Measuring water resource use efficiency of the Dong Nai River Basin (Vietnam): an application of the two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA)

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The recent growth of agriculture, industry and urban areas in Vietnam requires a large amount of water consumption as a production factor. This paper...     

责任分配抑或权利确认:流域生态补偿适用条件之辨析

当前有关流域生态补偿的研究和实践探索,均倾向于从责任分配视角来设定流域生态补偿的适用条件。然而,从责任分配视角来界定流域生态补偿之适用条件面临着诸多困境。以水质控制目标作为适用条件的地方立法和以超过Ⅲ类水质标准作为流域生态补偿适用条件之观点,均限缩了流域生态补偿的适用范围,导致了补偿义务主体与受偿主体之间法律关系的混乱,并背离了流域生态补偿的本质和基本功能预设。无论从流域生态补偿的功能定位出发,还是基于该制度构建的正当性基础和可行性考量,均应从权利确认而非责任分配视角来明晰流域生态补偿之适用条件。首先,流域生态补偿的基本功能是流域生态利益正向供给激励,受偿主体的权利确认与保障是这一制度构建的重心。从责任分配的角度来界定流域生态补偿之适用条件,将导致其基本功能的偏离;其次,"最少受惠者的最大利益"原则是流域生态补偿制度构建的正当性基础,流域生态补偿的本质是对"最少受惠者"发展权的弥补。从责任分配视角界定流域生态补偿之适用条件遮蔽了流域生态补偿法律关系中的"最少受惠者";再次,受益主体的非特定性意味着从权利确认视角来界定流域生态补偿之适用条件将更具有可行性。从权利确认视角来看,流域生态补偿的适用条件应包括:有生态增益行为、非有责主体、不问主观动机与现实损害后果。     

GIS analysis for the marine environmental data off Karnataka coast

Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to develop the Oceanographic Information System (OIS) for marine environmental data off Karnataka coast. Its goal is to provide a set of tools for oceanographic and bathymetry data assessment and products like graphs, query system for the users. The most significant interfaces are the GIS based Map-query and Contour visualization. The interfaces are user-friendly and oriented towards bridging the gap between user's knowledge and the technical knowledge required to operate the software system. The OIS also provides users with other analysis tools like query based reports and graphs. OIS can be used as a powerful tool to synthesize not only all the data off Karnataka coast but for comprehensive interpretation and forecasting of marine environmental ecosystems for any region. This system has been applied to the Karnataka Coastal Environment, India and it is very useful for the clients and policy makers.     

Comparison of different ecological scales with respect to efficiency in assessing ecological conditions in forests of the Southern Ural region

Ecological scales proposed by H. Ellenberg, E. Landolt, and D.N. Tsyganov have been used to evaluate the roles of three ecological factors—elevation above sea level, soil moisture, and soil nitrogen—in determining the composition of forest communities in the Southern Ural region. The results obtained with all these scales are similar, which indicates that any of them can serve the purpose.     

Linking empirical estimates of body burden of environmental chemicals and wellness using NHANES data

Biomonitoring of industrial chemicals in human tissues and fluids has shown that all people carry a “body burden” of synthetic chemicals. Although measurement of an environmental chemical in a person's tissues/fluids is an indication of exposure, it does not necessarily mean the exposure concentration is sufficient to cause an adverse effect. Since humans are exposed to multiple chemicals, there may be a combination effect (e.g., additive, synergistic) associated with low-level exposures to multiple classes of contaminants, which may impact a variety of organ systems. The objective of this research is to link measures of body burden of environmental chemicals and a “holistic” measure of wellness. The approach is demonstrated using biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Forty-two chemicals were selected for analysis based on their detection levels. Six biological pathway-specific indices were evaluated using groups of chemicals associated with each pathway. Five of the six pathways were negatively associated with wellness. Three non-zero interaction terms were detected which may provide empirical evidence of crosstalk across pathways. The approach identified five of the 42 chemicals from a variety of classes (metals, pesticides, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as accounting for 71% of the weight linking body burden to wellness. Significant interactions were detected indicating the effect of smoking is exacerbated by body burden of environmental chemicals. Use of a holistic index on both sides of the exposure-health equation is a novel and promising empirical “systems biology” approach to risk evaluation of complex environmental exposures.     

Identifying key issues in environmental wetland research using scaling and uncertainty analysis

Quantification of the response of wetlands to environmental change and of climate change to wetland processes, is a pressing, but complex, issue. Findings of widely diverse investigations have to be generalised to identify the key issues and the gaps in knowledge. Two tools for generalisation, scaling and uncertainty analysis, were applied here to two case studies and act as stepping stones for analysis of key issues. The first case study is on methane emissions from wetland rice fields and the second is on the restoration of wet dune slacks. The type of problems encountered depends on the scale at which a process is studied. At the biogeochemical processes scale, knowledge on some key parameters, but especially on interactions between key parameters is limiting. At the vegetation scale, feedbacks between processes become especially important, whereas at even larger scales increasingly stringent approximations of interactions have to be made. Accumulating uncertainties at the landscape scale need careful evaluation. Apart from uncertainties in the approximations and their interactions, those introduced by spatial and temporal variability as well as by different data sources highly influence the accuracy of response estimates, while these last sources of uncertainty are neglected in many studies. Only by explicitly accounting for scaling effects and their resulting uncertainties, the interactions between wetlands and environment can be understood.     

生态环境损害责任确立的理论基础研究——以马克思主义生态文明观为视角

中共中央办公厅和国务院办公厅印发的《生态环境损害赔偿制度改革试点方案》已经明确提出了生态环境损害的赔偿问题,对生态环境本身造成损害需要承担责任将成为中国法治时代又一个崭新的命题,对生态环境造成损害担责因何而生、又因何而立?生态环境损害责任确立的理论根据到底是什么?笔者认为只有明确生态环境损害责任确立的理论基础,才能促进生态损害赔偿制度的有效构建与救济机制的健康运行,才能为"美丽中国"建设提供法治保障。本文以马克思主义生态文明观为研究视角,探讨了生态文明观作为中国生态环境损害责任确立的理论基础之科学性与合理性。本文研究发现,马克思主义生态文明观不仅扫清了环境损害责任确立的思想和认识障碍,而且回应了个别学者对环境损害责任成立的质疑,为环境损害责任的确立奠定了思想和理论基础;不仅如此,生态文明观还为环境损害责任的实施提供了政治、经济、文化、技术和法治保障,是生态文明观孕育了环境损害责任。本文进一步分析了生态文明观之所以能够孕育环境损害责任制度的原因,是因为生态文明观与环境损害责任有诸多内在的共同性:生态文明观与环境损害责任之间同根同源,都起源于生态环境危机的时代背景,直接目的就是为了实现环境保护,共同的手段就是环境法治,最深层次的共同价值追求是实现人与自然的和谐共生。中国未来生态环境损害责任制度的建立与运行,应当自觉坚持以马克思主义生态文明观为指导,自觉将马克思主义生态文明观作为思想指南和理论渊源。     

省以下生态转移支付制度环境保护激励效应

现有文献认为生态转移支付具有基本公共服务均等化与提升地方生态环境质量双目标,而目标的多样性会影响地方财政转移支付资金效果及目标的实现。文章基于环保支出和农林水支出的中介与调节效应,对生态转移支付的生态环境目标进行了理论分析,利用2010—2018年甘肃、贵州、湖北及河南四省的199个县的面板数据进行实证检验。实证研究表明:在样本期内,生态转移支付促进了地方生态环境质量的提升,中介效应和调节效应模型的结果表明,中国地方生态转移支付资金对辖区环境保护效果中,环境保护支出起到部分中介效应,农林水支出不仅调节了生态转移支付的地方环境保护支出效果,而且调节了环境保护支出对地方环境质量的影响。因此,由于地方政府具有环境治理信息优势,省以下制度目标更能体现辖区生态需求,省对县生态转移支付制度会有效促进地方生态环境质量的改善,环保激励效应较为明显。同时,县级地方政府应该逐步摆脱"先污染后治理"的路径依赖,逐步转向经济与环境"双目标协同发展"模式。为了协同生态转移支付的双目标,"自下而上参与式决策"可以作为环境治理的有益补充,通过地方政府多元化实践改善环境质量。     

Determination of the sources of toxic elements in environmental particles using microscopic and statistical analysis techniques

Samples of urban dust were physically fractionated into subsamples having unique size, density, ferromagnetism, and elemental compositional characteristics. The high density fractions containing the majority of each of the potentially toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Co, Mn) were subjected to X-ray microanalysis and to bulk analysis using instrumental neutron activation. Microanalysis was used to classify individual particles with respect to primary sources. The bulk analytical results were subjected to factor analysis to delineate the underlying factors (particle sources) responsible for the compositional variation in the subsamples. The advantages of the combined use of microanalytical and statistical techniques for source definition are described. X-ray microanalysis is used to substantiate the attribution of a given factor to a suspected particle source, to aid in the determination of the number of factors (sources) present, and to assess the extent to which a given factor represents a unique source of particles. Bulk analysis/factor analysis promotes the most effective use of X-ray microanalysis to characterize major particle types, and provides data on some toxic trace metals (e.g., Cd) that are not detectable using X-ray microanalysis. Target transformation factor analysis also is more useful in the quantitative determination of the relative mass contributions of major sources to the total dust sample.     

Performance evaluation of sustainable projects: a possibilistic integrated novel analytic hierarchy process-data envelopment analysis approach using Z-Number information

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Selecting a proper set of projects is an important issue to make crucial decisions for many project-oriented organizations enabling them to achieve...     

Connotation and principles of ecological compensation in water source reserve areas based on the theory of externality

Understanding the connotation and principles of ecological compensation in water source reserve areas is the basis and guarantee for establishing and improving the ecological compensation mechanism of water source reserve areas. First, this paper reviews the three stages of ecological compensation research progress. Based on the review, using the theory of externality, the ecological environment system of water source reserve areas is then analyzed. This paper argues that the connotation of ecological compensation in water source reserve areas is a kind of institutional arrangement, which is designed to internalize externalities. Finally, based on the understanding of the connotation of ecological compensation in water source reserve areas, five principles for establishing and improving the ecological compensation mechanism are proposed, including the principle of fairness and justice, the principle of equivalence of equality and responsibility, the principle of flexibility and effectiveness, the principle of “earmark funds, and implementation by law,” and the principle of government compensation supplemented with market compensation.     

基于环境介质的生态底线指标体系构建及考核评价

建立反映维护基本生态系统服务和生态安全的考核指标体系,量化生态环境保护绩效评估,形成环境污染控制和环境质量改善的倒逼机制,对于促进环保目标从单一目标向双目标的实现具有重要的战略意义。文章从解析生态底线的内涵和表征着手,基于环境介质,选取大气、水体、植被、土壤、能源5个方面共17项指标,构成生态底线指标体系的基本框架。提出评估模型和方法,通过测量值与底线值的比较,反映环境保护和生态建设的实际绩效,考虑到各行政区各功能区的生态特点及环境初始状态的差异,引入历史数据进行修正,对单个指标及综合绩效分为优良、改善、恶化、极差四个基本等级进行考核鉴定。不同于以往许多以污染物排放控制作为指标体系的思路和地方实践,所建立的生态底线指标体系更关注生态环境的本底条件,指标测度从常规的过程和终端标准转向自然生态环境的质量状况,有效化解污染排放都达标,但环境质量日益恶化的难题。建议各地结合当地特点明确本地区的生态底线,加强各参与部门的交流协调以提供全面而一致的统计与监测信息,加强信息发布平台的建设等基础工作;处理好底线考核机制与原有年度考核机制的关系,生态底线考核结果与相应的奖惩制度和晋升制度等挂钩,将其作为领导干部选拔任用及"五好"班子评选的重要依据;加强配套制度的建设;建立公众参与的相关机制。     

Radioactivity in environmental samples: Calibration standards measurement methods,quality assurance,and data analysis

The numerous environmental radioactivity measurements made by and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) include measurements on samples of water, urine, food, milk, and air filters. Calibration standards are listed which are available in the form of water solutions and soils for a wide range of radionuclides. Method validation procedures for U.S. EPA approval include protocol development and single-laboratory and multiple-laboratory evaluation for precision and accuracy. Interlaboratory comparison studies are conducted for both cross-check and performance evaluation samples and involve 295 federal, state, and local laboratories. For water samples, 80%–90% of the participating laboratories are within the control limits for most of the radionuclides measured; however, some problem areas exist, especially for radium-228 and strontium-89 and -90. For milk and food samples, more than 90% of the laboratories are within control limits for cobalt-60 and cesium-137 but some problems exist for the measurement of strontium-90, iodine-131, and potassium-40. For tritium, 91% of the laboratories are within the control limit for water samples and 87% are within the control limits for the urine samples. The laboratory performance for air filter samples shows some problems for gross beta, strontium-90 and cesium-137 measurements.     

Validation of I ecological transfer models and thyroid dose assessments using Chernobyl fallout data from the Plavsk district, Russia

Within the project “Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety” (EMRAS) organized by the IAEA in 2003 experimental data of ¹³¹I measurements following the Chernobyl accident in the Plavsk district of Tula region, Russia were used to validate the calculations of some radioecological transfer models. Nine models participated in the inter-comparison. Levels of ¹³⁷Cs soil contamination in all the settlements and ¹³¹I/¹³⁷Cs isotopic ratios in the depositions in some locations were used as the main input information. 370 measurements of ¹³¹I content in thyroid of townspeople and villagers, and 90 measurements of ¹³¹I concentration in milk were used for validation of the model predictions.A remarkable improvement in models performance comparing with previous inter-comparison exercise was demonstrated. Predictions of the various models were within a factor of three relative to the observations, discrepancies between the estimates of average doses to thyroid produced by most participant not exceeded a factor of ten.     

A rapid method for 90Sr determination in the presence of 137Cs in environmental samples

A rapid method for the determination of 90Sr in the presence of 137Cs using the Cherenkov radiation technique is described. The contribution of 137Cs to gross Cherenkov radiation (90Y + 137Cs) was examined for 137Cs /90Sr ratios ranging from 0.09 to 2.50 for 137Cs activities ranging from 2 to 1,211 Bq. Results from direct Cherenkov radiation measurement and results after radiochemical separation of 90Y from 90Sr for samples containing both 90Sr and 137Cs were compared. Errors below 5% were obtained for 137Cs /90Sr ratios lower than 1, when no separation was performed, independently of the activity level. However, errors between 10% and 35% were obtained for 137Cs/90Sr ratios higher than 1. In order to determine 90Sr activity in the presence of 137Cs using the Cherenkov technique, a multiple linear regression analysis model was established to correct the data for 137Cs content. The mathematical correction proposed was validated using 66 artificially contaminated lettuce samples in a laboratory experiment by taking into account the activity levels of 137Cs and 90Sr and the radionuclide ratios. Comparison of mathematically corrected radionuclide ratios with the results obtained without correction shows that, for radionuclide ratios higher than 1, error values for measuring 90Sr activity using the mathematical model were much smaller than when no radiochemical separation was performed. On the other hand, for ratios lower than 1, error values when measuring 90Sr activity with radiochemical separation were smaller than when mathematical correction was performed. In spite of this, the mathematical correction is an appropriate way of reducing the time needed to determine radiostrontium using the Cherenkov radiation technique. The method proposed could be a powerful tool for environmental research whenever the contents of 90Sr and 137Cs have to be determined.     

资本禀赋对生态保护红线区农户人为活动限制受偿意愿的影响

生态补偿是激励生态保护红线区农户主动参与人为活动限制政策,实现生态保护红线区人与自然和谐共生的有效政策工具。为深入了解生态保护红线区农户人为活动限制的受偿意愿,将其决策过程分解成补偿参与意愿和受偿额度两个阶段,基于布迪厄的社会实践理论,构建资本禀赋与受偿意愿的理论分析框架,利用江西省和湖北省4个县(区)生态保护红线区微观调查数据,运用双栏模型实证分析资本禀赋对生态保护红线区农户人为活动限制受偿意愿的影响。研究结果表明:(1)有效的人为活动限制补偿激励应不低于农户的平均受偿意愿,对应调查区域的补偿标准应不低于0.23万元/(户·a);(2)经济资本对人为活动限制补偿参与意愿和受偿额度均有显著的正向影响,其中农业收入比重、人口负担比和住房结构对补偿参与意愿具有正向影响,劳动力数量和人均耕地面积对受偿额度具有正向影响;(3)文化资本对人为活动限制补偿参与意愿的影响不确定,但对受偿额度有显著的负向影响,其中村集体活动参与对补偿参与意愿具有正向影响,外出打工经历对补偿参与意愿和受偿额度均有负向影响;(4)社会资本对人为活动限制补偿参与意愿有显著的正向影响,但对受偿额度的影响不确定,其中村干部信任程度和陌生人信任程度对补偿参与意愿具有正向影响,邻居信任程度和贷款难易程度对受偿额度具有负向影响,手机联系人数和社会声望对受偿额度具有正向影响。因此,在未来的生态保护红线区生态补偿机制设计中,要分层分阶段推进人为活动限制补偿政策,充分重视农户的经济资本、文化资本和社会资本对其人为活动限制受偿意愿的影响。     

Measuring the environmental protection efficiency and productivity of the 49 largest iron and steel enterprises in China

Environment, Development and Sustainability - China is the largest source of carbon emissions in the world, and the Chinese iron and steel sector is the main contributor to the growth in greenhouse...     

The analysis of free chlorine in the presence of nitrogenous organic compounds

Comparative analyses for aqueous chlorine using Standard Methods indicated that in chlorinated solutions containing nitrogenous organic compounds, none of these methods gave a reliable measurement of free available chlorine. Examination of the cyanuric acid-aqueous chlorine system showed that combined chlorine reacted as if it were free chlorine in all the Standard Methods. The implication of these studies for water and wastewater chlorination is that in waters containing nitrogenous organic compounds, N-Chloro compounds form which may result in an overestimation of the disinfecting potential of the added chlorine, when free chlorine is measured by Standard Methods.     

环境约束下中国省际水资源两阶段效率及影响因素研究

本文把水资源利用系统分为水资源利用阶段和污染物处理阶段,在环境规制下采用考虑非期望产出的两阶段SBM模型,对2001—2014年中国31个省级行政区的水资源利用整体效率和各阶段效率进行测度,并利用空间自相关分析方法对中国各地区水资源利用整体效率的时空特征进行分析,然后运用考虑空间效应因素的空间滞后计量模型和空间误差计量模型从人均水资源量、工业用水量、生活用水量、人均GDP、对外开放程度、产业结构、技术进步等方面对各地区水资源利用整体效率的影响因素进行分析。结果表明:(1)整体上看水资源利用第一阶段效率明显高于第二阶段效率,而整体效率接近于第二阶段效率,第二阶段效率决定了水资源利用整体有效性。(2)通过各阶段投入产出冗余来看,水资源污染物产出过多和处理不足是导致第二阶段效率不高的原因。(3)水资源利用整体效率的空间自相关强度显著大于0,在空间上呈现集聚分布特征,东部沿海地区为H-H集聚类型,中部和西部为L-L集聚类型。(4)各地区水资源利用整体效率存在空间溢出效应,一个地区的整体效率不仅受本地区因素影响,还受临近地区整体效率的影响。(5)在考虑和不考虑空间效应的计量估计结果中,工业用水量对整体效率产生显著的负向影响,而人均GDP、对外开放程度对整体效率产生显著的正向影响。根据实证结果,得出以下结论:一是加强水资源污染物排放管理,增强污水处理能力;二是实现高效工业用水,减少工业用水量;三是发挥各地区水资源禀赋优势,加强区域合作,优化水资源区域配置,促进经济-环境协调可持续发展。     

Decision-making in environmental radiation protection: using the ERICA Integrated Approach

The ERICA Integrated Approach and its associated tool and databases provide a method by which the likely impact of radioactive discharges on the environment can be evaluated, see Fig. 1. The various factors, which should be taken into account when making decisions both during and after an assessment has been made, are discussed for each stage in the assessment process for a hypothetical case study. The assessment will demonstrate the issues associated with the decision-making process at Tiers 1 and 2 within the ERICA Tool and how they may vary. The case study, set in England, evaluates the environmental impact of radioactive substances released under authorisation in response primarily to conservation legislation, because of the need to demonstrate that no adverse impacts will occur on Natura 2000 sites as a result of the release of an authorised substance.