Improvements on Flood Alleviation in Germany: Lessons Learned from the Elbe Flood in August 2002

The increase in damage due to natural disasters is directly related to the number of people who live and work in hazardous areas and continuously accumulate assets. Therefore, land use planning authorities have to manage effectively the establishment and development of settlements in flood-prone areas in order to avoid the further increase of vulnerable assets. Germany faced major destruction during the flood in August 2002 in the Elbe and Danube catchments, and many changes have been suggested in the existing German water and planning regulations. This article presents some findings of a “Lessons Learned” study that was carried out in the aftermath of the flood and discusses the following topics: 1) the establishment of comprehensive hazard maps and flood protection concepts, 2) the harmonization of regulations of flood protection at the federal level, 3) the communication of the flood hazard and awareness strategies, and 4) how damage potential can be minimized through measures of area precaution such as resettlement and risk-adapted land use. Although attempts towards a coordinated and harmonized creation of flood hazard maps and concepts have been made, there is still no uniform strategy at all planning levels and for all states (Lae nder) of the Federal Republic of Germany. The development and communication of possible mitigation strategies for “unthinkable extreme events” beyond the common safety level of a 100-year flood are needed. In order to establish a sustainable and integrated flood risk management, interdisciplinary and catchment-based approaches are needed.     

Exoautometabolic regulation of transgenes in microorganisms

Data on the existence of a specific system regulating the growth, size, and structure of enterobacterial populations are first summarized in terms of the chemical ecology concept formulated by S.S. Shvarts. The role of this system in transgene functioning is described using the example of the lux operon integrated into Escherichia coli. A relatively simple test for estimating such interactions is proposed.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 91–96.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pshenichnov, Maslennikova, Nikitina.     

GHS化学品危险性分类及其公示要素(上)

概述了全球化学品统一分类和标签制度（GHS）的产生背景、推行GHS的重要意义，介绍了GHS关于化学品危险性分类和公示要素的主要内容，评估了我国现行化学品危险性分类与GHS分类的差异点，并对我国全面实施GHS提出了若干对策建议。     

Conjoint analysis for environmental evaluation

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: Conjoint analysis and the related choice-modelling methods have been used for many years in marketing research to evaluate consumer behaviour and preferences for different kinds of product attributes. Recently, the number of applications in environmental science and management has started to grow. Conjoint analysis is found in many different forms, and the environmental studies evaluated in this review display the same range of methods as in other fields. The key characteristic of all these methods is that trade-offs are evaluated by jointly considering a number of important attributes. MAIN FEATURES: This paper is a review of the literature on environmental applications of conjoint analysis and assesses in which environmental area conjoint analysis has been most successful. The method and the design of the studies are reviewed as well. RESULTS: A total of 84 studies were found, dealing with environmental issues that were evaluated by conjoint analysis. The studies concern agriculture, ecosystem management, energy, environmental evaluation, forestry, land management, pollution, products, recreation, environmental risk analysis and waste management. DISCUSSION: Choice experiments seem to have a comparatively stronger position in environmental studies than elsewhere. Most of the environmental applications are related to natural resource management. This is somewhat surprising, but a number of reports have appeared also on product evaluation, which could be a key application area in the future. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to marketing and transportation, the number of environmental conjoint studies is rather small but increasing, and the method has proven to work effectively in eliciting preferences on environmental issues. In environmental issues, experimenters often use choice experiments, especially concerning ecosystem management and environmental evaluations. When it comes to evaluating preferences concerning agriculture, forestry, energy and products, a more traditional approach of conjoint analysis is favoured. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Two new areas of application are identified in this review--environmental communication and expert elicitation. Conjoint analysis can thus be developed into a useful instrument for environmental risk analysis and communication, both of which are necessary for an efficient approach to risk governance.     

交通建设项目施工期环境监理探讨

探讨交通建设项目施工期环境监理方法，提出环境监理的目的、意义、程序，内容和工作方法。     

YEP与数据通讯网络

ＹＥＰ采用了先进的计算机管理技术与电子邮件网络系统，到目前为止，省项目办和英国ＤＲＡ咨询专家与世界银行和涉及ＹＥＰ的各有关单位之间及时准确地进行了大量的数据传输工作，保证了ＹＥＰ工作的顺利进行。     

高速铁路轨道的安全管理

高速铁路的轨道结构要求具有高平顺性。为使轨道结构的平顺性持久、稳定 ,需要在设计、施工、管理各个环节进行严格控制。国外高速铁路的运营经验表明 ,轨道的安全管理在实现高速行车时 ,起着巨大的技术保障作用。笔者在分析高速铁路轨道结构的平顺性特征基础上 ,讨论了轨道不平顺管理、列车振动加速度管理、钢轨踏面及伤损管理、无缝线路管理等方面的问题 ,并提出了改进新思路 ,即应建立异常情况下的处理机制。     

青藏铁路救援指挥系统的研究

通过对青藏铁路特点及运营模式的分析,提出构建青藏铁路事故救援指挥系统的重要性。结合青藏铁路信息化总体规划,在充分利用青藏铁路各信息系统及通讯网络基础上,利用地理信息系统(GIS)技术和无线通讯技术,建设具有指挥、控制、通信及情报(C3I)功能的青藏铁路事故救援指挥系统。提出了系统应达到的目标功能,结合青藏铁路生产作业实际情况,给出了系统实现的信息流程、体系结构,并开发了原型系统。系统将青藏铁路多源信息整合并结合GIS技术以直观的电子地图、图像等方式展示出来,实现了救援预案管理和智能化查询、匹配;并通过应急无线通讯设备实现事故现场视频、图像实时播放及指挥调度与事故现场间的语音双向通讯;同时可建立事故数据库,为统计报告和事故分析服务。     

Literary and economic impact of the Bhopal gas tragedy

The 1984 Bhopal disaster is widely regarded as a watershed event in the field of process-safety and has been largely responsible for a paradigm shift in the outlook of both industry and the public towards risk management within the processing industries. The Bhopal disaster has led to increased regulations and awareness for process-safety related activities across the globe. This paper reports the effect of the infamous Bhopal incident on the research community and examines the performance of manufacturing industries following the disaster.

For this paper, databases of scientific publications were used to investigate research trends in the safety area following the 1984 Bhopal disaster. Our analysis focuses on prominent safety-related research fields that have emerged following the gas tragedy as well as economic indicators of the processing industries. The study reveals that the process industry has consistently progressed over the years, in spite of added regulations and a worsened public image following the Bhopal disaster, and promises to be a stable economy in the future.     

Analysis of uncertainty consideration in environmental assessment: an empirical study of Canadian EA practice

Identifying and communicating uncertainty is core to effective environmental assessment (EA). This study evaluates the extent to which uncertainties are considered and addressed in Canadian EA practice. We reviewed the environmental protection plans, follow-up programs, and panel reports (where applicable) of 12 EAs between 1995 and 2012. The types of uncertainties and levels of disclosure varied greatly. When uncertainties were acknowledged, practitioners adopted five different approaches to address them. However, uncertainties were never discussed or addressed in depth. We found a lack of suitable terminology and consistency in how uncertainties are disclosed, reflecting the need for explicit guidance, and we present recommendations for improvement. Canadian Environmental Impact Statements are not as transparent with respect to uncertainties as they should be, and uncertainties in EA need to be better considered and communicated.