Pollution performance of firms from pulp and paper industries

The water pollution emissions by 13 of the largest pulp and paper companies, developed on the basis of monthly reports filed with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by these companies, indicate a wide disparity in the amount of pollution discharged by them into the nation's waterways. Furthermore, the net discharge of pollution in waterways by all firms is positive, which indicates that all the firms in the study pollute the nation's waterways to some degree. Information presented in this study will be useful for public issues, such as evaluating the effectiveness of the Clean Water Act, government's water pollution policy and abatement strategy, and management's effectiveness in abating water pollution.     

Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading1

Horan, Richard D. and James S. Shortle, 2011. Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):59‐69. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00463.x Abstract: Emissions trading in textbook form uses markets to achieve pollution targets cost‐efficiently. This result is accomplished in markets that regulators can implement without knowing pollution abatement costs. The theoretical promise of emissions trading, along with real‐world success stories from air emissions trading, has led to initiatives to use trading for water pollution control. Yet, trading, particularly when it involves nonpoint sources of pollution, requires significant departures from the textbook concept. This paper explores how features of water quality problems affect the design of markets for water pollution control relative to textbook emissions markets. Three fundamental design tasks that regulators must address for pollution trading to achieve an environmental goal at low cost are examined: (1) defining the point and nonpoint commodities to be traded, (2) defining rules governing commodity exchange, and (3) setting caps on the commodity supplies so as to achieve an environmental target. We show that the way in which these tasks are optimally addressed for water quality markets differs significantly from the textbook model and its real‐world analogs. We also show that the fundamental appeal of emissions trading is lost in the case of realistic water quality markets, as market designs that reduce the costs of achieving water quality goals may no longer be implementable without the regulatory authority having information on abatement costs.     

山东省南四湖流域三次产业排污与全省平均水平比较研究

运用2001-2009年的阶段统计数据,选取单位农业增加值——农药、化肥使用量,单位工业增加值——工业废水排放量、工业COD排放量、工业氨氮排放量,第三产业增加值——生活废水排放量、COD排放量、氨氮排放量等系列水环境排污指标,对南四湖流域和山东省的产业排污状况进行了比较分析。分析结果显示:南四湖流域的工业排污总体上已得到良好的控制,但农业和第三产业还有待加强,南四湖流域内不同地市间存在一定差异性,今后的环保控制重点可因地制宜地选择。     

Comparative analysis of air pollution emissions by electric utilities: Public policy implications

One of the objectives of US environmental regulations was to reduce industrial air pollution emissions, especially from the electric utility industry, the major industrial air polluter. In this study, a comparative analysis of air pollution emissions from fossil-fuel-burning electric utility plants is conducted. The analysis focuses on a 12-yr period from 1975 to 1987 for three air pollutants: particulates, surfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. The results indicate that particulate emissions have been significantly reduced but that sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are still major problems for a number of plants. Furthermore, the disparity in the performance by plants indicates that by using current technology, the industry as a whole could greatly reduce these emissions. These results have policy implication for future environmental legislation.     

COMPARATIVE BASES OF INDUSTRY POLLUTION ABATEMENT AND COMMERCIAL INNOVATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT1

ABSTRACT: Adoption, maintenance, and operation of pollution control technology by manufacturing firms is essential to effective water resource management. In this study of 102 industries, we find that company adoption of pollution control technology and practices is primarily associated with two factors: (1) the overall company capacity for innovation in its production technology; and (2) company relationships with state and federal pollution control agencies, local government officials and professionals. Managerial attitudes about pollution and government regulation are not associated with either pollution control or commercial innovation, but are seen as basic to industry-government relationships. The data suggest an important regulatory dilemma, the problem of regulating a large number of small companies with a low capacity for innovation, but which when taken together account for large volumes of toxic effluent.     

雾霾污染、经营绩效与企业环境社会责任

本文采用我国沪深两市2010—2016年A股上市公司数据与哥伦比亚大学社会经济数据和应用中心发布的PM2.5浓度数据,基于固定效应模型研究了雾霾污染对企业环境社会责任履行情况的影响。实证分析结果表明:我国各地市的雾霾污染对企业环境社会责任具有正向影响,即本地雾霾污染越严重,企业承担环境社会责任就越多。进一步的分析发现:雾霾污染会削弱经营绩效对企业环境社会责任履行情况的正向影响,即雾霾污染越严重,经营绩效对企业环境社会责任的正向影响越弱。本文的研究结论不仅揭示了雾霾对企业环境社会责任的正向影响,也揭示了雾霾污染对经营绩效和企业环境责任之间关系的调节影响。该结论对于加强雾霾治理和推动企业良好履行环境社会责任具有积极的作用。     

Optimal Pollution Trading Without Pollution Reductions: A Note1

García, Jorge H., Matthew T. Heberling, and Hale W. Thurston, 2011. Optimal Pollution Trading Without Pollution Reductions: A Note. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):52‐58. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00476.x Abstract: Various kinds of water pollution occur in pulses (e.g., agricultural and urban runoff). Ecosystems, such as wetlands, can serve to regulate these pulses and smooth pollution distributions over time. This smoothing reduces total environmental damages when “instantaneous” damages are marginally increasing. This paper introduces a water quality trading model between a farm (a pulse‐pollution source) and a firm (a more steady pollution source) where the object of exchange is the “temporary” retention of runoff as opposed to total runoff reductions. The optimal trading ratio requires firm emissions to be offset by more than a proportional retention of the initial agricultural runoff pulse. The reason is twofold: (1) emissions are steady or constant over time and, in this sense, have relatively larger environmental impact; and (2) certain kinds of runoff management cause delayed environmental damages.     

减污降碳协同增效的关键路径与政策研究

全面推动实现减污降碳协同增效是新发展阶段我国兑现碳达峰碳中和庄严承诺、深入打好污染防治攻坚战、建设美丽中国的必然要求。环境污染物与二氧化碳排放的高度同源性是实现减污降碳协同增效的理论基础。本文首先就目标指标、管控区域、控制对象、措施任务、政策工具五个方面的协同性系统讨论了减污降碳协同增效的基本内涵。其次，着眼于当前大气环境治理与碳减排在中国的重要性，本文在国家层面讨论了二者的中长期协同控制路线图，阐述了重点协同区域的识别方法和重点部门的协同治理思路，系统提出了大气环境治理与碳减排的协同路径。再次，本文还就“无废城市”建设和生态保护这两个领域与碳减排的协同治理思路展开分析讨论。最后，针对减污降碳协同治理对政策体系的需求，提出了统筹优化减污降碳协同目标、建立协同法规标准、建立减污降碳协同管理制度三个方面的建议。本研究将有助于厘清各方对减污降碳协同增效的认识，对各级政府后续推进减污降碳协同治理工作提供理论和科学基础。     

饮马河流域长春段污染现状与水环境负荷演变特征

为研究饮马河流域长春段水质污染现状和污染负荷演变特征,以饮马河流域长春段的五个国考断面为水质监测点,通过对国考断面水体水质中含有的COD、NH3-N、TP浓度的检测分析,研究区域的水质污染现状和不同水期对污染负荷的影响规律,同时对2020年各考核断面的污染负荷进行估算。经估算,在2020年,计算单元总的COD负荷年排放量约为27503.22 t/a,NH3-N负荷年排放量约为2769.39 t/a,TP负荷年排放量约为485.65 t/a;其中,COD负荷的主要污染来源为城市径流,占比约为40.12%,NH3-N负荷的主要污染来源为农田径流,占比约为48.16%,TP负荷的主要污染来源为农田径流,占比约为46.07%。研究结果表明,砖瓦窑桥、刘珍屯、靠山南楼、十三家子大桥等断面水环境中COD、NH3-N、TP年均浓度超过了水质考核标准;不同水期对饮马河大桥断面污染负荷的影响较小,枯水期对其他断面污染负荷的影响占主要贡献。     

重庆市环境库兹涅茨曲线检验与分析

随着经济持续发展,西部地区环境与经济矛盾日益突出,为研究西部地区经济与环境关系,本文以重庆市为例,选取1990年~2011年共22年的经济指标(人均GDP)与污染物(废水、工业废气、工业固体废弃物等)排放量为环境指标,建立经济与环境指标的协同演化模型,绘制环境库兹涅茨曲线并对重庆市经济与环境协同发展关系进行研究;结果表明:重庆市人均GDP与工业废水排放量之间呈现明显EKC关系,其转折点为2005年,即人均GDP为10982元;重庆市人均GDP与工业SO2排放量及与工业烟尘排放量和工业固体废物排放的良性关系出现和将要出现在2010年和2015年;重庆市人均GDP与总体的工业"三废"排放量之间呈现出明显的倒"U"EKC关系,2006年以后,随着人均GDP的增加,工业"三废"排放量不断减少,2011年时,工业"三废"排放量趋于平缓。由此也说明,重庆市工业"三废"排放量有明显好转的趋势。     

石油类污染物在充填状灰岩裂隙中迁移规律研究

针对淄博市大武水源地的石油污染状况进行了动态模拟石油类污染物迁移特性的研究。内容包括用现场粘土充填灰岩石板缝测定弥散系数、吸附系数及其他有关参数，建立该系统在饱水条件下的迁移数学模型。研究表明静态吸附均遵循Ｌａｎｇｍｕｉｒ吸附模式，且吸附能力较小；静态吸附结果与动态参数比较吻合，可直接用于建立整体模型；水中的石油类污染物在地表以下迁移性很强，容易下渗进入潜水层。     

中央环保绩效考核对地方二氧化硫排放量的影响：基于“十一五”与“十二五”时期的检验

基于"十一五"和"十二五"期间(2006—2015)我国31个省份的面板数据,以二氧化硫排放量为研究对象,发现以环境约束性指标为抓手的环保绩效考核有效减少了地方的二氧化硫排放量,且"十二五"期间的政策驱动力比"十一五"期间更强。随着环保绩效考核的持续推进,年轻的省委书记越来越关注污染减排,但与年长的省委书记相比,环境绩效依然较差。总体来说,官员异质性对环境政策执行效果的影响正在逐渐减弱,制度化机制对地方环境治理的驱动效果正在增强。在"十四五"期间,进一步优化中央环保绩效考核制度将成为"打赢蓝天保卫战"的关键所在。     

水环境有毒重金属污染的防控与监管路线

有毒重金属污染已成为我国的重大环境问题。对有毒重金属污染进行有效监管,首先,必须明确认定,对第一类污染物实施《源头总量控制》是污控执法和促进经济结构改革的保证条件。这种监管方式自2008年《笫一次全国污染源普查工业产排污系数手册》公布以来,更具有切实实施的可行性。《源头总量控制》与《水环境容量总量控制》两种监管方式既是各自独立、缺一不可,又是相互依赖和相互补充的关系,目前一些地方的规划管理者模糊和混淆了两类污染物和两种监管的内容和方式,笼统以《水环境总量控制》来监管所有污染物,丢弃了《源头总量控制》,使本应严加管理的饮用水水源地丧失了控制第一类污染物的能力。我国《地面水环境质量标准》(GB3838-88)中第一类污染物的水质指标与我国实际的水环境背景值有很大差距,存在"放宽允排量"和"价态转化引发危害"的问题,以一个10t电解铅的企业为例,证明两种监管方式的铅允排量相差甚大。总之,把第一类污染物与第二类污染物统一实施《水环境容量总量控制》将带来众多的危害,应当严格实施《源头总量控制》与《水环境总量控制》相结合的监管方式。     

The impact of ISO 14001 on corporate environmental performance: a study of Swedish manufacturing firms

The debate concerning the environmental effectiveness of environmental management systems (EMS) based on ISO 14001 is still open and scholars have called for further studies that can explain the contrasting evidence in previous research. As a response, this study aims to contribute knowledge about the effects of ISO 14001-based EMS by presenting fact-based environmental data. The study focuses on changes in performance over a period of 12 years and includes both firms with an EMS (66 firms) and firms without one (50 firms). Consideration is given to the improvement efforts in the firms before EMS adoption making it possible to neutralize any selection effects where better environmental performance precedes ISO 14001 adoption. Analysis has been carried out using statistical methods for six different environmental areas. No statistically significant differences between certified and non-certified firms concerning the change in the rate of improvement could be found in any of the six areas. However, it can be suspected that EMS adoption has positive effects on energy use and waste production whereas the non-adopting firms seem to perform better concerning air emissions. These mixed results mirrors previous research, which is rather worrying considering the worldwide popularity of EMS based on ISO 14001 in industry.     

“排污权”和“碳排放权”交易的减污降碳协同效应研究——基于污染治理和政策管理的双重视角

全面系统地评估排污权交易和碳排放权交易的减污降碳协同效应,对于进一步发挥应对气候变化和大气污染治理的协同效应、推进全国统一生态环境市场建设具有重要意义。本文基于污染治理和政策管理的双重视角,采用多时点双重差分和倾向得分匹配,分别检验排污权交易和碳排放权交易的减污和降碳效应;并在此基础上,研究三种政策情景下（排污权交易、碳排放权交易以及组合政策）的协同减排效应差异。研究表明,从污染治理视角,排污权交易和碳排放权交易均显著降低了二氧化硫和二氧化碳排放量,实现了减污降碳的协同效应;从政策协同管理视角,在减少二氧化硫污染方面,组合政策比各类政策的单独实施更为有效;在降低二氧化碳排放方面,碳排放权交易比排污权交易和组合政策更为有效。因此,在推进气候变化应对和大气污染治理机制融合的进程中,应有所侧重地推进碳排放权交易和排污权交易组合使用。     

新闻媒体环保监督视角下环境污染治理演化博弈

为督促政府严格履行环境监管职责,应引入新闻媒体,与政府、企业共同参与污染治理。本文使用演化博弈理论通过构建博弈支付矩阵,研究不同情形下政府与企业间、新闻媒体与政府间的演化稳定策略（ESS）,探究新闻媒体监督对环境污染治理的影响,并通过数值算例对演化结果进行验证。演化过程及数值仿真结果表明：①对企业、政府而言,当某种策略的期望利润始终更大时,其决策过程将不受另一方与新闻媒体策略的影响,且此时存在ESS;②新闻媒体进行环保监督一定程度上能促进企业和政府组成的系统向优良状态演化,但新闻媒体是否进行环保监督受政府对环境监管程度的影响,取决于报道成本和预期收益的大小;③政府的作用举足轻重,增大单位环境税额和处罚力度能促使企业合法减排,而对其不严格监管可能使环境质量恶化。因此,为促进环境质量改善,需不断推动环保理念传播,设法降低企业减排成本和政府监管成本,扩大新闻媒体监督职责范围,提高其监督的主动性,并对政府增加生态环境保护维度考核。     

Engaging Economic Development Agencies in Environmental Protection: The case for embedded autonomy

This article examines the role of economic development agencies in strengthening the environmental performance of industry within rapidly industrialising East Asian economies. Three case-study examples are considered, namely, the role of the Industrial Development Board in reducing industrial pollution in Taiwan, pollution control in the palm oil industry in Malaysia, and the role of the Economic Development Board in influencing environmental performance of industry in Singapore. The concept of embedded autonomy is developed to consider the ways in which agencies of economic development can work with firms and industries while simultaneously remaining autonomous from these firms with respect to setting and enforcing performance standards. The three cases suggest that a form of policy integration that more directly integrates economic and environmental goals within agencies of economic development may be feasible, but only where there exists a strong autonomous government bureaucracy and where there is strong societal commitment to improving the environmental performance of industry.     

The channels of the effect of government expenditure on the environment: evidence using dynamic panel data

This paper explores the relationship between government spending and environmental quality using panel data for 94 countries for the period 1970–2008. We identify and estimate three distinct channels that comprise the total direct effect of government expenditure on air pollution, namely a marginal effect, an effect conditional on economic growth and an effect conditional on institutional quality. Since adjustment rate of emissions to their equilibrium level is slow due to technological and institutional reasons, we explicitly take into account dynamics by applying appropriate econometric methods. The results demonstrate that there is a significant alleviating direct effect of government expenditure on SO₂ and NO_x emissions, which increases with the level of economic growth and democracy. However, there is no evidence of a significant effect on pollutants with more global impact on the environment and human health, like N₂O and CO₂, implying that the adoption of international environmental treaties is required in this case.     

沱江富顺段水质分析及污染状况研究

为了解沱江富顺段水质情况,采用相应的国家标准方法对沱江水体的氮、磷、化学需氧量、生化需氧量等指标进行监测。3个监测断面TN、TP的平均浓度分别为3．31mg／L、0．247mg／L,其中TN含量超标3倍以上,TP含量超过标准的1．2倍,建议相关部门应在河流平水期和枯水期严格控制氮、磷的排放,可通过调高工业废水、污水处理厂氮、磷排放标准,缓解沱江氮、磷污染程度。     

Evaluation of the First Phase of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides Provisions of the 1990 Clean Air Act: A Plant-Based Approach

Electric power generating plants that use coal were among the key targets of Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act. Under the first phase of the act, 110 coal-fired electric power plants were required to reduce their sulfur dioxide emissions by 1995 and nitrogen oxide emissions by 1996. Phase 2 of the act requires even greater reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions by 2000 and nitrogen oxide emissions by 2008. This study examines whether the 107 targeted plants (three plants went off-line) have achieved the desired sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emission levels. The analysis of sulfur dioxide is based on data from 1990, 1995, and 1999. The findings show that although sulfur oxide increased by 3% from 1995 to 1999, it decreased by 45% over the 1990–1999 period at the firm level for the targeted firms. The findings also indicate that the overall reduction in sulfur dioxide was achieved by utilizing low sulfur coal and by purchasing emission allowances. So far as nitrogen oxides are concerned, there has been a reduction of 14% over the 1990–1999 period, of which 7% was achieved during the 1995–1999 period. An evaluation of emissions at the plant level indicates that several plants do not meet the emissions level for sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides. These results provide a mixed scorecard for reduction in emissions both for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Even though there is reduction in the emissions on an overall basis at the firm level, several plants that have not been able to reduce emissions deserve special attention to meet the goals of the act in reducing emissions.