Dynamics of aluminum speciation in forest-well drainage waters from the Rhode River watershed, Maryland

This paper reports an investigation of the dynamics of aluminum (Al) speciation in the forest-well waters from study site 110 of the Rhode River watershed, a representative sub-unit of Chesapeake Bay. Seasonal changes of Al speciation are evaluated by a modified MINEQL computer model using chemical equilibrium calculation. It was found that Al-F and Al-Org complexes were the dominate forms, whereas toxic forms of Al3+ and Al-OH were not significant. This indicates that Al toxicity is not very serious in the Rhode River area due to the high concentrations of fluoride and organic materials, even though sometimes pH is very low (approximately 4). Increased H+ or some other associated factors may be responsible for the decline in fish and amphibian population on the watershed.     

企业环境力研究初探

环境问题已经成为当前阻碍经济发展的主要矛盾之一,企业如何提高应对环境的能力(环境力),有助于企业实现可持续发展,从而提高企业的价值。不同的企业面对环境问题的可能采取不同的策略,这与企业本身的环境力有重要的关系,本文试图分析企业环境力的含义与内容及其对企业的影响,从而有助于企业面对环境问题采取适当的对策。     

Issue Cycles in Corporate Sustainability Reporting: A Longitudinal Study

Issue cycles in media reporting and in the coverage of environmental news in particular have been studied since the 1970s. This study seeks to extend existing theory on issue-attention lifecycles from the news-media domain to the corporate domain by exploring how companies operationalize environmental sustainability over time. Using computer-assisted text analysis, this study investigates 744 corporate environmental reports in a 10-year longitudinal design in order to study how the attention that companies pay to a set of 13 environmental issues shifts over this period. The results indicate discernible issue cycles for almost all of the issues studied. Some issues are in a phase of heightened awareness, others in a punctuated equilibrium following specific events, and even others in a phase of decline. The issue cycles identified suggest that companies pursue their environmental strategies consistently, but shift attention to particular issues as a response to high-profile environmental events. Policy-makers therefore need to be aware of the slowness of changes in corporate environmental strategies.     

Exploring the effects of population growth on future land use change in the Las Vegas Wash watershed: an integrated approach of geospatial modeling and analytics

The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing areas in the southwestern United States. The rapid urbanization has presented many environmental challenges. For instance, as population growth and urbanization continue, the supply of sufficient clean water will become a concern. In addition, the area is also experiencing the longest drought in history, and the volume of water storage in Lake Mead, the main fresh water supply for the entire region, has been reduced greatly. The water quality in the main stem of the Las Vegas Wash (LVW) and Lake Mead may also be significantly affected. In order to develop effective sustainable management plans, the very first step is to predict the plausible future urbanization and land use patterns. This paper presents an approach to predict the future land use pattern at the LVW watershed using a Markov cellular automata model. The multi-criteria evaluation was used to couple population density as a variable depicting the driving force of urbanization in the model. Moreover, landscape metrics were used to analyze land use changes in order to better understand the dynamics of urban development in the LVW watershed. The predicted future land use maps for the years 2030 and 2050 show substantial urban development in the area, much of which are located in areas sensitive to source water protections. The results of the analysis provide valuable information for local planners and policy makers, assisting their efforts in constructing alternative sustainable urban development schemes and environmental management strategies.     

Manufacturing SMEs doing it for themselves: developing,testing and piloting an online sustainability and eco-innovation toolkit for SMEs

ABSTRACT

Public discourse frequently cites the damaging activities of large organisations on global environmental issues, but smaller organisations are rarely, if ever, featured. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make up 99% of all businesses in the EU, cumulatively causing more industrial pollution and producing more waste than larger businesses. However, large companies are more likely to address sustainability issues than smaller ones. SMEs need help to change. In a collaborative approach, an online sustainability framework was developed to overcome the barriers contributing to the slow uptake in environmental management in SMEs. The views of owner-managers were incorporated throughout the development process. Best practice environmental tools and training were identified, which were designed in an SME-friendly way and made available online. This paper describes the development of the pilot Sustainability and Eco-Innovation (SEco) toolkit, followed by an analysis of its use. This research finds that a self-led toolkit was not enough to nudge SMEs to address environmental issues, despite being approved by owner-managers at each step.     

引水调控改善太湖湖湾水环境及其效果预测

在总结太湖水污染问题的基础上,分析得出水流缓慢、动力掺混能力弱、水流交换不畅、水体自净能力差、纳污能力小、入湖污染负荷量大且远超过湖湾的纳污能力是梅梁湖湾水污染严重的主要原因,提出区域水污染综合治理、入湖污染物总量控制、引水调控等水污染防治策略及其关键控制技术,利用数值模拟技术给出了太湖梅梁湖湾入湖污染物排放总量控制定额,并结合引江济太调水试验,采用平面二维水流水质数学模型模拟预测引水调控对梅梁湖湾的水环境改善效果及大流量集中调水和小流量维持性调水的水环境     

竺山湾流域河湖系统污染物总量控制研究

复杂河湖系统的总量控制需考虑河湖双重控制目标,以太湖西北部竺山湾流域为研究对象,运用排污系数法计算了区域内的入河污染负荷;构建了一维河网和二维湖体水环境数学模型,对水环境数学模型进行了率定;基于多重目标的河网水环境容量计算方法,计算了河网水环境容量,并分配至各控制单元;定量分析了各控制单元各污染物总量达标情况下的削减量及削减率。结果表明:竺山湾流域COD削减量为834.4 t,削减率为13.8%;氨氮削减量为226.1 t,削减率为36.5%;总氮削减量为724.8 t,削减率为55.2%;总磷削减量为108.9 t,削减率为73.4%。论文成果对于开展竺山湾流域污染物总量控制和水环境保护具有重要指导意义,同时为类似的河湖系统水污染物总量控制提供借鉴。     

The Influence of Media Use on Environmental Engagement: A Political Socialization Approach

Current research suggests that the media play an important part in informing and engaging citizens in environmental issues. Building on these findings, this study adopts a political socialization approach to citizens' involvement in everyday-life pro-environmental behavior. Multivariate analysis of recent survey data from Swedish adolescents (N = 1148) demonstrates direct as well as indirect relationships between frequency of news media use, talk about environmental issues with parents and peers, and extent of pro-environmental behavior. The findings are consistent with the notion that news media use promotes behavior by raising awareness of environmental issues. The results are also discussed in terms of a citizen-communication framework according to which interpersonal communication translates environmental information gleaned from news sources to adolescents' everyday-life reality, thereby motivating pro-environmental behavior. Future directions for examining causal mechanisms in more detail are discussed.     

流域土地利用变化的长周期水文效应及管理策略

长周期水文效应作为不同强度暴雨事件的综合反映，对流域规划和管理决策非常重要。以太湖地区蠡河流域为研究区，通过解译1984年、1995年和2000年3个时段TM/ETM获得土地利用分布地图，分析其土地利用变化的模式，并基于研究区30年的降水序列，应用长周期水文分析模型L-THIA（Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment），计算3个时段土地利用特征对暴雨地表径流的影响，分析不同土地利用类型水文效应的敏感性，在此基础上总结了减少流域水文效应的土地利用管理策略。分析结果显示，该区土地利用有明显变化，主要表现为水田、旱田向建筑用地的转化，从1984年到2002年，城镇及居民地扩展占流域总面积的4.199 4 ％，地表径流量增加了6.170 ％，不同土地利用方式的水文效应有较大差别，林地、湖滩湿地的敏感性最大，其次是水田和旱田。     

基于演化博弈的流域生态补偿利益冲突分析

资源合理利用与环境保护是维护当今经济平稳、健康、较快发展的重要前提。生态补偿是缓解经济快速发展与环境污染、生态环境破坏之间利益矛盾冲突的重要手段。它是为了制止生态破坏而征收或补偿的费用,所以不同于一般排污费和资源补偿费。本文根据补偿的类型不同,将生态补偿分为资源型生态补偿和环境型生态补偿。本文以流域生态补偿为例,将流域上游政府的策略简化为保护或不保护河流,下游政府针对上游的情况,选择"自主型"或"接受型",运用演化博弈的方法,分析流域生态补偿的特点和结果。结果表明:流域生态补偿需要中央政府的适度干预,而且关键点是保证上游地方政府收益始终最大化;中央政府干预的程度是使上游政府群的收益在保护的情况下比不保护的收益要大,而干预的结果则是使流域上下游的(保护,补偿)策略成为演化博弈的长期稳定均衡。最后本文针对我国现行流域管理体制,为我国流域生态补偿提供了政策建议,以推广我国生态补偿政策。     

Putting consumers first in design for sustainable behaviour: a case study of reducing environmental impacts of cold appliance use

To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has emerged in sustainable design aiming to promote behavioural change through design innovations to reduce environmental and social impacts from the demand side or consumer side. This paper presents a practice-based journey to investigate the process and results of the application of social-psychological theories into sustainable design. Focusing on the behaviour-related impacts of products and services during the use stage, a Design Behaviour Intervention Model (DBIM) is developed through the analysis and synthesis of the social-psychological theories and behaviour-changing strategies. The DBIM indicates that an in-depth study of consumer behaviour is the preliminary step in DfSB, which determines the application of design strategies and potentially the effectiveness of design interventions. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show that consumer behaviour insights offer rich resources to assist designers in sustainable design innovation. Product-based design suggestions and a proposed solution highlight that the application of DBIM coupled with consumer involvement throughout the design process could produce desirable and sustainable patterns of household fridge use. Finally, the structured consideration of behavioural change and their possible application in DfSB are discussed.     

Environmental mainstreaming and policy coherence: essential policy tools to link international agreements with national development—a case study of the Caribbean region

The 2030 agenda for sustainable development adopted in September 2015 advocates for a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Existing multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) can provide guidance for policy-makers to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, within safe ecological limits. This paper presents a practical approach to mainstream international obligations of MEAs with national development priorities and strategies. It identifies pathways of policy coherence from national strategies to specific instruments and indicators to advance implementation of MEAs and help counties to fulfill agreed obligations. The approach is grounded in the driving forces–pressure–state–impact–response (DPSIR) framework, and it was applied in two national and two regional case studies in the Caribbean. The outcomes from the case studies show that mainstreaming rate of MEAs is low, and linkages across multiple MEAs are rarely considered. The DPSIR framework was useful for addressing national development priorities and those of MEAs in tandem, through adopting a cross-sectoral, multistakeholder perspective. The research shows that addressing environmental degradation and improving MEAs’ implementation requires that international and regional agencies identify linkages among MEAs to assist in creating policy coherence to ensure their integration into national strategies by connecting with policies and strategies in tandem implementation of MEAs for national policy-makers to work with.     

Watershed environmental management framework based on economic theory

Based on the meaning of economic theory as well as analysis of relevant characteristics of watershed environmental management, a watershed environmental management framework will be created, with building systems of theory, principles, methods, and supporting measures. Through the general structure, the watershed environmental management system design can be explored to optimize the allocation of resources and achieve coordinated development of watershed economic growth and environmental protection.     

三峡库区资源与环境一体化管理的机构、法律、制度初探

流域管理在国家区域开发和环境保护中具有极为重要的地位,国外在流域管理方面有成熟的经验和新的发展趋势。通过分析国外流域管理的经验和发展趋势,结合三峡 区管理的现状以及建库后可能因管理而出现的问题,就如何在三峡库区更加有效的实行资源与环境的综合管理,如何建立和完善适合三峡库区实行更为有效的管理框架和模式等方面的构想。     

Environmental changes in Sepetiba Bay,SE Brazil

Sepetiba Bay is an example of an aquatic environment that has been severely impacted by human occupation and industrial activities in its basin. Some 400 industries including metallurgical, petrochemical and pyrometallurgical smelters, which emitted pollutants to air, soil and water, were established in Sepetiba Basin during the past 30 years. Apart from these point sources, changes in land use have also resulted in a large remobilization of pollutant deposition on Sepetiba Bay Basin. Studies have pointed out significant changes in sedimentation rates, concentrations of inorganic pollutants (Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg) and more recently, eutrophication, pointing to this area as an example of an impacted coastal zone. Notwithstanding local sources, Sepetiba Bay also suffers environmental impacts caused by diversion of river waters from adjacent basins, with some 30% of the total Hg flux to Sepetiba Bay and a 10-fold increase in water and sediment fluxes resulting from this. Decreasing environmental quality compromises both the large biodiversity and the potential economic uses of Sepetiba Bay, including fisheries and tourism. Monitoring of heavy metal levels in organisms (algae, mollusks, crustaceans and oysters) often shows concentrations well above the limits allowed following Brazilian legislation for food quality. Historical evolution of these concentrations suggests a worsening of the situation. Failure to monitor the effect of land-based activities, including those from other basins artificially associated with Sepetiba Bay has resulted in poor scenario construction and proper management planning.     

城市湖泊地区的土地利用变化--以武汉东湖为例

利用1986、1993、1999年的Landsat TM卫星遥感影像和1981年地形图,借助GIS技术分析了城市湖泊地区—武汉东湖流域1987～1999间土地利用的时空变化及景观结构的变化。土地利用分为水体、针叶林、阔叶林、灌草、裸地、农业用地和城镇用地七种类型。各时期遥感影像分类精度都在85%以上。该流域土地利用变化以城镇大幅度扩展（从占全流域面积的9.1％到29.6％）、农业用地增加(从7.0％到13.9％)和由此引起的林地（从占全流域面积的33.6％到24.3％）、水体（从30.4％到23.8％）面积减少为主要特征。同时流域整体的景观多样性下降、优势度提高,但不同景观组分的碎裂化程度的变化趋势不同。其中,城镇用地等优势景观组分的分布趋于聚集,其他类型多趋于碎裂化。流域的城市化具有方向性。城市的快速扩展对林地、灌草、水体等城市湖泊地区的自然生态系统产生显著影响。流域的土地利用及变化受多种自然、社会因素影响。     

全要素能源效率与环境污染关系研究

能源与环境问题已成为世界焦点,回顾文献发现,已有研究大多单独从能源或环境问题进行分析,对能源与环境特别是能源效率与环境污染之间关系的研究较少。能源效率与环境污染之间存在着密切的联系,对两者关系进行更为深入、全面的研究显得十分必要。本文首先利用DEA方法和环境污染治理成本法分别测算了我国1989-2007年的全要素能源效率和环境污染经济损失;在初步评判两者关系的基础上,进一步通过协整和ECM模型得到本文的结论:我国的全要素能源效率与环境污染经济损失之间存在长期均衡关系,前者是后者的Granger原因;同时,全要素能源效率的短期波动对于降低环境污染经济损失具有明显的作用,这种作用大于长期波动的影响。这意味着全要素能源效率的提高对减少环境污染具有重要作用,节能减排目标的实现离不开能源效率的作用。     

E-participation for environmental sustainability in transitional urban China

Using information and communication technologies (ICTs), e-participation is a tool that promotes the inclusion of the public in participative and deliberative decision-making processes, thus contributing to a transformation of the interaction between government and citizens in environmental governance and sustainable development. In a number of Chinese cities, citizens increasingly draw on ICTs to promote environmental sustainability and to encourage community-based actions aimed to address various environmental concerns. The potential success of e-participation and the role of ICTs in China has, however, not been well explored. The objective of this study is to understand the role that ICTs can play in promoting public participation about environmental sustainability issues in urban China. Based on an online survey with 630 respondents, the study aims to: (1) analyze what public motivations, perception/attitudes and actions drive environmental e-participation; (2) identify barriers to e-participation, and (3) assess the different applications and functions of ICT for citizen participation in environmental sustainability. The analysis illustrates how ICTs have helped the public to obtain sensitive information about sustainability issues, to mobilize people and to gain media coverage for their actions. The central finding is that new technologies have taken citizen engagement to new heights online. More specifically, the age of ICTs has unleashed a stronger public voice on environmental governance and sustainability issues in urban China, which does not go unnoticed by the Chinese state authorities.     

汉江流域土地利用/覆被变化的水文效应模拟研究

针对流域LUCC驱动因子众多、驱动因子与土地利用/覆被变化之间存在复杂的非线性动态关系的特点,以汉江上游流域LUCC模拟为例,构建基于人工神经网络（ANN）与元胞自动机（CA）的模拟土地利用/覆被变化的CA ANN耦合模型,并应用该模型预测汉江上游流域2020s年代的LUCC变化情景。结果表明：2020s汉江黄家港站上游流域水田、旱地、灌木林与建设用地面积均有不同程度的增加,其中建设用地增幅最大,与区域交通和城市化的迅猛发展趋势相符;除建设用地增幅变化较大之外,1980s～2000s与2000s～2020s两个时期其余土地利用/覆盖类型的面积变化率都比较相近,表明CA ANN耦合模型能够刻画土地利用/覆盖类型的转换规律,在流域土地利用/覆被变化的复杂非线性动态演变情景的模拟预测方面是可行的。在此基础上,应用SWAT分布式水文模型模拟汉江上游流域水文过程。研究结果表明：在1980s年代、2000s年代及预测的2020s年代LUCC情景下,汉江上游流域年平均径流量呈增加趋势,LUCC对径流量年内影响较汛期显著,多年平均蒸散发量呈增加趋势     

The Moral Appeal of Environmental Discourses: The Implication of Ethical Rhetorics

Environmental sustainability demands civic action through both changes in individual and community behaviors in addition to national and international agreements and cooperation. In moral appeals to the environment, individuals are often called upon to behave in “good” ways—reduce, reuse, recycle—to “save the planet.” Behavior, and our attitudes about it, is therefore an important component to ongoing sustainability efforts. This pilot study, conducted in Fall 2009, brings together research methods in sociolinguistics and rhetorical studies to examine the discourses that students produce when describing issues and practices concerning sustainability. In interviews with 15 students in an earth sustainability general education core, our study found that students were knowledgeable about environmental issues and expressed intentions to engage in sustainable behaviors. Yet, students produced accommodating discourses when addressing competing demands on their time and resources. The sociolinguistic analysis of interview data shows a disassociation from environmental issues at the symbolic level of language use. The rhetorical analysis shows that this disassociation manifests as guilt, largely because when choosing between various moral appeals in their social context, students are left without tangible direction for engaging in new sustainable behaviors.