Standards, technology and sustainability

There are many examples in the developing countries (DCs) of environmental standards being set at high levels that cannot possibly be met in the prevailing economic conditions. Such standards are counter-productive; responsible operators who would work towards reasonable standards are turned off and evade the standards. This situation arises because the selected standards tend to be copies of existing standards from industrialized countries where most of the work of developing standards has taken place. The standards they copy are the current high standards that are affordable in the West, but are not affordable in the DCs. A similar situation exists with respect to technology. Designs that work well in the West tend to be copied but do not function well in the DCs because the level of expertise needed to ensure proper performance does not exist, and cannot be recruited and retained at the low wage levels that most authorities are able to pay. The remedy in both cases is to ensure that standards are appropriate and that the constructed facilities will be appropriate and sustainable. They can be sustainable only if adequate funds are assured for a sound program of operation and maintenance. With the ever increasing competition for the use of scarce water resources, all control agencies have a duty to maximize the use of the water they are allocated. For urban water supply systems this means ensuring tight control of UFW. Privatization of UFW control may offer significant benefits for the DCs and merits serious consideration.     

Past and future sustainability of water policies in Europe

The article contributes to a discussion on two global issues on water: water resources management, and water supply and sanitation. Focusing on Europe, it traces the legal roots of current systems in history: as a resource, water is considered as a common property, rather than a market good; while as a public service it is usually a commodity. Public water supply and sanitation technologies and engineering have developed under three main paradigms: quantitative and civil engineering; qualitative and chemical/sanitary engineering (both on the supply side); and the most recent one, environmental engineering and integrated management (on the demand side). The cost of public drinking water is due to rise sharply in view of the two‐fold financial challenge of replacing an ageing infrastructure and keeping up with ever‐rising environmental and sanitary quality standards. Who will pay? Government subsidies, or water users? The author suggests that apparent successes with privatisation may have relied heavily on hidden government subsidies and/or the healthy state of previously installed water infrastructure: past government subsidies are still felt for as long as the lifetime of the infrastructure. The article stresses the importance of public participation and decentralized local management of water and sanitation services. Informing and involving users in water management decisions is seen as an integral part of the ‘ethics’ side of the crucial three E's (economics, environment, ethics). The article strongly argues for municipal provision of water services, and hopes that lessons learnt and solutions found in the European experience may serve water services management efforts in other regions of the world.     

中国生态环境科技创新体系建设研究

分析国内外生态环境科技创新的发展现状，相比较国外以市场机制为导向、以企业为创新主体、政府通过政策和管辖支撑创新的体系特征，我国已形成四大类环境类科创载体，但尚未形成成熟有效的技术成果产业化机制以及市场与政策协同促进科技创新的发展模式。本文根据生态环境科技创新的强政策驱动性、技术验证放大周期长以及集成性强的特点，重点通过环境技术研发、技术成果转化、技术放大与赋能、产业拓展与推广四个方面阐述了生态环境科技创新体系建设的主要环节：环境技术的研发由以科研机构为主的传统自发性研发、企业迭代性研发和联合应用型研发组成；技术成果的转化经历挖掘发现、技术识别与判断、知识产权评估评价后进入已成立的企业或新设公司，在这一过程中，成果转化专业队伍起着至关重要的作用；技术放大与赋能旨在为有创新技术的企业提供科技创新政策、二次研发中试验证、首台套工程案例、投融资等资源的对接，以协助初创企业成长；产业的拓展与推广则通过为解决环境问题形成集成方案、孵化平台为企业背书和产业政策匹配等方式助力企业长期发展。最后从加强专业化创新平台、技术评估体系、成果转化人才培养体系建设以及疏通投融资渠道等方面对中国未来生态环境科技创新发展提出相关建议。     

我国环境技术转化转移机制建设——国外经验借鉴

综述了国外技术转化转移的基本经验,针对我国环境技术转化转移存在的困难和问题,提出建立政府引导机制、健全基本保障机制、完善政策激励机制、完善产学研合作机制、完善技术转化绩效评价机制和转移机构考评监督机制,以及加快构建环境技术转移体系的建议。     

我国环境技术转移模式与运行保障机制的研究

全面阐述了我国环境技术成果转化推广机制建设取得的积极进展,以及当前存在的困难和问题;基于环境技术转移体制机制的内涵,提出了环境技术转化转移机制建设应遵循的四项原则;论述了环境技术转化转移模式选择和六项保障环境技术转化转移能动健康运行的保障机制性措施。     

区域开发环境影响因素分析初探

随着经济的不断发展，我国的环境影响评价制度从建设项目环境影响评价正在向区域环境影响评价方向发展。国家环保总局已颂布了工程项目环境影响评价的技术导则，关于区域环境影响评价的技术导则正在制定之中。而当前区域环境影响评价在我国很多地方都已开展，并取得一定的成果。本文根据区域环境影响评价工作中的体会就区域环境影响因素分析提出了一些具体的方法。     

美国环境信息化建设及其启示

我国环境信息化存在基础设施和系统建设分散,数据难以共享,信息资源开发利用程度低,公众服务能力弱等问题,难以满足新时期生态环境保护工作的要求.美国环保署在环境信息管理方面建立了一套完善的组织架构和管理体制,实现了环境数据的共享、开放和信息资源的综合开发与利用.本文介绍了美国环保局的首席信息官(CIO)制度,信息化基础设施统一建设和运维等信息化管理制度,以及设施登记系统,有毒物质排放清单,我身边的环境,环境数据仓库,环境数据传输与交换等信息系统,结合我国的环境信息化建设,提出了若干政策建议.     

论加强环境保护基础设施建设

为进一步加强环境保护基础设施建设,促进我国环境保护事业的更大发展,各级人民政府和环保部门必须研究采用各种切实有效的措施。环保部门应当参与投资决策,确保资金投向基础设施建设;认真调查研究,选好选准基础设施项目,做好项目审批;采取各种措施和政策,加大投资力度;加强对基础设施建设的领导,加强投资监管,加快建设进度。     

Toxic mercury versus appropriate technology: Artisanal gold miners’ retort aversion

Mercury-usage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has accelerated in developing countries during the last thirty years resulting in negative environmental and health impacts. As awareness of mercury contamination from ASGM has grown, a number of strategic initiatives have been introduced to reduce the impact of the toxic substance. The adoption of the retort, a device capable of recycling up to 95 per cent of mercury in gold extraction, constitutes a broadly recognized approach. Based on case-study research in Tanzania, this paper examines an ASGM area, which has been targeted by several mercury-reducing efforts. Based on survey data, key informants interviews, and visitor observations, the paper examines the impact of these efforts on mining techniques and residents’ attitudes towards the use of mercury. Despite the seemingly obvious advantages from adopting retorts or other mercury-reducing techniques – economic, environmental, and health-wise – miners continue to use mercury haphazardly, while demonstrating an only limited awareness of the toxicity of the substance. The paper discusses the possible explanations behind this as well as possible ways forward in facilitating the reduction of mercury in ASGM operations.     

A paradigm of an integrated transboundary environmental education,training, and technology transfer project

The Rodopi mountain range is located between Greece and Bulgaria and constitutes a natural and political boundary whose crest delimits the frontier between the two countries. However, these two neighboring countries have significant differences: Greece is one of the oldest members of the European Union (EU) while Bulgaria has just recently entered the European family. As a result, the existing financial and political differences between the two nations are also reflected in issues concerning the environmental know-how, education, and training, since Greece seems to have a small lead in these fields. On the other hand, given that Bulgaria possesses exceptional scientific personnel, it has made significant progress in all aspects of environmental policy during the last decade by absorbing up-to-date knowledge and putting it into practice; thus, catching up with the other EU countries in environmental issues is just a matter of time. Taking these factors into account, the Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Management of the Technological Educational Institute of Kavala (Greece) and the Department of Geography-Ecology and Natural History (Bulgaria) prepared a joint proposal which was approved and financed by the European Union Initiative ΙNTERREG IIIΑ/PHARE CBC GREECE-BULGARIA. The proposal concerns the Rodopi mountains and focuses on integrated environmental education, technology exchange, and transfer between the two institutions. The Rodopi complex constitutes a very important ecosystem of particular ecological and biological interest for both countries. This paper reveals the cooperation possibilities on environmental education and know-how exchange with regard to the shared natural resources of these contiguous countries.     

非洲地区环境法对中国石油海外业务影响分析

文章在调研中国石油非洲地区主要业务国环境法律法规的基础上,阐述了这些国家在环境管理方面的现状,提出了中国石油应对非洲地区环境法律制约的措施和建议,包括可行性研究阶段的法规调研要兼顾非洲习惯法,及早应对政策风险,项目实施过程严格落实环境影响评价、环境审计、环境许可和环境应急管理制度等。     

Occupational noise exposure and hearing loss among pulse processing workers

Occupational noise exposure and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been recognised as a problem among workers in Indian industries. The major industries in India are based on the processing of agricultural products. There are appreciable numbers of pulse processing units spread throughout the country. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing loss among pulse processing workers. As a part of hearing protection intervention, audiometric tests were conducted at the binaural low (250–1,500 Hz), the binaural mid (1,500–4,000 Hz) and the binaural high (3,000–8,000 Hz) frequency averages. The prevalence of hearing loss was determined based on hearing threshold levels (HTLs) with a low fence of 25 dB. Over 50% of pulse processing workers (dana bazaar and dal mill) showed hearing loss in the noise-sensitive higher (binaural mid and high) frequencies. The rate of hearing loss was particularly high among workers in the dal mill. The analyses show a higher risk of prevalence of hearing loss among the dal mill workers compared to the workers associated with the grain preprocessing activities. The study shows alarming signals of NIHL, especially in the dal mill workers. The occupational exposure to noise could be minimised by efficient control measures through engineering controls, administrative controls and the use of personal protective devices. Applications of engineering and/or administrative controls are frequently not feasible in developing countries for technical and financial reasons. A complete hearing conservation programme, including training, audiometry and the use of hearing protection devices, is the most feasible method for the protection of industrial workers from prevailing noise in workplace environments in the developing countries.     

Stream Restoration and Enhancement Projects: Is Anyone Monitoring?

Declines in salmon stocks and general watershed health in Washington State, USA, have led to an increase in stream restoration and enhancement projects initiated throughout the state. The increasing number of projects has also raised questions regarding the monitoring of these efforts. Project managers receiving hydraulic project approvals (HPAs) were surveyed to determine whether monitoring was taking place on their projects. About half the project managers surveyed reported the collection of baseline data and the use of biological, physical, chemical, or other water quality measures for their projects. Of those who reported collection of monitoring data, only 18% indicated that monitoring was required. Respondents were also asked to rank the importance of various project goals on a Likert scale. Project managers with projects focusing on “engineering” goals (e.g., roadbed stabilization) were less likely than other project managers to collect baseline monitoring data. Project managers with projects focusing on “restoration/ecological” or “fisheries” goals were more likely than other project managers to collect monitoring measures. Although monitoring appears to be taking place in slightly more than half of the projects surveyed, the nature of the data collected varies widely across projects, and in most cases the monitoring effort is voluntary. This suggests that project sponsors, funders, and managers must consider the issues involved in requiring appropriate monitoring, establishing standardized monitoring guidelines, the time frames in which to monitor, providing other incentives for conducting monitoring, and ensuring adequate funding for monitoring efforts.     

Rising recreancy: flood control and community relocation in Houston,TX, from an environmental justice perspective

This article looks at issues of recreancy, environmental justice, and relocation as they relate to a flood control infrastructure project in inner city Houston. The main research questions were “What forms would recreancy take?” and “Can a project be environmentally just if recreancy is present?” Through the structural coding of 53 semi-structured interviews, recreancy was found even in a project where the sponsors used community cohesion as a guideline. This article illuminates the difficulties flood control project engineers face when working in local communities and argues that engineering issues are also social issues. Further, the relocatees within this flood control project voice some of the same concerns experienced by people relocated in other involuntary infrastructure development projects. The case outlined in this article could be used to better help those involuntarily relocated for flood control.     

EIA application in China's expressway infrastructure: clarifying the decision-making hierarchy

China's EIA Law came into effect in 2003 and formally requires road transport infrastructure development actions to be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). EIAs (including project EIA and plan EIA, or strategic environmental impact assessment, SEA) have been being widely applied in the expressway infrastructure planning field. Among those applications, SEA is applied to provincial level expressway network (PLEI) plans, and project EIA is applied to expressway infrastructure development 'projects' under PLEI plans. Three case studies (one expressway project EIA and two PLEI plan SEAs) were examined to understand currently how EIAs are applied to expressway infrastructure development planning. Through the studies, a number of problems that significantly influence the quality of EIA application in the field were identified. The reasons causing those problems are analyzed and possible solutions are suggested aimed at enhancing EIA practice, helping deliver better decision-making and ultimately improving the environmental performance of expressway infrastructure.     

IMPROVING URBAN WATERWAYS IN EMERGING COUNTRIES: AN ACTION PLAN FOR MADRAS1

ABSTRACT: Typically, infrastructure agencies build massive water projects to serve expanding populations in emerging country cities, but collect and treat only a fraction of the resulting wastewater. This effluent often overwhelms existing sewerage systems and fouls waterways. Cleaning urban waterways requires large investments over long terms and the political will to make and sustain them. This challenge - difficult in advanced countries - becomes daunting with the scarce resources and weak institutions typical of emerging countries. This paper presents a framework to structure such a strategy, and applies it to Madras, India. It consists of three parts: (1) setting a vision through a participatory process; (2) macro investments mainly in wastewater treatment that use least-cost methods; and (3) micro investments in small projects that involve local people and galvanize public support. The macro investment, $350 million for Madras, appears very large, but averages out to $66 per capita, far below the $1,000-$2,000 typical of advanced country cities. Micro projects to be undertaken by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) included an independent wastewater monitoring program, sanitary upgrading of slums along waterways banks, a cattle waste demonstration project, and an industrial pollution survey. Together, a macro/micro strategy promises the funding and political will to achieve a balanced vision of waterways quality.     

Benefits and Challenges of Linking Green Infrastructure and Highway Planning in the United States

Landscape-level green infrastructure creates a network of natural and semi-natural areas that protects and enhances ecosystem services, regenerative capacities, and ecological dynamism over long timeframes. It can also enhance quality of life and certain economic activity. Highways create a network for moving goods and services efficiently, enabling commerce, and improving mobility. A fundamentally profound conflict exists between transportation planning and green infrastructure planning because they both seek to create connected, functioning networks across the same landscapes and regions, but transportation networks, especially in the form of highways, fragment and disconnect green infrastructure networks. A key opportunity has emerged in the United States during the last ten years with the promotion of measures to link transportation and environmental concerns. In this article we examined the potential benefits and challenges of linking landscape-level green infrastructure planning and implementation with integrated transportation planning and highway project development in the United States policy context. This was done by establishing a conceptual model that identified logical flow lines from planning to implementation as well as the potential interconnectors between green infrastructure and highway infrastructure. We analyzed the relationship of these activities through literature review, policy analysis, and a case study of a suburban Maryland, USA landscape. We found that regionally developed and adopted green infrastructure plans can be instrumental in creating more responsive regional transportation plans and streamlining the project environmental review process while enabling better outcomes by enabling more targeted mitigation. In order for benefits to occur, however, landscape-scale green infrastructure assessments and plans must be in place before integrated transportation planning and highway project development occurs. It is in the transportation community’s interests to actively facilitate green infrastructure planning because it creates a more predictable environmental review context. On the other hand, for landscape-level green infrastructure, transportation planning and development is much more established and better funded and can provide a means of supporting green infrastructure planning and implementation, thereby enhancing conservation of ecological function.     

公众参与在铁路工程项目设计过程中的实证研究——以成渝客运专线为例

公众参与是铁路工程项目规划、设计和建设的重要组成部分,也将是铁路设计过程中不可或缺的环节和机制。本文研究了铁路工程项目中公众参与的背景、目的、原则和方式,并以成渝客运专线为实例进行分析,对铁路工程项目中公众参与的前景做出了展望。成渝客运专线贯彻综合最优化的设计理念,对公众参与工作高度重视,针对目前国内公众参与工程建设项目的现状,积极开展了公众参与的有益尝试,并采纳合理可行的公众意见,多次优化工程设计及强化降噪措施,取得了良好的效果,将对今后我国铁路建设项目的公众参与工作产生积极的影响。     

CHANGING TIMES FOR WATER RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER1

In recent years, important changes have occurred in water resources research. There have been major shifts in attitudes of Congress, state legislatures and the general public toward water and related resource issues. Future water research and development will have to be environmentally oriented. Emphasis is shifting to research productivity. To justify research expenditures, hard facts must be produced which demonstrate payoff. Technology transfer (getting research results into the hands of users in an understandable and usable form) is gaining prominence. Research projects must be designed for total problem solution and technology transfer must be incorporated as a part of project objectives. Research must be planned and conducted to meet users' needs. Guidelines for modern research design and technology transfer are presented.     

Harnessing place attachment for local climate mitigation? Hypothesising connections between broadening representations of place and readiness for change

Public engagement in local environmental planning and decision-making is often advocated on various grounds, both instrumental and normative. Yet in developed countries in the context of renewable energy infrastructure deployment, place attachment, place identity and place-protective action continue to be implicated in public objection. We set out an interdisciplinary change readiness hypothesis of specifically how local participatory scenario or visioning processes that include climate mitigation measures may support the mobilisation of place attachment for climate mitigation, including renewable energy deployment. We hypothesise that local visioning may support movement towards change readiness by helping to anchor unfamiliar social representations of low carbon energy infrastructure and new patterns of urban form in existing, more positive representations of localities and associated attachments. To this end, seeking ways to modify threat perceptions relating to climate change and renewable energy infrastructure is advocated as a key direction for study.