基于LMDI分解法的我国碳生产率影响因素研究

运用LMDI分解法,以1995-2010年为样本期,按东、中、西三大区域把我国碳生产率总体变动分解为能源效率、碳排放能耗和碳排放结构3个影响因素,得出以下主要结论:1995-2010年我国碳生产率变化除了2003-2005年为负数外,其余期间均为正数,表明我国碳生产率在逐年提高.碳生产率总体变动因素分解的贡献值和贡献率表明,能源效率因素是影响我国碳生产率变动的主要因素,贡献值为0.9722,贡献率为87.66％,其变动趋势决定了碳生产率的变动趋势;单位碳排放能耗因素贡献值为0.1431,贡献率仅为12.9％,影响较小;而碳排放结构因素的贡献值和贡献率分别为-0.0063和-0.56％,表明碳排放结构抑制了碳生产率的增加.因此,提高区域能源效率,改善区域碳排放结构,对提高我国碳生产率具有重要意义.     

中国产业低碳发展的影响因素及对策

运用因素分解法对我国1980—2016年产业CO2排放变化进行分析,结果表明,能源效率因素是最大的减排因素,而产业规模因素则是最大的增排因素,能源结构因素一直起减排作用,产业结构因素则基本上起增排作用;各个影响因素都对第二产业的影响作用最大,对第一产业的作用最小;第一产业实现了能源结构、能源效率和产业结构三个因素的减排,而第二、第三产业仅实现了能源结构因素和能源效率因素的减排。今后应注重能源结构的转换、能源效率的改善、产业结构的升级与经济的高质量发展。     

中国能源强度分解与替代弹性分析基于我国省际面板数据的实证分析

以1996—2014年中国29个省、自治区、直辖市的数据,采用面板回归、MES替代弹性计算、能源强度分解模型对各经济区的能源强度变动进行分析。结果表明:1中国能源和资本要素价格存在扭曲,要素价格信号机制失灵,能源要素价格的严重扭曲导致大部分经济区"劳动和资本要素"未能对"能源要素"进行有效替代,并且能源要素价格的扭曲程度显著高于劳动和资本要素;2纯效率变动、规模效率和技术变动总体上对中国能源强度降低作用不明显,同时各地区渐强的能源供给约束未能有效抑制能源强度;3要素替代对环渤海、东北、中部五省、西南、西北地区能源强度的下降发挥了主要作用,产业结构变动则在长三角和东南沿海地区能源强度下降过程中发挥了主导作用。     

安徽省旅游业碳排放测度及驱动因素研究

基于2004—2016年的数据,利用"自下而上"法,以安徽省为例,从旅游交通、旅游住宿和旅游活动三方面估算了安徽省旅游业碳排放量。并利用LMDI分解法对旅游业经济增长的碳排放效应进行驱动因子分解。研究结果表明,能源强度变化对旅游业碳排放具有较为显著的抑制作用;旅游收入结构效应是引起省内旅游业碳排放增加的最主要拉动因素。旅游人数规模的快速增长是使安徽省旅游业碳排放增加的第二位原因;旅游消费水平效应与区域人口规模效应虽然也对安徽省旅游业碳排放的增加起到了一定的推动作用,但影响不大。     

河南省能源强度下降的驱动因素分析——基于LMDI方法

根据能源强度的定义和能源消费总量的构成,将能源强度细分为生产能源强度和生活能源强度.生产能源强度是影响河南省能源强度变化的重要因素,而生活能源强度快速增加态势应引起高度关注.基于LMDI因素分解方法,将影响2005-2012年河南省能源强度变化的因素分解为结构效应、能源效率效应、人均GDP倒数效应和人均生活能源消费效应.结果表明,能源效率效应和人均GDP倒数效应是河南省能源强度下降的驱动力,而经济结构和人均生活能源消费效应成为河南能源强度下降的阻碍因素.为实现“十二五”河南省“双控”目标,除挖掘效率节能潜力外,实现结构节能、合理控制生活能源消费增速十分重要,提出了相应的政策建议.     

“双碳”目标下安徽省能源现状及减碳对策研究

安徽省现处于重大战略叠加效应集中释放期。基于统计年鉴数据,借助IPCC和Tapio脱钩理论,统计分析了安徽省2005—2019年能源消费现状,以及2015—2019年碳排放总量及特征。结果表明：2015—2019年安徽省碳排放总量总体呈上升趋势,碳排放主要来自煤炭消费,受能源强度下降驱动全省碳排放强度持续优化;碳脱钩系数一直保持在弱脱钩状态,距离强脱钩状态仍有一定距离。从优化能源发展体系、推进工业领域降碳和完善市场化减排机制等角度,提出了能源领域碳减排的对策建议,以期为安徽省制定碳减排和能源发展战略及策略提供科学依据。     

安徽省居民生活用电增长的动因分解与潜力研究

近年来,我国中东部地区居民生活用电量不断增长,用电增速远超全社会用电量增速,明确其增长动因及未来增长潜力对能源保障和节能减排工作具有重要的参考价值。以安徽省为例,基于平均迪氏指数法构建因素分解模型,对安徽省1995—2015年居民生活用电增量进行动因分解。研究结果表明:人口流动、人口增长、城镇化、住房条件改善和用电强度变化分别贡献了安徽省居民生活用电增长的-5%、6%,8%、53%和37%,居住条件改善和用电强度提升是其快速增长的主要原因。通过构建"十三五"经济社会发展情景,预计2020年居民用电量年均增长6.9%—7.9%,其中城镇居民用电增长占增量的80%左右,居住条件改善和用电强度提升仍然是主要的推动因素。     

安徽省行业隐含碳及碳减排潜力分析

为有效改善气候,降低二氧化碳排放,以安徽省为例,对行业隐含碳及碳减排潜力进行分析.结果表明:能源产业作为安徽省碳减排潜力较大的行业,其隐含碳排放量较大,是碳减排的重点.基于实证结果,提出开发新能源和新兴产业,提高能源利用效率;调整贸易结构,引进低碳技术以及对不同碳减排潜力行业分类采取措施等政策建议.     

基于LMDI法的湖南省碳排放强度影响因素解析

利用2005—2015年湖南省煤炭、石油、天然气三种主要能源的终端消费量,计算逐年碳排放量与碳排放强度,运用对数平均权重分解法(LMDI)探讨了产业结构、能源强度和能源结构对于碳排放强度的贡献率。结果表明:2005—2015年湖南省碳排放强度降低了0.339 t/万元。其中,能源强度对碳强度降低的贡献率最大,为94.5%,能源结构偏小,为16.4%,而产业结构抑制了碳强度的降低,贡献率为-10.9%。因此,湖南省节能减排应着重从优化产业结构、降低能源强度等方面着手。     

湖北省能源消费影响机理研究——基于Granger因果关系及LMDI

能源是一个国家或地区经济发展的命脉,研究能源消费的影响机理将有助于湖北省经济的可持续发展。基于湖北省2005—2015年能源相关数据,运用Granger因果关系检验方法分析了湖北省能源消费的影响因素,运用LMDI方法研究了各影响因素对湖北省能源消费的影响程度。结果表明:影响湖北省能源消费的因素主要有能源强度、能源消费结构、GDP、产业结构、劳动力投入和资本投入。其中,能源强度、GDP和劳动力投入这三个因素与能源消费总量之间存在着双向因果关系,能源消费到能源结构、能源消费到资本投入、产业结构到能源消费之间存在单向因果关系。湖北省能源消费增长的主要推动因素是固定资产投资,主要的抑制因素是能源强度。     

Conversion of temperate forests into heaths: Role of ecosystem disturbance and ericaceous plants

Fire and logging in nutrient-poor temperate forests with certain ericaceous understory plants may convert the forests into heaths. The process of disturbance-induced heath formation is documented by using examples ofCalluna in western Europe,Kalmia in Newfoundland, andGaultheria (salal) in coastal British Columbia. In a cool, temperate climate, rapid vegetative growth ofCalluna, Kalmia, and salal following disturbance results in increasing organic accumulation (paludification), nutrient sequestration, soil acidification, and allelochemicals. These are thought to be the main reasons to conifer regeneration failure in disturbed habitats. If continuation in forest is a land-use objective, then temperate forests with an ericaceous understory should not be logged unless effective silvicultural methods are devised to control the ericaceous plants and restore forest regeneration. Preharvest vegetation control may be considered as an option. Failure to control the understory plants may lead to a long-term vegetation shift, from forest to heathland, particularly in nutrient-poor sites. Successful methods of controllingKalmia andGaultheria, however, have yet to be developed. While theKalmia- andGaultheria- dominated heathlands are undesirable in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, a wide range ofCalluna heathlands of western Europe are being conserved as natural and seminatural vegetation.     

Using Paleo Reconstructions to Improve Streamflow Forecast Lead Time in the Western United States

In water stressed regions, water managers are exploring new horizons that would help in long‐range streamflow forecasts. Oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations have been shown to influence streamflow variability. In this study, long‐lead time streamflow forecasts are made using a multiclass kernel‐based data‐driven support vector machine (SVM) model. The extended streamflow records based on tree ring reconstructions were used to provide a longer time series data. Reconstructed data were used from 1658 to 1952 and the instrumental record was used from 1953 to 2007. Reconstructions for oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations included the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and North Atlantic Oscillation. Streamflow forecasts using all four oscillations were made with one‐year to five‐year lead times for 21 gages in the western United States. This is the first study that uses both instrumental and reconstructed data of oscillations in SVM model to improve streamflow forecast lead time. SVM model was able to provide “satisfactory” to “very good” forecasts with one‐ to five‐year lead time for the selected gages. The use of all the oscillation indices helped in achieving better predictability compared to using individual oscillations. The SVM modeling results are better when compared with multiple linear regression model forecasts. The findings are statistical in nature and are expected to be useful for long‐term water resources planning and management.     

Urban ecological systems: scientific foundations and a decade of progress

Urban ecological studies, including focus on cities, suburbs, and exurbs, while having deep roots in the early to mid 20th century, have burgeoned in the last several decades. We use the state factor approach to highlight the role of important aspects of climate, substrate, organisms, relief, and time in differentiating urban from non-urban areas, and for determining heterogeneity within spatially extensive metropolitan areas. In addition to reviewing key findings relevant to each state factor, we note the emergence of tentative "urban syndromes" concerning soils, streams, wildlife and plants, and homogenization of certain ecosystem functions, such as soil organic carbon dynamics. We note the utility of the ecosystem approach, the human ecosystem framework, and watersheds as integrative tools to tie information about multiple state factors together. The organismal component of urban complexes includes the social organization of the human population, and we review key modes by which human populations within urban areas are differentiated, and how such differentiation affects environmentally relevant actions. Emerging syntheses in land change science and ecological urban design are also summarized. The multifaceted frameworks and the growing urban knowledge base do however identify some pressing research needs.     

Neighbourhood characteristics and urban gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area: staffing and voluntarism,food production,infrastructure, and sustainability practices

Urban gardens are important sources of sustenance for communities with limited access to food. Hence, this study focuses on food production in gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area in Northwest Ohio. We administered surveys to 150 garden managers from November 2014 to February 2015 in our attempt to better understand how neighbourhood racial composition and poverty levels are related to staffing and voluntarism, food production and distribution, the development of infrastructure, and the adoption of sustainability practices in urban gardens. The results from 30 gardens are presented in this paper. We used Geographic Information Systems to map the gardens and overlay the map with 2010 census data so that we could conduct demographic analyses of the neighbourhoods in which the gardens were located. Though the gardens were small – two acres or less – up to 46 varieties of food were grown in a single garden. Gardens also operated on small budgets. Food from the gardens was gifted or shared with friends, family, and neighbourhood residents. Gardens in predominantly minority neighbourhoods tended to have fewer institutional partners, less garden infrastructure, and had adopted fewer sustainable practices than gardens in predominantly White neighbourhoods. Nonetheless, residents of predominantly minority and high-poverty neighbourhoods participated in garden activities and influenced garden operations. Volunteering and staffing were racialised and gendered.     

Predicting deer-vehicle collisions in an urban area

Collisions with deer and other large animals are increasing, and the resulting economic costs and risks to public safety have made mitigation measures a priority for both city and wildlife managers. We created landscape models to describe and predict deer-vehicle collision (DVCs) within the City of Edmonton, Alberta. Models based on roadside characteristics revealed that DVCs occurred frequently where roadside vegetation was both denser and more diverse, and that DVCs were more likely to occur when the groomed width of roadside right-of-ways was smaller. No DVCs occurred where the width of the vegetation-free or manicured roadside buffer was greater than 40 m. Landscape-based models showed that DVCs were more likely in more heterogeneous landscapes where road densities were lower and speed limits were higher, and where non-forested vegetation such as farmland was in closer proximity to larger tracts of forest. These models can help wildlife and transportation managers to identify locations of high collision frequency for mitigation. Modifying certain landscape and roadside habitats can be an effective way to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.     

BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ESTUARINE/COASTAL POLLUTION1

ABSTRACT: Sustained interest in and concern about the health status of the aquatic environment has resulted in extensive research focused on (1) effects of pollution on survival, growth, and reproduction of resource species at all life stages; (2) diseases of fish and shellfish, as they may be related to pollution and as they may serve as indicators of environmental stress; and (3) contaminant body burdens in fish and shellfish - their effects on the aquatic animals and their potential effects on humans. Effects, lethal and sublethal, of pollutants on life history stages of fish and shellfish have been documented, as have impacts on local stocks in badly degraded habitats, but as yet there has been no adequate quantitative demonstration of effects on entire aquatic species - probably because of the difficulty in sorting out relative effects of the many environmental factors that influence abundance. Sublethal effects, especially those that result in disease, have been examined intensively, and some diseases and disease syndromes have been associated statistically with pollution. Other pollution indicators (biochemical, physiological, genetic, behavioral, and ecological) have also received some attention, as have body burdens of contaminants in aquatic species. Research, especially that conducted during the past decade, has done much to clarify the many pathways and toxic effects of contaminants on aquatic animals, and has also helped to identify mechanisms for survival of fish and shellfish in the presence of environmental changes caused by human activities.     

Journalists' views of advertiser pressures on agricultural news

All major journalism ethical codes explicitly state that journalists should protect editorial copy from undue influence by outside sources. However, much of the previous research on agricultural information has concentrated on what information various media communicate (gatekeeping studies) or communication's role in increasing innovation adoption (diffusion studies). Few studies have concentrated specifically on organizational and structural constraints that might adversely affect agricultural journalists' ethical standards; those that have, focus largely on farm magazines. A study of newspaper reporters who cover agricultural news found that the most pressing ethical concern is the effect of advertiser (agri-business) pressure on editorial copy, and that their concerns in general parallel those of farm magazine writers and editors. The majority reported being in situations in which they might be exposed to advertiser pressure, including pressures to change or withhold editorial copy. Large minorities suggested that advertising pressures affect the overall environment in which agricultural journalists work, and more than one in ten said they allow advertiser pressures to influence editorial decisions. The newspaper reporters who cover agricultural beats showed slightly more resistance to advertiser pressure than did farm magazine editors in a parallel study.     

Definition Procedures Have Little Effect on Performance of Environmental Classifications of Streams and Rivers

Mapped environmental classifications are defined using various procedures, but there has been little evaluation of the differences in their ability to discriminate variation in independent ecological characteristics. We tested the performance of environmental classifications of the streams and rivers of France that had been defined from the same environmental data using geographic regionalization and numerical classification of individual river valley segments. Test data comprised invertebrate assemblages, water chemistry, and hydrological indexes obtained from sites throughout France. Classification performance was measured by analysis of similarity (ANOSIM). Geometric regions defined by a regular grid and without regard to environmental variables and a posteriori classifications based on clustering the test datasets defined lower and upper bounds of performance for a given number of classes. Differences in classification performances were generally small. The ANOSIM statistics for the a posteriori classifications were around twice that of all environmental classifications, including geometrically defined regions. The hydro-ecoregions performed slightly better for the invertebrate data and the network classification performed slightly better for the chemistry and hydrological data. Our results indicate that environmental classifications that are defined using different procedures can be comparable in terms of their ability to discriminate variation of ecological characteristics and that alleged differences in performance arising from different classification procedures can be small relative to unexplained variation. We conclude that definition procedures might have little effect on the performance of large-scale environmental classifications and decisions over which procedures to use should be based primarily on pragmatic considerations.     

MANGANESE CYCLE IN IMPOUNDMENT WATER

Manganese entering impounded water will undergo a cyclic transformation. Oxidation precipitates manganese from top waters. At the bottom of the lake, biological activity will render manganese soluble by both intracellular as well as extracellular activity. The study was made to demonstrate that biological reduction and transformation, organometallic complexation, together with the presence of carbon dioxide and the lowering of pH all have some effect on the solubility of manganese. Dissolved manganese may be brought back to top waters during the lake overturn and therefore deteriorates the water quality.     

Provincial development plans in Zimbabwe: an analysis of their content,structure and methodology

Zimbabwean provincial plans were instituted to help in the achievement of the national goal of the creation of an egalitarian, socialist and integrated society. The national goal itself was adopted as an antithesis to the dualist society characterised by spatial, economic, social, politican and technological inequalities that Zimbabwe inherited from colonialism. This meant that provincial plans had to play both a functional (or growth allocating/distribution) and a territorial (or redistribution) role.

This paper reviews their role in achieving the national goal by examining their functions, content, structure and methodology. The paper concludes that because of their nature, provincial plans are not suitable tools for the achievement of the national goal.