In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the effects of tourism and related developments upon the environment of ‘destination areas’. The increasing popularity of the concept of sustainable development has resulted in tourism being viewed as an activity which could easily be developed along those appropriate lines. It is argued, however, that such a viewpoint is often simplistic and naïve, because of a lack of understanding of the complex nature of tourism. While tourism is dependent upon the environment for much of its well-being, the prevailing lack of knowledge, responsibility, and long-term planning, has often resulted in development which is neither environmentally nor culturally sympathetic to the host area and community.

A broad definition of environment is necessary in this context, encompassing both the physical and human realms and also Nature's, as is an equally wide view of human leisure activities, which needs to include far more than tourism. It is necessary to take a critical view of some alternative approaches to mass-tourism, which have been suggested as appropriate for environmentally significant areas; for at least some of the problems resulting from tourism-related developments are more profound, and less easily solved, than has often been suggested. Solutions are inevitably a combination of compromise and positive planning and management, and successful examples are difficult to find. Improved understanding of the complex nature of tourism, and of its linkages to the environment, is crucial if a symbiotic relationship is to be attained and maintained.

It is necessary to appreciate that tourist destination areas evolve and change over time, both responding to, and being altered by, changes in tourism. They are not static environments, and need responsible and pro-active planning and management. Reliance upon local initiatives, uncoordinated planning, and self-regulation in a situation of ill-defined responsibility, will not result in a secure long-term future for either the tourist industry or the environment of the destination area. Coordination of policies, pro-active planning, acceptance of limitations on growth, education of all parties involved, and commitment to a long-term viewpoint, are prerequisites to the successful linking of tourism and sustainable development.

While there has been considerable research and development in management of specific natural resources and public lands containing multiple resources, relatively little progress has been made concerning management of privately-owned resources through land-use planning at the local level of government. This paper examines the issue of local government policies and capabilities in land-use planning for privately-owned, environmentally-sensitive areas (ESAs) in the Pacific Northwest of North America. ESAs are defined as landscape elements that are vital to long-term maintenance of biological diversity, soil, water, and other natural resources—especially as they relate to human health, safety, and welfare, both on-site and in a regional context.

A three-steps' approach of different geographical scales (i.e. watershed, state, and region) was used in a series of studies to facilitate examination of the relationship between political structure and ecological theory. When viewed collectively these studies showed that, while there is a political basis for regulating ESAs, attempts at regulation lack a theoretical and applied basis in systems-thinking and ecological science. To begin forging a stronger linkage between the political and scientific basis for ESA planning, two major ecological theories relevant to ESA management—hierarchy and subsidy–stress—were reviewed. These theories, when used in concert, were shown to be applicable in making objective choices concerning privately-held ESAs in the Pacific North-west. They can be used as a theoretical scientific basis for ESA planning, providing both qualitative and quantitative models. Hierarchy theory can provide guidelines for ESA planning by linking biophysical processes and patterns directly to appropriate scales of political jurisdiction. Subsidy–stress theory can be used to set specific performance standards that are needed in regulation of ESAs.

As a result of our three-steps' approach at different geographical scales, four requisites for improving ESA planning were found: (1) definitions for natural resources should be standardized between regional districts, countries, states, and provinces; (2) replicative methods for ESA inventories, including natural communities and ecosystem processes, should be used; (3) a common environmental information system should be available to land-use planners; and (4) the expertise to apply such information should be available. The basis for these four items is found in the ecological systems theories of hierarchy and subsidy–stress.

Increasing public awareness of the need to protect Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs), as well as the establishment of regional municipalities, provided the impetus for local governments to initiate ESA planning in Ontario. As of 1981, twenty municipalities—primarily regional municipalities and counties—had adopted ESA programmes.

This paper examines the current status of ESA-protection planning in Ontario and the problems encountered by municipalities in adopting and implementing ESA programmes. Using a questionnaire survey, data were collected concerning 66 municipalities, and a review was carried out of the ESA policies in 36 Official Plans. The results show that an additional 11 municipalities have adopted ESA programmes since 1981, and that most of these have been designated cities. The primary problems encountered by municipalities in implementing ESA-protection programmes have been a lack of landowner support, weakness of any provincial policy-directive, and shortness of funding. These problems are also faced by uninvolved municipalities, and play an important role in preventing them from adopting ESA programmes.

If a wider municipal adoption of ESA programmes is to be achieved, a stronger commitment will be needed from the Provincial Government in the form of guiding policies, financial assistance, and incentives to landowners who wish to protect their sensitive lands. A greater emphasis on landowner contact and public education programmes will also be required. Municipalities should cooperate with other conservation agencies and organizations in working towards this end.

Attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development—an approach to development which integrates economic, social, and environmental, considerations in development planning and decision-making—are evaluated according to six sectors of public interest: the private sector, the general public, government, the academic and research sector, labour, and the voluntary sector.

The study is empirical. Attitudinal data are gathered from a content analysis of public briefs submitted in 1983 and 1984 to the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada. For each sector, attitudes towards development planning are assessed, with particular attention given to attitudes affecting the integration of economic and environmental considerations in development planning.

The study shows that a commitment to private-sector views is strongly, although negatively, related to environmental concern. Private-sector interventions are not only the least sympathetic of all six sectors towards the integration of economic and environmental policies, but the majority of interveners in this sector are opposed to the very concept. Given this, there are major attitudinal obstacles to the acceptance of the concept beyond the rhetorical level.

Ecologists and environmentalists have long been at odds with economists over whether economic theory and practice helps or hinders environmental protection and improvement. This paper suggests that the specific field of environmental economics has contributed a great deal to the potential for environmental improvement, particularly with recent improvements in techniques which attempt to value environmental goods. The basic tenets of environmental economics are reviewed, including the tradable emissions-permits approach, and then specific recent applications of the permit system in the United States of America are presented.

The two basic valuation techniques, travel cost and the contingent valuation method (CVM), are briefly discussed, along with the shortcoming of the travel cost approach in obtaining ‘intrinsic’ values for environmental goods. This paper describes results from experimental economics which support the use of the CVM in estimating intrinsic values for environmental resources. In a new study, subjects in a laboratory experiment pay to prevent the destruction of a plant. This finding should appeal to the environmentalist and ecologist. Lastly, recent developments in macroeconomics and general equilibrium models which incorporate pollution and resource degradation variables, are shown to contribute positively to the goal of global environmental improvement.

This paper addresses current and future concerns regarding the air-pollution situation in China, and focuses on reduction of particulates', SO2, and CO2, emissions in China's electric power-generation sector. Technical aspects of control methods include an assessment of innovative approaches such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Suggestions are made pertaining to the technical planning and management aspects of air-pollutant control.

In a technological context, improving coal-use efficiency, increasing the proportion of coal pretreatment, and using EOR technology, should be considered; these measures have proven effective and relatively economical elsewhere. If the measures could be adopted in China's electric power-generation sector, as much as about 50% of the particulates, 34% of the SO2, and 95% of the CO2, emitted from power-plants, could be removed. If fully engaged, these actions would improve China's air environment significantly.

In a planning and management context, five suggestions are made with respect to air quality regulations: administrative measures, coal prices, developing ‘clean’ energy systems, reforestation, and transferring to new energy-saving and pollution-controlling technologies. In addition to domestic efforts, active engagement in international cooperation would be extremely beneficial to China.

Sections of coastline of Heard and Macquarie Islands were surveyed for marine debris in the summer of 1987–88 and 1989, respectively. These surveys were carried out at the same sites as previous surveys in 1986–87 at Heard Island, and in 1988 at Macquarie Island. The minimum rate of artefact accumulation was 13 objects per km of shoreline per year for Heard Island, and 90 objects per km of shoreline per year for Macquarie Island. Drift-cards, released from known locations and collected on the two islands, show a similar artefact catchment area.

Plastic litter was a major component of the debris at both islands. Fisheries-related debris accounted for 40% of all artefacts on Heard Island, compared with 29% on Macquarie Island. Entanglement of Fur Seals appears to be more common at Heard Island, while plastic ingestion by seabirds appears to be more common at Macquarie Island.

In this paper, it is argued that the Norwegian Government must tackle the problems related to the conservation of coniferous forests more seriously and urgently than hitherto, and not let this important task be governed by commercial interests. A national plan based on political, non-scientific motives will not safeguard these ecocomplexes and their component ecosystems and the endangered species found in them.

A practical way to solve the time-consuming disagreements between environmental authorities and forest owners would be to guarantee full compensation, and to start paying for sites of high conservation interest immediately. This compensation must ensure that the forest owners can fulfil such financial commitments as they already have. An alternative would be the exchange of privately-owned forest for public forest land, including forests owned by ‘The Educational Fund’.

The Ministries involved must learn to cooperate in such work. If they do not, Norway's credibility in environmental matters may suffer. Solutions must be reached which do not put sectorial interests before national or international environmental values, and which guarantee the protection of a representative selection of coniferous forests according to scientific principles.