A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR WATER QUALITY DATA AUGMENTATION: A CASE STUDY1

ABSTRACT: Recent developments in water quality monitoring have generated interest in combining non-probability and probability data to improve water quality assessment. The Interagency Task Force on Water Quality Monitoring has taken the lead in exploring data combination possibilities. In this paper we take a developed statistical algorithm for combining the two data types and present an efficient process for implementing the desired data augmentation. In a case study simulated Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) probability data are combined with auxiliary monitoring station data. Auxiliary stations were identified on the STORET water quality database. The sampling frame is constructed using ARC/INFO and EPA's Reach File-3 (RF3) hydrography data. The procedures for locating auxiliary stations, constructing an EMAP-SWS sampling frame, simulating pollutant exposure, and combining EMAP and auxiliary stations were developed as a decision support system (DSS). In the case study with EMAP, the DSS was used to quantify the expected increases in estimate precision. The benefit of using auxiliary stations in EMAP estimates was measured as the decrease in standard error of the estimate.     

The Green Climate Fund as an effective compensatory mechanism in global climate negotiations

The Paris Agreement reached during the COP21 in December 2015 represents a timid step towards burden sharing in emission mitigation involving all countries. However, given the heterogeneity of countries and their relative differences in vulnerability to climate change damage and in mitigation costs, compensating schemes are required to reach an effective agreement. This paper investigates the role of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a potential compensating measure for both adaptation and mitigation actions under a global climate regime. A dynamic climate-economy computable general equilibrium model (GDynEP) is developed by including both a monetary valuation of climate change damage costs and two alternative methods to determine the allocation of GCF resources among receiving countries and between adaptation and mitigation contributions. Results show that, despite the high costs associated with the implementation of mitigation actions, most developing countries would face even higher costs in case of inaction. Furthermore, the preference of a country for an allocation method is strongly influenced by its characteristics and needs. Consequently, a main policy conclusion is to design country-specific sharing rules for GCF in order to maximize country participation in a global agreement.     

演化博弈视角下小微企业内部安全知识共享研究

为探究小微企业组织内部安全知识共享机制,提高小微企业的安全氛围。本文运用演化博弈理论分析员工群体之间的安全知识共享博弈关系,选取系统动力学软件Vensim构建安全知识共享模型,对不同的影响因素进行了模拟分析。模拟结果表明:员工关系融洽系数、领导的重视程度对演化结果呈正相关关系;安全知识的分享成本则与演化结果呈负相关关系。并为促进安全知识共享提出对策措施。     

多部门协作模式下的生态环境监测体系研究

阐述了建立多部门协作机制,构建生态环境监测大数据平台,实现生态环境监测信息集成共享的背景及意义。通过分析青海省生态环境监测工作现状及存在的问题,提出了构建多部门协作模式下生态环境监测体系的思路和建议。     

Relating to nature,food and community in community gardens

This paper sheds critical light on the motivations and practices of community gardeners in relatively affluent neighbourhoods. The paper engages with community garden, alternative food and domestic garden literatures, to understand how people fit food production into their everyday lives, how they develop relationships to plants and how these in turn shape relations between people in a community group. The paper draws on participant observation and semi-structured walking interviews conducted at three community gardens in Sydney, Australia. The paper concludes that to fit community gardening into busy lives, people strategically choose plants with biophysical qualities that suit personal as well as communal circumstances and objectives. The paper shows how community is relationally constituted through the practices of growing and sharing food. Tensions might arise through the practices of growing food on communal and private plots and the taking and giving of food, but it can also encourage people to reflect on community food production and on their roles as individuals in a community group.     

Capacity development in protected area management

Increasing land consumption and loss of biodiversity make it particularly important that protected areas fulfil their function. This, however, is often impaired by insufficient political and financial support. This study investigates how existing protected area management capacities can be used more effectively in a prompt and lasting manner. Therefore, data from protected area management effectiveness evaluations were analysed. Efficient workflows and teamwork were identified to be key capacities for effective management. Simultaneously, deficient financial and social security, lack of incentives and inflexible management structures prevent the productive use of existing capacities. In order to improve the situation, greater attention should be given to intangible assets. Additionally, protected area managers and employees must be enabled to be more self-reliant and self-responsible in order to foster a lasting learning process.     

组织间目标差异对应急合作关系的影响 ——信息分享行为的中介作用及任务不确定性的调节效应

合作关系质量的高低直接影响应急活动的成败,如何改善合作关系,从而提高协同绩效是应急管理领域亟待解决的问题。探讨组织间目标差异对应急合作关系的影响,并重点分析信息分享行为和任务不确定性在以上关系中所起的中介作用及调节效应。通过对239位基层应急指挥人员的问卷调查数据进行层级回归分析发现:组织间目标差异对应急合作关系有显著的负向影响;信息分享行为在二者之间起到部分中介作用;任务不确定性对组织间目标差异与社会确认之间的关系没有显著影响,但对组织间目标差异与目标确认之间的关系存在显著的负向影响。结论表明,高层应急指挥人员可采用信息公告牌、制定信息沟通内容结构框架的措施来约束社会确认信息的传递。     

Sustainability measurement of product-service systems: Brazilian case studies about electric car-sharing

Modifying the traditional production system and the culture of consumption is necessary to achieve a sustainable society. The product-service system (PSS) business model allows companies to progressively add services to physical products, thus promoting more pro-sustainable business outcomes. The purpose of this work is to verify how a PSS model can contribute to sustainability by analyzing two electric car-sharing projects using a set of five factors. As a methodological strategy, a Systematic Literature Review and a case study of the two projects (VAMO and EMOTIVE) were performed. Findings show benefits generated by both projects as to environmental aspects, mainly related to gases emission. It was also possible to observe social benefits due to income development and environmental awareness. This paper thus contributes to the discussion of the potential of the PSS models and how they can leverage business models toward a more sustainable society. Although the results are applicable only in this case, this article can motivate new projects and contribute to enriching the debate about sustainable solutions, as the literature in this field still provides few case studies showing these types of applications.     

FINANCING FEDERAL WATER DEVELOPEMNT PROJECTS AND SHARING THE COSTS1

ABSTRACT: The Federal Government's interest and involvement in water resource development in discussed in the context of project financing and cost sharing. After drawing a clear distinction between the two issues - who puts up the money, and who repays over time - the authors survey a number of Federal acts from which have evolved nearly 200 separate cost-sharing rules. Selected cost sharing and financing issues discussed include consistency in policies, rehabilitation of urban water supply systems, multipurpose water quality projects, and ground water management. Two proposals for cost/finance sharing reform introduced in the 96th Congress are discussed in detail and their impacts compared with current policy. The joint venture approach (Administration proposal) results in an effective composite cost share which changes significantly but not drastically (from 19 to 35 percent non-Federal share for a hypothetical project). The block grant approach (Domenici-Moynihan proposal) would alter the regional distribution of Federal water developement funding from the South and West to the Northwest and North Central States.     

A DESCRIPTIVE MODEL FOR ANALYZING PROPOSED COST SHARING RATE CHANGES1

ABSTRACT: This article offers a procedure for identifying the primary effects of financing and cost sharing rates on four basic levels: program, technical, incidence, and comprehensive impacts. A process is developed for identifying these effects based upon two alternative approaches. One method would follow the effects of rate changes through the four levels of impact, another would look in depth at the consequences of rate changes on a particular impact. For this study the information and suggested changes found in the Section 80(c) Study were used to illustrate possible impacts. The process suggested herein could be used in anticipating impacts of any major policy change.