The impact of tourism on the Antarctic environment

Tourism is well established in the Antarctic. Its impact is at present limited; the number of tourists is small and unlikely to increase much in the near future. Most tourists come by sea. There are two types of cruise: natural history cruises, mostly in small vessels, and more traditional entertainment cruises in larger passenger ships. Small numbers of private expeditions, mostly in yachts, visit the Antarctic. Official guests of the direction or management of research stations may arrive by supply ship or by air. Some tours arrive by plane and stay only a short while. Tourism is unlikely to increase much in the near future because of its high cost, the risk of passenger dissatisfaction on account of bad weather, and the difficult financial situation of some countries. Impacts arising from tourist activities are discussed. At research stations, the impact is on the life and work at the station, but in the field there may be considerable impact on wildlife. The best answer lies in control and interpretation, particularly through tour guides. A possible problem arises with ships' crews, who may not have been as carefully briefed as the passengers. Tourism generates in visitors a lasting interest in the Antarctic, which strengthens public opinion towards conservation.     

Effects of carbon tax on environment under duopoly

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Environment protection and green development is of great importance. Therefore, this paper attempts to propose an environmentally friendly and...     

The Oslo consensus conference on protection of the environment

A number of international organisations are focussing on a revision of radiation protection policy from the existing system which addresses only effects on man, to one which also addresses effects on the wider environment. These developments are expected to effect a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, regulators, scientists, users and the public. With this in mind a "Consensus Conference on Protection of the Environment" was arranged as part of an International Seminar on "Radiation Protection in the 21st Century: Ethical, Philosophical and Environmental Issues" held at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The conference attracted 46 international experts representing various disciplines and affiliations including Environmental Science, Health Physics, Radioecology, Ethics and Philosophy and a wide spectrum of perspectives bearing on the question of radiation protection of the environment. The conference was novel in that the participants were professionals rather than laypersons, and the purpose of the consensus procedure was to identify areas of agreement as an input to the ongoing regulatory developments. The success and innovation of the model is reflected in the significant areas of agreement identified in the final consensus statement, and the subsequent interest at an international level. Participants also noted the need for furthering the debate through ongoing work. Notable issues were the harmonisation of standards for radiation with other environmental stressors, guidance for balancing different interests and values within practical management, and the need for assessment criteria.     

模糊环境下的城市公共基础设施投资评价研究

公共基础设施是城市经济运行的支撑体系和物质载体,提高它的利用效益已经成为实现城市经济、社会和环境可持续发展的关键。政府资金的投入对促进公共基础设施建设有至关重要的作用。公共基础设施资金分配已成为城市发展的重要问题,如何将有限的资金合理地投资给不同的城市建设企业是公共管理领域研究的核心内容。本文根据公共基础设施投资建设环境的模糊性,通过使用三角模糊数,在引入交易成本的基础上,考虑了城市公共基础设施带来的经济、社会、环境影响,建立了基于模糊环境下的公共基础设施投资组合模型,使得在给定风险最大容忍水平的前提下,追求政府资金收益最大化。本文将公共基础设施投资组合模型运用到北京、天津、上海、重庆四大直辖市的城市建设投资公司中,在考虑公共基础设施投资数量因素的影响下得到了2000-2013年的最优投资比例。研究结果显示:国家一直将北京作为重点投资城市,在受到2008年北京奥运会的影响下,其它三市的投资比例逐渐减少,并在2012-2013年期间北京的投资比率达到了64.41%,这对天津和重庆的影响最大,特别是在2012-2013年期间天津的投资比率降到了5.22%。在四大直辖市中,上海的公共基础设施数量一直占有相当的优势,加上世博会的影响,上海的投资比例在2000-2011年期间一直保持稳定上升。综上可见,北京和上海仍然是国家重点建设城市,为了全面加快城市建设,应该在抓重点城市发展的同时加大对偏远地区的新型城镇化的投资建设支持,发挥好政府投资的带动作用。     

The Spanish project on energy and environment: ENMA

The project ENMA assesses the atmospheric pollution caused by the transformation and consumption of energy. The project is in the following stages: (a) estimation of annual overall average emissions; (b) estimation of annual average concentrations of pollutants; and (c) estimation of doses. Estimation of annual overall average emissions is estimated, separately, for urban areas and point sources. Concentrations of pollutants are obtained for urban areas and point-sources by means of two different gaussian models. Finally, doses are calculated assuming that the effects of all pollutants are linear at low doses. Doses for each pollutant, and doses for exposure to several combined pollutants, are defined. The doses on population are also defined, assuming that the significance of pollution depends on the number of people exposed.     

页岩气开发对生态环境影响评价模型

针对页岩气特殊的开发方式及环评难度比常规气大的特点,运用"压力-状态-响应"框架模型,建立了页岩气开发对生态环境影响的评价指标体系。引入曲线投影的方式,并将投影寻踪方法和动态聚类方法相结合,提出了曲线投影寻踪动态聚类的定量评价方法;基于样本各指标的曲线投影和动态聚类方法寻找最佳投影方向,并建立相应的生态环境影响评价优化模型。结合全局最优经验指导和信息素交流,采用改进的蚁群算法对优化模型进行求解。该算法维持蚁群的多样性,且收敛性较好,同时也避免出现局部最优。对四川省威远页岩气区块进行了实例分析,结果表明:2010年、2011年和2014年的环评属于差类(4级),2012年和2013年的环评属于中类(3级),其中植被覆盖率、空气质量优良率、地表水质达标率、废水排放量、公众对环境的满意度、二氧化硫排放量和废水排放量达标率等指标对生态环境评价的影响较大。在页岩气开发初期,由于开发技术落后,再加上环保投资不高,环保意识不强,造成生态环境问题较为严重。随着学习借鉴美国的经验,及页岩气的开发技术进一步提高,加上国家对生态环境保护的重视,威远页岩气区块生态环境恶化得到有效的遏制。但开发时间越长,开采难度越大,将会产生更多更大的生态环境问题。分析结果与威远页岩气开发区域的实际情况相符,为页岩气气田生态环境影响评价奠定了科学基础。投影寻踪动态聚类方法具有无需设定参数、操作简单、客观等优点,是页岩气开发对生态环境影响评价的一种新方法。     

Monitoring and management of mountain environment

The monitoring of mountain environment gives necessary information for its control and effective management in view of its sustainable development. A system of complex monitoring of environment has been established, including physical, chemical, meteorological, hydrological, biological and sociological factors. Methods and observations have been developed and applied. Using a geographical information system, a database was created for Rila Mountain and a modern computer network connected to internet was established. As a direct consequence of the French-Bulgarian project OM2 (carried out in the period 1993-1998) a Basic Environmental Observatory (on the peak Moussala, 2925 m) was constructed and put in operation in attempt to control the large scale and long-term transportation of atmospheric pollutants.     

The influence of Chinese population policy change on resources and the environment

Universal two-child policy has been implemented since the end of 2015 in China. This policy is anticipated to bring a significant increase in the total population, with profound influences on the resources and environment in the future. This paper analyzes the changing dynamics of urban and rural population, and forecasts urban and rural population from 2016 to 2030 at national and provincial scale using a double log linear regression model. Drawing upon the results of these two predictions, the impact of the population policy change on Chinese resources consumption and environmental pollution are predicted quantitatively. Given the future total population maintains current levels on resources consumption and environmental emission, the additional demand of resources and environment demand for the new population is forecasted and compared against the capacity on supply side. The findings are as follows: after implementing the universal two-child policy, China’s grain, energy consumption, domestic water demand, and pollutant emissions are projected to increase at different rates across provinces. To meet the needs arising from future population growth, food and energy self-sufficiency rate will be significantly reduced in the future, while relying more on imports. Stability of the water supply needs to be improved, especially in Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, and Sichuan where the gap in future domestic water demand is comparatively larger. Environmental protection and associated governing capability are in urgent need of upgrade not least due to the increasing pressure of pollution.     

经济全球化对我国工业污染的影响

本文从定性描述和定量描述的角度，就外商投资和国际贸易对我国工业污染的影响进行分析。通过研究发现，从总体上看。外商投资和国际贸易对我国环境污染的影响不大，且有逐渐减缓的趋势。但就具体产业而言，外商投资确有转移污染的倾向，而且环境影响具有长期性和不确定性，所以，对外资和外贸必须进行严格的环境管理，以确保我国经济的持续、稳定发展。     

Climate, entropy and environment

The IPCC Working Groups I–III 2007 publications does not consider the question of the influence of the entropy increase in the atmosphere on current climate development. An investigation into this question, both in general terms as well as by two quantitative approaches, reveals we must consider the entropy produced by man in connection with climate development, especially with regard to the temperature increase of the atmosphere. The IPCC report also fails to mention the production of CO₂ by humans and livestock, but calculations show we must also consider such greenhouse gas CO₂ production. For solving the mitigating processes, we therefore have to take into account both the human induced entropy production and the direct human and livestock CO₂ output. In consideration of these findings, it seems necessary to introduce an “entropy identity” to people who wish to be able to continue to live on the planet. The introduction of an entropy tax might also help in solving the most urgent fundamental problem humanity has ever had to face. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Use of AMS in the marine environment

In recent years, the field of AMS has expanded into many areas of science. This paper reviews a variety of applications of AMS in the marine environment, focusing particularly on recent developments and applications. Following a brief summary of the three main isotope techniques used in environmental studies: dating, tracing and source identification, a number of applications are considered. Traditional (14)C-dating is no longer the dominant application of AMS measurements, and together with measurements of (10)Be, (26)Al and (36)Cl, much of the research is now directed towards an understanding of global climate change via studies of oceanic circulation, atmospheric processes and past climates by cosmic ray exposure dating. Profiles of long-lived cosmogenic radionuclides in sediments and ice cores, as a function of depth and, thus, age, provide key information on past solar variability, production rate changes and atmospheric transport and deposition mechanisms. Useful paleoclimatic information may be derived from these archives both because deposition is influenced by climate and because solar activity (which influences production) and solar radiance (which influences climate) are correlated. In recent years, emphasis has been put on the development and application of AMS techniques for the measurement of heavier long-lived isotopes, including (99)Tc, (129)I, (236)U and other actinide isotopes. AMS combines ultra low detection limits and the possibility to analyse isotope ratios that can be difficult with traditional instruments and has been used in a number of applications on the consequences and uses of releases from nuclear energy. Finally, the use AMS in environmental sciences is expected to expand further in the foreseeable future with long-lived cosmogenic radionuclides contributing to a large body of knowledge on processes involving atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets, biosphere, soils and sediments.     

中国工业环境规制强度的行业差异及收敛性研究

针对不同行业环境规制强度的差异性,本文运用收敛理论研究了行业环境规制强度的敛散性。传统上利用单位成本或产出的污染治理费用表示的行业环境规制强度可能存在有偏性,本文基于单位污染排放的污染治理费用测算行业环境规制强度,利用Theil指数和收敛检验模型,分析了2001—2015年中国35个工业行业环境规制强度差异、收敛性质及收敛机制。研究发现:(1)一些行业的环境规制强度与其污染强度未表现出相应的强关联性。(2)中国工业行业环境规制强度差异呈现"M"型变化趋势,污染行业与清洁行业之间的环境规制强度差异呈现先发散后收敛的倒"U"型趋势。(3)泰尔指数及其分解还表明,污染行业内部的子行业间环境规制强度差异很大,且是造成工业行业环境规制强度差异的最主要来源。(4)工业行业环境规制强度存在较长时段的σ收敛和较短时长的俱乐部收敛的同时,还存在绝对β收敛和条件β收敛,即低规制行业向高规制行业看齐,不同行业环境规制强度向各自的稳态水平靠近,此外,污染行业环境规制强度收敛速度慢于清洁行业。(5)企业规模成长和市场化水平提升有利于促进企业提高环境规制水平。(6)对收敛机制的进一步研究表明,出口学习效应和进口技术溢出对行业环境规制强度变化的提升效应随着环境规制强度的提高而扩大,即两者对行业环境规制强度变化具有提升效应,但无促进其收敛的作用。扩大企业规模、提升市场化和对外开放水平,有利于提升企业应对环境规制的能力,并为下一阶段实施更为合理有效的环境规制政策提供支撑。     

Fractionation of radionuclide species in the environment

Naturally occurring and artificially produced radionuclides in the environment may be present in different physico-chemical forms (i.e., radionuclide species) varying in size (nominal molecular mass), charge properties and valence, oxidation state, structure and morphology, density, degree of complexation, etc. Low molecular mass (LMM) species are believed to be mobile and potentially bioavailable, while high molecular mass (HMM) species such as colloids, polymers, pseudocolloids and particles are considered inert. Due to time-dependent transformation processes such as mobilisation of radionuclide species from solid phases or interactions of mobile and reactive radionuclide species with components in soils and sediments, the original distribution of radionuclides deposited in ecosystems will change over time. To assess the environmental impact from radionuclide contamination, information on radionuclide species deposited, interactions within affected ecosystems and the time-dependent distribution of radionuclide species influencing mobility and biological uptake is essential. The development of speciation techniques to characterize radionuclide species in waters, soils and sediments should therefore be essential for improving the prediction power of impact and risk assessment models. The present paper reviews available fractionation techniques which can be utilised for radionuclide speciation purposes.     

Multi-dimensional influence measurement of urbanization on the quality of natural living environment in China

Environment, Development and Sustainability - With the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization and the continuous improvement of social productivity, people are increasingly...     

Influence of global warming on coastal infrastructural instability

The increasing infrastructure instability is an important issue in relation to the influences of global climate change in urban areas. A serious issue pertaining to this is the dual nature of damage triggered by events combined with climate change and natural hazards. For example, catastrophic damage could result from the combination of global warming with a great earthquake, which is a worst-case scenario. Although this worst-case scenario has rarely occurred and presents a low probability of occurrence, countermeasures must be prepared in advance based on an appropriate response and adaptation strategies. After an overview of possible infrastructural instabilities caused by global warming, methodologies are proposed placing emphasis on the increasing probability of infrastructural instability triggered by natural hazards resulting from groundwater-level (GWL) variations. These effects are expected to be particularly serious in coastal regions because of the influence of the rising sea level resulting from global warming. The influence of sea-level rises (SLR) will become apparent along with land subsidence because groundwater abstraction will become severe in coastal regions. Additionally, the probability of earthquake liquefaction increases if GWL rises in accompaniment with SLR. Using case histories, we examined the possible occurrence of these natural hazards as a result of global warming. Finally, possible countermeasures and adaptation strategies for reducing and mitigating infrastructure damage accelerated by global warming are described for each case in specific regions. In particular, special attention should be paid to adaptation strategies in coastal lowlands, which particularly suffer from the effects of land subsidence.     

Influence of climate on the atmospheric radiocarbon concentration

In this paper, the climate effect on the atmospheric radiocarbon concentration is estimated using the data, derived by using dendrochronologically dated tree ring samples, on sunspot number and global surface temperature during 1650–1800 A.D.; however, in order to use the data as a record of changes in radiocarbon production rate or cosmic ray intensity, the variations due to the geochemical process must be eliminated. The estimated influence of climate on the atmospheric radiocarbon concentration is 3–5 times greater than the direct contribution of the change of radiocarbon concentration through a Maunder minimum. The influence of climate on the atmospheric radiocarbon concentration through a transfer rate of CO₂ between atmosphere and ocean was estimated at a rate of −13% per degree.The elimination of variations caused by climate and sunspot activities from the variations in atmospheric radiocarbon concentration gives a long time scale trend having a minimum and maximum which occur in about the seventh century A.D. and the sixth millennium suggesting a good correlation between this trend of variation and paleogeomagnetic data.