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Since an att-object must always be encountered within some situation, about which we also have an att, soc behavior must be a function of at least 2 att's: att-toward-object (Ao) & att-towardsituation (As). Opinion expression & changes in opinion expression are both forms of verbal behavior &, thus, also functions of Ao & As. When a change of opinion is empirically found it may arise from a change in Ao, or As, or both, or neither. The classical paradigm of attitude change studies-pre-test, treatment, posttest-cannot ascertain which of these 4 possibilities produced the opinion change & must therefore be discarded. 3 new methods are then proposed for determining whether opinion change does or does not represent an attitude change: test for opinion change in at least 2 diff post-test situations; test for diff'ial change in several opinions in one post-test situation; test for behavioral changes accompanying opinion change. Illustrative res findings are cited. AA.

Using listed companies in China's A-share market from 1997 to 2009, this paper investigates the relationship between controller changes (including changes in controlling shareholders, directors and CEOs) and auditor changes. The empirical evidence indicates that controller changes are positively related to auditor changes and that auditor changes are more likely if there are extensive controller changes. For companies in which both the controlling shareholder and the auditor change, if the successor controlling shareholder is controlled by an other-province government, the auditor is more likely to be replaced and the successor auditor is more likely to be a smaller auditor from the same province as the new controlling shareholder.

SUMMARY This is the Climate Change Authority's second review of the Renewable Energy Target (RET). The RET targets reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector and thereby contributes significantly to reducing Australia's overall emissions. In its 2012 review of the RET, the Authority found that the RET was stimulating considerable investment in renewable energy and argued that a stable and predictable policy was essential to sustain this investment. It concluded that no major changes were warranted to the overall RET design, but suggested some minor operational changes. The uncertain future of the Authority until recently has limited the time available to conduct this review. Largely for that reason, the Authority has focused on what, it its view, are the most important issues. The Authority has also drawn on both its 2012 Authority review, and on the review conducted this year by a panel headed by Mr Dick Warburton AO LVO. The RET and Australia's emissions reduction goals In 2010, when the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) was set at 41,000 GWh, it was estimated that this contribution, with contributions from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and other pre-existing renewables (notably hydro), would together represent at least 20 per cent of Australia's (then) projected total electricity demand in 2020. Given that electricity accounts for approximately one-third of Australia's emissions of greenhouse gases, renewable sources were seen as making a significant contribution to Australia's broader emissions reduction goals. Reducing emissions in the electricity sector plays a pivotal role in climate change policies around the world. Unchecked climate change is widely seen as posing serious risks for the Australian community and its economy. Together with the broader international community, Australia has agreed to a goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. This requires ...

SUMMARY The Authority is required by legislation to review the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) every three years; this is its first review. The review has benefited from consultations with stakeholders from a range of sectors and the Authority thanks those who contributed. When introduced in 2011, the CFI was designed to complement the carbon pricing mechanism. Accordingly, it focused on sectors not covered by the carbon price, namely: agriculture, waste (in part), and land use, land use change and forestry. CFI projects earned credits that could be sold to entities with liabilities under the carbon pricing mechanism. The carbon price has since been repealed, and the CFI has been expanded to form the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) and now covers all sectors of the economy. The ERF is the central plank of the government's Direct Action Plan to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. It has been introduced through amendments to the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth), which brings it within the scope of this review. For simplicity's sake, this report refers to the CFI as the scheme as originally configured, and the ERF as the scheme as approved by the parliament in November 2014. Under the ERF, the government will purchase emissions reductions through auctions (and possibly other means). Fixed-price contracts, typically for seven years, will be offered to those who are successful at auction. Other changes to streamline the scheme are also being introduced, and a safeguard mechanism (that will discourage large emitters from increasing their emissions above historical levels) is to commence in July 2016. While these changes are substantial, the ERF retains an essential characteristic of the CFI in that it credits projects for reducing emissions below a defined baseline, and the baseline reflects what would have been expected to occur in the absence of the scheme. The changes to the CFI are important for this review in two ways. First, as the scheme is being expanded to become the central ...

This reprint from the Klimaforum09 presents the Declaration of all participating people, communities, and social organizations in attendance, to build on the results achieved, and to further inspire further development of the movement and direction chosen. In summary, the declaration contains a preamble, which summarizes founding beliefs culled from the UN Charter, calling for environmental and climate debts to be paid, and all people to take action. Next, the Declaration discusses the challenges face, as the groups sees them, as per greenhouse gases (GHGs), the overall effects of climate change, and so-called strategies of "green growth" and "sustainable growth" correlated with economics and environmental destruction. Then the Declaration states the causes of human-induced climate change as viewed the group, through CO2 emissions and GHGs overplundering of natural resources in underdeveloped countries, and the prevailing patterns of thought and alternatives. The Declaration's authors then describe their "just and sustainable transition" regarding an overhaul of systematic change on food and ecology, energy, ownership and economic control, a reculturalization of science and education, and non-proliferation of military defense technology and warfare. Next, the Declaration then describes the paths to transitioning re the UN (i.e. UNFCCC) and the Conference of Parties (COP); listing and laying down six demands; and finally, laying out the plans for a global movement regarding sustainable transition. Adapted from the source document.

This reprint from the Klimaforum09 presents the Declaration of all participating people, communities, and social organizations in attendance, to build on the results achieved, and to further inspire further development of the movement and direction chosen. In summary, the declaration contains a preamble, which summarizes founding beliefs culled from the UN Charter, calling for environmental and climate debts to be paid, and all people to take action. Next, the Declaration discusses the challenges face, as the groups sees them, as per greenhouse gases (GHGs), the overall effects of climate change, and so-called strategies of "green growth" and "sustainable growth" correlated with economics and environmental destruction. Then the Declaration states the causes of human-induced climate change as viewed the group, through CO2 emissions and GHGs overplundering of natural resources in underdeveloped countries, and the prevailing patterns of thought and alternatives. The Declaration's authors then describe their "just and sustainable transition" regarding an overhaul of systematic change on food and ecology, energy, ownership and economic control, a reculturalization of science and education, and non-proliferation of military defense technology and warfare. Next, the Declaration then describes the paths to transitioning re the UN (i.e. UNFCCC) and the Conference of Parties (COP); listing and laying down six demands; and finally, laying out the plans for a global movement regarding sustainable transition. Adapted from the source document.

Global Warming ("GW") is easily one of the most pressing concerns of our time,and its solution will come about only through a change in human behavior.Compared to the residents of most other nations worldwide, Americans reportlower acceptance of the realities of GW. In order to address this concern in afree society, U.S. residents must be convinced or coerced to take the necessaryactions. In spite of the democratic appeal of education, however, many climatecommunicators appear to be settling on the notion that emotional persuasion issuperior to education.We'll set an empirical foundation in Chapter2, reviewing an experiment inthe Numerically Driven Inferencing (NDI) paradigm that sheds some light on thecognitive processes involved in learning and attitude shifts in response tosurprising policy-relevant information. Chapters 3–6 contain results froma comprehensive program of research specifically targeting climate-relatedattitudes and beliefs in the United States. As alluded to above, there have beenmany surveys of American attitudes. Chapter3 provides an overview of ourapproach to assessing climate-related beliefs and attitudes. In particular, wenote relationships observed in one survey between scientific literacy regardingthe GW mechanism on one hand and attitudes, including "willingness tosacrifice" on the other. As with some other empirical approaches, ourresults suggest that U.S. residents generally accept anthropogenic (i.e.,"human caused") climate change, and support action on this issue.But even if this is the case, Chapter 4 describes an experiment demonstratingthat these beliefs and attitudes are disturbingly fragile in the face ofcherry-picked, misleading numerical facts. Chapter5 then describes a pairof experiments evaluating the effects of representative numerical facts.Chapter5's Study1 (Section5.1) demonstrates that even whenstudents report strong psychological effects after receiving a set of surprisingnumbers, their beliefs and attitudes will not necessarily be affected.Chapter5's Study2 (Section5.2) improves upon the clarity ofmaterials used in Study1 and demonstrates that such materials can effectively increase climate change acceptance and concern.In both of these studies, as with the study presented in Chapter4, thisrelatively uncontextualized, surprising numerical information underminesstudents' confidence in their own knowledge. Chapter6 reports on threesuccessful experiments (spanning four samples) that provide a coherentexplanation of the mechanism of climate change that includes relevant numericalfacts. As with Study2 in Chapter5, this intervention shiftsparticipant attitudes towards the scientific consensus. Unlike uncontextualizednumerical information, however, this mechanism intervention additionally leavesparticipants feeling that they know more than they did prior to instruction.Chapter6's Study1 (Section6.1) establishes this effect inclassroom-based settings at two culturally distinct universities.Chapter6's Study2 (Section6.2) provides an initial evaluationof the time-course of retention for the cognitive shifts that followed ourmechanism intervention, and Chapter6's Study3 (Section6.3)provides a successful demonstration of durable shifts with the generalpopulation online.Taken together, these experiments point the way towards effective curricula andon-line materials that can help bolster support to combat climate change. Whilewe must certainly be sensitive to the needs, values, and interests of our targetaudiences, we should not reflexively steer away from science education. Indeed,the experiments in this dissertation provide empirical support for the notionthat science education materials can have a meaningful and lasting impact on GWattitudes and beliefs. While this may not provide the complete behavioralsolution we need for the United States (and the world), it seems likely thatsuch shifts will make behavioral and policy changes far more tractable in thecoming years.

Annual student essay contest endowed by Philip L. Carret aimed at having Elon College students reflect on the ideals and principles embodied in Thomas Jefferson's life and career. Top three prize-winning student essays from the competition based on the following topic: The 1803 Louisiana Purchase gave the United States a vast interior empire and raised significant social, economic and constitutional issues. Analyze and evaluate the decision-making process which led to the Purchase. Also, explore the implications of the Louisiana Purchase.