Occurrence,fate and effects of azoxystrobin in aquatic ecosystems: A review

The use of pesticides for crop protection may result in the presence of toxic residues in environmental matrices. In the aquatic environment, pesticides might freely dissolve in the water or bind to suspended matter and to the sediments, and might be transferred to the organisms' tissues during bioaccumulation processes, resulting in adverse consequences to non-target species. One such group of synthetic organic pesticides widely used worldwide to combat pathogenic fungi affecting plants is the strobilurin chemical group. Whereas they are designed to control fungal pathogens, their general modes of action are not specific to fungi. Consequently, they can be potentially toxic to a wide range of non-target organisms. The present work had the intent to conduct an extensive literature review to find relevant research on the occurrence, fate and effects of azoxystrobin, the first patent of the strobilurin compounds, in aquatic ecosystems in order to identify strengths and gaps in the scientific database. Analytical procedures and existing legislation and regulations were also assessed. Data gathered in the present review revealed that analytical reference standards for the most relevant environmental metabolites of azoxystrobin are needed. Validated confirmatory methods for complex matrices, like sediment and aquatic organisms' tissues, are very limited. Important knowledge of base-line values of azoxystrobin and its metabolites in natural tropical and estuarine/marine ecosystems is lacking. Moreover, some environmental concentrations of azoxystrobin found in the present review are above the Regulatory Acceptable Concentration (RAC) in what concerns risk to aquatic invertebrates and the No Observed Ecologically Adverse Effect Concentration (NOEAEC) reported for freshwater communities. The present review also showed that there are very few data on azoxystrobin toxicity to different aquatic organisms, especially in what concerns estuarine/marine organisms. Besides, toxicity studies mostly address azoxystrobin and usually neglect the more relevant environmental metabolites. Further work is also required in what concerns effects of exposure to multi-stressors, e.g. pesticide mixtures. Even though Log K_ow for azoxystrobin and R234886, the main metabolite of azoxystrobin in water, are below 3, the bio-concentration factor and the bioaccumulation potential for azoxystrobin are absent in the literature. Moreover, no single study on bioaccumulation and biomagnification processes was found in the present review.     

征税,还是补贴--对当前环境经济政策的反思

现行环境经济政策的目标在于纠正经济主体的外部不经济性，具体是通过税收或产权交易使外部成本内部化，本文称其为环境经济政策的“不对称性”。因为外部效应除了外部不经济以外，还有外部经济，现行的环境经济政策只考虑了前者却完全忽视了后者，只强调了外部成本的内部化却忽视了外部收益也应该内部化。以此为出发点，文章从现行政策的对立面出发，探讨了围绕外部收益内部化制定环境经济政策的必要性和可行性。最后作者分析了目前排污权交易存在的严重问题，并给出了解决问题的方法。     

Occurrence,fate and ecological risk of five typical azole fungicides as therapeutic and personal care products in the environment: A review

Azole fungicides are widely used to treat fungal infection in human. After application, these chemicals may reach to the receiving environment via direct or indirect discharge of wastewaters, thus posing potential risks to non-target organisms. We aimed to review the occurrence, fate and toxicological effects of some representative household azole fungicides in the environment. Azole fungicides were widely detected in surface water and sediment of the aquatic environment due to their incomplete removal in wastewater treatment plants. These chemicals are found resistant to microbial degradation, but can undergo photolysis under UV irradiation. Due to different physiochemical properties, azole fungicides showed different environmental behaviors. The residues of azole fungicides could cause toxic effects on aquatic organisms such as algae and fish. The reported effects include regulation changes in expression of cytochrome P450-related genes and alteration in CYP450-regulated steroidogenesis causing endocrine disruption in fish. Further studies are essential to investigate the removal of azole fungicides by advanced treatment technologies, environmental fate such as natural photolysis, and toxic pathways in aquatic organisms.     

Multicriteria decision-making for efficient water and land resources allocation in irrigated agriculture

The irrational use of water in agriculture is often responsible for several problems concerning the depletion and/or the pollution of water resources. In these cases specific policy measures should be taken to protect water resources from harmful agricultural activities, mitigating at the same time their potential impact on farmers’ welfare. To this end, a multicriteria decision-making model is formulated that aims at allocating efficiently water and land resources in a rural area of Greece, by optimizing a set of important socio-economic and environmental objectives. According to the model’s output, past and current decisions on irrigated agriculture turned out to be oriented towards meeting exclusively the socio-economic objectives. Yet, there are several other possible allocations schemes that could be applied in order to improve the performance of environmental indicators and to contribute to a more sustainable use of natural resources. Moreover, the decision-making model can be further employed to assess a number of additional policy measures in irrigated agriculture. In this framework, the outcome of imposing various water pricing policies was evaluated. The efficiency of these policies was found tightly connected to the elasticity of water demand. Namely, higher elasticity seems to enhance the flexibility in resource allocation and the movement towards environmental objectives. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

排污权的设定对环境技术进步的影响

排污权的设定是我国在治理环境污染过程中一项重要的政策。客观地评价这项政策的实施效果,不仅有利于政策本身的实施和完善,同时也可为其他地区开展相关工作提供借鉴。采用2004~2014年中国30个地区的面板数据,借鉴国内外评价政策实施效果的主流计量方法——双重差分法(Difference-in-Difference,DID),建立环境技术进步测度模型,探究排污权设定对环境技术进步的影响,最后提出政策建议。研究发现:当期排污权的设定并未对中国省际环境技术进步产生显著影响,但是在设定2 a之后,排污权在一定程度上控制了污染物的排放,其对我国环境污染的治理具有一定的促进作用,由此可以说明排污权确实能够提高环境技术进步。从长远来看,排污权的设定有利于我国经济健康可持续的发展。     

Assessing the role of consumers in sustainable product policies

A global analysis shows that considerable forces contribute nowadays to the perpetuation of the so-called “developed” model of consumption, and its extension to growing parts of the world, despite reiterated calls for “modification of production and consumption patterns”. Environmental product regulation can be situated in this general perspective. This paper returns to the framing of policies devoted to ecologically sustainable consumption, taking the example of the Integrated product policy at the European level. How are the objectives of such policies defined? What instruments are privileged? Comparing theoretical approaches with policy design, we focus on the role devoted to consumers in these contexts. Bringing in literature evidence, survey results and findings from an original study, we argue that appropriate knowledge of the diversity of consumers’ attitudes and about the limitations of their possible actions is not properly taken into account in product policies, notably when information and voluntary tools are dominant. From this point of view, environmental product regulations are well justified, but they should, as all policy instruments implicating consumers, take careful notice of their situation.     

广义物质循环模型及对循环经济的政策内涵

在传统经济增长模式下。我国资源开采、生产、消费及消费末端各个环节的环境问题都十分突出。然而传统的物质循环并不能从根本上解决我国经济增长与生态环境之间的矛盾。在总结传统物质循环的特点与局限性的基础之上。提出了旨在提高经济系统全过程资源效率与环境绩效的广义物质循环的概念及理论模型；剖析了广义物质循环的资源与环境政策内涵，并据此提出我国资源环境的生命周期政策途径；最后以广义物质循环的内涵及基本原则为指导。深入探讨了我国循环经济发展的资源政策与环境政策。本文认为。建立与发展以广义物质循环为核心的循环经济增长模式。是我国实现经济与环境持续协调发展的根本途径。     

Anticancer drugs in surface waters: what can we say about the occurrence and environmental significance of cytotoxic, cytostatic and endocrine therapy drugs?

This study considers the implications and research needs arising from anticancer (also referred to as antineoplastic) drugs being released into the aquatic environment, for the entire therapeutic classes used: cytotoxic, cytostatic and endocrine therapy drugs.A categorization approach, based on French consumption amounts, allowed to highlight parent molecules and several metabolites on which further occurrence and ecotoxicological studies should be conducted.Investigations of consumption trends at a national and a local scale show an increase in the use of anticancer drugs between 2004 and 2008, thus leading to increased levels released in the environment. It therefore appears necessary to continue surveying their presence in surface waters and in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents.Furthermore, due to the rise of anticancer home treatments, most of the prescribed molecules are now available in town pharmacies. Consequently, hospital effluents are no longer the main expected entry route of anticancer drugs into the aquatic environment.Concerning ecotoxicological risks, current knowledge remains insufficient to support a definitive conclusion. Risk posed by cytotoxic molecules is still not well documented and it is not possible to conclude on their long-term effects on non-target organisms. To date, ecotoxicological effects have been assessed using standardized or in vitro assays. Such tests however may not be suitable for anticancer drugs, and further work should focus on full-life cycle or even multigenerational tests.Environmental significance (i.e. occurrence and effects) of cytostatics (protein kinases inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies), if any, is not documented. Protein kinases inhibitors, in particular, deserve further investigation due to their universal mode of action.Finally, concerning endocrine therapy drugs, molecules such as antiestrogen Tamoxifen and its active metabolites, could be of concern.Overall, to accurately assess the ecotoxicological risk of anticancer drugs, we discuss the need to break away from tests on isolated molecules and to test effects of mixtures at the low ng.l^− 1 range.     

A review of botanical phytochemicals with mosquitocidal potential

Identification of novel effective mosquitocidal compounds is essential to combat increasing resistance rates, concern for the environment and food safety, the unacceptability of many organophosphates and organochlorines and the high cost of synthetic pyrethroids. An increasing number of researchers are reconsidering botanicals containing active phytochemicals in their efforts to address some of these problems. To be highly competitive and effective, the ideal phytochemical should possess a combination of toxic effects and residual capacity. Acute toxicity is required at doses comparable to some commercial synthetic insecticides while chronic or sub-chronic toxicity is required to produce growth inhibition, developmental toxicity and generational effects. In this article, we review the current state of knowledge on larvicidal plant species, extraction processes, growth and reproduction inhibiting phytochemicals, botanical ovicides, synergistic, additive and antagonistic joint action effects of mixtures, residual capacity, effects on non-target organisms, resistance, screening methodologies, and discuss promising advances made in phytochemical research.     

Occurrence,fate and ecological risk of chlorinated paraffins in Asia: A review

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), complex mixtures of polychlorinated alkanes, are widely used in various industries and are thus ubiquitous in the receiving environment. The present study comprehensively reviewed the occurrence, fate and ecological risk of CPs in various environmental matrices in Asia. Releases from the production and consumption of CPs or CP-containing materials, wastewater discharge and irrigation, sewage sludge application, long-range atmospheric transport and aerial deposition have been found to be most likely sources and transport mechanisms for the dispersion of CPs in various environmental matrices, such as air, water, sediment, soil and biota. CPs can be bioaccumulated in biota and biomagnified through food webs, likely causing toxic ecological effects in organisms and posing health risks to humans. Inhalation, dust ingestion and dietary intake are strongly suggested as the major routes of human exposure. Research gaps are discussed to highlight the perspectives of future research to improve future efforts regarding the analysis of CPs, the environmental occurrence and elimination of CPs, the total environmental pressure, and the risks to organisms and populations.     

Heterogeneous impact of agricultural support policies: evidence from Turkey

Agricultural support policies, which increase production to excessive levels, have been heavily criticized for their distortional effects on farmers’ decisions. High input consumption, which harms the environment, and the distribution of supports, which causes income inequality among farmers, are also the other factors that economists criticize these support policies. However, in recent years, the use and dependence on production and land have been increasing globally due to fears of food insecurity in several countries. In this article, the impact of a support policy on cotton farmers’ land in Turkey is evaluated using a detailed farm-level micro dataset. We use the dynamic panel model to consider the production dynamics, unobservable individual heterogeneity, and the endogeneity of the support variable. Our results show that considering the support variable as endogenous significantly increased its impact on farmers’ land. A farmer’s past land allocation decisions also affected their current lands holdings. However, the results varied considerably between regions and between different land sizes. Therefore, the findings show the importance of heterogeneity in the impact of support policies. We conclude that due to the heterogeneous impact of support policies, it might not be possible to discuss the effect of support policies using an average estimate applicable for all farmers. Therefore, a different support policy considering regional characteristics or farm size is necessary to obtain the desired policy outcomes.

     

江苏省工业化进程中的环境效应分析

工业化快速进程中．工业污染作为工业生产在所难免的附属产物．占全国总污染负荷的70％．对资源环境构成巨大压力。经济发达地区工业产值占据了国民经济的半壁江山．使得工业结构与布局成为影响生态环境质量的主要驱动因子。本文首先以江苏省为例．分析重污染行业结构与工业布局变动对环境效应的实际效果．得出重要结论：自1990年以来工业结构与布局调整不利于环境污染控制。从生产效应和社会效应两个方面．分析工业化进程中的环境效应影响机理．通过对江苏省的实证分析．结果证实工业结构与布局是现阶段景影响环境污染的重要变量。重污染行业结构是环境效应的主要影响因素。加快工业结构调整步伐、进一步优化工业布局．着力于从工业结构调整和工业布局变动趋势中获得改善环境质量的机遇和动力是摆脱环境与发展困境的有力手段。     

Diclofenac and its transformation products: Environmental occurrence and toxicity - A review

Diclofenac (DCF) is a prevalent anti-inflammatory drug used throughout the world. Intensive researches carried out in the past few decades have confirmed the global ubiquity of DCF in various environmental compartments. Its frequent occurrence in freshwater environments and its potential toxicity towards several organisms such as fish and mussels makes DCF an emerging environmental contaminant. At typical detected environmental concentrations, the drug does not exhibit toxic effects towards living organisms, albeit chronic exposure may lead to severe effects. For DCF, about 30–70% removal has been obtained through the conventional treatment system in wastewater treatment plant being the major primary sink. Thus, the untreated DCF will pass to surface water. DCF can interact with other inorganic contaminants in the environment particularly in wastewater treatment plant, such as metals, organic contaminants and even with DCF metabolites. This process may lead to the creation of another possible emerging contaminant. In the present context, environmental fate of DCF in different compartments such as soil and water has been addressed with an overview of current treatment methods. In addition, the toxicity concerns regarding DCF in aquatic as well as terrestrial environment along with an introduction to the metabolites of DCF through consumption as well as abiotic degradation routes are also discussed. Further studies are required to better assess the fate and toxicological effects of DCF and its metabolites and must consider the possible interaction of DCF with other contaminants to develop an effective treatment method for DCF and its traces.     

基于STIRPAT模型的中国城镇生活能源消费影响因素研究

为探究人口规模、收入水平、消费倾向、节能政策和技术等因素对中国城镇生活能源消费的影响,基于拓展的STIRPAT模型并运用2000~2013年中国省际面板数据对各影响因素的效应进行评估。结果显示:城镇生活能源强度、城镇居民消费倾向、人均可支配收入、城镇化率、总人口、政策综合力度6个因素的增长率每变化1%,将会引起城镇生活能源消费量增长率0.9322%、0.8537%、(0.559 2+0.169 2 ln DI)%、0.599 8%、0.408 0%、-0.012 0%的变化,表明除节能政策外,其余5因素均正向促进城镇生活能耗增长。其中生活能源强度对城镇生活能耗影响最大,节能政策虽会抑制城镇生活能耗增长,但作用较为微弱。政府需继续加强节能政策综合实施力度,从而实现生活能源消费领域的节能减排。     

中国城市矿产政策演化研究

城市矿产是工业化和城市化过程的产物,它是蕴藏于城市中有较高经济价值并可回收利用的二次资源,具有载能性、循环性、战略性。随着工业化、城镇化和消费持续升级,"垃圾围城"已然成为中国许多大中城市亟需解决的环境问题,严重阻碍中国的可持续发展。城市矿产变废为宝,能有效化解资源与环境双重约束。为此,中国政府先后出台一系列城市矿产产业政策以推动其快速发展。本文收集1987—2015年国家层面颁布的相关政策文件,在运用内容分析法对政策文本梳理、编码并统计计量的基础上,首先从颁布部门、数量、力度等方面对政策体系进行总体分析,然后构建并运用政策工具-政策作用环节两维度分析框架,探讨中国城市矿产政策体系的演化过程及发展特征。研究发现:(1)从政策发展历程分析,中国城市矿产政策体系经历了依附环境保护政策的孕育期、体系初建的形成期和效力深化的发展期。(2)从政策颁布维度分析,中国城市矿产政策颁布速度逐渐加快,力度逐渐增强,参与机构数量不断增多。(3)从政策工具维度分析,中国城市矿产政策体系以环境型政策为主,逐渐呈现出强化供给型政策的演化趋势。(4)从政策作用环节分析,中国城市矿产政策体系由重点关注回收、深加工环节向关注全产业链环节演变。最后,针对中国城市矿产政策体系演变特征与存在的不足,本文从以下三个方面提出了促进中国城市矿产产业发展的政策建议:一是加强部际联系,完善顶层设计;二是加强消费引导,完善需求型政策;三是立足产品全生命周期,健全产业政策体系。     

A common approach for radiological protection of humans and the environment

Protection of the environment is developing rapidly at the national and international level, but there are still no internationally agreed recommendations as to how radiological protection of the environment should be carried out. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is currently reviewing its existing recommendations for human protection. It has set up a task group with the aim of developing a protection policy for, and suggesting a framework of, the protection of the environment that could feed into its recommendations at the start of the 21st century. The task group will propose a framework for the protection of the environment from harmful effects of radiation, harmonising with the principles for the protection of humans. Although the task group has not yet finalised on the objectives for the environment, these might be to safeguard the environment by preventing or reducing the frequency of effects likely to cause early mortality, reduced reproductive success, or the occurrence of scorable DNA damage in individual fauna and flora to a level where they would have a negligible impact on conservation of species, maintenance of biodiversity, or the health and status of natural habitats or communities. To achieve these objectives, a set of reference dose models, reference dose per unit intake and reference organisms will be required.     

公平性感知、信任与农业环境保护 ——不确定情形下农户行为选择

为深入理解农业环境政策从制定到落实的内在逻辑，从农户的公平性感知和信任出发，在农业环境保护的不确定情形下，探索性地构建农户农业环境保护行为响应理论分析框架，并基于山东、山西和陕西3省微观农户调查数据，采用路径分析、贝叶斯非线性结构方程模型和斜率分析等方法进行验证。结果表明：（1）农户农业环境保护的公平性感知对农业环境保护行为有直接和间接影响。直接影响为公平性感知越高，越能显著促进农户农业环境保护行为；间接影响为公平性感知通过提高信任进而作用于行为。（2）农业环境保护的不确定性显著阻碍了农户农业环境保护行为，且显著干扰了公平性感知向行为的转化。据此提出，农业环境保护政策的制定应考虑农户公平性感知和信任，传统命令型农业环境政策应逐步向农户参与型政策让渡；对农业环境定期检测并给予农户反馈，在降低政府长期监管成本的同时，也减少了农户农业环境保护的不确定性，从而推进农业环境保护政策的有效落实。     

第四次工业革命对环境治理体系建设的影响与挑战

以人工智能为代表的第四次工业革命发展迅速,特别是能源和新材料技术的突破,极大可能改变人类现有能源格局,并对建立在化石能源思维下的传统环境治理体系带来巨大影响。为此,本文梳理了第四次工业革命代表性的科技进展,分析了其对国家环境治理体系的积极影响:(1)将改变建立在化石能源基础上的工业、农业和城市形态,打破经济发展对资源、能源和土地的高度依赖,彻底告别环境污染和生态破坏;(2)将真正实现面向现在和未来的数据精准决策,显著改善人类应对不确定性环境风险能力。另一方面,由于人工智能会极大提升公民个体对复杂科学技术和社会规则的掌握能力,会改变传统治理结构中政府—市场—社会三元力量对比,给政府在环境治理领域的政策制定和执行带来新的挑战:(1)公众的能力足以使得他们对政府做出的任何不利于自己的政策提出挑战,政府信息公开和透明决策压力空前;(2)社交媒体使得公众对政府及主流媒体信息的关注大大下降,对政府如何利用新型社交媒体进行环境保护宣传教育提出了新的挑战,同时也对社会管理部门如何培育环保社会组织,弥补政府影响力下降所产生的空白提出了新的课题;(3)个体可以同时具有律师、会计、记者等处理复杂社会问题的能力,挑战政府维护社会公平稳定的利益裁量权,对环境司法公正提出更高要求。当前,中国正在进行环境体制改革创新,追求环境治理体系和治理能力现代化,如何关注、分析并积极适应由于技术变革引起的经济基础和上层建筑变化,避免制度资源错配,对于我们这样一个正在进行工业化的后发型国家尤为重要。文章最后建议,要高度关注这个领域的研究前沿进展,在制定发展规划与改革措施过程中,以未来的技术环境为出发点;要加强治理创新,引导技术朝着有利环境保护的方向发展;要加强技术对国家治理体系和治理能力双向影响研究,推进政府改革与创新,为人民提供更好的公共产品。     

不同返还情景下碳税对中国经济影响及减排效果——基于动态CGE的模拟分析

本文构建了多部门递归动态可计算一般均衡模型,考虑中国经济发展和碳减排的现实情况,以征收40元/吨碳税且无税收返还为基准情景,分析了碳税对中国经济和碳强度的影响;在此基础上,本文探讨六种税收返还情景(返还清洁能源部门部分碳税、返还服务业部分碳税、返还农村和城镇居民全部碳税、减免企业所得税、减免居民所得税、减免生产税)对碳税负效应的缓解作用,同时探讨税收返还政策下碳税对中国经济增长、社会福利、农村和城镇居民收入消费、各部门产出的影响差异,并从实现2020年和2030年减排目标的角度,比较不同返还情景下碳税对碳排放量、碳强度,以及对非化石能源占一次能源消费结构变化的长期影响。研究结果表明:基准情景下,碳税对经济确实存在负效应;六种返还政策均不同程度地降低碳税负效应,同时也能够保证实现2020年的减排目标且有利于实现2030年的目标;对单一部门(清洁能源部门或服务业)部分返还碳税能够促进相应部门的产出,但力度较小,与其他政策相比影响微弱,但都能够有效地促进这两大部门的发展,因此在制定补贴政策时应当考虑行业差异性,重点扶持符合绿色发展要求的行业;对农村和城镇居民的直接返还均能增加农村和城镇居民收入,刺激了消费进而带动社会经济发展,相比部门返还政策,这一政策更为有效的提高了社会福利,但也会进一步拉大农村与城镇居民之间的收入消费差距;减免企业所得税促进企业投资和产业结构调整;减免居民所得税极大的刺激居民消费;减免生产税促进进口、拉动就业率,降低化石能源部门产出,综合来看,相对于其他返还政策,减免生产税更有效可行。