cartography , Vol. II). D. R. Fraser Taylor, ed. Living with Energy Shortfall: A Future for American Towns and Cities . Jon Van Til. The United States: Habitation of Hope . J. Wreford Watson. Air Photo Interpretation for Archaeologists . D. R. Wilson. Urban and Rural Change in West Germany . Trevor Wild, ed. Population and Resources . Harry Robinson.     

The investment climate for climate investment: Joint Implementation in transition countries

Transition countries are expected to become important players in the emerging market for greenhouse gas emission reductions, as they can cut emissions at a relatively low cost. However, the attractiveness of the region as a supplier of emission reductions will not only depend on its cost advantage. It will also depend on the business climate offered to carbon investors—factors like a well-functioning legal and regulatory system, economic and political stability and the capacity to process emission reduction projects efficiently. This paper looks at the carbon investment climate in the transition countries eligible for Joint Implementation (JI)—Russia, Ukraine, Croatia and the EU accession countries. It concludes that JI investors will face a clear trade-off between the scope for cheap JI on the one hand, and the quality of the business environment and JI institutions on the other. The countries with the highest potential for cheap emission reductions also tend to be the countries with the most difficult business climate and the least institutional capacity for JI. The most attractive JI locations may be median countries with a reasonable JI potential and an acceptable business climate, such as Bulgaria, Romania and the Slovak Republic.     

A feasible methodology for landslide susceptibility assessment in developing countries: A case-study of NW Nicaragua after Hurricane Mitch

In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch triggered a large number of landslides (mainly debris flows) in Honduras and Nicaragua, resulting in a high death toll and in considerable damage to property. In recent years, a number of risk assessment methodologies have been devised to mitigate natural disasters. However, due to scarcity of funds and lack of specialised personnel few of these methodologies are accessible to developing countries. To explore the potential application of relatively simple and affordable landslide susceptibility methodologies in such countries, we focused on a region in NW Nicaragua which was among the most severely hit during the Mitch event. Our study included (1) detailed field work to produce a high-resolution inventory landslide map at 1 : 10,000 scale, and (2) a selection of the relevant instability factors from a Terrain Units Map which had previously been generated in a project for rural development. Based on the combination of these two datasets and using GIS tools we developed a comparative analysis of failure-zones and terrain factors in an attempt to classify the land into zones according to the propensity to landslides triggered by heavy rainfalls. The resulting susceptibility map was validated by using a training and a test zone, providing results comparable to those reached in studies based in more sophisticated methodologies. Thus, we provide an example of a methodology which is simple enough to be fully comprehended by non-specialised technicians and which could be of help in landslide risk mitigation through implementation of non-structural measures, such as land planning or emergency measures.     

Stages in the emergence of a participatory tourism development approach in the Developing World

This study has attempted to examine and explain the stages in the emergence of the participatory tourism development approach under prevailing socio-economic, cultural and political conditions in developing countries without ignoring rural, peripheral areas of the developed world. It identifies three stages. These are: (1) the emergence of the pressures from external and internal factors on the central government to accept, support and facilitate the implementation of a participatory development approach, (2) the emergence of political will at central level, and (3) enacting legal measurements, re-structuring administrative systems at operational level and the actual community consultation or participation process. These stages are explored and elaborated under the guidance of three propositions. It concludes that political will at central level, enacting relevant legal measurements, empowering local communities and cooperation of dominant elite groups are sine qua non for the emergence and operationalization of the participatory tourism development approach as a pro-active tourism development strategy in a given developing country.     

当代发达国家对发展中国家的新掠夺—东南亚金融危机的再思考

二战以来,随着殖地民的纷纷独立,商品贸易成为国际经济联系的主要形,发达国家主要通过不平等的价格体系来剥削发展中国家,随着“后工业化”的到来,布雷顿森林体系的解体,国际垄断资本的跨国直接投资和投机成为剥削发展中国家的重要形式。     

Analysis on exploitation status,potential and strategy of groundwater resources in the five countries of Central Asia

As an important part of water resources of the five countries of Central Asia, groundwater resources give critical supports to the regional economic development. Accompanied by rapid economic development, the demand of groundwater is increasing. As a result, the governments are paying more attention to groundwater resource development and utilization. However, there are noticeable issues and contradictions in water resource exploration in these countries. To be more specific, these countries lack the studies in development potential and conception planning, thus influencing the sustainable groundwater development. This paper mainly discusses groundwater development problems in the five countries of Central Asia, and briefly introduces volumes and distribution of transboundary groundwater. In addition, it analyzes the current exploitation status of groundwater and studies the potential in utilizing the resource. Most importantly, it proposes creative ways to address groundwater development issues: To make best of the resource, international cooperation is required.     

World Heritage in danger: Big data and remote sensing can help protect sites in conflict zones

World Heritage sites provide a key mechanism for protecting areas of universal importance. However, fifty-four UNESCO sites are currently listed as “In Danger”, with 40% of these located in the Middle East. Since 2010 alone, thirty new sites were identified as under risk globally. We combined big-data and remote sensing to examine whether they can effectively be used to identify danger to World Heritage in near real-time. We found that armed-conflicts substantially threaten both natural- and cultural-heritage listed sites. Other major risks include poor management and development (globally), poaching (Africa mostly) and deforestation (tropics), yet conflict is the most prominent threat. We show that news-mining of big-data on conflicts and remote sensing of nights-lights enabled us to identify conflict afflicted areas in near real-time. These findings provide a crucial avenue for developing a global transparent early-warning system before irreversible damage to world heritage takes place.     

Democracy,electoral systems and emissions: explaining when and why democratization promotes mitigation

Does democratization help countries mitigate climate change? On the one hand, by increasing the value placed on quality of life, creating more opportunity for environmental actors to influence policymaking and holding elected politicians accountable, an increase in democratic institution and process should promote emissions reduction. On the other hand, the desire to safeguard individual freedom presumably brings with it an aversion to intervene in lifestyle and market decisions, thereby raising the risk of climate inaction. This outcome is further encouraged by the political need to balance (conflicting) environmental and energy interests.

This article evaluates the thesis that democratization promotes mitigation in light of national emissions levels from 1990 to 2012. Using data from the Freedom House, Polity IV and V-Dem indices, World Bank World Development Indicators and the World Resources Institute Climate Data Explorer it conducts a large-N investigation of the emissions levels of 147 countries. Although several quantitative studies have found that domestic political regimes affect emissions levels, this article goes beyond existing research by building a more sophisticated – multilevel- research design to determine whether democracy: (a) continues to be an important driver of emissions when country-level clustering is accounted for and (b) has uniform effects across countries. The results indicate that, even after controlling for country-level clustering and holding constant the other confounding factors, democracy is indeed a significant driver. More strikingly, they reveal that while democracies tend to have lower emissions than non-democracies, democratization spells within the same country do not have the same kind of inhibitory effects as they do between countries. This article also finds tentative evidence that the type of electoral system plays a critical role in shaping the effect of democratization on individual countries.

Key policy insights

• Democracies tend to perform better in terms of emission levels than non-democracies.

• Democratization has non-uniform effects across different countries, with the type of electoral system playing a key role in determining the effect that democratization has on national emissions.

• Further research is needed to develop our understanding of how the political context influences emissions, especially with regard to the influence of pro and anti-decarbonisation actors.

     

美洲铀矿资源现状及核能发展动态

随着全球产能结构的转变,"清洁、安全、高效"能源的使用将是未来发展的主流,核电俨然成为优化能源结构的重要发展领域。了解、掌握境外铀矿资源勘查开发和核能发展动态,实施"走出去"开发战略是我国核电发展的重要保障。文章以权威机构发布的最新数据和UDEPO (World Distribution of Uranium Deposits,世界铀矿床分布)的数据等为基础,综合分析美洲铀矿资源、生产和需求的最新情况及主要铀资源国家的核能发展动态。结果认为,美洲铀资源丰富,在全球铀资源供给中占有重要地位,面对美洲铀资源现状及未来愈加激烈的竞争局面,掌握美洲国家核能及铀资源发展动态,对我国实施铀资源保障战略至关重要。     

西方国家中产阶级研究进展及对中国的启示

西方国家中产阶级整个研究进展可以分为3个阶段。20世纪60年代前,研究重点集中在中产阶级概念、形成原因,以及中产阶级聚居区等;20世纪60-80年代,研究重点主要集中在中产阶层化与内城居住选择以及中产阶层化形成机制;20世纪90年代以来,研究内容呈现多元化,重点集中在中产阶级概念再界定、中产阶层化形成机制的再讨论、创新阶层、中产社区与社会空间公平、消费行为、政治作用与环保意识等方面。本文结合中国中产阶级研究概况,参照西方相关研究,建议今后应重点关注社会转型下中产阶级形成机制、阶层特征、中产阶级聚居区以及中产阶层化等方面。