The evolution of climate policies - the role of learning and evaluations

All member states of the EU have had to develop climate strategies following the commitment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. The evolution of the strategies provides insights into the learning that takes place at the level of policy development and offers material for analysing how ex ante and ex post evaluations have contributed to this learning. In the analysis, Finland is used as a case demonstrating different levels and types of learning, from deeper reframing to political learning. The results show that the full potential of the evaluations has not been utilised, partly because they have been constrained by their mandate. Greater openness and transparency in the policy processes would create favourable conditions for independent evaluations that could provide additional input to the policy processes. This would support social and reflexive learning and allow for greater adaptability.     

LCA of eucalyptus wood charcoal briquettes

This paper sets out to describe the environmental impact assessment for wood charcoal briquettes produced from eucalyptus wood in Brazil, with specific reference to those impacts associated with Global Warming Potential. To achieve that objective, the work was undertaken in accordance with ISO 14040 "Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework" which describes essential LCA characteristics and good practices. Charcoal briquettes are produced from two basic raw materials, charcoal fines and starch. The fines result from the production of charcoal from sustainably managed eucalyptus plantations. Starch is extracted from babaçu pulp in the Amazon region. Multi-output processes were allocated based on income from the different by-products. The results showed that more than 90% of incoming CO₂ was due to biomass production for charcoal, and the remainder to starch biomass production. Based on Brazilian data, as well as information provided by the GaBi4.3 database, it turned out that supplying the energy content of 1 kg of briquettes resulted in the sequestration of 3.9690 kg of CO₂, i.e. around 4 kg of CO₂ per kg of briquettes produced. CO₂ emissions throughout the briquette production process are totally compensated for by the environmental quality of the raw materials used.     

The recycling cycle of materials as a design project tool

Currently, a large number of companies consider recycling of materials as an opportunity to maximize profits and to reduce the environmental impact generated by these materials after they are disposed. However, there is also a strong constraint on the use of recycled materials mainly due to the lack of technical/scientific information, which would relate their physical properties to their recycling cycle. This information should be used in the initial phase of the product design to serve as reference for the simulation of a project to point out the physical properties obtained from recycling the Projected material (Pm). Thus, it would be possible to foresee some recycling strategy to keep the good characteristics of recycled materials by encouraging their use, regardless of the product to be designed.Therefore, the Recycling Cycle of Materials (RCM) is a tool that provides scientific/technical support in the selection of materials. It uses the information related to the physical properties of the Pm as a parameter for product design after five recycling cycles. For the case study, this tool has been applied to obtain the basic material of ABS/PC blend. Subsequently, this blend was evaluated using DSC, FTIR, traction and impact methods to obtain delimiting data for the definition of the mechanical properties resulting from the application of RCM.     

生命周期评价应用于温室气体排放的研究进展

致使全球气候变暖的温室气体排放问题已经全面引起了人们的广泛关注。生命周期评价作为一种评价环境负荷的评价工具,用于科学定量地估算产品、服务及工艺流程改造等方面的温室气体排放有其独特的优势。文章介绍了估算温室气体排放简化生命周期的技术框架及生命周期评价方法在第一产业(种植业、畜牧业),第二产业(硬纸板加工、橡胶生产、废塑料燃烧的能源再利用)以及第三产业(交通运输、旅游业)的应用情况,并综述了三个产业中的主要系统边界划分原则以及对温室气体排放影响的主要因素;同时,介绍了我国在节能减排方面利用生命周期评价方法的研究与应用实例。     

我国近海水体油类污染现状分析评价

基于中国近海海洋综合调查与评价国家908专项(908专项)中关于我国近海海域海水中油类含量数据(2006年7月14日至2007年12月29),据此数据对我国近海海水油类污染现状进行了分析评价.结果显示,各海域油类的测值和平均值除个别站位外,海水中油类均符合一二类国家海水水质标准.就各季油类平均含量高低相对比较而言,冬季...     

流域水污染防治绩效评估体系研究

以环境绩效评估为基础,从总量削减、水环境质量保护、公众参与、环境治理4个方面选择指标,采用层次分析法进行水污染防治绩效评估.结果表明,赣江流域水污染防治效果明显,水环境质量呈逐年变好趋势;从环境管理来看,情况有所改善,但还存在一些问题,环保投资指数成为影响水污染防治效果的主要控制因子.     

基于GIS的海岛生态脆弱性评价研究与实践——以海坛岛为例

基于生态敏感度、生态弹性度和生态压力度,构建了海岛生态脆弱性评价的指标体系,采用综合指数法和GIS相结合的方法对海坛岛的生态脆弱性进行了定量评价,并绘制了生态脆弱性等级分布图,分析了生态脆弱度的空间差异和不同区域生态脆弱性的主导成因.评价结果与该区域的生态环境状况较为一致,对于海坛岛的生态保护和资源利用具有一定的指导意...     

化工建设规划生态环境影响评价研究

规划环境影响评价是以可持续发展的思想为出发点,通过调整规划布局或规模从规划源头预防环境污染和生态破坏.文章探讨了化工建设规划的生态环境影响评价理论和方法学体系,并以武汉化工新城为例,对该理论方法体系进行探讨.     

港口规划环评评价内容及技术方法探讨

随着经济的快速发展,港口已成为社会发展的重要支柱。但随之带来的是港口建设与环境保护之间的矛盾日益突出,因此必须实施港口规划环境影响评价。本文基于《规划环境影响评价技术导则》(试行),结合港口规划环评的特点,对港口规划环评的技术路线和评价内容进行了总结。评价重点内容从规划协调性分析、环境承载力、公众参与和风险评价四个方面进行了研究和总结,为其它港口总体规划环境影响评价工作提供参考和借鉴。     

基于《环境影响评价》的研究性系列实验设计与教学实践研究

为提高高校本科生实验及实践类课程教学水平,基于笔者十余年实践类课程教学实践,介绍了以课程形式新建的具有研究性特质的系列本科生教学实验,实验素材主要源于“理论课程中的经典研究方法、学科前沿的科学研究实验和成熟的社会应用技术方法和规范”,最后基于具体实践教学案例,详细阐述了上述系列研究性实验的教学细节和流程.希望本研究的探索工作能够为中国高校实验教学的深入改革,以及建立基于学科的国家级基础实验教学示范中心提供基础和借鉴.