Dispersion modelling of nitrogen oxides in the United Kingdom

This paper describes the construction and application of an Eulerian-dispersion model for the calculation of NO₂ and NO_x concentrations in the U.K. Model results are compared with measurements from 44 U.K. sites. The sensitivity of the model results to chemical and dispersion parameterisations is assessed. The model is also used to verify the validity of ‘instantaneous mixing’ assumptions used in trajectory models. Finally, the distribution of ground-level NO_x concentrations from power stations, motor vehicles and other stationary sources is calculated across the U.K., including a preliminary assessment of the possible contribution from natural sources.     

Can a prolonged use of a passenger car reduce environmental burdens? Life Cycle analysis of Swiss passenger cars

As a consequence of the introduction of limits on exhaust gas emissions and a target agreement between the Swiss association of car importers (auto-schweiz) and the Swiss government calling for a reduction in the specific fuel consumption, a considerable reduction of exhaust emissions of newly registered Swiss passenger cars occurred in the last 10 years. Also, for the near future an ongoing reduction of exhaust emissions of newly registered vehicles is expected. However, applying the concept of life cycle thinking, exhaust emission reductions may be outbalanced with an increase in specific car manufacturing expenditures and/or a longer use of the car. Thus, from the point of view of an individual car owner, a prolonged car use may be the environmentally preferable option. In order to investigate this question, a comprehensive analysis of the environmental performance of newly registered diesel and petrol passenger cars in the time period from 2000 to 2010 has been performed. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been employed focusing on three transport components: ‘vehicle travel’ (exhaust and abrasion emissions), ‘fuel chain’ (supply of fuels) and ‘car infrastructure’ (manufacturing, maintenance and disposal of cars). The presented model aims to gain insight into the issue of longevity and prolonged car use for the Swiss case, rather than giving ultimate recommendations. The analysis focuses on classical road pollutants (NO_x and PM2.5) as well as on fuel consumption reduction and CO₂. Moreover, impact assessment has been applied, employing a common approach: Eco-Indicator (EI) 99. The ranking of different car replacement options revealed prolonged car use as the environmentally better option. As a consequence of the continuous use of the car representing 2000 average technology, the components ‘vehicle travel’ and ‘fuel chain’ show a 10% and 9% higher performance, respectively. This effect is compensated by savings in ‘car infrastructure’ (26%). Uncertainty analysis has been performed by additional model runs with different parameter settings. Despite the fact that a considerably prolonged car use scores best for all additional model runs, the resulting differences between options further decrease. This holds particularly true, if a higher yearly average fuel reduction rate of 3% is assumed. Furthermore, applying an avoided burden concept for infrastructure modeling (Value Corrected Substitution (VCS)) shows the same effect. In both cases the resulting scores differ merely marginally between the considered options and would not allow for discrimination.As a consequence of these outcomes, it is not possible to give any general recommendation to Swiss car owners to extend the use of their cars, in the short term.     

An Integrated Assessment of Climate Change and the Accelerated Introduction of Advanced Energy Technologies - An Application of MiniCAM 1.0

We report results from the application of an integrated assessment model, MiniCAM 1.0. The model is employed to explore the full range of climate change implications of the successful development of cost effective, advanced, energy technologies. These technologies are shown to have a profound effect on the future magnitude and rate of anthropogenic climate change. We find that the introduction of assumptions developed by a group of ‘bottom-up’ modelers for the LEESS scenarios into a ‘top-down’ model, the Edmonds-Reilly-Barns Model, leads to ‘top down’ emissions trajectories similar to those of the LEESS. The cumulative effect of advanced energy technologies is to reduce annual emissions from fossil fuel use to levels which stabilize atmospheric concentrations below 550 ppmv. While all energy technologies play roles, the introduction of advanced biomass energy production technology is particularly important. The consideration of all greenhouse related anthropogenic emissions, and in particular sulfur dioxide, is found to be important. We find that the consideration of sulfur dioxide emissions coupled to rapid reductions in carbon dioxide emissions leads to higher global mean temperatures prior to 2050 than in the reference case. This result is due to the short-term cooling impact of sulfate aerosols, which dominates the long-term warming impact of CO₂ and CH₄ in the years prior to 2050. We also show that damage calculations which use only mean global temperature and income may be underestimating damages by up to a factor of five. Disaggregating income reduces this to a factor of two, still a major error. Finally, the role of the discount rate is shown to be extraordinarily important to technology preference.     

Historical overview of the efficacy of two decades of power plant fisheries impact assessment activities in Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is world renowned as an estuary that historically yielded large harvests of a wide variety of fish and shellfish species. Thirteen power plants are located on the mainstem of the Bay and its tributaries in Maryland, drawing out of and discharging into the Bay eight billion gallons per day of the Bay’s waters for cooling purposes. Maryland DNR’s Power Plant Research Program (PPRP) has, since 1974, funded a wide variety of fisheries assessment, entrainment and impingement studies. PPRP’s Potomac River Fisheries Program (PRFP) encompassed multi-year, statistically rigorous, quantitative studies of all life stages of striped bass, from egg to adult, together with estuarine hydrodynamics modeling and water quality assessments, all yielding data integrated to project potential entrainment impacts from a proposed nuclear power plant. PPRP and utility-sponsored monitoring programs at BGE’s Calvert Cliffs NPP, PEPCO’s Chalk Point SES and DP&L’s Vienna SES, as well as other generating facilities throughout the state have provided comprehensive data on impingement, entrainment and receiving water populations of all life stages of potentially impacted resource species. These studies have resulted in unusually complete and long term data sets being available for impact assessment applications, and provide a basis for confirming and validating impact assessment findings and conclusions based on much shorter time series. The state/federal Chesapeake Bay Program has extensively characterized the status and trends of all important resource species in the Bay. We compare and contrast impact conclusions and projections from studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s with current data and information on the status of and trends in affected fish stocks in Chesapeake Bay. We use that comparison to establish the role that power plant impacts play as factors driving changes in species abundance over time. These comparisons and contrasts between historical and current data and information also illustrate and confirm the methodologies that have proven to be most and least useful for assessing entrainment and impingement impacts.     

Laboratory exposure systems to simulate atmospheric degradation of building stone under dry and wet deposition conditions

The design philosophy, construction and use of two exposure test systems are described, in which the objective is to simulate the degradation of stone samples under, respectively, the ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Some element of realistic acceleration is possible in certain experiments. Particular emphasis is placed upon using known presentation rates of the pollutants, both in respect of typical depositions of pollutants and their oxidation products appropriate for an industrial atmosphere. In the dry deposition rig, SO₂, NO₂, NO, HCl and the oxidant O₃ are presented individually or together at realistic deposition rates. In the wet deposition apparatus, SO²⁻₄, NO⁻₃ and Cl⁻ at a pH of 3.5, simulating ‘acid rain’ but in a more concentrated form, are deposited. The dry deposition chamber can be operated at constant relative humidity (typically 84%) with pre-dried or precisely wetted stones to simulate episodic rain wetting, or using other methods of wet/dry cycling, which are also a feature of the wet deposition chamber. Heating and cooling of the samples is also possible, as is the use of shaped or coupled stones of different kinds such as are found in a building facade. The results are illustrated in terms of data on the weight change, the anion content of stone and run-off, the pH change of run-off and the total calcium reacted, using Portland stone, as a prelude to later papers in which behaviour of a whole matrix of stone types and environments is presented and discussed. Such an approach permits the eventual production of ‘pollutant-material response’ relationships and damage functions for comparison with and prediction of external exposure results.     

Technology-side carbon abatement cost curves for China’s power generation sector

China is among the largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO₂), worldwide Thus, its emissions mitigation is of global concern. The power generation sector is responsible for nearly half of China’s total CO₂ emissions and plays a key role in emissions mitigation. This study is an integrated evaluation of abatement technologies, including both low-carbon power generation technologies and retrofitting options for coal power plants. We draw marginal abatement cost curves for these technologies using the conservation supply curve method. Using scenario analysis for the years 2015 to 2030, we discuss the potential performance of abatement technologies. Marginal costs for the analyzed abatement technologies range from RMB ? 357.41/ton CO₂ to RMB 927.95/ton CO₂. Furthermore, their cumulative mitigation potential relative to the baseline scenario could reach 35 billion tons of CO₂ in 2015–2030, with low-carbon power generation technologies and coal power abatement technologies contributing 55% and 45% of the total mitigation, respectively. Our case study of China demonstrates the power generation sector’s great potential to mitigate global emissions, and we suggest nuclear power, hydropower, and the comprehensive retrofitting of coal power as key technology options for the low-carbon transition of the energy system and long-term emissions mitigation strategies.

     

Powering or de-powering future vehicles to reach low carbon outcomes: the long term view 1930–2020

Government in UK has long sought to influence both new vehicle fuel efficiency and to encourage domestic car production. Sixty years of data on the change in car characteristics and fuel economy are analysed. Vehicle specific power has doubled in that time and sales of vehicles have grown preferentially in larger engine classes. New cars sold over the period 1970–2000 have a sale price of £150 per bhp at year 2000 prices. A new theory is proposed that the primary driver for increased power of vehicles, and hence CO₂ production, is the increase in sale price necessitated by uneconomic production of steel vehicles in mature markets. The standard fuel test cycle shows inverse fuel efficiency relationship with weight and with vehicle power. Primary CO₂ reduction targets such as the Kyoto agreement are dimensioned as outputs of energy use per unit time (power); secondary targets such as the ACEA voluntary agreement of 140 g/km in 2008 based on energy per unit distance (efficiency). Failure to focus policy on the key variable of vehicle power has allowed power to continue to increase and inhibit fuel efficiency from meeting the voluntary agreement targets. This power ‘loophole’ in Europe is likened to the emergence of light trucks in response to CAFE standards in USA. New body materials offer the prospect of profitable car production, consumer satisfaction and large reductions in CO₂. New policy directions are proposed as a result of the failure of the ACEA voluntary agreement and the real importance of achieving annual CO₂ reduction including via Cars 21.     

核电厂环评中影响生物多样性保护的因素研究

核电厂环境影响评价是对核电厂建设项目可能造成的环境影响进行分析、预测和评估,进而提出预防的对策或降低影响的制度。核电厂环评实践中,评价要素非常广,不仅关注厂址特征、气象、水文等方面,也高度关注生物多样性保护,主要体现在评价体系、评价因素及分析论证流程的规范方面。基于此背景,指出核电厂环评中影响生物多样性的因素有卷吸效应、温排水、余氯、季节等,分析提出核电厂环评实践中存在相关规定少、温升评价方法局限性等问题;提出核电厂环评需综合考虑影响生物多样性的相关因素,建立健全法规标准体系,明确余氯、温排水排放标准,并提出利用遥感监测弥补评价方法的局限性及适时开展后评价等建议。

     

Growth,morphology and yield of wheat,barley and oats grown at elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration in a cool,maritime climate

The effects of elevated CO₂ concentration on the growth, yield and quality of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. ‘Sport’), barley (Hordeum vulgare, cv. ‘Thule’) and oats (Avena sativa, cv. ‘Kapp’) were studied. The study was performed from 20 April to 24 August in ten field chamber units each of 9 m² in a cool (12.6°C) maritime climate under long days (14.6–18.1 h), on the southwest coast of Norway (59°N, 6°E). The total biomass increased at high CO₂ concentration, by 11% and 20% in wheat and barley, respectively. The proportion of small grains increased by 6% in wheat and 26% in barley, but the total grain yield was not affected. The weight of chaff increased by 9% and 19% in wheat and barley, respectively. Plant height was significantly reduced during the growing season at elevated CO₂, by 8–19% in barley and by 9–25% in oats until 6 July when no significant difference in height was found. After 6 July, barley plants at elevated CO₂ were significantly taller than at ambient CO₂ concentration and oats were not affected. Elongation in wheat was not affected by CO₂ concentration at any time in the growing season. No difference in developmental rate could be detected between plants at normal and elevated CO₂ concentrations. The protein content of the grain decreased by 8% in barley, but was not significantly affected in the other species.     

Impacts of a thermal power plant on the phosphorus TMDL of a reservoir

The Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework (WARMF) was applied to calculate the total maximum daily load of total phosphorus discharged to a reservoir without violating the water quality criteria of 20 μg/l of chlorophyll-a (algae). In addition to a hydroelectric plant at the dam, the reservoir has a thermal power plant on the shore. To simulate the impact of the thermal power plant, WARMF withdraws 113 cms of cooling water from the lake bottom, adds heat to it, and discharges the thermal effluent to the reservoir surface. The circulating water brings the hypolimnion water, which is typically rich in nutrients but low in algae, to the epilimnion. The surface water is enriched in phosphorus but diluted with respect to algae concentration. For the example case, the dilutional effect on algae was found to be more significant than the stimulatory effect of phosphorus. As a result, the total maximum daily load of phosphorus was higher with a thermal power plant than without. Policy makers can learn, through this type of scientific analysis, about the impacts of a thermal power plant and make rational decisions about phosphorus TMDL.     

超低排放典型燃烧源颗粒物及水溶性离子排放水平与特征

研究以自行开发建立的超低排放高湿废气中总颗粒物（total particulate matter,TPM）的直接冷凝采样系统及监测方法,应用于3台北京市超低排放典型燃烧源烟气中颗粒物的排放监测.分析和评估超低排放典型燃烧源排气中颗粒物及其水溶性离子的排放水平与组成特征,探究可过滤颗粒物（filterable particulate matter,FPM）和可凝聚颗粒物（condensable particulate matter,CPM）及其水溶性离子的相互作用与影响因素.结果表明：北京市超低排放燃煤锅炉FPM基准氧含量排放浓度介于1.04~1.11mg·m^-3之间,TPM基准氧含量排放浓度介于3.82~8.69mg·m^-3之间,均满足国家超低排放颗粒物限值要求（10mg·m^-3）,燃煤电厂TPM排放浓度超过了北京市颗粒物排放标准限值要求（5 mg·m^-3）.燃煤供暖锅炉CPM及其总水溶性离子排放水平分别为3.05mg·m^-3和1.30mg·m^-3,显著低于燃煤电厂,与燃煤电厂的负荷和烟温较高有关;燃煤电厂锅炉CPM及其总水溶性离子排放浓度分别是燃煤供暖锅炉的2.2~2.4倍和1.7~2.2倍.燃气电厂TPM及其总水溶性离子排放水平分别为1.99mg·m^-3和1.44mg·m^-3,均明显低于燃煤锅炉.CPM是燃烧源排气中颗粒物的主要形式,在超低排放锅炉烟气中CPM对TPM的质量贡献显著增加,并随烟温的升高而增加,燃煤锅炉为72.6%~88.1%,燃气电厂为93.1%,且水溶性离子总量的66.1%~94.2%存在于CPM中.排气烟温显著影响颗粒物及其水溶性离子的赋存形态、脱除效率与排放水平.SO₄^2-是燃煤锅炉颗粒物的主要特征离子,排放浓度介于0.98~1.18mg·m^-3,占水溶性离子排放总量的27.7%~49.6%,来源于烟气脱硫;F^-是燃煤电厂颗粒物中又一主要特征离子,排放浓度介于1.91~2.32mg·m^-3,占水溶性离子排放总量的54.4%~56.1%,可能与燃料煤含氟量高有关;NH₄⁺是燃气电厂颗粒物的主要特征离子,排放浓度为0.92mg·m^-3,占水溶性离子排放总量的64.2%,来源于选择性催化还原法（selective catalytic reduction,SCR）脱硝过程中的NH₃逃逸,其排放浓度显著高于燃煤锅炉,可能与燃气电厂缺少其它净化设施的协同去除效应有关.     

长江经济带国家级自然保护区管理状况评价

为切实做好长江经济带生态环境保护工作,基于HJ 913-2017《自然保护区管理评估规范》对长江经济带120处国家级自然保护区的管理状况进行评分.以评估结果为基础,评价了自然保护区管理状况的影响因素,并提出了提升自然保护区管理质量的建议.结果表明:①长江经济带国家级自然保护区的管理状况总体较好,平均得分为81.41分.从分布地区来看,经济较发达的地区,国家级自然保护区的管理状况相对较好;从建立时间看,评估总得分与国家级自然保护区的建立时长呈正相关;从规模看,评估总得分与国家级自然保护区的面积大小呈负相关;从自然保护区类型看,野生植物类型保护区的管理状况要优于野生动物类型.②从管理基础、管理措施、管理保障、管理成效、负面影响5项评估内容来看,管理基础得分相对较高,管理保障得分相对较低.③从全部指标的评分情况来看,保护对象变化和资源调查2项指标的得分相对较高;开发建设活动影响、专业技术能力、机构设置与人员配置、动态监测4项指标的得分相对较低.④Spearman相关分析表明,与评估总得分显著相关的指标为巡护执法、日常管护、专业技术能力、管护设施.研究显示,当前国家级自然保护区的机构设置、专业人才队伍建设、监测体系和开发建设活动影响是制约其管理质量提升的主要因素.      

Integrated assessment of CCS in the German power plant sector with special emphasis on the competition with renewable energy technologies

The study presents the results of an integrated assessment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the power plant sector in Germany, with special emphasis on the competition with renewable energy technologies. Assessment dimensions comprise technical, economic and environmental aspects, long-term scenario analysis, the role of stakeholders and public acceptance and regulatory issues. The results lead to the overall conclusion that there might not necessarily be a need to focus additionally on CCS in the power plant sector. Even in case of ambitious climate protection targets, current energy policy priorities (expansion of renewable energies and combined heat and power plants as well as enhanced energy productivity) result in a limited demand for CCS. In case that the large energy saving potential aimed for can only partly be implemented, the rising gap in CO₂ reduction could only be closed by setting up a CCS-maximum strategy. In this case, up to 22% (41 GW) of the totally installed load in 2050 could be based on CCS. Assuming a more realistic scenario variant applying CCS to only 20 GW or lower would not be sufficient to reach the envisaged climate targets in the electricity sector. Furthermore, the growing public opposition against CO₂ storage projects appears as a key barrier, supplemented by major uncertainties concerning the estimation of storage potentials, the long-term cost development as well as the environmental burdens which abound when applying a life-cycle approach. However, recently, alternative applications are being increasingly considered?Cthat is the capture of CO₂ at industrial point sources and biomass based energy production (electricity, heat and fuels) where assessment studies for exploring the potentials, limits and requirements for commercial use are missing so far. Globally, CCS at power plants might be an important climate protection technology: coal-consuming countries such as China and India are increasingly moving centre stage into the debate. Here, similar investigations on the development and the integration of both, CCS and renewable energies, into the individual energy system structures of such countries would be reasonable.     

Effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on plant growth: the interactive role of air temperature

Comprehensive reviews of the plant science literature indicate that a 300 part per million (ppm) increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration generally increases plant growth by approximately 30%. Working with two species of floating aquatic plants and three terrestrial species, we demonstrate that this stimulatory effect of atmospheric CO₂ enrichment is strongly temperature dependent. Indeed, our results suggest that for a 3°C increase in mean surface air temperature (as is generally predicted to result from the ‘greenhouse effect’ of such an increase in the CO₂ content of the air), the growth enhancement factor for such a CO₂ increase rises from 1.30 to 1.56. If the non-CO₂ trace gas greenhouse effect is equally as strong, as recent model studies suggest, the growth enhancement factor rises still higher to a value of 1.85. On the other hand, our results also indicate that atmospheric CO₂ enrichment tends to reduce plant growth at relatively cold air temperatures, i.e. below a daily mean air temperature of approximately 18.5°C. As a result, predicting the ultimate biospheric consequences of a doubling of the Earth's atmospheric CO₂ concentration may prove to be much more complex than originally anticipated.     

基于地理探测器的广州市大气PM2.5浓度驱动因素分析

PM_2.5变化的驱动因素是大气PM_2.5研究的重要内容.为了揭示PM_2.5污染的特点及其驱动影响因子,以广州市为例,采用地理探测器方法探测自然因素(包括平均降水量、平均温度、平均气压、平均相对湿度、平均风速、植被指数)与社会经济因素(包括人口密度、国内生产总值、工业总产值、人均公园绿地面积、公交车辆数、电力消费量)对2015年广州市ρ(PM_2.5)变化的影响机制与差异.结果表明:①基于因子探测分析发现,对ρ(PM_2.5)变化影响最大的前三位驱动因素分别为植被指数、公交车辆数与电力消费量,对应的因子影响程度指标值分别为0.51、0.46、0.40.②基于生态探测分析发现,植被指数与其他自然因素(如平均温度、平均降水量、平均气压等)对ρ(PM_2.5)空间分布的影响均存在显著差异,与所有社会经济因素对ρ(PM_2.5)空间分布的影响均不存在显著差异;除植被指数外,公交车辆数与其他自然因素及社会经济因素对ρ(PM_2.5)空...     

Effects of manure and chemical fertilizers on insect pest populations on collards

Advocates of organic agriculture often assert that plants supplied exclusively with nutrient from biological materials are more resistant to insects than those grown using chemical fertilizer. This proposition was examined using collards grown in five treatments: two with fresh manure at two levels (12 and 220 ha⁻¹); one with ‘sheet composted’ manure at 220 ha⁻¹; a chemical fertilizer treatment (785 kg ha⁻¹ of 13:13:13 NPK); and a control treatment with no added nutrients. Population densities of two flea beetles and two lepidopteran pests were monitored weekly during a growing season. Plant size and foliar levels of reduced nitrogen (N), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), water and total glucosinolates were also measured four times during the season. During population peaks, flea beetle densities were significantly higher on plants receiving chemical fertilizers than on plants receiving similar amounts of macronutrients from manure. Flea beetle, imported cabbage worm and diamondback moth densities were significantly higher on untreated plants than on plants receiving any added nutrients. Flea beetle densities were also significantly higher on plants grown with ‘sheet composted’ manure than on those grown with fres manure. The nutrient treatments affected plant size, reduced N, NO₃⁻-N, water and glucosinolate content. These differences were not clearly associated with differences in insect population sizes but some patterns in the data are discussed. Although the potential exists for manipulating soil amendment regimes to affect pest insect populations in collards, an understanding of the mechanisms involved will require further investigation.     

Estimating the abundance and egg production of spawning winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) in the Niantic River,CT for use in the assessment of impact at Millstone Nuclear Power Station

The winter flounder is a coastal flatfish with spawning populations associated with specific estuaries or coastal areas. Because of its stock structure, this species is susceptible to localized impacts, including power plant entrainment of larvae. Winter flounder rank second in fish larvae entrained at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station (MNPS), located on Long Island Sound in Waterford, CT, USA. Because of its importance to the state’s fisheries, the population spawning in the nearby Niantic River was selected for impact assessment studies in the early 1970s. Northeast Utilities has consistently monitored annual abundance of adult spawners, characterizing relative abundance by trawl catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and absolute abundance using mark and recapture data with the Jolly model for demographically open populations. Trends in these two independent but highly correlated indices provide short-term assessments of winter flounder abundance. Abundance of winter flounder peaked in the early 1980s, but as fishing mortality increased to high levels in the late 1980s, their numbers declined thereafter and presently are very low. Information on sex ratio, length-frequency distribution, and spawning condition allow for calculation of annual egg production using a length-fecundity relationship. This forms the basis for estimating production loss due to larval entrainment, which is used as input to a long-term assessment model of power plant impact, discussed in an accompanying paper (Lorda et al., 2000: Lorda, E., Danila, D.J., Miller, J.D., 2000. Application of a population dynamics model to the probabilistic assessment of CWIS effects of Millstone Nuclear Power Station (Waterford, CT) on a nearby winter flounder spawning stock. Environmental Science & Policy 3, S471–S481).     

Measuring the environmental performance of IPPC industry: II. Applying the Environmental Emissions Index to quantify environmental performance trends from routinely reported data

Reported emissions data were collated for 35 pharmaceutical-manufacturing installations and 18 power stations holding IPPC licences in Ireland. Consistent and essentially complete sectoral emissions time-series were generated, covering 2002–2006 for the pharmaceutical sector, and 2001–2006 for the electricity-generating sector. Applying the Environmental Emissions Index (EEI) to reported emissions indicated environmental performance improvements of 35 and 30%, respectively, for these two sectors. However, considerable uncertainty was attributed to reporting of heavy metals, NO_x and NMVOC emissions at the installation level, and overall NMVOC emissions from the pharmaceutical sector appeared to be considerably under-reported. The fixed average toxicity factor applied to NMVOC emissions in the EEI may deviate from potential temporal changes in the NMVOC compound mix. Overall, reporting uncertainties were found to have a greater impact on EEI outputs than assumptions made in the EEI model, and including an estimate of total sectoral NMVOC emissions reduced the pharmaceutical sector's environmental performance improvement to 24%. The EEI facilitates the comparison and visualisation of reported emissions, integrating them into environmental performance trends. It should optimise interpretation of abundant, detailed, and underutilised ‘bottom-up’ emissions data generated by IPPC installations. For Ireland's pharmaceutical sector, these data are considerably more comprehensive than EPER data.     

Anatomy of a buzzword: The emergence of ‘the water-energy-food nexus’ in UK natural resource debates

The existence of a water-energy-food ‘nexus’ has been gaining significant attention in international natural resource policy debates in recent years. We argue the term ‘nexus’ can be currently seen as a buzzword: a term whose power derives from a combination of ambiguous meaning and strong normative resonance. We explore the ways in which the nexus terminology is emerging and being mobilised by different stakeholders in natural resource debates in the UK context. We suggest that in the UK the mobilisation of the nexus terminology can best be understood as symptomatic of broader global science-policy trends, including an increasing emphasis on integration as an ideal; an emphasis on technical solutions to environmental problems; achievement of efficiency gains and ‘win-wins’; and a preference for technocratic forms of environmental managerialism. We identify and critique an ‘integrative imaginary’ underpinning much of the UK discourse around the concept of the nexus, and argue that attending to questions of power is a crucial but often underplayed aspect of proposed integration. We argue that while current efforts to institutionalise the language of the nexus as a conceptual framework for research in the UK may provide a welcome opportunity for new forms of transdisciplinary, they may risk turning nexus into a ‘matter of fact’ where it should remain a ‘matter of concern’. In this vein, we indicate the importance of critique to the development of nexus research.     

Ecodesign methods focused on remanufacturing

Understanding the product's ‘end-of-life’ is important to reduce the environmental impact of the products' final disposal. When the initial stages of product development consider end-of-life aspects, which can be established by ecodesign (a proactive approach of environmental management that aims to reduce the total environmental impact of products), it becomes easier to close the loop of materials. The ‘end-of-life’ ecodesign methods generally include more than one ‘end-of-life’ strategy. Since product complexity varies substantially, some components, systems or sub-systems are easier to be recycled, reused or remanufactured than others. Remanufacture is an effective way to maintain products in a closed-loop, reducing both environmental impacts and costs of the manufacturing processes. This paper presents some ecodesign methods focused on the integration of different ‘end-of-life’ strategies, with special attention to remanufacturing, given its increasing importance in the international scenario to reduce the life cycle impacts of products.