Key issues in regional growth and integration in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT

The decade to 2015 saw rapid growth in trade between Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Much of this growth reflected South African exports to its neighbours of diversified manufactured goods to meet growing urban consumption and to supply inputs to mining and infrastructure. While most SADC countries, aside from South Africa, grew quite rapidly over this period, their exports remained oriented to a narrow range of minerals and agricultural commodities destined to go outside the region. Drawing from a series of sectoral studies, we assess key regional issues including the investment and production decisions of firms whose operations stretch across borders, and consider the implications for a bottom-up integration agenda that could build productive capabilities across countries. Our evaluation highlights the importance of the spread of supermarkets, the need to address transport and logistics, and value chains whose competitive advantages are inherently regional, as in the cases of poultry and mining.     

Trade-offs between conservation and socio-economic objectives in managing a tropical marine ecosystem

Understanding the trade-off relationships between ecological, economic and social objectives is important in designing policies to manage or restore ecosystems. Using the northern South China Sea (NSCS) as a case study, we explore the trade-offs between conservation and socio-economic objectives in managing fisheries in tropical marine ecosystems. Using a numerical optimization routine and ecosystem modelling (Ecopath with Ecosim), the study shows that current management of the NSCS is sub-optimal both in terms of conservation and economic objectives. Therefore, improvement in both conservation status and economic benefits can be achieved by reducing fishing capacity. However, the implementation of conservation plans may be hindered by the reduced number of fisheries-related jobs and the lack of alternative livelihoods. Similar trade-offs are apparent in many tropical marine ecosystems. Thus, this paper supports claims from previous studies that solving the alternative livelihood problems appears to be a priority for improving management and conservation in these ecosystems. A buy-back scheme that is funded by fishers might be effective in reducing fishing capacity. However, public funds are required if management objectives focus strongly on conservation. This might be justified by the direct or indirect benefits to society that could be provided by well-conserved ecosystems. This study highlights the conflict between maximizing conservation and social objectives, although win-win solutions between conservation and economic objectives may be possible.     

海域资源资产所有权资源清单及管理体制初探

明确自然资源资产产权主体是统筹推进自然资源资产产权制度改革的重要任务。本文以海域资源为研究对象,以所有权改革为切入点,从资源清单和分级行使两个方面探索解决所有者不到位、权责不明晰和权益不落实等问题的实现路径。本文首先梳理出当前海域资源的管理现状及存在问题;然后,探索制定中央直接行使和委托地方行使海域资源资产所有权资源清单和空间范围,并进一步细化出分级行使所有权主体的权利、义务、责任和评价考核等;最终,针对海域资源资产所有权管理融入到自然资源资产产权改革方面提出对策建议。     

How trade in ecotourism services can save nature: a policy scenario analysis

This article considers a developing country which is abundant in a non-renewable natural resource but scarce in industrial goods. The resource can be used for consumption or for exporting ecotourism services. The article examines scenarios in which technical progress, rising demand for tourism services and higher preferences for the environment reduce today's optimal depletion of the resource. Myopic behaviour and future terms-of-trade gains, however, encourage overexploitation of the resource. As a remedy, the article derives the socially optimal subsidy for the conservation of the resource and discusses North–South transfer schemes which save nature via trade in ecotourism services. Numerical examples suggest that under optimistic assumptions a subsidy rate of about 10% would suffice to preserve the natural resource in the developing country for the provision of tourism services. The resulting cost burden would represent less than 0.03% of the Northern GDP.     

Liquefied Natural Gas in the Baltic Sea Region

This study analyzes the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal plans and their impact on gas supply in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Although the realized capacity of the planned terminals will be smaller than the planned one, these LNG terminals are strategic investments, as they will introduce competition that has a lowering impact on the price, and moreover, the terminals will improve the security of gas supply, though the BSR cannot build its gas supply on the LNG deliveries alone. In other words, the terminals will not replace Russia's deliveries but rather allow the countries in the eastern BSR to diversify a proportion of their gas supply.     

川渝发展高新技术产业带的可行性与基本策略

作为国家西部大开发战略规划的重点区域之一的川渝两地是长江上游经济带的核心区域.高新技术发展新特点为川渝地区发展高新技术产业带奠定了理论基础,同时川渝两地发展高新技术产业带具有一定的现实基础;应抓住机遇,积极构建、发展川渝高新技术产业带.     

松辽盆地南部泉头组孢粉组合

详细列出松辽盆地南部泉头组主要孢粉组合及百分含量。泉头组的孢粉组合带反映了新老交替的特点,被子植物花粉开始发展,一部分早白垩世常见分子有的绝灭,有的衰退。综合考虑泉头组的时代应为阿尔必中晚期。     

对于进一步完善环渤海区域合作机制的设想

本文在回顾环渤海区域合作发展历程的基础上,总结了区域合作取得的成绩,分析了目前存在的不足。为了更有效地开展环渤海区域合作,提升环渤海区域的整体竞争力,本文提出了完善的环渤海区域合作机制应该包括的主要内容。     

海州湾近海海水、沉积物及贝类体内重金属的含量和分布特征

根据2008年海州湾海域环境调查资料,着重分析了海州湾近海海水、沉积物及贝类体内重金属的含量及分布。结果表明,海州湾海水中Pb、Cd、Cu、Zn的含量均低于第二类海水标准;Pb、Cd、Zn在临洪河口、堤北附近海域含量高于其他海区。各海区沉积物中Pb、Cd、Cu、Zn、Hg和As的含量都低于《海洋沉积物质量》第一类标准,质量良好。文中依据《无公害水产品安全要求》和《海洋生物质量》进行评价,海州湾沿海36份贝样中,Hg、As、Cu、Pb、Cd、Zn的残留量均有不同程度超标,以Cd、As含量超标较为严重,海州湾近海贝类质量状况并不乐观。临洪河口到港区段海水、沉积物和贝类体内重金属受外在因素影响,叠加作用较为明显。     

数学仿真建模在生态环境实证研究中的应用——以舟山为例

随着工业化、城市化迅速发展,生活环境的日趋恶化,城市的严重污染, “掠夺式”开发与利用,人类活动的范围和程度超过了自然环境的承载力.保护生态环境已成为人们的一种追求.随着全球意识的加强,大气污染、海洋污染、城市污染等影响日益呈现国际化趋势,保护海洋、海岛环境问题已提到重要议事日程.本文以舟山为例,通过对环境的理想化建模和数据仿真,结合相关理论评价和分析舟山环境和环境污染现状,为舟山经济发展和环境保护提供了可借鉴的理论与实践.