Effective risk governance for environmental policy making: A knowledge management perspective

Effective risk management within environmental policy making requires knowledge on natural, economic and social systems to be integrated; knowledge characterised by complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity. We describe a case study in a (UK) central government department exploring how risk governance supports and hinders this challenging integration of knowledge. Forty-five semi-structured interviews were completed over a two year period. We found that lateral knowledge transfer between teams working on different policy areas was widely viewed as a key source of knowledge. However, the process of lateral knowledge transfer was predominantly informal and unsupported by risk governance structures. We argue this made decision quality vulnerable to a loss of knowledge through staff turnover, and time and resource pressures. Our conclusion is that the predominant form of risk governance framework, with its focus on centralised decision-making and vertical knowledge transfer is insufficient to support risk-based, environmental policy making. We discuss how risk governance can better support environmental policy makers through systematic knowledge management practices.     

湛江市实验中学:创建绿色学校推进素质教育

湛江市实验中学是湛江市教育局直属高级中学,其前身是广东省雷州师范学校,办学始于1935年。学校坐落于国家历史文化名城雷城的中心,地处美丽的雷州西湖畔。     

Values,rules and knowledge: Adaptation as change in the decision context

Responding to global change represents an unprecedented challenge for society. Decision makers tend to address this challenge by framing adaptation as a decision problem, whereby the responses to impacts of change are addressed within existing decision processes centred on defining the decision problem and selecting options. However, this ‘decision-making perspective’ is constrained by societal values and principles, regulations and norms and the state of knowledge. It is therefore unsuitable for addressing complex, contested, cross-scale problems. In this paper we argue that simply broadening the decision-making perspective to account for institutions and values is not enough. We contend the decision-making perspective needs to be connected with a broader ‘decision-context perspective’ that focuses on how the societal system of decision processes affects the manner in which a particular problem is addressed. We describe the decision context as an interconnected system of values, rules and knowledge (vrk). The interaction of systems of vrk both creates and limits the set of practical, permissible decisions; the types of values, rules and knowledge that influence the decision and the capacity for change and transformation in the decision context. We developed a framework to analyse the interactions between values, rules and knowledge and their influence on decision making and decision contexts of adaptation initiatives, and applied it retrospectively to three projects on adaptation to sea-level rise. Our analysis revealed: (1) specific examples of how interactions between vrk systems constrained existing framings of decision making and the development of options for coastal adaptation; (2) limitations in the adaptive management strategies that underpinned the projects and (3) how the linked systems of vrk can allow adaptation practitioners to structure adaptation as a process of co-evolutionary change that enables a broader set of social issues and change processes to be considered. Adaptation projects that focus on the decision context represent a pragmatic alternative to existing decision-focused adaptation. By using the vrk model to diagnose constraints in decision processes, we show how the reframing of adaptation initiatives can reveal new approaches to developing adaptation responses to complex global change problems.     

环境保护产业产值与价值评价研究

环境保护产业的价值首先直接体现为可量度的环境保护产业的产值,由于环境保护产业具有全方位渗透特性,以往的环境保护产业产值统计难以全面完整地反映环境保护产业在国民经济中的产值贡献,环境保护产业应体现的价值远大于环境保护产业的产值。本文以环境保护产业的统计产值为基础,提出了基于产业关联渗透系数的环境保护产业产值评价模式;以及基于环境资源价值和环境保护产业产值权重放大系数的环境保护产业价值评价模式。     

环境多相催化研究过程中的表面科学研究方法

简要介绍环境多相催化研究过程中应用表面科学的研究方法的必要性和将会遇到的挑战和机遇 .结合作者有关的研究事例 ,分别讨论了环境多相催化和表面科学研究领域之间材料和压力的差异所带来的问题和可能的解决方案 ,特别是催化剂原位表面表征的重要性     

中国环境法治不能靠风暴--中国政法大学教授、环境法专家王灿发访谈录

“我希望我们的环境法律法规越来越健全完善,我希望我们的立法都能够得到不折不扣执行,我希望我们的环境变得越来越好,人民都能生活在蓝天白云之下,青山绿水之间”。这是环境法学专家,中国政法大学王灿发教授接受本刊记者采访时说出的一番肺腑之言。     

Community knowledge in environmental health science: co-producing policy expertise

As lay publics demand a greater role in the environmental and health decision-making that impacts their lives, policy makers are being forced to find new ways of understanding and incorporating the expertise of professionals with the contextual intelligence that community residents possess. This paper highlights how co-producing science policy, where technical issues are not divorced from their social setting and a plurality of participants engage in everything from problem setting to decision-making, can contribute to more scientifically legitimate and publicly accountable decisions. Through a detailed case study utilizing participant observation, ethnographic field work, semi-structured interviews, and reviews of original documents, this paper highlights how residents in a low income, Latino immigrant neighborhood in New York City organized their knowledge to participate in and significantly alter a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency exposure assessment. This paper reveals both the contributions and limits of local knowledge in environmental health governance and how the co-production framework can contribute to more technically credible science and democratically accountable policy.     

Identification of environmental aspects in an EMS context: a methodological framework for the Swedish National Rail Administration

Environmental aspects are basic elements in an Environmental Management System (EMS). The identification of environmental aspects is, however, recognized as one of the most complicated parts in establishing an EMS and has been subject to criticism concerning, e.g., lack of transparency and reproducibility. This paper evaluates the Swedish National Rail Administration's (Banverket) current practice for the identification of environmental aspects. A better link between activity, aspect and impact is needed. A more stringent identification procedure would improve Banverket's environmental management. The paper proposes a structured framework for the identification of environmental aspects at Banverket.     

A new teaching tool in education for sustainable development: ontology-based knowledge networks for environmental training

This paper presents a prototype model for the design and development of environmental training materials, where both the multimedia objects used in training scenarios and the knowledge built into them are captured and fully reusable. Knowledge found in the logic, the structure and the ways of use of environmental literacy is represented as a knowledge network (a collection of educational scenarios), based on an ontology. A prototype environmental pollution ontology and three self-contained sample educational scenarios have been developed. The training approach helps students to understand the contemporary global environmental issues, how they are linked and interrelated and to consider the differing views of these issues, before reaching a decision or judgment.     

Understanding the North–South knowledge divide and its implications for policy: a quantitative analysis of the generation of scientific knowledge in the environmental sciences

The paper investigates the scientific knowledge divide in the environmental sciences between developed and developing countries and explores the implications and impacts on both science and policymaking. Quantitative data analysis of more than 6400 scientific papers published in 1993–2003 yield evidence for a growing divide in authorship, publication rates, and location of scientific research in nine environmental journals with high impact factor ratings. In addition to this severe imbalance in publication rates between developed and developing countries, we also find a research bias toward certain eco-climatic zones. More than 80% of papers are published in and about temperate and cold eco-climatic zones. Only 13% of the papers in our study are based on research in the dry sub-tropical and tropical zones, although these eco-climatic zones account for more than 52% of the world's land area. Based on these results, we discuss how the limited empirical source and focus of environmental research undermine the claims of universality of environmental science and what consequences this may have on policymaking processes at different levels. Finally, we briefly explore some short- and long-term strategies to address the knowledge divide.     

石化企业突发水环境事故防控体系建设探讨

石化行业为环境和安全高风险行业,突发事故往往造成重大经济和环境损失。目前我国石化企业的突发水环境风险防范体系仍很薄弱,应急能力亟待提高。本文阐述了目前我国石化行业水环境风险防控设施存在的问题,并对水环境风险三级防控体系的构建进行了探讨,重点论述了事故应急池建设的必要性、合理性及其属性要求,以期能够有助于石化行业水环境风险防控体系的构建。     

铅大气污染物环境保护标准限值研究

铅因其对公众健康的影响,其大气污染物标准限值的合理性倍受关注.论文对比分析了国内外铅大气污染物环境质量与排放标准,通过计算提出基于保护环境空气质量的排放标准理论限值及建议限值.分析发现,目前国际上铅环境空气质量标准浓度限值为0.00015～0.0015 mg·m~(-3),但多采用世界卫生组织(WHO)的年均浓度限值0.0005 mg·m~(-3);建议我国今后修订标准时对铅年均浓度和季均浓度限值进一步加严.与发达国家相比,我国铅环境空气质量季均浓度限值水平已显落后;国际上目前各类排放源铅大气污染物排放浓度限值在0.04～2 mg·m~(-3)之间,金属冶炼源等主要源的排放浓度限值在1～2 mg·m~(-3),其他排放源均在0.5 mg·m~(-3)以下;我国铅、锌熔炼源正在执行的排放浓度限值(8 mg·m~(-3))较为宽松,而其他源的铅大气排放浓度限值与国际上的限值基本一致.通过计算认为,保护公众健康的铅大气污染物的理论排放限值为1.2～2.4 mg·m~(-3).考虑到我国的经济技术水平,建议铅、锌熔炼源的铅大气污染物新建企业排放浓度限值为2 mg·m~(-3);其他源的新建企业排放浓度建议限值为0.5 mg·m~(-3).经过过渡期,现有企业应达到新建企业的排放控制要求.铅的企业边界浓度排放限值是保护企业边界附近公众健康的有效屏障,但鉴于铅的污染特性,对于具体建设项目应加强环评力度,提出更具体明确的排放控制要求,并加强对企业周边环境敏感点的环境监测等,采取综合措施保护公众健康.     

风险沟通在港口环境风险管理中的应用

风险沟通是风险管理中新兴起的领域,很快发展为风险管理中非常重要的内容。其对于促进事件处理、告知公众真相、增强政府威信、疏导公众情绪、维护社会稳定等都起到很大的作用。通过风险沟通内涵的探讨,建立了风险沟通模型,在分析美国、意大利等先进国家风险沟通经验以及研究进展分析的基础上,将风险沟通理论引入到我国港口环境风险管理中,从预防性沟通、应急性沟通和善后处理三方面讨论了我国港口发展过程中的风险沟通思路。     

水体病原微生物定量风险评价:历史、现状与发展趋势

环境风险评价是成型于1970年代的多学科交叉新兴领域,为环境风险管理提供决策的科学依据.环境风险评价研究的发展经历以意外事故为风险源的事故风险评价,以化学品为风险源和人体健康为风险受体的健康风险评价,以生态系统为风险受体的生态风险评价.以微生物污染为风险源和人体健康为风险受体的定量微生物风险评价(QMRA)也于1990年代开始发展.QMRA确定微生物的摄入量及其对人体产生不良作用概率之间关系的数学描述.作为一种前沿的微生物健康风险评估手段,QMRA为公共卫生政策和标准制定、采取可行的健康干预决策提供有力支撑,已被美国、加拿大、荷兰、澳大利亚等多个国家应用于环境管理.本文梳理了环境风险评价的发展历史,系统详细综述水媒传播病原微生物定量风险评价的研究与应用,同时指出当前QMRA面临的问题并提出针对性的建议.     

Evaluation of the implementation of best available techniques in IPPC context: an environmental performance indicators approach

In this paper an integrated methodological approach is presented for the evaluation of the implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in facilities operated under Integrated Prevention Pollution and Control (IPPC) Directive, based on the development and application of a set of sub-indices. An aggregated form of sub-indices that could be used as a composite IPPC facility index is proposed. A sector specific index can be derived from facilities composite indices.This approach uses environmental performance data from European Polluting Emissions Register (EPER) reports, environmental permits and BAT Reference Documents, and gives a coherent and interesting picture of the degree of BAT implementation and an indication of IPPC obligations fulfilment.A specific application is demonstrated concerning the paper manufacturing sector in Greece. It is concluded for this sector that there is a measurable discrepancy from the BAT fulfilment obligations and that the most problematic sub-indices are the “Releases to Water” and “Releases to Air”.     

Characterisation of environmental policy implementation in an EMS context: a multiple-case study in Sweden

The heart of an environmental management system is the implementation of environmental policy in an organisation by the use of environmental aspects, goals and management programmes. The aim of this paper is to characterise this implementation and discuss how it could be improved. In order to achieve the objective of the paper a multiple-case study was performed in ISO 14001-certified or EMAS-registered organisations in Sweden. It is concluded that the implementation of environmental policy is strictly controlled by specifications in ISO 14001 or EMAS. Some organisations, mostly smaller, are forced to form their environmental policy implementation in a way that is not suited for their type of organisation. Many organisations find it hard to measure their environmental goals and to set long-term or medium-long-term time periods for their goals. In addition, the organisations do not involve their employees to a very great extent in the implementation of the environmental policy. If they do let middle managers and line personnel to participate, it is usually early in the process, as early as in the identification of environmental aspects.     

Understanding socio-cultural dimensions of environmental decision-making: A knowledge governance approach

Sociological critiques of scientific research processes and their application have developed nuanced understandings of the social, cultural and political forces shaping relationships between science and decision-making. Simultaneously, environmental researchers have sought to construct more engaged, dynamic modes of conducting research to facilitate the application of science in decision-making and action. To date, however, there are relatively few theoretically-oriented approaches that have been able to draw productive connections between the sociological critique and the practical applications that can aid in navigating this complex and diverse milieu. In this article, we propose that the concept of “knowledge governance” can bring together targeted inquiry into the socio-political context in which environmental science is situated, alongside analysis of specific interventions that change knowledge-to-action relationships. Drawing together Jasanoff’s (2005) concept of civic epistemology with Cash et al.’s (2003) knowledge systems for sustainability approach, this knowledge governance inquiry framework offers an integrative lens through which to critically reflect on knowledge-based processes, and incorporate that deeper understanding into intervention efforts. We briefly illustrate its application with reference to a pilot project examining conservation decision-making in the Western Pacific island nation of Palau.     

环境风险评价中的不确定性问题

介绍了环境风险评价中的不确定性问题的分类及其影响因素,论述了定量分析不确定性问题的4种方法,即传递函数法、数值模拟法、置信区间法和二间矩法。最后提出减少不确定性问题的途径,即多目标规划法、非参数回归法、回归分析法和专家意见法。     

论价值哲学和环境哲学视角中的环境价值

为了加深对环境价值的认识和促使环境资源核算逐渐逼近人们的期望值,本文首先从环境哲学的视角讨论了环境价值的哲学含义然后又从环境哲学的视角对环境价值的复杂性和多样性作了初步的评价讨论结果表明,目前人们对环境资源的价值内涵的把握虽然有了质的升华．但仍然是不彻底的;因而必须对环境价值进行不懈的探索.