简介：Consensusonreducinggreenhousegasemissionshasbeenreachedatthetechnicalandpoliticallevel.However,astheissueinvolveseconomiccostsandtherighttodevelop,theinternationalinstitutionalframeworkforaddressinggreenhousegasemissionshasconsistentlyfailedtobalancethedemandsofimpartialityandsustainability.However,asustainablecarbonbudgetproposalisundoubtedlyachievableiftheglobalcarbonbudget(thetotalamountofcarbonpermittedbyclimatesecurity)ismadeanabsoluteconstraint.Ifapreliminarydistributionwasmadeamongtheworld'spopulationonapercapitabasis,thetotallimitedglobalcarbonbudgetcouldnotonlymeetbasicneedsbutalsoensuretheproposal'sequitable.Takingintoaccounthistoricalemissionlevelsandfutureneeds,weshouldcarryoutcarbonbudgettransferpaymentsanddeviseacorrespondingfundingmechanismtoensureefficientallocationundertheproposal.Unlikethephase-by-phaseprogressandprovisionalgoalsoftheKyotoProtocol,thecarbonbudgetproposaloutlinedaboveisacomprehensiveandholisticpackage.Duetothepoliticizationoftheclimatechangeissue,however,manytechnicalissuescanonlybeworkedoutthroughinternationalpoliticalanddiplomaticnegotiations.

简介：DespitetheadverseimpactofthebudgetdeficitinHongKonghasbeenalleviatedsincetheeconomicrecoveryfrom2003,thefiscaldeficitmayreturnwhenthereisanotherdownturnintheeconomyiftheproblemisnothandledfundamentally.Basedontheeconomicandpoliticalsituationfrom1998to2003,thefactorsthatleadtothebudgetdeficitinHongKongareanalyzedinfourperspectives,including(a)increaseinpublicexpenditure;(b)decreaseinpublicrevenues;(c)poormanagementofpublicmoneyand(d)weakadministration.Withabetterunderstandingonthesefactors,possiblesolutionstothefiscalproblemfacedbythegovernmentmaybedeveloped.