Environmental Vulnerability Indicators for Environmental Planning and Decision-Making: Guidelines and Applications

Environmental decision-making and policy-making at all levels refers necessarily to synthetic, approximate quantification of environmental properties such as vulnerability, conservation status, and ability to recover after perturbation. Knowledge of such properties is essential to informed decision-making, but their definition is controversial and their precise characterization requires investments in research, modeling, and data collection that are only possible in the most developed countries. Environmental agencies and governments worldwide have increasingly requested numerical quantification or semiquantitative ranking of such attributes at the ecosystem, landscape, and country level. We do not have a theory to guide their calculation, in general or specific contexts, particularly with the amount of resources usually available in such cases. As a result, these measures are often calculated with little scientific justification and high subjectivity, and such doubtful approximations are used for critical decision-making. This problem applies particularly to countries with weak economies, such as small island states, where the most precious environmental resources are often concentrated. This paper discusses frameworks for a “least disappointing,” approximate quantification of environmental vulnerability. After a review of recent research and recent attempts to quantify environmental vulnerability, we discuss models and theoretical frameworks for obtaining an approximate, standardizable vulnerability indicator of minimal subjectivity and maximum generality. We also discuss issues of empirical testing and comparability between indicators developed for different environments. To assess the state of the art, we describe an independent ongoing project developed in the South Pacific area and aimed to the comparative evaluation of the vulnerability of arbitrary countries.     

Environmental management problems in India

Environmental problems are becoming serious in India because of the interacting effects of increasing population density, industrialization and urbanization, and poor environmental management practices. Unless stringent regulatory measures are taken, environmental systems will be irreversibly degraded. Lack of political commitment, lack of a comprehensive environmental policy, poor environmental awareness, functional fragmentation of the public administration system, poor mass media concern, and prevalence of poverty are some of the major factors responsible for increasing the severity of the problems. Environmental problems in India are highly complex, and management procedures have to be developed to achieve coordination between various functional departments, and for this, political leaders have to be convinced of the need to initiate environmental protection measures.     

香蒲植物在环境保护中的开发利用

我国香蒲植物资源丰富 ,但对其开发利用重视不够 ,尤其在环境保护方面的利用极少 ,资源优势尚未转化为环境优势和经济优势。加强香蒲植物资源在环保方面的开发利用 ,具有巨大的市场潜力和较好的环境效益、经济效益。     

Where the Waters Divide: First Nations,Tainted Water and Environmental Justice in Canada

Abstract

We have survived Canada's assault on our identity and our rights … Our survival is a testament to our determination and will to survive as a people. We are prepared to participate in Canada's future—but only on the terms that we believe to be our rightful heritage.

Wallace Labillois, Council of Elders, Kingsclear, New Brunswick

This paper argues for a strengthening of the theoretical relationship between neo-liberalism and environmental justice. Empirical research involving First Nations communities in southwestern Ontario suggests that neo-liberal reforms introduced in the mid-1990s were particularly discriminatory against Canada's indigenous peoples, serving to exacerbate historical disparities in health, environment pollution, and well-being. In particular, under neo-liberal reform in Ontario, recognition of environmental injustices has become much more difficult for First Nations communities. Furthermore, this ‘new’ form of environmental governance has broadly reduced legitimate opportunities for First Nations to participate in environmental governance that affects their health and welfare. In short, this research supports a widening of the definition of environmental justice advocated by David Schlosberg and others (Environmental Politics, 13(3) (2004), pp. 517–540; Agyeman, Bullard and Evans 2003 Agyeman, J., Bullard, R. D. and Evans, B. 2003a. “Joined-up thinking: bringing together sustainability, environmental justice and equity”. In Just Sustainabilities: Development in an Unequal World, Edited by: Agyeman, J., Bullard, R. D. and Evans, B. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.  [Google Scholar]; Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment, Research Advisory committee 1997; Di Chiro 1998 Di Chiro, Giovanna. 1998. “Environmental Justice from the Grassroots: Reflections on History, Gender and Expertise”. In The Struggle for Ecological Democracy: Environmental Justice Movements in the United States, Edited by: Faber, D. NY: Guilford.  [Google Scholar]) if we are to understand the subtle, complex and multiple ways that this new form of environmental governance is particularly harmful to marginalized groups, such as First Nations in Canada.     

Environmental management: An experiment in orientation in India

Summary Environmental management is a most critical input for achieving ecologically sound and balanced economic growth. It is essential that policy-makers and administrators accept the significance, principles and practices of environmental management, otherwise implementation of projects will not include the environmental protection measures. Environmental management training programmes for decision-makers are, therefore, essential. In India, The Department of Environment has initiated workshop for top level managers for sensitizing them to environmental management concepts. The experience in organizing and conducting such programmes may be of value to organizations in other developing countries, and is summarised in this paper.     

我国火电脱硫市场分析

本文分析了我国火电脱硫市场发展的良好条件和机遇,测算了今后十年市场发展的容量,并指出影响脱硫市场发展的因素。     

燃煤电厂的碳减排技术

介绍了燃煤电厂应对气候变化采取的CO2减排技术路线和适合燃煤电厂的CO2捕集技术,调查了对当前燃煤电厂捕碳项目和清洁煤技术的发展情况.     

火电厂烟气脱硫装置的性能检测

详细介绍了火电厂烟气脱硫装置性能检测的指标、系统、组织、流程和方法,为脱硫工程后评估中脱硫装置的性能考核和验收检测提供了技术支持和指导。     

城市电厂大型机力通风冷却塔的噪声控制

针对城市电厂大型机力通风冷却塔的噪声污染,以北京太阳宫燃气热电冷联供工程中应用的机力通风冷却塔噪声控制为例,通过分析研究冷却塔各声源不同的频谱特性和传播特性,并根据厂界噪声控制目标计算声源的超标量和设计降噪量,采取隔声、消声和吸声等综合集成的噪声控制技术,设计开发了大型机力通风冷却塔降噪消声装置,取得了理想效果,使厂界噪声达到I类标准,为低噪声机力通风冷却塔的声学设计提供了工程实践参考。     

核电环境风险研究进展及管理启示

为满足快速增长的电力需求,缓解传统化石能源紧缺及其所伴随的大气污染问题,发电过程中几乎不产生常规大气污染物的核电逐渐成为我国重要的能源战略选择。但是,由于核电站在运行过程中,特别是发生重大核事故时,产生的放射性物质可能对健康造成负面影响,发展核电仍然存在较大的争议和阻力。在此背景下,需要构建科学、完善的核电风险评估与管理体系,以保障我国的核电行业健康、有序发展。在对国内外核电风险评估研究现状进行系统梳理的基础上,分析其对核电风险管理的意义,提出了我国未来构建核电风险评估与管理体系的建议。     

浅谈燃气发电厂如何实施清洁生产

文章通过对某燃气发电厂实施安装投入运行溴冷机、改造增压机控制系统、改造厂房冷却水回收系统、改造余热锅炉尾部加装换热器、实现余热再利用等清洁生产的技术措施,实施小指标考核等清洁生产的管理措施,取得较好的节能降耗效果。这些措施为同类企业实施清洁生产提供了经验,并为企业降低能耗指标提供了技术支持。     

燃煤电厂烟气脱硫有关问题的思考

文章全面分析了我国燃煤电厂脱硫的现状及政策和技术方面存在的问题。     

火力发电行业的环境污染与水资源利用

讨论了电源点建设所面临的环境保护和水资源紧缺的影响,提出根据电源点总体发展和分布,科学制定水资源储备战略思路。建议新的电源点建设可以规划采用城市污水、矿井水等作为火力发电厂项目建设的用水发展方向,海滨电厂可以采用电、热、水一体的建设模式,实现循环经济。     

低碳经济下的智能用电技术与环境安全

智能用电作为建设坚强智能电网的重要组成部分,具有高度的自动化水平和很强的自愈能力。采用智能用电技术可以将各种分布式再生能源迅速接入电网,对环境安全具有重要的促进作用。通过介绍智能用电这一新技术的发展现状和及其关键技术,从能源防御体系、土地利用和电力生产等方面对智能用电与环境安全之间的关系进行了分析。采用智能用电技术可以减少碳排放,提高用电系统的抗击灾害能力,保护环境、集约利用土地,是环境安全体系中非常重要的组成环节。     

燃煤电厂水力冲灰系统结垢分析

在我国,燃煤电厂水力冲灰系统的结垢是一个普遍存在的问题。通过对华北地区两个电厂冲灰系统流程、运行工况的调查及冲灰系统沿程各点的水质分析,利用CaCO3沉淀势作为判断依据,分析了其中一电厂冲灰系统严重结垢而另一电厂冲灰系统结垢不显著的原因,为电厂开展水力除灰管道的防垢及采取防垢措施提供依据。     

现有燃煤电厂2008年需建设烟气脱硫项目名单

编者按:根据国家发展改革委、环保总局联合印发的<现有燃煤电厂二氧化硫治理"十一五"规划>(发改环资[2007]592号),2008年,有52个电厂需开工建设烟气脱硫设施,装机容量2829.6万千瓦.2008年4月0日,环境部公布了2008年需开工建设烟气脱硫设施的燃煤电厂名单(见下表).     

火电厂液氨使用安全问题研究

本文论述了液氨泄漏事故发生的主要原因,运用层次分析法对液氨泄漏原因权重进行分析,并提出防止液氨泄漏的安全对策及泄漏后的处理措施和技术,为火电厂烟气脱硝中液氨的安全使用提供了理论依据和技术支持,为火电厂的安全生产运行提供保障.     

袋式除尘器在我国的发展及其在燃煤电厂中的应用

介绍了袋式除尘器在我国的发展情况,分析了在燃煤电厂中采用袋式除尘器进行烟气净化的可行性和必然性,提出了袋式除尘器在应用中存在的一些问题。