Many environmental impact analyses, including those pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, do not identify the spatial and temporal scales used in the analysis. Without definition of analytical scales, the reader is left to infer scale, which could confound decision making when different readers infer different scales of analysis. For ecological analysis, site-specific spatial and temporal scales based on unique natural features and phenomena are most appropriate, given the inability of ecological resources to restrict themselves according to political boundaries or arbitrary time lines. Definition of scale in the environmental impact document allows the reader or decision maker to consider the impacts in the intended context. Scales of ecological analysis should be based on ecological principles as applied to a specific study area and the ecological resources that may be affected by the proposed action or activity. The multiscalar concept of biological connectivity should be addressed in spatial and temporal analysis, which inherently includes cross-scale considerations such as those for potential effects on metapopulations. Definition of spatial and temporal scales is critical to bound the impact analysis and to inform readers and decision makers, and suggested guidelines are provided as an example of an acceptable method. Although several different scales could be correctly chosen, analysts should identify and define spatial and temporal scales used to promote consistent interpretations of results and to facilitate the decision-making process.

Natural capital is of critical importance for biodiversity and people's well-being. Studies indicate that understanding the connection between environmental health and human benefit (i.e., ecosyste...

"Letter from the Guest Editor: Introduction to the Special Topic: Environmental and Public Health Risks Associated with Climate Change." Environmental Practice, 16(1), pp. 2–3

Serious environmental pollution incidents happen in China every year. However, only a few of them have been filed as environmental pollution criminal cases. We argue in this paper that the main reason is because the environmental administrative agencies often refuse to transfer the suspected environmental pollution criminal cases to the judicial authorities. Therefore, it's critical to better supervise the transfer of cases from the environmental administrative agencies, in order to ensure the implementation of the criminal laws and regulations, as well as to pressing criminal charges on the suspects instead of having them get away with administrative penalties. The supervision mechanisms include at least the interior supervision by other administrative agencies and the exterior supervision by the general public. An effectively functioning environmental criminal law system is very important for environmental protection and rule of law in China.

This report focuses on the current state of debate surrounding environmental goods negotiations under the World Trade Organization in the context of Chinese exports and imports. The report also examines some recent proposals (in United States and European Union) that called for increased trade barriers against imports from nations that have less stringent carbon policies and then draws implications for China.Environmental Practice 15:313–322 (2013)

In 2008, the US Environmental Protection Agency identified the redevelopment of the Silver Spring central business district in Montgomery County, Maryland, as successfully modeling the principles of smart growth. An important component of the project involved the use of an innovative Green Tape program that streamlined the permitting process. This article reports on a survey of stakeholders associated with this project, which was undertaken to gain insight into the challenges of smart growth. The main issues identified by stakeholders revolved around the public's role in decisions associated with the treatment of landmark structures and the creation of public space. Stakeholders also suggested that a tension existed between regional plans to increase density and the desire of some residents (such as those in areas surrounding the Silver Spring central business district) to maintain the lower-density character of their neighborhoods. In general, this a case example of the tensions that can emerge as effort...