The energy sector is the major contributor to human-made greenhouse gas emissions. Can wind, wave and solar energy save us from catastrophe?Godfrey Bevan explores the issues of renewable energy and efficiency – and finds huge potential,... more
The energy sector is the major contributor to human-made greenhouse gas emissions. Can wind, wave and solar energy save us from catastrophe?Godfrey Bevan explores the issues of renewable energy and efficiency – and finds huge potential, but a terrifying lack of time.
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Climate change poses great risks for China, which makes adaptation an essential response. However, adaptation planning and implementation are still at a preliminary stage with respect to the theoretical framework and methodology. This... more
Climate change poses great risks for China, which makes adaptation an essential response. However, adaptation planning and implementation are still at a preliminary stage with respect to the theoretical framework and methodology. This article focuses on the status, problems and basic needs as regards adaptation to climate change, and outlines the operational framework that the government is seeking to pursue for China’s adapting to climate change. The conclusion is that, to satisfy the basic needs of development, it is necessary to clarify development-oriented and incremental adaptation. Furthermore measures to enhance adaptive capacity can be classified as infrastructure-based, technology-based and institutional. Lastly the authors stress the importance of appraising adaptation actions and measures from an economic perspective.
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DISCLAIMER The views expressed in the papers, including the country chapters, are those of the authors only in their capacity as researchers, and do not reflect the views of the Brazilian, Chinese, Indian or South African governments. The... more
DISCLAIMER The views expressed in the papers, including the country chapters, are those of the authors only in their capacity as researchers, and do not reflect the views of the Brazilian, Chinese, Indian or South African governments. The use of data sources other than official data from BASIC countries is for illustration purposes only, and do not mean acceptance of or agreement with those values by the Brazilian, Chinese, Indian or South African governments. Contents Preface v Equitable access to sustainable development: Contribution to the body of scientific knowledge 1 1. Introduction 1 2. Equitable access to sustainable development 2 3. Carbon budgets and equitable distribution 5 4. Overoccupation of the atmosphere by Annex-I countries GHG emissions 6 5. Two broad frameworks 9 6. Operationalising equitable distribution of carbon space through criteria 11 7. Comparing approaches 15 8. Conclusion: the need for an equity-based reference framework 20 The importance of historical re...
Solar radiation modification, particularly stratospheric aerosol injection, holds the potential to reduce the impacts of climate change on sustainable development, yet could itself generate negative impacts and is subject to intense... more
Solar radiation modification, particularly stratospheric aerosol injection, holds the potential to reduce the impacts of climate change on sustainable development, yet could itself generate negative impacts and is subject to intense scholarly debate based on relatively little evidence. Based on expert elicitation involving over 30 individuals with backgrounds across the domains of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we identify a broad range of potential implications of solar radiation modification for the SDGs. Depending on design and application scenarios, applications could potentially assist in the pursuit of several of the goals by limiting temperature rise and limiting acceleration in atmospheric water cycles as well as extreme weather events. However, by adding to particulates, introducing an additional layer of complexity and potential for conflict in global governance, as well as otherwise altering planetary environments, they might also detract from t...
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As China has rapidly industrialized since it began the process of reform and opening up, a great many farmers have shifted out of agriculture and are now working or studying and living in towns or cities, leading to a fast increase in... more
As China has rapidly industrialized since it began the process of reform and opening up, a great many farmers have shifted out of agriculture and are now working or studying and living in towns or cities, leading to a fast increase in China’s Urbanization rate. However, given that reform of the hukou system has stagnated, as well as the fact that social security and public service systems prioritize urban areas over rural ones, rural migrant workers are not treated in the same way as native urban residents in terms of employment and welfare, despite being counted as part of the urban population. This has led to a low citizenization rate. As a result, a new dual structure consisting of rural migrant workers and native urban residents has come into being in Chinese cities at a time when the long-standing urban-rural dual structure has yet to be eliminated. This has severely hindered the building of a harmonious society and the urbanization of China. To remove such a dual structure as soon as possible, the Communist Party of China (CPC) made it clear in the report to the 18th CPC Congress that it would accelerate reform of the hukou system, systematically promote the citizenization of rural migrant workers, and endeavor to cover the entire permanent urban population with basic public services. Later on, the CPC announced at the Central Economic Work Conference that it would prioritize the systematic promotion of the citizenization of rural migrant workers. In this new situation, a key challenge in promoting and improving urbanization in China will be how to systematically promote the citizenization of rural migrant workers by adopting effective policies and measures.
When a society transits to a new type of civilization, institutional innovation is indispensable to constantly regulate and accelerate the transition process. During transition from farming civilization to industrial civilization, through... more
When a society transits to a new type of civilization, institutional innovation is indispensable to constantly regulate and accelerate the transition process. During transition from farming civilization to industrial civilization, through institutional innovation, capitalism was created and improved. While the ecological civilization institutional system will not totally deny the industrial civilization, it will form and improve on the basis of industrial civilization and through continuous innovation.
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In the era of agricultural civilization, the city size and layout adapted to nature and natural productivity; while in the era of industrial civilization, the constraints of natural productivity were broken by technological means, and the... more
In the era of agricultural civilization, the city size and layout adapted to nature and natural productivity; while in the era of industrial civilization, the constraints of natural productivity were broken by technological means, and the increasing returns to scale have enabled the urban population size to exceed 10 million and the urban population density to exceed 10,000 people/km2. Under the paradigm of industrial civilization, the spatial agglomeration of resources is driven by economic rationality. Besides, China’s urban hierarchy has become a barrier and further strengthened the polarization trend of city size, resulting in an urban system in which the cities at higher administrative levels concentrate a lot of resources while suffering from prominent urban diseases, small- and medium-sized cities lack development vitality, and urban and rural areas are separated from each other. The historical experience that the flow of resource factors between urban and rural areas facilit...
Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is an advanced form of prostate cancer. Despite some progresses have been made, the mechanism of CRPC development is still largely unknown, including the genes involved in its development have... more
Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is an advanced form of prostate cancer. Despite some progresses have been made, the mechanism of CRPC development is still largely unknown, including the genes involved in its development have not been well defined. Here, we identifiedPRKAR2B to be a gene over-expressingin castration-resistant prostate cancer by analyzing the different online databases. Followed functional validation experiments showed that PRKAR2B promoted CRPC cell proliferation and invasion, and inhibited CRPC cell apoptosis. Whole genome transcriptome and GO enrichment analyses of the knock-down of PRKAR2B in CRPC cells showed that PRKAR2B mainly accelerated cell cycle biological process and modulated multiple cell cycle genes, such as CCNB1, MCM2, PLK1 and AURKB. Our study firstly identified PRKAR2B as a novel oncogenic gene involved in CRPC development and suggested it is a promising target for the future investigation and the treatment of CRPC.
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Abstract. This paper proposes a post-Kyoto scenario on commitment issues from a devel-oping country perspective in which commitments by developing countries will be linked to human development goals as the first priority and ultimate... more
Abstract. This paper proposes a post-Kyoto scenario on commitment issues from a devel-oping country perspective in which commitments by developing countries will be linked to human development goals as the first priority and ultimate goal, and then translated to carbon goals. Three different types of commitments are discussed with particular reference to devel-oping country participation, including: voluntary, conditional and obligatory. For low-carbon development, there should be no luxurious emissions but human development needs should not be compromised. A progressive and internationally coordinated taxation on carbon is suggested as an incentive mechanism under this approach. However, there are a few issues requiring further examination, including specification of basic needs and determination of progressive tax rates. Key words: basic needs, carbon emissions, human development, infrastructure Luxury emis-sions, post-Kyoto commitment 1.
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China’s declaration to the international community to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 is of great significance in advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and has a positive and... more
China’s declaration to the international community to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 is of great significance in advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and has a positive and far-reaching impact on China’s high-quality development. This paper expounds on responsibilities and ambitions in tackling climate change, analyzes the high-quality development opportunities brought about by CO2 emissions peak and carbon neutrality, and discusses the net zero carbon emissions transformation in the new era of ecological civilization. This paper is of the view that development towards net zero carbon emissions provides a new impetus for building a Beautiful China, and promoting ecological civilization and green development. The essence of carbon neutrality should be correctly understood so that the world will work together to improve climate resilience. China should also deepen the understanding of the principles and methodologies of climate cha...
The “Proposals for Formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035” puts forth that there will be a fundamental improvement in the... more
The “Proposals for Formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035” puts forth that there will be a fundamental improvement in the environment with the goal of building a Beautiful China basically. One of the key measurements of Beautiful China is carbon neutrality orientation. The task of achieving carbon neutrality is arduous, and the key difficulty of carbon neutrality lies in cities. The author believes there should be a timetable and a roadmap for carbon neutrality in cities. First, it is necessary to clarify the goal of achieving carbon emissions peak in the “14th Five-Year Plan”. Second, urban renewal, old city reconstruction and new infrastructure need to be incorporated into carbon constraints, so as to strictly prevent carbon locks, and fundamentally eliminate carbon demands. Third, the new construction, expansion or reconstruction of cities needs to be oriented by carbon neutr...
The COVID-19 disease broke out globally, bringing great challenges to public health security and increasing the difficulties in constructing ecological civilization governance system. Under the leadership of the Central Committee of the... more
The COVID-19 disease broke out globally, bringing great challenges to public health security and increasing the difficulties in constructing ecological civilization governance system. Under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Chinese Government and people have fought against the disease with courage and put people’s health and safety first. Through hard work, China has made achievements in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerated the restoring of work and life back to normalcy. While continuing to control the pandemic domestically, China promotes the building of a human community with shared destiny, and plays an active role in promoting global cooperation in public health, contributing extraordinarily to global public health and world economy. Guided by Xi Jinping’s Thought of Ecological Civilization, China has endeavored for modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and na...
China’s ecological environment construction has undergone three phases, i.e. the agriculture-based development phase with low productivity not long after the founding of the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.), the industrial development... more
China’s ecological environment construction has undergone three phases, i.e. the agriculture-based development phase with low productivity not long after the founding of the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.), the industrial development phase after the adoption of reform and opening-up policy, and the phase toward ecological civilization, each of which has its own features, challenges, responsive measures and achievements. From the year 1949 to the adoption of reform and opening up policy, the Chinese society was characterized by farming culture on the whole, facing problems such as frequent natural disasters, shortage in food production and low urbanization level. To jump out of the Malthusian Trap, the founders of the P.R.C. led people to prevent floods by water control, water conservancy projects and reclamation of wasteland, which alleviated but did not solve the problems because China still suffered poverty and backwardness, and failed to shake off the Malthusian Curse. After ...
Nature, especially organic lives within it, is capable of self-regulation and regeneration from damages. However, if the rate of human exploitation surpasses that of natural regeneration, problems such as environmental pollution,... more
Nature, especially organic lives within it, is capable of self-regulation and regeneration from damages. However, if the rate of human exploitation surpasses that of natural regeneration, problems such as environmental pollution, ecological destruction and resource degradation will occur. The author argues that nature needs compensation in a certain form and ratio for its production. Eco-compensation is a form of reimbursement in the name of protection to owners of eco-properties, but not to nature’s production. The true compensation should give nature a break by substituting natural products with manufacturing artifacts and utilizing social outcomes to restore ecosystem, cope with emergencies and preserve nature. The bottom line of maintaining the simple reproduction of life members in the ecosystem is the minimum standard of nature participating in distribution, namely the ecological red line. The sustainable development paradigm of ecological civilization requires that nature sha...
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Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in initiating dendritic cell mediated allergic inflammation. This study was designed to examine the effects of inhaled budesonide on TSLP expression in the lung tissues and on... more
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in initiating dendritic cell mediated allergic inflammation. This study was designed to examine the effects of inhaled budesonide on TSLP expression in the lung tissues and on the bronchial-pulmonary pathology in asthmatic rats. Thirty-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were sensitized and challenged with inhaled ovalbumin (OVA) to induce asthma. The asthmatic rats were randomly divided into 2 groups on the 22nd day of OVA challenge: a budesonide treatment group that received inhaled budesonide at 0.32 mg/kg daily for 7 days and an asthma control group that received inhaled 0.9% normal saline for 7 days. TSLP expression in the lung tissues was measured by Western blot and fluorescent-immunohistochemistry 29 and 36 days after OVA challenge. Bronchial-pulmonary pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin & eosin and periodic acid-schiff staining. Budesonide treatment alleviated airway inflammation when compared with the asthma control group 29 days after OVA challenge. However, the airway inflammatory reactions were aggravated in the budesonide treatment group 36 days after OVA challenge (7 days after budesonide discontinuance). TSLP expression in the lung tissues was significantly lower in the budesonide treatment group than that in the asthma control group both 29 and 36 days after OVA challenge (P<0.05). Inhaled budesonide can inhibit the TSLP expression in the lung tissues and alleviate lung inflammatory reactions in asthmatic rats, but there is end-of-dose failure.
Research Interests: Cytokines, Asthma, Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, Female, and 4 moreAnimals, Lung, Rats, and Budesonide
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In 2012, the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP18) of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the Convention) in Doha concluded a package of results which included the second... more
In 2012, the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP18) of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the Convention) in Doha concluded a package of results which included the second commitment period of the "Kyoto Protocol", ending the Bali Roadmap negotiating mandate (hereinafter referred to as the Bali mandate) after five years, and officially opening the intensive negotiations of Durban Platform. Compared to the "dual-track" negotiation under Bali mandate, Durban Platform mandate is on "one-track". But it does not mean that some parties' concerns and positions about "dual-track" have been adjusted. They are seeking a way to realize their needs in Durban Platform. Therefore, "one-track" negotiation on Durban Platform does not simplify problems, but presents problems intensively. At the beginning of Durban Platform mandate, whether to mandate the Durban Platform negotiations ...
Four scenarios have been developed with the view of describing how the future of the global climate regime may evolve. The scenarios range from a deepening of the Kyoto framework to new regimes with multiple treaties. The studies... more
Four scenarios have been developed with the view of describing how the future of the global climate regime may evolve. The scenarios range from a deepening of the Kyoto framework to new regimes with multiple treaties. The studies presented here intend to provide a platform for policy makers to debate how the future climate regime may be designed.
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Along with industrialization and urbanization processes, China's emission of greenhouse gases has been increasing rapidly and substantially over the past 40 years, as measured in aggregate and in per capita terms. While there are... more
Along with industrialization and urbanization processes, China's emission of greenhouse gases has been increasing rapidly and substantially over the past 40 years, as measured in aggregate and in per capita terms. While there are reasons to drive up the emissions, the Chinese government has made efforts to lower the rate of increase in emissions, as emission reduction is consistent with China's pursuit for energy security and sustainable development. Ambitious targets and aggressive actions have been made in China to accelerate the process of low carbon transformation. However, challenges remain and additional policies will be required to accomplish the process of low carbon transformation.