Migration Pathways and Remediation of Urban Runoff for PAH Control

The migration pathways for polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and the associated active attenuating mechanisms within the urban environment are examined. The interest in developing an improved understanding of PAH migration/attenuation is focused toward quantification of the cost-effectiveness of urban runoff control strategies for mitigation of PAH inputs to receiving water bodies.A case study application to the City of Sault Ste Marie demonstrates that snow removal from sub-basins with the largest deposition rates, and relatively small wet and/or dry stormwater management ponds, are the most cost-effective remediation strategies.     

Incremental cost-effectiveness of incorporating oestriol evaluation in down syndrome screening programmes

As screening for Down syndrome becomes increasingly sophisticated, it is important to evaluate the newer technologies in terms of their cost-effectiveness. One recent addition to Down syndrome screening programmes is maternal serum unconjugated oestriol (uE₃), especially when used in conjunction with maternal serum α-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin. Using assumptions used in a California proposal to justify an expanded screening programme for Down syndrome, we calculated both the average and the incremental cost-effectiveness of adding uE₃. Using the base case assumptions, including an $8 fee for the uE₃, the incremental cost-effectiveness of adding uE₃ to the proposed California programme is $119 100 per case detected, a value that compares favourably with other Down syndrome screening programmes. The sensitivity analysis supports this conclusion over a wide range of assumptions. However, because of the uncertainty with some key data, it is still too early to fully support the inclusion of uE₃ in Down syndrome screening programmes.     

城镇污水处理排放标准改革的费效分析

从费用效果角度对提高城镇污水处理排放标准的科学性和可实施性进行探讨,利用污染源普查数据,通过城镇污水治理投资和运行函数的构建,计算不同处理规模和排放标准下的污水处理投资和运行费用,在全国层面上计算提高污水处理排放标准所需费用和污染物的减排效果.研究表明：污水处理厂的投资和运行费用的增加随着污水处理规模的增加而递减.以污...     

Climate change, urban air problems and transport policy in the European Union

This paper surveys some recent studies on conventional air pollution and climate change in the transport sector in Europe. Fuel efficiency standards, car emission standards and transport pricing instruments are analysed from an economic perspective taking into account environmental and economic efficiency objectives. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Integrated economic-ecological analysis and evaluation of management strategies on nutrient abatement in the Rhine basin

Management of river basins involves the making of informed choices about the desired levels of economic activities and ecosystem functioning in the catchment. Information on the economic and ecological effects of measures as well as their spatial distribution is therefore needed. This paper proposes the following instruments to support decision-making in river basins: (1) the linking of models and indicators to describe the economic and ecological effects of management actions and their spatial distribution and (2) an extended evaluation framework that aims to evaluate management actions on three objectives for sustainable river management. These are cost-effectiveness, spatial equity, and environmental quality. This paper illustrates the potential of these instruments for river basin management by a case-study on nutrient management in the Rhine basin. In this case-study four nutrient abatement strategies are formulated, based on policies of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine and the North Sea Commission. These strategies are analysed and evaluated on their contribution to the three management objectives. Results show that none of these strategies score highest on cost-effectiveness, spatial equity and environmental quality simultaneously. It appears that cost-effectiveness is in conflict with environmental quality, whereas spatial equity and cost-effectiveness show quite close correspondence. This means that a trade-off has to be made between costs and spatial equity on the one hand, and environmental standards on the other hand. This paper offers a framework to make these trade-offs more explicit and provides quantitative information on cause-effect relationships, economic and environmental effects and the spatial distribution of these effects for various management strategies. This information can be particularly useful in the development of compromises required to establish international agreement and co-operation.     

Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution Abatement Strategies in Urban Areas: Application to the Greater Athens Area

This paper presents an integrated system for the assessmentof technical and non-technical measures that are putforward in order to reduce air pollution levels in urbanareas. In contrast to the majority of the currentlyemployed assessment tools, this system allows for theevaluation of any proposed air pollution control measure interms of its combined impact on air quality and socialwelfare, by correlating the environmental and economicaspects of alternative air pollution abatement solutions.Based on the multi-pollutant, multi-effect concept, thesystem presented aims in providing policy-makers with areliable tool for the objective assessment of the mostcost-effective packages of measures, the latter beingallocated according to the particular features and needs ofthe areas examined.     

Effective conservation planning of Iberian amphibians based on a regionalization of climate-driven range shifts

Amphibians are severely affected by climate change, particularly in regions where droughts prevail and water availability is scarce. The extirpation of amphibians triggers cascading effects that disrupt the trophic structure of food webs and ecosystems. Dedicated assessments of the spatial adaptive potential of amphibian species under climate change are, therefore, essential to provide guidelines for their effective conservation. I used predictions about the location of suitable climates for 27 amphibian species in the Iberian Peninsula from a baseline period to 2080 to typify shifting species’ ranges. The time at which these range types are expected to be functionally important for the adaptation of a species was used to identify full or partial refugia; areas most likely to be the home of populations moving into new climatically suitable grounds; areas most likely to receive populations after climate adaptive dispersal; and climatically unsuitable areas near suitable areas. I implemented an area prioritization protocol for each species to obtain a cohesive set of areas that would provide maximum adaptability and where management interventions should be prioritized. A connectivity assessment pinpointed where facilitative strategies would be most effective. Each of the 27 species had distinct spatial requirements but, common to all species, a bottleneck effect was predicted by 2050 because source areas for subsequent dispersal were small in extent. Three species emerged as difficult to maintain up to 2080. The Iberian northwest was predicted to capture adaptive range for most species. My study offers analytical guidelines for managers and decision makers to undertake systematic assessments on where and when to intervene to maximize the persistence of amphibian species and the functionality of the ecosystems that depend on them.     

我国人工林生态系统的水成本核算

健康的生态系统能够提供水土保持、防风固沙、涵养水源、调节气候、减少环境污染、增加游憩地与文化保护等良好的生态服务价值。然而,生态环境修复与建设不仅需要巨大的经费投入,也需要占用大量的自然资源。为了正确理解人工造林活动的成本问题,论文用7种蒸散发模型首次对我国1949年以来人工造林和自然植被恢复的耗水量及人工造林耗水量的机会成本进行计算,初步了解人工修复活动对水资源供给的影响。结果显示,1952—2011年我国人工造林累计耗水量比自然修复多767×10⁸ m³,水机会成本累计536×10⁸元。为了维护生态平衡,生态修复（尤其是人工修复）和经济活动都应关注水资源的成本问题,通过不同措施的成本效益比较,最大限度地降低生态修复成本,这是修复生态学需要面对的重要科学问题之一。     

燃煤电厂污染减排成本有效性分析及超低排放政策讨论

中国的空气污染与以煤为主的能源结构关系密切.燃煤电厂是中国煤炭消费量最大且大气污染物排放量最大的部门,因此,也必然成为污染物排放控制的主要对象.针对最近公布的电厂超低排放政策,本文采用成本有效性评估方法对燃煤电厂污染物减排进行了分析,研究结果表明：全面进行超低排放改造以实现污染物减排的成本高昂,其中,燃煤电厂超低排放改造的脱硫、脱硝、除尘的单位减排成本分别为：4.46万元/t,2.35万元/t,0.43万元/t.现有燃煤电厂实施超低排放的行业成本较高;鉴于其他燃煤部门技术水平相对落后、排放标准宽松,现阶段是否首先针对燃煤电厂全面实施超低排放改造需要更为全面的环境经济评估.基于本文的分析,以度电成本为衡量指标将会误导超低排放改造的减排路径选择.研究结论表明：燃煤电厂行业最低成本超低排放改造,应从规模较小、煤质水平较差的机组开始.     

中国电力行业多污染物控制成本与效果分析

利用情景分析法建立了2010—2030年我国电力行业SO₂、NO_x、PM₁₀、PM_2.5的排放控制情景,分析了发电技术结构调整、加严及进一步加严末端控制措施(脱硫、脱硝、除尘等)的减排成本和效果. 结果表明:到2030年,相对于趋势照常情景,若加严末端控制设施,将新增336×108元投资,SO₂、NO_x、PM₁₀、PM_2.5排放量可分别减少121×104、852×104、18×104、10×104 t;若进一步加严末端控制措施,将再新增25×108元投资,NO_x、PM₁₀、PM_2.5可分别进一步减排45×104、23×104、15×104 t;若进行发电技术结构调整,将新增2 383×108元投资,SO₂、NO_x、PM₁₀、PM_2.5排放量分别减少248×104、420×104、18×104、10×104 t;2020年和2030年发电技术结构调整带来的单位污染物减排成本分别为15 374和34 239元/t,是末端控制措施加严的3倍以上,但其能提供更大的SO₂减排空间并具有降低能耗和减排温室气体等协同效益. 从成本效果角度考虑,建议采用加严末端控制措施方案,同时调整发电技术结构、合理发展清洁发电技术,以为污染物减排提供更大空间.