Physico-chemical characterization of Residual Household Waste for energy recovery in insular territories: Case study of Reunion Island

Waste-to-energy is a promising approach to face the current challenge of waste overproduction in Reunion Island, a French territory. In this particular context of an isolated and tropical territory, it is essential to study the properties of potential feedstocks to choose the most appropriate conversion process. This article reports on the composition of Residual Household Waste from Reunion Island and its physico-chemical parameters. Twelve representative samples of Residual Household Waste were subjected to thermal and elemental analysis. The results showed that their composition had a significant influence on the physico-chemical properties, including calorific value. Residual Household Waste from the selective sorting (rich in wood, plastic, and sanitary textiles) as well as dry mixed RHW are the most interesting for energy recovery. Due to their high volatile matter and high carbon content, and their low moisture content, these types of waste have a high calorific value exceeding 18 MJ/kg. Furthermore, the RHW sample comply with the environmental and health criteria applied by French regulations concerning halogen and heavy metal. Thus, it seems that Residual Household Waste can be an alternative to conventional fuels used in incineration or pyro-gasification processes. However, the study also points the need for a pre-treatment process for these wastes. Indeed, it is necessary to sort them correctly in order to avoid the risks of pollution and important maintenance. And more importantly, drying beforehand is unavoidable to improve combustibility and obtain optimal energy conversion.     

Traditional agriculture in transition: examining the impacts of agricultural modernization on smallholder farming in Ghana under the new Green Revolution

Following the renewed effort at achieving a new green revolution for Africa, emphasis has been placed on modernizing smallholder agriculture through the deployment of improved inputs especially mechanized technologies. In Ghana, the government has in the last decade emphasized the provision of subsidized mechanized ploughing services to farmers alongside a rapidly growing private sector tractor service market. While mechanized technology adoption rates have increased rapidly, the deployment of these technologies has been without critical analysis of the impacts on production patterns and local agrarian systems. This paper examines the distributional impacts of agriculture mechanization on cropping patterns and farm sizes of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, and semi-structured interviews with smallholder farmers (n=60). Specifically, comparative analysis of the field sizes and cropping patterns of participant farmers prior to and after the adoption of mechanized technologies was conducted. In-depth interviews were used to contextualize the experiences of smallholder farmers toward understanding how mechanization may be impacting traditional agriculture. Our findings reveal a mechanization paradox in which farm sizes are expanding, while cropping patterns are shifting away from traditional staple crops (pearl millet and sorghum bicolor) to market-oriented crops (maize, rice and groundnuts). This transition we argue, has adverse implications on the cultural dimension of food security, the organization of social life, and climate change adaptation. We recommend a retooling of the current agricultural policy focus to ensure context sensitivity for a more robust battle against food insecurity.     

环境空气质量新标准对郑州和开封空气质量评价的影响

利用河南省环境空气质量新标准实施一期城市(郑州、开封)2013年的环境空气自动监测数据,分析了实施《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095—2012)对这2个城市空气质量评价的影响。研究发现,若采用新标准,郑州、开封污染物年均浓度超标情况加重;城市空气质量达标率从51%、71%下降到35%和31%,下降了16和40个百分点;PM2.5的纳入是空气质量达标率下降的最主要原因,大于NO2标准的收严和CO、O3纳入评价指标的影响,其超标率分别为58%(郑州)和63%(开封);且PM2.5取代PM10成为郑州、开封的首要污染物,其作为首要污染物的比例均大于70%。     

移动通信技术发展对安全生产影响研究*

为了深入揭示安全生产水平同移动通信技术发展的内在联系，提出安全生产信息技术能力的概念及其监控管理连接、救援响应监测、定位导航追踪3方面子能力的定义，进而通过构建3方面子能力同移动通信主要性能指标之间的关系模型（SPITCMC），并对其进行深入分析和研究。研究结果表明:SPITCMC模型可以准确诠释过去移动通信技术发展对安全生产水平产生的影响，同时可用于预判未来移动通信技术发展对安全生产可能产生的影响程度，从而为后续相关工作的开展提供参考和借鉴。     

基于新常态下环境监察执法的难点和重点分析

随着社会经济的发展和人民生活水平的日益提高,广大人民对环境的要求也达到了一个新的高度。在新常态下,如何加强环境监察执法力度与效率、高效解决环境问题、改善生态环境,成为普遍关注的问题。本文从当下环境监察执法工作中的重点与难点出发,分析了新常态下的环境局势,并给出了几点新常态背景下高效开展环境监察执法工作的措施,以期能够改进环境监察执法现状,促进环境问题的早日解决。     

Towards a new climate economics:research areas and prospects

International cooperation to address climate change now stands at a crossroads.With a new international regime for emissions reduction established by the Durban Platform, "New Climate Economics(NCE)" has become a research hotspot.The need for urgent action to combat climate change has prompted discussion on reforms of economic growth patterns and the energy system.The industrial civilization,therefore,now faces a transition towards a new pathway for ecological sustainability.NCE explores new economic concepts,theories,and analytical methods to design a balanced pathway for sustainable growth and emission reduction.Instead of getting trapped in discussions on allocation of emission reduction responsibilities and obligations among countries,NCE pays more attention to developing win-win multilateral cooperation mechanisms that facilitate collaborative RD and knowledge sharing.In addition,NCE studies incentives for low-carbon transition,turning carbon emission reduction into a domestic need for countries to increase their international competitiveness.To achieve the 2°C target,most countries around the world face challenges of insufficient emission allowances to cover expected emissions associated with their projected economic growth.As carbon emissions rights becomes an increasingly scarce resource,increasing the carbon productivity of the economy turns to be the critical path to address the dilemma of green or growth.NCE studies the historical evolution of carbon productivity for countries at different development stages as well as ways to enhance such carbon productivity.This type of study provides invaluable lessons for emerging economies to reach their own emission peaks without losing the momentum of growth.Replacing fossil fuels with new and renewable energy has proven to be an inevitable choice for reshaping the energy system and addressing climate change- it has already become a global trend.NCE studies incentives for new energy technology innovation and deployment provided by carbon pricing,and sheds light on the co-benefits of climate change mitigation,such as resource conservation,environmental protection,and energy security.The role of carbon pricing in promoting intemational RD cooperation and technical transfer will also be studied.The shift in consumption patterns is another key factor enabling a low-carbon transformation.Therefore,NCE also explores the theoretical work on new values of wealth,welfare and consumption,new lifestyles in the context of ecological civilization,concepts and implementation of low-carbon urban planning in developing countries,and the impacts of consumption pattern changes on social development,material production,and urban infrastructure construction.     

全面落实新《安全生产法》强化焦化企业安全管理

新《安全生产法》的颁布和实施,对焦化企业提出了更高的要求。焦化企业可以通过完善安全仪表系统、开展危险与可操作分析、建立企业安全生产预警体系、贯彻执行焦化行业安全生产标准和建立现代企业安全管理制度来更好地促进其安全生产。     

新常态下要科学认识环境管理六个量的关系

针对新常态下环境管理面临的机遇与挑战,本文提出了环境管理工作要树立新的思维,并在此基础上深入剖析了总量与质量、容量与流量、存量与增量的关系。现行的总量控制制度在实施过程中带来的污染减排潜力越来越小,因此,环境管理的目标应从以污染排放控制为主向以环境质量改善为主转变,通过采取具有针对性的差异化容量总量控制管理手段,实现污染排放流量管控,同时,应充分考虑现有环境本底负荷的问题,实现污染存量和可能增量的协同控制,这对于推进环境管理工作的战略转型具有借鉴意义。     

经济新常态下的“十三五”环境压力预测

我国经济已经从高速增长转向中高速增长的新常态阶段,经济发展方式从规模速度型粗放增长转向质量效率型集约增长,产业结构从劳动密集型向资金密集型和知识密集型转换,经济发展动力从要素驱动、投资驱动转向创新驱动。经济新常态下,环境保护将迎来难得的历史机遇,同时也面临严峻的挑战。为了深入理解和准确把握经济新常态下我国"环境态"的发展特征,本文基于中长期环境经济预测模型定量测算了2020年我国社会经济、能源和水资源以及主要污染物排放趋势和特征。结果表明,"十三五"期间,我国能源和水资源消耗总量增长将趋缓,新增消耗量进入涨幅收窄期;产业转型升级加速将从源头上减轻新增污染减排的压力,主要大气和水污染物排放将进入高位平台期,排放强度将呈现高位回落。     

新型微电解填料-Fenton联用处理硝基苯废水

研究通过单因素分析和正交实验法确定新型微电解填料-Fenton联用预处理硝基苯废水的最佳操作条件。结果表明,新型微电解填料降解硝基苯的影响因素从大到小依次为固液比>进水p H值>气水比>HRT,在微电解最佳条件:HRT为60 min,固液比为0.6,进水p H值为2,气水比为15∶1;Fenton试剂最佳条件:反应时间为20 min、p H值为4.5、m(H2O2):m(COD)为2.5、n(H2O2)∶n(Fe2+)为6,硝基苯和COD总去除率可分别达到97.6%和68.3%。处理后的废水可生化性提高,为后续的生物处理创造了良好的条件。