Environmental dimensions of fertilizer and pesticide use; relevance to Indian agriculture

This paper presents an overview of the environmental consequences of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture and the measures needed to mitigate the adverse impact of these chemicals on environment. The issues are then analysed from the perspective of the use of fertilizers and pesticides in Indian agriculture. Fertilizer consumption in India is concentrated in about one-third of the cultivated area. Its use has been increasing but it is being used inefficiently. Pesticide use is also concentrated in five states and on a few crops such as rice, cotton and chillies. Evidence from micro studies on the environmental consequences of these chemicals is presented. It is suggested that the present methods of fertilizer and pesticide use and growth are not sustainable. There are several possible technologies and alternatives to reduce the adverse impact of these chemicals on the environment, such as biological control of pests, integrated pest management, development of pest-resistant varieties of crops, vermiculture. etc., that need to be supplemented through an economic approach. These issues need to be considered while formulating strategies for sustainable agriculture in India and other developing countries.     

Environmental hazard

Parts II – IV will be published in the following issues of ESPR.     

对于环境执法监管中的几点建议

针对温总理在2006年全国环境保护大会上提到的现阶段环境执法存在的问题，提出了尽快完善环境法规体系，建立环境执法管理制度；建立完善的领导干部环保政绩考核制度。彻底消除地方保护主义；建立健全公众参与与环境行为公示制度；提高环境监管能力建设，切实加大环境执法力度；创新环境执法思路和手段，严打各种环境违法行为等建议。     

基层环境应急监测与环境管理的研究

突发事件分为自然灾害类、事故灾害类、公共卫生事件类、社会安全事件类。在突发事件分类中,环境污染突发事件如果破坏性较大,就属于事故灾害类,如果影响较广,引起较大范围的环境质量改变,就属于社会安全事件。针对分类分析了基层环境应急监测与环境管理的相关问题。     

环境监测在环境影响评价中的作用分析

在新时期,环境保护工作的发展面临着新的机遇和挑战。环境监测贯穿于整个环境影响评价体系之中,即环境影响评价中的评价初期、建设期、运行期以及后评价期,均需环境监测数据来支撑,因此,环境监测是环境影响评价的技术基础,同时还具有较强的监督功能。     

环境咨询服务让经济与环保“双赢”

遵循经济规律、生态学规律,对环境与发展问题进行科学论证,杜绝主观臆断、盲目决策;把决策纳入法制轨道,严格依法科学决策;充分发挥专家的智囊作用,做到先咨询后决策。     

Environmental epidemiology forward

Environmental epidemiology is the specialized aspect of public health science that studies human health risk from environmental hazards. It is rises largely upon a foundation of public health surveillance, and relies heavily upon analyses of data for small areas and sparse population groups. To a degree, environmental epidemiology is assigned the role of discerning very subtle human health impacts, or discerning early evidence of a tragic sequence. In that context, environmental epidemiology has a substantial public education and risk communication role. Environmental epidemiology will be greatly advanced as effective biological markers of exposure and precursor health effects are developed. At this point in time, statistical methods are in place to monitor population-level disease rates in high-risk populations for early risk identification and sentinel event recognition. Advances in geographic methods have provided a boon to the discipline by advantaging spatial studies. These advances in the discipline still need further refinement and pilot experiences. The inclusion of environmental epidemiological considerations with instances of proposed industrial expansion, hazardous waste management, and contamination remediation is heartily recommended.     

Integrated Environmental Control

This paper provides an overview of integrated environmental control research and development efforts at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). EPRI studies show that as much as a 50 percent reduction in total environmental control system costs for coal-fired power plants may be achievable by utilities using systematically integrated environmental control design methods. The bulk of these savings can be achieved through consolidation of several functions into one device. The remainder can come from improved plant heat rates, resulting in less fuel consumption and, thus, less flue gas to process and less emissions to control, and from eliminating unnecessary redundant control systems.     

植物监测在环评和环境管理中的应用

植物监测在某些方面具有理化监测不可替代的优势，利用植物监测来评价环境污染状况和处理环境污染纠纷已取得了明显效果。但植物监测与评价的方法尚需标准化和规范化，有待进一步研究和完善。     

Environmental R&D and trade-adjusted carbon emissions: evaluating the role of international trade

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the contemporary era, it is evident that consumption-based carbon emissions (CCO2e), adjusted for international trade, are a more accurate and...     

环境新闻是提升公众环境意识的重要途径

环境新闻因与人的切身利益关系密切而备受关注,其传播提高了公众的环境意识。文中探讨了环境新闻的目的和特点,阐述了在当前环境形势下,公众期待新闻媒体在环境保护中扮演怎样的角色,以及如何提高环境新闻报道营造社会良好舆论的几种途径。     

How Perceived Exposure to Environmental Harm Influences Environmental Behavior in Urban China

Rapid environmental degradation in China makes understanding how perceived exposure to environmental harm influences environmental attitudes and participation in pro-environmental behaviors among the Chinese people crucial. We used a nation-wide survey dataset in urban China to test two hypotheses: experiencing environmental harm directly affects environmental behavior; environmental attitudes mediate the relationship between experiencing environmental harm and environmental behavior. We found respondents who experienced environmental harm had more pro-environmental attitudes. Experiencing environmental harm positively influenced pro-environmental behavior both directly and indirectly through the mediation of pro-environmental attitudes. Among the pro-environmental behaviors, environmental litigation was most strongly related with exposure to environmental harm. Our results suggest that more participation in pro-environmental behaviors may be expected as rapid economic development increases public exposure to environmental harm in urban China.     

环境水力学的研究进展

当前环境水力学发展有两个重要的趋势,一是研究对象由无生命组分进入有生命组分,向生态水力学发展;二是与“3S”结合,研究水域由小变大,向流域性水域发展。最后提出了“三水”转换水质模拟、挟沙水流水质与生态模拟等值得研究的前沿性问题。