A System Dynamics Model for the Environmental Management of the Sepetiba Bay Watershed, Brazil

In the recent past, the Sepetiba Bay watershed, located in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil has experienced rapid industrial development and population growth, as well as an increase in water pollution and environmental degradation. To analyze the complex interrelationships among the agents affecting the Sepetibza Bay environment, a system dynamics model was developed. The model builds on extensive studies conducted for the watershed, and simulates different hypotheses of economic growth and of demographic expansion. Thus, it can be used as a decision support tool for the identification of investment priorities and policy analyses under various scenarios. In order to provide a comprehensive approach to the environmental management of the Sepetiba Bay watershed, the model had to consider only the most relevant aspects of the behavior and the key interactions among agents operating in the watershed. In this article, the model’s structure is presented together with some of its main results.     

Land Use Change and Land Degradation in Southeastern Mediterranean Spain

The magnitude of the environmental and social consequences of soil erosion and land degradation in semiarid areas of the Mediterranean region has long been recognized and studied. This paper investigates the interrelationship between land use/cover (LULC) changes and land degradation using remotely sensed and ancillary data for southeastern Spain. The area of study, the Xaló River catchment situated in the north of the Alicante Province, has been subjected to a number of LULC changes during the second half of the 20th century such as agricultural abandonment, forest fires, and tourist development. Aerial photographs dating back to 1956 were used for the delineation of historic LULC types; Landsat ETM+ data were used for the analysis and mapping of current conditions. Two important indicators of land degradation, namely, susceptibility to surface runoff and soil erosion, were estimated for the two dates using easily parametrizable models. The comparison of 1956 to 2000 conditions shows an overall “recuperating” trend over the catchment and increased susceptibility to soil erosion only in 3% of the catchment area. The results also identify potential degradation hot-spots where mitigation measures should be taken to prevent further degradation. The readily implemented methodology, based on modest data requirements demonstrated by this study, is a useful tool for catchment to regional scale land use change and land degradation studies and strategic planning for environmental management.     

Soil erosion and non-point source pollution impacts assessment with the aid of multi-temporal remote sensing images

Soil erosion associated with non-point source pollution is viewed as a process of land degradation in many terrestrial environments. Careful monitoring and assessment of land use variations with different temporal and spatial scales would reveal a fluctuating interface, punctuated by changes in rainfall and runoff, movement of people, perturbation from environmental disasters, and shifts in agricultural activities and cropping patterns. The use of multi-temporal remote sensing images in support of environmental modeling analysis in a geographic information system (GIS) environment leading to identification of a variety of long-term interactions between land, resources, and the built environment has been a highly promising approach in recent years. This paper started with a series of supervised land use classifications, using SPOT satellite imagery as a means, in the Kao-Ping River Basin, South Taiwan. Then, it was designed to differentiate the variations of eight land use patterns in the past decade, including orchard, farmland, sugarcane field, forest, grassland, barren, community, and water body. Final accuracy was confirmed based on interpretation of available aerial photographs and global positioning system (GPS) measurements. Finally, a numerical simulation model (General Watershed Loading Function, GWLF) was used to relate soil erosion to non-point source pollution impacts in the coupled land and river water systems. Research findings indicate that while the decadal increase in orchards poses a significant threat to water quality, the continual decrease in forested land exhibits a potential impact on water quality management. Non-point source pollution, contributing to part of the downstream water quality deterioration of the Kao-Ping River system in the last decade, has resulted in an irreversible impact on land integrity from a long-term perspective.     

Industrial pollution,spatial stigma and economic decline: the case of Asopos river basin through the lens of local small business owners

This paper explores the notion of environmentally induced spatial stigma through an analysis of data from interviews across public attitudes to pollution within the Asopos river basin in central Greece. The area has a 40 year plus history of legal and illicit industrial waste disposal and public debate on the associated environmental degradation. The study focuses on the perceptions and beliefs of a sector of the community likely to be directly and negatively affected by stigma, that is small business owners in the tourism and hospitality sector. The qualitative analysis explores awareness and viewpoints on environmental degradation and water quality within the local context, implications for the local economy and the individual's own enterprise, views on industrial environmental management as well as corporate responsibility and future prospects for the environmental problems of Asopos. Findings reveal a noticeable variation in views on industrial pollution and ecosystem deterioration among the respondents, but overall a strong environmentally induced stigmatization of the area. They also uncover an information asymmetry and lack of credible commitment by government bodies and industry members in disclosing accurate information, a situation likely to increase speculation and uncertainty within the community. The paper concludes by addressing implications of the findings to policy-making and managerial considerations, along with future research perspectives which aim to increase considerations of sustainability aspects for local development.     

浙江省环境污染与经济发展关系的实证研究

本文在环境库兹涅茨曲线假设基础上,采用1991—2014年浙江省环境和经济数据,运用回归模型对其环境污染与经济发展的关系进行实证检验。结果表明:浙江工业废水、工业废气、工业SO2排放量和工业固体废弃物产生量均符合EKC假设,其中工业SO2和工业废水人均排放量与人均GDP呈倒U形关系,拐点分别出现在2005年与2010年;工业废气排放量和工业固体废弃物产生量尚处于倒U形左侧上升阶段,其中工业固体废弃物人均产生量已接近拐点。而生活污水排放量与EKC假设并不相符,人均生活污水排放量与人均GDP呈单调递增的线形关系。对EKC驱动因子的分析表明,加强政府环境治理,以不断完善的环境法规推动产业结构升级调整,以持续的技术进步与创新促进关键行业节能减排,有利于克服规模效应,推动浙江环境污染与经济发展的关系早日实现解耦。     

比利时环境治理典型经验分析——以弗拉芒大区为例

作为欧盟的核心成员国之一,近年来比利时在环境治理方面成效显著。尤其是弗拉芒大区,逐渐形成了以"土地证书"为标志的土壤污染治理、"从摇篮到坟墓"的废弃物治理和以"许可证制度"为核心的空气污染治理等一系列特点鲜明的环境治理措施和方法。本文着重分析弗拉芒大区环境治理的机构设置和目标,以及其土地污染治理中的"土地证书"和土地交易管理,空气污治理中的工业污染源和交通污染源治理,废弃物治理中的法律、经济与自愿工具使用三个方面的典型经验。结合比利时弗拉芒大区的典型经验和现阶段我国环境政策体系存在的主要问题,建议我国环境政策体系的改进和完善,应更加注重实现污染外部性的内部化、利用市场手段来实现土壤保护和开发新的环境政策工具。     

Resource management as a key factor for sustainable urban planning

Due to fast urbanization and increasing living standards, the environmental sustainability of our global society becomes more and more questionable. In this historical review we investigate the role of resources management (RM) and urban planning (UP) and propose ways for integration in sustainable development (SD). RM follows the principle of circular causation, and we reflect on to what extent RM has been an element for urban planning. Since the existence of the first settlements, a close relationship between RM, urbanization and technological development has been present. RM followed the demand for urban resources like water, energy, and food. In history, RM has been fostered by innovation and technology developments and has driven population growth and urbanization. Recent massive resource demand, especially in relation to energy and material flows, has altered natural ecosystems and has resulted in environmental degradation. UP has developed separately in response to different questions. UP followed the demand for improved living conditions, often associated to safety, good manufacturing and trading conditions and appropriate sanitation and waste management. In history UP has been a developing research area, especially since the industrial era and the related strong urbanization at the end of the 18th century. UP responded to new emerging problems in urban areas and became increasingly complex. Nowadays, UP has to address many objectives that are often conflicting, including, the urban sustainability. Our current urban un-sustainability is rooted in massive resource consumption and waste production beyond natural limits, and the absence of flows from waste to resources. Therefore, sustainable urban development requires integration of RM into UP. We propose new ways to this integration.     

Understanding the anthropogenic phosphorus pathway with substance flow analysis at the city level

Excessive input of phosphorus into natural water bodies as a result of anthropogenic processes is an escalating factor that leads to eutrophication. Hence, quantifying the pathway of phosphorus throughout the socioeconomic system is essential for the selection of appropriate measures to mitigate phosphorus discharge. The study develops an analytical model of anthropogenic phosphorus flows within a socioeconomic system based on substance flow analysis. The model consists of five major subsystems: the phosphorous chemical industry, agriculture, animal feeding, human consumption, and waste management. The results show that the total input and output of phosphorus in Chaohu City over 2008 are 8517.70 ton (t) and 4682.76 t, respectively. The estimation of phosphorus discharged into local surface water is 544.22 t, which primarily comes from agriculture (391.99 t, 72.03%), followed by large-scale farming (55.70 t, 10.23%), rural consumption (56.81 t, 10.44%), urban consumption (30.42 t, 5.59%), and waste management (9.30 t, 1.71%). Intensive input of fertilizers in agricultural practices was identified as the most important source of phosphorus load on local surface water. Hence, we propose that the eutrophication of local water bodies could be addressed by optimizing local industrial structure, developing ecological and organic-based agriculture, and improving waste collection and disposal practices.     

Rice and Bricks: Environmental Issues and Mapping of the Unusual Crop Rotation Pattern in the Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley in Nepal has experienced a very rapid increase in population resulting in considerable land use/land cover change and also a series of environmental problems. One of the results of the population increase is an expansion of brick manufacturing within the Valley because most structures are brick. The brick kilns are intense in several locations of the Valley and have an interesting pattern of using the same lands for bricks during the dry season and then conversion to rice during the wet, summer monsoon months. The increase in brick production has contributed to environmental problems including decreased soil productivity, lowered ground water levels, and particularly air pollution. Brick manufacturing has little, if any, effective regulation. There is a lack of current, accurate data on brick production that could be resolved by remote sensing methods. Controls should be established and more information acquired on the location and impacts of brick production.     

Implementing industrial ecology and design for environment practices: Lawrence livermore national laboratory

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), one of the nation's three national security laboratories, is initiating a major research effort in industrial ecology with the goal of increasing the economic and environmental efficiency of the U.S. and global economies. Closer to home, ongoing efforts to reduce LLNL's environmental impact on the surrounding community provide an example of how the environmental efficiency of a major research facility can be systematically improved. In the late 1980s, LLNL initiated its waste minimization and pollution prevention program, changing its focus from end-of-pipe waste management to a proactive and preventive strategy—total quality environmental management (TQEM). LLNL's success in integrating pollution prevention with R&D and operational activities is well illustrated by the waste reduction and energy and water conservation accomplishments described in this article. LLNL represents a model of how industrial ecology, design for environment, and pollution prevention can be incorporated into a comprehensive R&D and operational program. This article describes LLNL's developing industrial ecology program, gives some specific technical accomplishments that have application to many industrial facilities, and presents a case study of TQEM at LLNL's remote experimental test facility, Site 300. The integration of TQEM philosophy with LLNL's scientific capabilities holds much promise for new ideas and creative solutions to national and international industrial ecology concerns.     

重庆市主要生态环境问题及对策

本文以重庆市近几年生态环境现状为基础，对重庆市水土流失、土地退化、森林质量下降、水污染问题、自然灾害频繁、农村环境质量问题、库区淹没区环境质量等一系列生态环境问题逐一进行了剖析，同时从经济保障体系、政策保障体系和技术保障体系等方面提出了：强化管理、认真执法、实施重点工程、协调人口、资源、环境、发展区域经济等对策，以维护和建设重庆市生态环境。     

“三废”资源化利用探讨

针对我国环境污染严重,资源、能源利用率低的现状,胜利油田积极开展“三废”资源化工作。通过对废水、固体废物、工业废气资源化现状的分析,科学地论证了“三废”资源化具有投资少,处理工艺简单易行,处理成本低,管理难度小等优点。找出存在的主要问题,并提出下一步工作目标。     

Environmental regionalization for the management of township and village enterprises in China.

Environmental regionalization (ER) is the basis of environmental assessment, prediction, planning and decision-making. ER techniques were applied to the management of Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs) in China. TVEs are generally middle and small-scale enterprises widely distributed in rural areas with rapid development and high discharge rates of pollutants, which impact heavily on the environment. A set of 13 indicators was chosen to evaluate TVEs in China: (1) runoff depth (P = 75%); (2) rainfall; (3) atmospheric pollution coefficient; (4) percent of forest coverage; (5) national income per capita; (6) economic density of TVEs; (7) population density; (8) environmental management staff at county level; (9) cultivated area per capita; (10) technical advancement of TVEs; (11) environmental impact of TVE industrial structure; (12) ratio of waste water to runoff; and (13) coal consumption density. Fuzzy cluster analysis was employed to conduct quantitative classification. Four zones and seven subzones were obtained. The classification system was adapted to the requirements of environmental management for TVEs at national level.     

深圳市工业固体废物产生特征和管理对策建议

工业固体废物规范化管理是环境污染防治和实现经济绿色发展的重要组成部分。根据工业固体废物统计数据,全面分析了深圳市固体废物的产生特征,并以减量化、资源化和无害化为基本原则提出针对性管理策略和具体措施建议。     

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。     

Review of sustainability management initiatives within Finnish forest products industry companies—Translating Eu level steering into proactive initiatives

Sustainability has become a major focus area within forest products industry. The European operational environment and national environmental steering in EU member states highlight the importance of sustainable development and the development of associated new management approaches to promote sustainability. This article reviews some key elements of sustainability management, covering examples of both Finnish forest products industry initiatives and public environmental steering at the European level. An assessment is made of the current situation and an outline of a future outlook for sustainability management, with special emphasis on bridging the gap between industry initiatives and environmental steering in the form of legislation, policies and strategies at the EU level.This study applied a hybrid approach comprising a review of EU sustainability initiatives, a policy and legal review and a questionnaire survey of forest industry actors. The results of the future outlook indicate that energy efficiency is perceived to be the most important focus area in addition to e.g. environmental and waste management and recycling. Less than half of the companies aim at applying sustainability management. Life-cycle management is also considered to be important whereas product-based approaches, climate change and local industrial symbiosis receive very little attention. All responding companies aim to integrate the principles of sustainability into their operations and most companies consider that life-cycle thinking, management and assessment are useful for them. Energy efficiency is identified as the most important focus area with energy and materials efficiency seen as the most crucial factors for the achievement of responsible competitive advantage and building of sustainable value-added. The findings indicate that sustainability and life-cycle management are not receiving enough management focus at the moment and neither is the industry receiving enough guidance at either the EU level or via national steering and regulatory frameworks.     

Assessment OF SURFACE WATER QUALITY at Large Watershed Scale: Land‐Use,Anthropogenic, and Administrative Impacts

Understanding the impacts that influence water quality is critical to the development of best management practices at the large watershed scale. This study describes the spatiotemporal variation in surface water quality and identifies their main impact in the Haihe River basin, China. Multivariate statistical techniques are applied to analyze the similarities among the sampling sites and to identify the main pollution sources in surface water. Results show that: (1) the basin can be clustered into two regions, water quality being better in the mountainous vs. plain regions; (2) water quality improves due to implementation of a strict state policy on environmental pollution control, prodded by the hosting of the Olympic games in the cities of Beijing and Tianjin; and (3) agricultural and residential land uses as well as livestock‐breeding are the main sources affecting water quality in the mountainous regions, whereas rural waste discharge — including domestic waste sewage, human and animal feces, and solid waste — significantly influences water quality in the plain regions. The waste discharge of industrial factories may be a significant source of water pollution in the plain regions. Results indicate that the environmental management from pollution sinks and sources, long‐lasting legal framework, and adequate economic incentives should be improved to optimize the large‐scale watershed management under the background of the rapid development of countries like China.     

Open waste burning in Cameroonian cities: an environmental impact analysis

Lack of technology and efficient management of solid waste coupled with poverty have motivated most developing countries to sort for cheap waste disposal methods with negative consequences on the environment. Open burning at waste dumps causes serious toxicological impacts. Most organic solid waste excluding plastics when burned cause considerably little environmental pollution. However, non-stoichiometric combustion of waste plastics produces significant amounts of various aliphatic and aromatic compounds, acidic gases, dust and smoke. These products pollute the air, water and soil generating significant health problems with related socioeconomic impacts on human, animals and plants. Some of these pollutants are toxic and/or carcinogenic, form acid-rain and influence climate change. Critical discourse and research on environmental toxicology resulting from air pollution with related health risk and impacts have been catalysed by the enactment of major environmental regulations and increased awareness. The new clean air act amendment of 1990 is estimated to require about $25billion annually for its implementation in the United States, indicating the gravity of the pollution problem. Understanding, controlling and mitigating the impacts of chemical pollution from multiple sources related to open burning of plastics is complex. This paper uses content analysis of relevant literature and field observations to analyse, evaluate and identify characteristic pollutants including their transmission potentials, sources and impacts on human health with the assessment, prevention and management of related risk. An affordable technology-based approach applied within a bottom-up management strategy to prevent and control pollution offers a sustainable solution underpinned by resource and energy recovery from waste.     

Environmental accounting for waste management: A study of local governments in Australia

Local governments in Australia, especially in large urban areas, have faced a challenge of the growing quantity of waste generated and the diminishing space for waste disposal in recent years. The central government has demonstrated the importance of developing strategies to make full environmental costs and impacts of waste disposal and material recovery accountable for waste management decision-making. However, research into this field is limited. This paper investigates environmental accounting practices in local government waste management. From a survey conducted with local government authorities in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, it is found that overall the level of direct waste flow and activity accounting is higher than the level of hidden and external environmental cost accounting, though local governments tend to identify and use more physical information associated with waste flows and activities than relevant monetary information. External environmental impacts of waste disposal are often overlooked and show the lowest level of practices. The survey results also indicate that urban local governments have taken more environmental information into account than rural local governments, but such difference is not significant between local governments of different sizes. The complexity of waste technical services and operations is confirmed to have a positive and significant effect on the level of environmental accounting for waste management across local governments surveyed.     

The causes of food waste in the supplier-retailer interface: Evidences from the UK and Spain

Food and drink waste is a significant problem for economic, environmental and food security reasons. Government efforts have focused on diverting waste away from landfill through regulation, taxation and public awareness. However, efforts to understand why waste occurs have been limited, particularly in the interface between retailers and suppliers. This research aims to address this problem by identifying the main root causes of waste in the supplier-retailer interface.The research is exploratory in nature as there is a paucity of studies focusing on food waste across the supply chain. Data were collected through 43 interviews with managers in food manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing in two countries: the UK (24) and Spain (19). Data from the interviews and supplementary documentation were analyzed using causal maps. This approach helped to identify the main root causes of waste which were categorized into three groups: (1) mega-trends in the marketplace, (2) natural causes related to the products and processes, and (3) management root causes on which practitioners have a direct impact.The paper discusses the root causes of food waste and good practices identified from the interviews. Differences between the UK and Spain are discussed, presenting potential learning opportunities for practitioners in these countries and highlighting opportunities for further research.