Comparative wood anatomy of 15 Malagasy Diospyros species (Ebenaceae)

Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) is an important source of ebony, a precious wood used for several economically important timber products. Species are overexploited in many regions, including Madagascar, for both the national and international trade, but little is known about their wood anatomy, despite its importance for forensic identification. Wood anatomy has a major role to play in ensuring the sustainable and equitable utilization of Diospyros species that are not threatened by extinction, and in law enforcement to protect threatened species from illegal logging. This study aims to identify, describe, and test the usefulness of anatomical features to support a taxonomic revision of the genus in Madagascar and to enrich databases for wood identification. Ninety-nine wood specimens were collected from the various bio-geographical regions of Madagascar, representing 15 endemic species (twelve previously described and three new) of large trees (reaching DBH ⩾ 20 cm and/or height ⩾ 20 m) were investigated. Standard methods for wood anatomical studies were used. Statistical analysis of the data using Factorial Analysis on Mixed Data was performed for 14 wood anatomical characters. Detailed descriptions and comparisons of the wood anatomy of the 15 species are provided, along with a wood identification key. Analyses showed that all the characters are highly significant () in the separation of the species studies.

How Does Strategic Choice affect the Performance of Community Forest Enterprises? A Study in the Cascadia Region

Proponents of decentralized forest governance make a compelling case that community forest enterprises (CFEs) can aid in sustainable and equitable utilization of forest resources. The effectiveness of CFEs is thus dependent on their ability to balance social, environmental, and financial performance. In this paper, we examine the relationship between a commonly recommended differentiation strategy and CFE effectiveness. Using data obtained through a survey administered on 51 CFEs located in the Cascadia region (British Columbia province of Canada; and Oregon and Washington states of the United States), we find that CFEs pursuing a differentiation strategy are able to balance social, environmental, and financial objectives. Further, recognizing that all CFEs cannot pursue a differentiation strategy, and some may not even have a defined strategic orientation, the paper compares social, environmental, and financial performance of CFEs pursuing a differentiation strategy, a hybrid strategy (a combination of differentiation and cost leadership strategy), and no defined strategy. This analysis reveals that CFEs pursuing a hybrid strategy deliver better financial performance than those with no defined strategy, but are similar to those pursuing a differentiation strategy.

Rethinking developed nations’ health systems through a social sustainability perspective in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. A viewpoint

This viewpoint paper argues for the need for more socially sustainable care systems that can better contribute to equitable utilization of health care in a post-pandemic era. Health care systems in developed nations need to rethink their role, particularly with regard to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) as well as becoming more sustainable societies. Socially sustainable care systems will recognize that systemic factors and processes (social, economic, environmental, cultural) need to be addressed simultaneously in order to achieve health equity. Moreover, these systems are likely to be of paramount importance for post-COVID-19, because of the potential increase in demand for health care due to forgone health care and the increased burden of chronic diseases as spillover effects related to COVID-19 mitigation interventions.

Nepal–India water cooperation: consequences of mutuality or hegemony?

This article reviews the relationship between Nepal and India, particularly in water resources cooperation. The two South Asian neighbours have entered into a number of agreements/treaties in water resources, namely, Sarada Agreement (1920), Kosi Agreement (1954), Gandak Agreement (1959) and Mahakali Treaty (1996). Nepal is criticized within the country for being unable to secure its benefits, and that all the agreements are in India's favour. However, the Indian side claims that overpoliticization of water issues in Nepal is the reason for not achieving the benefits from these agreements. Since the Mahakali Treaty, there has been deadlock in Nepal–India water cooperation as the implementation of the treaty has not materialized even after more than two decades since its ratification. Therefore, all the forms of cooperation in the past between Nepal and India can be viewed as the consequence of hydro-hegemony rather than mutuality. The article concludes that both nations need to move forward to create mutual trust for the equitable utilization of water resources, as there is huge potential for constructive cooperation.

Choice of and Equity in First-Contact Care in China’s Zhejiang and Qinghai Province: A Comparative Study

Background The imbalance between health needs and healthcare resources has become more serious in China. The hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system has played an important role in solving the problem, one goal of which was to increase the use of basic-level medical facilities. This study aimed to compare the choice of and equity in first-contact care among residents in Zhejiang and Qinghai provinces, China. Methods First-hand data were obtained through a cross-sectional survey of residents of Zhejiang and Qinghai. We first compared the proportion of residents who select primary healthcare institutions as the setting for first-contact care. Then we compared horizontal equity using the concentration index decomposition method. An urban-rural subgroup analysis was carried out for both provinces. Results A total of 4899 residents were enrolled, 2872 from Zhejiang and 2027 from Qinghai. The proportion of residents selecting a PHI as their first-contact care provider was 82.5% in Qinghai, and 54.4% in Zhejiang. The horizontal inequity index of selecting a PHI as first-contact care was − 0.180 and 0.007 in Zhejiang and Qinghai, respectively. The HI was − 0.088, -0.160, 0.069, and − 0.058 in rural Zhejiang, urban Zhejiang, rural Qinghai, and urban Qinghai, respectively. Conclusions The proportion of residents selecting a PHI as their first-contact care provider in Zhejiang was lower and the extents of horizontal inequity were more serious compared with Qinghai’s. We suggest that medical reform should be implemented based on socioeconomic development, because of China’s geographic vastness and the considerable amount of difference in development among geographic areas. Larger gaps in the medical insurance reimbursement ratio between different levels of medical institutions might aid in increasing the equitable utilization of PHIs.

Part IV Fundamental Rights and Obligations, A Substantive Obligations, 10 The Obligation to Prevent Harm to Other Riparian States

This chapter focuses on the “no-harm” obligation. Article 7 of the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention provides that in utilizing an international watercourse, states have an obligation to “prevent the causing of significant harm” to other states sharing the watercourse. The inclusion of this provision in the Convention, and especially its placement in a section of the Convention entitled “General Principles,” implies that it is one of the fundamental obligations in the field. Nevertheless, many questions surround the no-harm principle, particularly as it applies in the context of international watercourses. The chapter then addresses three preliminary matters. The first concerns the legal status of the no-harm principle and its relationship to equitable utilization. The second question concerns the meaning of “harm.” The third and final issue has to do with the way in which the operation of the no-harm rule has traditionally been conceived.

Part IV Fundamental Rights and Obligations, A Substantive Obligations, 9 Equitable and Reasonable Utilization

This chapter examines the concept of equitable utilization. Equitable utilization is chiefly a doctrine governing apportionment, or allocation, of water between states sharing an international watercourse. It is a dynamic process, which depends heavily upon active cooperation between states sharing fresh water resources. A new use in one state may change the equitable utilization calculus as among all riparians and therefore should be the subject of prior notification, consultation, and, if necessary, negotiation. This is true whether the new use is made by an upstream or a downstream state: new upstream uses may have physical impacts upon those downstream; and new downstream uses may have legal impacts upon those upstream, because they may alter the equitable balance of uses in such a way as to make subsequent new uses in an upstream state inequitable.

UPAYA PEMERATAAN KONTRIBUSI PARIWISATA PADA PEREKONOMIAN BALI

This study aims to analyze the distribution of income from tourism activities in Bali and to identify opportunities for more equitable utilization. The survey results show that: (1) the economic impacts of tourism activities on the Balinese economy can be seen from 3 aspects: sectoral output increase, employment output, and wage/salary output, which significantly affects the performance of particular sectors. The air transport sector in Bali is becoming the sector with the biggest increase in output and the increase in revenue due to the spending of foreign tourists. Meanwhile, the trade sector enjoys the highest employment absorption. (2) There is a gap between districts/cities in the Bali region which is shown by the amount of tourism share in business turnover in Badung regency compared to other regions. (3) There is still a chance of even distribution of tourism in Bali. Efforts to build tourist destinations in the peripheral region can be one option for efforts to state tourism activities in Bali. Keywords: tourism activities, distribution of income

Taxation an Effective Tool for Income Re-Distribution in Nigeria

This paper focused on taxation as a tool for effective income re-distribution in Nigeria. To achieve this data for the study were gathered from secondary source which include the Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the World Bank Data Bank for the relevant years 1981 to 2014 (34 years) and this period is consider long enough to eliminate any effect of short run fluctuation on the dynamic on taxation and income redistribution in Nigeria. However, the ordinary least square statistical tool was used in analysing the time series data gathered. From the analyses the paper concluded that all tax variants do not exert significant impact on income disparity as observed by GINI at 5% level. The result suggests the taxation as not be able to fulfil its role as a standard tool of income re-distribution in Nigeria. Premised on the conclusion the paper recommended that the there is the need for effective, and equitable utilization of tax revenue and this recommendation suffices because of the insignificant influence of taxes on the level of income inequality as measured Gini-coefficient. Thus, the paper proposes that that there is the need to examine properly the distributional impact of the Nigerian tax system to (or “intending to”) ensuring that taxes create a more income-inclusive society by bridging the income disparity gap between the poor people and the rich.