Sustainable Development Capacity Research Articles

Research on the relationship between college students' employability and IT skills training based on mixed research methods.

In the Internet era, there is a mismatch between the skill demands of the IT industry in China and the employment prospects of computer science graduates. The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly highlighted co-existing challenges for industry recruitment and student employment. Many education institutions see IT skills training as a way to solve this conflict. The present paper employs a mixed methods approach to explore factors regarding computer science students' employability. The study used a questionnaire informed by an indepth literature review, full scale development theory and the theory of competency-based education. Reliability analysis and factor analysis methods were used to assess component reliability and structural validity. A total of 323 valid questionnaires were collected and subjected to mean and variance analyses to explore significant differences, including in terms of gender, in student employability. The results show that: (1) employability is divided into nine factors; (2) IT skills training can improve employability; (3) the employability level of computer science students who participate in IT skills training is high; (4) there are significant gender differences in professional ethics, scientific spirit and job-seeking skills, but no significant gender differences in humanistic qualities, computer cognition and operation skills, software design and development skills, system use and innovation skills, sustainable development capacity and teamwork skills. The identification of student employability factors can help education institutions to improve their training and can be used as a standard for students' self-evaluation and selfimprovement. The paper also provides suggestions for education institutions about how to set up IT skills training programmes to enhance students' future employment prospects in the IT industry.

Evolution and Simulation of Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Storage and Sustainability Assessment in Karst Areas: A Case Study of Guizhou Province.

Against the background of "carbon neutrality" and sustainable development goals, it is of great significance to assess the carbon storage changes and sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems in order to maintain the coordinated sustainable development of regional ecological economies and the balance of terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, the terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage in Guizhou from 2010 to 2020 was assessed with the InVEST model. Using the PLUS model, the distribution of terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage by 2030 and 2050 was predicted. The current sustainable development level of the terrestrial ecosystem of Guizhou was evaluated after establishing an index system based on SDGs. The results showed the following: (1) From 2010 to 2020, the terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage decreased by 1106.68 × 104 Mg. The area and carbon storage of the forest and farmland ecosystems decreased while the area and carbon storage of the grassland and settlement ecosystems increased. (2) Compared with 2020, the terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage will be reduced by 4091.43 × 104 Mg by 2030. Compared with 2030, the terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage will continue to decrease by 3833.25 × 104 Mg by 2050. (3) In 2020, the average score of the sustainable development of the terrestrial ecosystem was 0.4300. Zunyi City had the highest sustainable development score of 0.6255, and Anshun had the lowest sustainable development score of 0.3236. Overall, the sustainable development of the terrestrial ecosystem of Guizhou was found to be high in the north, low in the south, high in the east, and low in the west. The sustainable regional development of the terrestrial ecosystem of Guizhou was found to be unbalanced, and the carbon storage of the terrestrial ecosystem will keep decreasing in the future. In order to improve the sustainable development capacity of the terrestrial ecosystem, the government needs to take certain measures, such as returning farmland to forests and grasslands, curbing soil erosion, and actively supervising.

Assessment of the Sustainability of the Resource-Based Province Shanxi, China Using Emergy Analysis

According to the BP Statistical Yearbook of World Energy, China’s coal production and consumption have ranked first in the world in recent years. Shanxi, a central China province, plays an important role in China’s energy supply because of its large coal reserves, long mining history, and high output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of the eco-economic system in Shanxi Province, a typical resource-based region. Through emergy analysis, this study quantified the sustainable development of the eco-economic system in Shanxi Province from 2013 to 2020 from five dimensions: basic emergy quantity, social subsystem, economic subsystem, environmental subsystem, and capacity for sustainable development. The results show that Shanxi Province has made great progress in recent years in terms of the emergy value of renewable resources, per capita emergy consumption, and electricity emergy ratio, but the proportion of nonrenewable emergy is still large, the intensity of emergy is high, and the exchange rate of emergy is low. Lastly, the sustainable development indicators ESI and EISD reflect that Shanxi Province is gradually improving the utilization efficiency of resources, and Shanxi Province has achieved certain results after experiencing transition pains. This study, combined with the actual situation of Shanxi Province and the problems found, puts forward corresponding countermeasures. The analysis method used in this study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific evaluation of the sustainable development of a resource-based region, and the research results have profound practical significance for improving the quality of Shanxi’s economic development and helping Shanxi’s economic transformation.

Mitigation of Regional Disparities in Quality Education for Maintaining Sustainable Development at Local Study Centres: Diagnosis and Remedies for Open Universities in China

Regional disparities in quality education remain a sensitive issue in developing and developed countries and also in basic and higher education. The issue for the moment is especially crucial for open educational institutions regarding the stability of the open education ecosystem and the capacity for sustainable development. Our research focuses on the aspect of the quality of teaching and learning and its enhancement. In the study, we systematically explored the regional disparities of teaching and learning quality in local study centres with samples of 72 from Jiangsu Open University (JOU), China. With statistical toolkits and a typological research paradigm, we have identified the ranking of the local study centres according to holistic performance. By the clustering methods, we categorised the local study centres as belonging to four types: potentially contradictory, urgently to be reformed, less cost-effective, and normatively autonomous in terms of their basic attributes, learners’ support services, and teaching commitment. The research findings proved that the region where the study centres are located did have impacts on the quality of teaching and learning, and the scalability of student enrolment. The authors conclude and suggest that mitigation of the regional disparities in quality education will facilitate the optimisation of the local study centres in the regional education ecosystem and maintain sustainable development.

A Method of Evaluating Safe Operating Space: Focus on Geographic Regions, Income Levels and Developing Pathway.

Safe and Just Space (SJS) is a framework for determining the range where the use of natural resources within the Earth’s carrying capacity can maintain human well-being. However, there has been no systematic monitoring and evaluation of their sustainability across time and space. Here we developed and applied a model and a sustainable development human safe operation space (SDHSOS) index to assess the sustainability capacity and development path of 149 countries from 2000 to 2018. The results demonstrate that (1) The overall sustainable development capacity of all countries is at the middle or lower level and that it has increased over time. (2) The sustainability of natural and socio-economic dimensions and their degree of change show obvious geographic differences and income differences. (3) The national development path divided by income is characterized by a decline in natural environment dimensions and an increase in socio-economic dimensions, which mainly reflects a traditional development path model that promotes social welfare at the expense of the natural environment. This study suggests that nations can accurately identify development characteristics, expand their comparative advantages is the key to improving sustainable development capabilities.

Emergy analysis-based study of the sustainable development of Kunming’s urban eco-economic system

ABSTRACT We studied Kunming’s urban eco-economic system’s evolution from 2009 to 2018, using the emergy theory and method; with the entropy evaluation method, we analyzed the system’s natural, social and economic subsystems to know its sustainable development capacity. The results show that the system’s emergy structure has clearly improved, and its renewable resources’ emergy has been rationally employed. The environment load ratio, after reaching its peak in 2011, has been decreasing, and the environment stress has becoming lower year by year, as is conducive to sustainable development. Its eco-economic system, however, is highly dependent on the internal resources; its emergy self-sufficiency ratio indicates that it does not see sufficient utilization of imported emergy and feels excessive stress on its internal resources. It witnesses relatively high emergy intensity. The current population is about twice of its renewable resources’ population carrying capacity, and its dramatically growing population is presenting even high pressure on its social subsystems. This indicates that the living standard per capita in Kunming is lower than the national average. All of these factors will hinder the sustainable development of Kunming’s urban eco-economic system. Our analysis of attribute classification shows that it is more appropriate to calculate the tourist revenue by taking into account export emergy. At the same time, the analysis results of sustainable development emergy indexes obtained by ESI, EISD, euehi, euehi’ and entropy method are compared, which shows that the entropy method is able to better reflect the dynamic changes of the sustainable development capacity of its urban eco-economic system because it introduces all indicators of social, economic and natural subsystems for evaluation. In a word, sustainable development capacity represents the outcome of tradeoff and coordination of the three subsystems of society, economy and nature, and we can formulate corresponding strategies based on the above research findings.

Research on the Influence of Modernization on Oroqen Hunting Culture

With the development of human society, the issue about the impact of modernization on traditional culture is becoming increasingly important, which can help promote the harmonious coexistence between conventional and modern civilization. Using Oroqen nationality as a case study, this article examines the impact of modernization on Oroqen hunting culture, from the perspective of material and spiritual culture changes. In this essay, the author uses the method of literature analysis to study the literature about the Oroqen nationality, modernization thoery and sustainable development. Through the way, the paper explores the content, characteristics of Oroqen hunting culture and the defination, process, influence of modernization. Finally, the passage uses the ordinary methodology, from the angle of sustainable development capacity building theory, to recommend Oroqen future development path. It can give experience for those ethnic minorities confronting modernization.

How Many Trees Are Planted in African Cities? Expectations of and Challenges to Planning Considering Current Tree Planting Projects

Africa is a particularly vulnerable continent to the effects of climate and environmental changes. Several tree planting projects were launched as one of the plausible solutions to climate action. This paper reviews the recent tree planting projects in African cities, initiated between 2009 to 2021, focusing on analyzing the expected benefits to the populations. Indeed, these projects have become a widespread instrument to promise planning solutions for many African countries given the expected improvements to mitigate air pollution, carbon sequestration, and the conditions of cities for the health and wellbeing of their citizens. The consequences of uncontrolled urbanization in Africa also stress the importance of better planning of green spaces. African cities should reconsider urban planning with a clear focus on the role of green infrastructures because of their extensive social benefits and supportive capacity for any significant sustainable development. While these projects seem to be a promising initiative and are expected to deliver beneficial ecosystem services to citizens, there are still some loopholes that this paper highlights.

Correlation of the sustainable development goals index score and COVID-19 death rate: a comparison among 40 Asian countries

ABSTRACT Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, numerous studies have focused on its impact on sustainable development goals (SDGs); however, research on the extent of its successful implementation in relation to protecting human lives and health remains limited. Confronted with the fact that the SDGs have become a lower priority in recent years than they were in 2015, if it could be demonstrated that the SDG achievements had effectively mitigated COVID-19 mortality, it could motivate the world to focus on achieving the SDGs. Based on data extracted from 18 February 2020 to 1 April 2022, we investigated the correlation between SDG success and COVID-19 deaths in 40 Asian countries. The outcomes indicated (i) a strong negative correlation between the SDG index score and COVID-19 mortality rate (p = 0.001), and (ii) a significant (p = 0.004) negative association between the SDG index score and COVID-19 mortality rate after controlling for other heterogeneous variables, which included the rate of fully vaccinated individuals, hospital beds, aging population, GDP per capita, and universal health coverage. This study concludes that the lower COVID-19 mortality rate depends on the level of sustainable development capacity. Therefore, to better protect current and future public health, improving sustainable development capacity should be prioritized worldwide.

Research on Spatial Differences and Driving Effects of Ecological Well-Being Performance in China.

The essential requirement of sustainable development is to maximize economic prosperity and well-being while remaining within natural boundaries. This study focused on three aspects. First, a unique ecological well-being performance (EWP) evaluation model was developed by combining subjective and objective well-being indicators to assess China’s EWP from 2006 to 2018. Second, the evolution of spatial differences in China’s EWP was examined using the Dagum Gini coefficient and four spatial polarization indicators, from the perspective of eight economic regions. Third, we used the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method to decompose the driving factors of China’s EWP into four effects: economic, technical, objective well-being, and subjective well-being. Effective ways to promote the coordinated and sustainable enhancement of EWP in China were determined. The results showed that the overall level of EWP in China decreased from 2006 to 2018. The growth rate of China’s residents’ happiness index was not only slightly slower than the growth rate of the human development index but also significantly slower than the ecological footprint index per capita. The spatial differences of EWP in China were found to be expanding. Inter-regional differences were found to be the primary source of spatial differences in China’s EWP. Meanwhile, the capacity for sustainable development among provinces was further stretched, and, thus, the spatial polarization of China’s EWP tended to deepen. The importance of economic growth in boosting EWP cannot be overstated. China must actively encourage scientific and technological innovation, transition to a green development model, and raise human well-being in tandem with economic development. This study contributes to a scientific foundation and is a valuable reference for long-term and coordinated regional development in China and other emerging countries.

Numerical Study on the Influence of Model Uncertainties on the Transport of Underwater Spilled Oil.

Oil pollution influences marine biology, ecology, and regional sustainable development capacity, but model uncertainties limit the ability of the numerical model to accurately predict the transport and fate of the underwater oil spill. Based on a three-dimensional underwater oil spill model validated by satellite images of the oil slick at the sea surface, the Penglai 19-3 oil spill accident in the Bohai Sea was simulated; in addition, several sensitivity experiments were set up to investigate the influence of model uncertainties in the background wind, current, start time of the oil spill, and spill site on the transport of underwater spilled oil in the Penglai 19-3 oil spill accident. The experimental results indicate that the uncertainty in the background wind has a certain impact on the simulated centroid position at the sea surface, and little effect on the simulated underwater results, while the uncertainty in the background current has a significant influence on the transport of the underwater spilled oil both at the sea surface and underwater. An uncertainty of 24 h in the start time of the oil spill can cause more than 1 time larger than the benchmark case displacement of the oil spill centroid point and sweeping area at the sea surface, as the periodic tidal current is the main constituent of the ocean current in the Bohai Sea. The uncertainty in the spill site has a large influence on the final position of the oil spill centroid point, but the oil spill trajectories do not intersect with each other within 48 h, which makes it possible to identify the oil spill platform from the actual observations. The influence of uncertainties in the important model inputs and key model parameters on the transport of underwater spilled oil in the Penglai 19-3 oil spill accident is evaluated for the first time, which is of substantial significance for improving the prediction accuracy of the transport and fate of underwater oil spills.

Supporting a self-sustained energy planning ecosystem: Lessons from Sierra Leone

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for the achievement of universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. To fulfil this ambition, least developed countries need to mobilise enormous investments in a short amount of time. Deciding the extent, priority and timing of these investments is a hard task, for which many governments currently lack internal resources. Development Partners are supporting these efforts by contributing to the national energy planning ecosystems. In this comment, we focus on the role of Development Partners. We reflect on the approach to support strategic energy planning they took so far and on how they may improve it to further – and more effectively - support countries where demand arises. We take the example of one recent capacity development effort in Sierra Leone.We highlight that academia is one pillar of the national energy planning ecosystem, and conclude that academic partnerships play a critical role in changing the paradigm from short-term capacity transfer to a more sustainable capacity development. Formalised academic partnerships may increase the retention of capacity and support national planning ecosystems in becoming more self-sustained. Increased knowledge sharing on best open practices for energy data and model infrastructure may further support the ecosystem by improving the communication between academia, government and utilities.

Improving Environmental and Cultural Carrying Capacity to Sustainably Develop Soge Beach in Pacitan Regency Indonesia

This research aimed to (1) determine the environmental carrying capacity of Soge Beach tourism, (2) determine the cultural carrying capacity of Soge Beach tourism, and (3) develop a sustainable strategy of Soge Beach tourism. The research design used descriptive research and mix method analysis (quantitative and qualitative). Data involved primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with tourism management, tourists, entrepreneurs in Soge Beach and the surrounding area. Secondary data came from the statistical data of the Pacitan Regency government. Data analysis employed qualitative and quantitative analysis. Data analysis also used SWOT to determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of Soge Beach’s development. Research results showed high potential of environmental and cultural carrying capacity for sustainable Soge Beach development. Development strategies referred to SWOT analysis to reduce weaknesses by increasing cultural and environmental carrying capacity and improving existing opportunities.

Investigating into the Coupling and Coordination Relationship between Urban Resilience and Urbanization: A Case Study of Hunan Province, China

In the context of accelerated urbanization, constructing resilient cities is an effective approach to tackling risks, such as extreme weather, and various urban challenges. The coupling and coordinated development of urbanization and urban resilience is a prominent embodiment of urban sustainable development and high-quality development capacity. In this study, Hunan Province, China, which is frequently affected by various disasters, is selected as a representative for examining the coupling and coordination relationship between urban resilience and urbanization level. The panel data are adopted to construct a dual-system evaluation framework integrating urban resilience and urbanization level based on the entropy weight-coefficient of variation (CV)-CRITIC method. The coupling coordination degree of this dual-system evaluation framework is calculated with the coupling model in physics and GM (1, 1) grey prediction model. Additionally, the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of the coupling coordination degree are investigated and analyzed by ArcGIS and Geoda software. The following are indicated from the results: (1) The resilience of all cities is related to their geographical location and is characterized by a decrease from east to west; in addition, the resilience level of most cities presents a downward trend with time. (2) The urbanization level of most cities develops stably with time, but there is a growing gap in the urbanization level between regions. (3) There is a strong correlation between urban resilience and urbanization level in all cities; the unbalanced coupling and coordinated development emerge, specifically manifested by the polarization phenomenon. Eventually, a circle-difference spatial distribution pattern that starts from the central urban agglomeration and gradually decreases to the periphery is formed. (4) The prediction results of the coupling coordination degree suggest that there is an increasingly distinct polarization trend for the coupling and coordinated development between cities, and it is necessary to pay attention to those cities with a declined predicted value. (5) There is a significant positive spatial autocorrelation and agglomeration effects in the distribution of the coupling coordination degree of all cities, and the correlation is getting stronger with each passing year; the correlation mode is mainly characterized by homogeneity and supplemented by heterogeneity. Finally, several suggestions are proposed in this paper, in an attempt to lead the coordinated development of regions by novel urbanization and thus promote the sustainable development of cities. The methods and insights adopted in this study contribute to investigating the relationship between urban resilience and urbanization in China and other regions worldwide.

Do governance networks build collaborative capacity for sustainable development? Insights from Solomon Islands.

To build capacity for addressing complex sustainable development challenges, governments, development agencies, and non-governmental organizations are making substantial investments in governance networks. Yet, enthusiasm for establishing governance networks is not always matched by empirical evidence on their effectiveness. This gap challenges these groups to know whether investing in governance networks is worth their time and effort; a weighing-up that is particularly critical in contexts of limited resources. Through a qualitative case study in Solomon Islands, we evaluate the extent to which a governance network, called the Malaita Provincial Partners for Development, contributed to four dimensions of collaborative governance capacity: individual, relational, organizational, and institutional. We find that the network made moderate contributions to individual, relational and organizational capacity, while institutional capacity remained low despite the presence of the network. Based on these findings, we argue that governance networks are not a panacea. Continued efforts are needed to establish when, how, and in what contexts collaborative networks are effective for building collaborative capacity for sustainable development.

Study on Comprehensive Evaluation of Urban Water Resource Vulnerability

An evaluation index system of urban water resource vulnerability was constructed to objectively reflect the sustainable development capacity of water resources and provide reference for the construction of sustainable development cities. The improved analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method were adopted to determine the combined index weights to achieve a unification of subjectivity and objectivity and make the calculation more accurate and reliable. A comprehensive evaluation method was used to build the water resource vulnerability evaluation model. The annual water resource vulnerability index and vulnerability grade were calculated and determined. The results showed that the water resource vulnerability index of Jinan showed a fluctuant trend from 2008 to 2017. The annual vulnerability grade was severe, moderate, or mild vulnerability, and there was a gradual reduction in vulnerability overall, which was consistent with the actual situation. In the future, the water resource vulnerability grade will be reduced if the industrial structure can be further reformed and optimized, and the level of water resource management and the utilization efficiency of water resources can be further improved by strengthening the construction of smart water systems.

Characterizing and analyzing the sustainability and potential of China’s cities over the past three decades

China’s cities have made substantial advances in sustainable development through the development of ecological-civilization cities and green cities. Characterization of the level, development potential, and future direction of sustainable urban development is complex, thereby necessitating social, economic, ecological environment, and resource indicators. Synthesizing these indicators in a logical manner requires a deep understanding of cities and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, based on the existing classification framework of SDG indicators, this study develops an urban sustainability characterization framework and indicator system applicable to China’s cities. We also quantify the potential for sustainable urban development, and the sustainability and sustainable potential of all China’s cities are calculated over 1985–2015. The results not only show a significant increase in the sustainable development capacity of cities, but also a decrease in the spatial heterogeneity of cities. Overall, cities have been developing toward a more sustainable state. The proposed framework is also used to develop a dashboard of sustainability for individual cities. This research can help government decision makers and researchers understand the level and state of sustainable development of individual cities globally, as well as identify future directions and key indicators to improve their potential for sustainable development.

A Visualized Analysis of the Research Current Hotspots and Trends on Innovation Chain Based on the Knowledge Map

The continued increase in global trade protectionism, refinement of labor division, high innovation cost, and development of information technology have led to many enterprises actively being engaged in innovation to improve their national economic competitiveness. Although significant research has been carried out on this by numerous academic institutions, little is known about innovation trends in Chinese enterprises. In the existing methods of literature research, the scientific knowledge map, which, based on bibliometrics, is an effective tool for management knowledge, can visually describe the knowledge resources and their carriers under the state of time series and provides a new way for literature analysis. In this paper, the CiteSpace tool was used to map knowledge domains. A total of 459 and 5645 studies published between 2010 and 2020 were downloaded from the CNKI and Web of Science databases. By analyzing the keywords “co-occurrence matrix”, “author cooperation networks”, and “high-frequency cited literatures”, we found the differences of the research current, hotspots, and trends both in China and the world, but we were not limited to these. The research results are as follows: In China: (1) There were 759 nodes in the map of key authors, which shows that innovation chain research in China is still in the early stages. In addition, the layout of author nodes was relatively scattered while density was low; therefore, it was hard to form clusters. There is a need to strengthen academic cooperation to improve research on innovation chains. (2) From the keyword network analysis map of the innovation chain, we found that the Chinese research hotspots were: innovation chain, industrial chain, collaborative innovation, scientific and technological innovation, innovation-driven, technological innovation, strategic emerging industries, innovation ecosystem, and integration of industry and education, among other fields. In the world: (1) Most academic studies on the innovation chain have been published in different fields; these journals are about production, operation, management science, and economy, among others. These findings show that the innovation chain has received attention from multiple disciplines, and, therefore, it belongs to an interdisciplinary research field. Studies from different fields have analyzed the innovation chain from their own research perspectives. Therefore, current research outcomes on the innovation chain are difficult to unify. (2) The most important authors and key studies were analyzed. According to the co-citation map, studies on the “innovation chain” with high co-citation frequencies were not studies on the innovation chain but had the innovation chain as a theme or a concept without in-depth research on the innovation chain. (3) Through co-citation and cluster analysis of keywords, we found that international studies on the “innovation chain” are more focused on the global value chain, blockchain technology, strategic analysis, sustainable development, and absorptive capacity among other fields. Research frontier themes were mainly communication technology, continuous operation management, technological change, ecological innovation, supply chain integration, Industry 4.0, logistics innovation, nanotechnology, circular economy, and supply chain innovation, among other fields. Therefore, international scholars focus more on: technological issues related to innovation, using advanced communication technology, blockchain technology, and nanotechnology to improve innovation abilities. Moreover, they insist on sustainable development in the process of innovation, advocating for green innovation and ecological innovation. Finally, results of the visualization show that current research is mainly focused on innovation, not the innovation chain. Therefore, experts in this field should pay more attention to the study of structural stability and knowledge mobility of the innovation chain.

How the ARCH Project Could Contribute to Strengthening ASEAN Regional Capacities on Disaster Health Management (DHM).

The Project for Strengthening the ASEAN Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (ARCH Project) developed Regional Collaboration Drills (RCDs) and is proposing an ASEAN Academic Network to strengthen capacity in disaster health management (DHM) in ASEAN Member States (AMS), as well as developing a standard training curriculum in DHM. This study aims to clarify the impacts and sustainability of the ARCH Project. The four previous RCDs and the enhancement of academic activities were reviewed. The ARCH Project developed the RCDs with simulation exercises based on possible disaster scenarios in each host country to test and validate the capacity of AMS International Emergency Medical Teams (I-EMTs), the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for I-EMT coordination, and regional tools, as well as the relevant domestic SOPs of the host countries for receiving international assistance. Following the RCD in Thailand, three AMS: Viet Nam, Philippines, and Indonesia, all of which are considered disaster-prone, successfully hosted RCDs with significant improvements. The project also established a sub-working group (SWG) to develop a standard curriculum in DHM. Two curricula developments, the Basic Course on DHM and In-Country Course for Coordination on EMTs, are on-going as part of the project activity. The establishment of the ASEAN Academic Network and the ASEAN Institute for DHM (AIDHM) are currently in the endorsement process of the ASEAN health sector. The RCDs are very effective to test and to validate the SOP and regional tools developed, providing opportunities for AMS I-EMT to familiarize the tools, as well as for host countries to assess their coordination capacity for receiving international assistance and identifying the country's specific challenges, and verifying ASEAN regional coordination mechanism. The development of the standard curriculum can enhance regional capacity both in supporting disaster-affected countries and in receiving international assistance. A sustainable capacity development mechanism in DHM is envisaged through the establishment of the ASEAN Academic Network and AIDHM toward the goal of One ASEAN One Response.

Spatiotemporal variation of ecological carrying capacity in Dongliao River Basin, China

Ecological carrying capacity (ECC) is a key indicator for assessing the sustainable development capacity of a region. A comprehensive assessment of regional ECC and the influencing factors has scientific and practical significance for promoting functional and sustainable regional development. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response-Management (DPSIRM) framwork and subjective-objective combination method were used to develop a framework to establish an ECC evaluation index system. In this study, six internal and six external factors from the perspectives of nature, topography, society, and landscape patterns were selected from the Dongliao River Basin (DRB) in the Jilin province, China. Geographically weighted regression, redundancy analysis, and multiple linear regression models were used to reveal the coupling relationships among the internal and external factors. The results showed that the ECC in the study area was spatially heterogeneous with higher ECC in the southeast and northwest areas of the DRB and lower ECC in the central of DRB had a low carrying capacity. ECC showed a gradual upward trend from 2005 to 2018, which was attributed to the implementation of the ecological environment protection policy in DRB. Primary internal factors that influenced the ECC were precipitation, temperature, altitude, and slope. Precipitation had a positive effect on ECC by influencing Shannon’s diversity and landscape shape, while temperature, altitude, and slope had a negative effect on ECC by affecting aggregation and patch density. The methods used herein and the presented results are instructive to sustainable development and ecological restoration in the DRB and other similar areas.