ABSTRACT
This research attempts to model the complexity of planting trees to increase China's CO(2) sequestration potential by using a GIS-based integrated assessment (IA) approach. We use the IA model to assess the impact of China's Grain for Green reforestation and afforestation program on farmer and state incomes as well as CO(2) sequestration in Liping County, Guizhou Province. The IA model consists of five sub-models for carbon sequestration, crop income, timber income, Grain for Green, and carbon credits. It also includes a complementary qualitative module for assessing program impacts by gender and ethnicity. Using four scenarios with various assumptions about types of trees planted, crop incomes by township, CO(2) credit prices, state subsidies, methods for estimating carbon sequestered, and harvesting of trees, we find great variation in the impact of the Grain for Green program on incomes and on carbon sequestered over a 48 year period at both the county and township levels.
Subject(s)
Carbon/metabolism , Conservation of Natural Resources , Crops, Agricultural , Ecosystem , Environmental Monitoring , Forestry , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , China , Conservation of Natural Resources/economics , Conservation of Natural Resources/methods , Crops, Agricultural/economics , Crops, Agricultural/growth & development , Data Collection , Environmental Monitoring/economics , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Ethnicity , Family Characteristics , Forestry/economics , Forestry/methods , Geography , Humans , Models, Biological , Poverty , Rural Population , Sex Distribution , Time FactorsABSTRACT
State of the Environment (SOE) reporting is an emerging municipal management tool designed to monitor and increase awareness of the current status, changes and trends in the condition of the local environment. A multifaceted investigation was undertaken to examine municipal SOE reporting in Canada and to identify barriers to its widespread implementation. Highlights of the case study and survey components are summarized and a conceptual model for municipal SOE reporting is proposed. Overall, the study revealed considerable interest in environmental reporting, however, the lack of common municipal indicators, organizing frameworks and environmental data accessible at the local level impedes its widespread implementation. Future needs to enhance SOE reporting include: development of common municipal indicators, including environmental sustainability indicators; enhancement of the compatibility of SOE reporting frameworks across municipal, provincial and national levels; and re-examination of the data collected by diverse levels of government to optimize their utilization at the local level.
