Correction to: Quantifying carbon footprint for ecological river restoration

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The article “Quantifying carbon footprint for ecological river restoration”, written by “Yiwen Chiu, Yi Yang and Cody Morse”,...     

Refining the ecological footprint

Ecological footprint measures how much of the biosphere’s annual regenerative capacity is required to renew the natural resources used by a defined population in a given year. Ecological footprint analysis (EFA) compares the footprint with biocapacity. When a population’s footprint is greater than biocapacity it is reported to be engaging in ecological overshoot. Recent estimates show that humanity’s footprint exceeds Earth’s biocapacity by 23%. Despite increasing popularity of EFA, definitional, theoretical, and methodological issues hinder more widespread scientific acceptance and use in policy settings. Of particular concern is how EFA is defined and what it actually measures, exclusion of open oceans and less productive lands from biocapacity accounts, failure to allocate space for other species, use of agricultural productivity potential as the basis for equivalence factors (EQF), how the global carbon budget is allocated, and failure to capture unsustainable use of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems. This article clarifies the definition of EFA and proposes several methodological and theoretical refinements. Our new approach includes the entire surface of the Earth in biocapacity, allocates space for other species, changes the basis of EQF to net primary productivity (NPP), reallocates the carbon budget, and reports carbon sequestration biocapacity. We apply the new approach to footprint accounts for 138 countries and compare our results with output from the standard model. We find humanity’s global footprint and ecological overshoot to be substantially greater, and suggest the new approach is an important step toward making EFA a more accurate and meaningful sustainability assessment tool.

Improved method of ecological footprint – Funing County ecological economic system assessments

This paper improves the ecological footprint method by regulating cropland area with cropping index. The results calculated by the improved method are the area of cropland that human needed, but not of cropping. This study analyzes the ecological supply/demand of Funing County in China with improved ecological footprint method. It suggested that ecological remainder per thousand U.S. dollar GDP is regarded as the indicator of regional sustainable development ability and pointed out that the stockbreeding is the keystone factor that affects the regional ecological footprint.     

Carbon neutral Biggar: calculating the community carbon footprint and renewable energy options for footprint reduction

The objective of this research was to develop a community carbon footprint model that could be used to assess the size and major components of a community’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The town of Biggar aims to become Scotland’s first carbon neutral town. As expected for this rural community, car transport accounted for nearly half of the CO₂ emissions, with natural gas and electricity consumption resulting in a further 24% and 12% of total emissions, respectively, and air travel being the last major component at 10% of emissions. An assessment was also made of the wind and solar resources of the town. One large wind turbine would provide the town’s electricity, while three to four turbines would be needed to offset all CO₂ emissions. In contrast, offsetting by tree planting would require in the region of 2,000 ha of trees.

Urban ecological security dynamic analysis based on an innovative emergy ecological footprint method

Environment, Development and Sustainability - In China, with the rapid development of economy and the advancement of urbanization, the deterioration of urban ecological environment is obvious. In...     

Food security and ecological footprint of coastal zone of Bangladesh

This paper presents the present status of food security and ecological footprint, an indicator of environmental sustainability of the coastal zones of Bangladesh. To estimate the present status of the food security and ecological footprint of the coastal zone of Bangladesh, primary and secondary data were collected, and the present status of food security and environmental degradation (in terms of ecological footprint) were calculated. To estimate the household food security, primary data were also collected from all the households in a representative selected village. A quantitative method for computation of food security in grain equivalent based on economic returns (price) is developed, and a method of measuring sustainable development in terms of ecological footprint developed by Wackernagel is used to estimate the environmental sustainability (Wackernagel and Rees in Our ecological footprint: reducing human impact on the earth. New Society, Gabrioala, BC, 1996; Chambers et al. in Sharing nature’s interest-ecological footprint as an indicator of sustainability. Earthscan, London, 2000). Overall status of food security at upazila levels is good for all the upazilas except Shoronkhola, Shyamnager and Morrelgonj, and the best is the Kalapara upazila. But the status of food security at household levels is poor. Environmental status in the coastal zones is poor for all the upazilas except Kalapara and Galachipa. The worst is in the Mongla upazila. Environmental status has degraded mainly due to shrimp culture. This study suggests that control measures are needed for affected upazilas and any further expansion of the shrimp aquaculture to enhance the food security must take into account the environmental aspects of the locality under consideration.     

畜牧业“碳排放”到“碳足迹”核算方法的研究进展

全球变暖趋势日益加剧,不仅影响农业可持续发展,而且威胁到人类生存。畜牧业碳排放因其在农业碳排放中乃至全球碳排放中占比较大而日益备受关注。准确核算畜牧业碳排放是制定切实可行的碳减排政策的前提,也为我国在气候变化下承担共同但有差别的减排责任提供话语权。本文基于研究范式的演进,对畜牧业碳排放到碳足迹核算方法的研究发展进行了系统梳理,研究表明,在学者的不断研究与质疑下,畜牧业碳排放到碳足迹的核算方法经历了从OECD核算法、IPCC系数法到生命周期法与投入-产出法的演变与完善,学术界认为区域异质性、养殖规模与管理方式均影响碳足迹;散养比规模化养殖产生更多的碳排放,舍饲比户外放牧排放更多的碳。畜牧业碳足迹核算能够更加全面地反映畜牧业全生命周期的碳排放情况,但由于研究假设、研究方法及研究样本等差异导致不同区域、不同畜产品的碳排放核算结果存在不确定性。运用生命周期法和投入-产出法对欧盟成员国畜牧业碳排放的核算结果基本一致,但运用IPCC系数法和全生命周期法对中国畜牧业碳排放核算中,牛、猪和羊的碳排放量排序结果不尽一致。鉴于核算结果的差异性,本研究对不同核算方法的起源、最早采用时间、特点、局限性等方面进行了归纳总结,并建议后续研究探讨基于生命周期评价的畜牧业碳足迹研究边界的延伸性,标准化畜牧业碳排放或碳足迹核算,避免学者重复核算畜牧业碳排放,以便深入展开畜牧业碳排放其他方面的研究。     

A carbon footprint analysis in the textile supply chain

This research work focuses on the application of life-cycle assessment methodology to determine the carbon footprint of different players involved in a supply chain of the textile sector. A case study of a product by a textile leader company was carried out. This study demonstrates that, in the textile chain, the main contribution to the greenhouse effect is provided by the electrical and thermal energy used and by the transportation (since different production phases are delocalised in a wide range that goes from South Africa, Italy, Romania and all around the world, from the distribution centre to the stores). The Monte Carlo analysis has been used in order to obtain, for each calculated impact, not only the average value but also the distribution curve of the results characterised by uncertainty parameters. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of management choices such as:

??a change in the transportation modality, from aeroplane to boat;

??a combination of road and rail transportation; and

??a selection among suppliers that allows the firm to cut environmental impacts.     

Practices and opportunities of ecosystem service studies for ecological restoration in China

New approaches have emerged in integrating ecosystem services, their structure and function for ecological restoration. As the concept relating with ecosystem services has become widely accepted in last decade in China, its linking with ecological restoration will provide good opportunities and make substantial progress towards sustainable development. By analyzing the traditional ecological restoration procedure in China, we developed a framework of ecological restoration based on ecosystem services valuation. Relevant researches of ecological restoration based on ecosystem services are also carefully reviewed. China’s ecosystem services studies and payments for ecosystem services (PES) experiences were extensively discussed to show the ecological restoration strategy and its change. Two case studies in China were presented to show the framework for ecological restoration based on PES. We suggested that despite the limitations of valuation uncertainties at present, PES could be an opportunity for ecological restoration by evaluating the trade-offs of different stakeholders. In current state in China, challenges and opportunities coexist and scientists should work together in the integrated research of sustainable ecological management and economic development policies.     

Modeling of food security and ecological footprint of coastal zone of Bangladesh

This paper presents the present status of food security and ecological footprint, an indicator of environmental sustainability of the coastal zones of Bangladesh. To estimate the present status of the food security and ecological footprint of the coastal zone of Bangladesh, primary and secondary data were collected, and the present status of food security and environmental degradation (in terms of ecological footprint) were calculated. To estimate the household food security, primary data were also collected from all the households in a representative selected village. A quantitative method for computation of food security in grain equivalent based on economic returns (price) is developed, and a method of measuring sustainable development in terms of ecological footprint developed by Wackernagel is used to estimate the environmental sustainability (Wackernagel and Rees in Our ecological footprint: reducing human impact on the earth. New Society, Gabrioala, BC, 1996; Chambers et al. in Sharing nature’s interest-ecological footprint as an indicator of sustainability. Earthscan, London, 2000). Overall status of food security at upazila levels is good for all the upazilas except Shoronkhola, Shyamnager and Morrelgonj, and the best is the Kalapara upazila. But the status of food security at household levels is poor. Environmental status in the coastal zones is poor for all the upazilas except Kalapara and Galachipa. The worst is in the Mongla upazila. Environmental status has degraded mainly due to shrimp culture. This study suggests that control measures are needed for affected upazilas and any further expansion of the shrimp aquaculture to enhance the food security must take into account the environmental aspects of the locality under consideration.     

基于能值生态足迹改进模型的湖南省生态赤字研究

为更好地了解湖南省当前的生态环境状况和可持续发展能力,在应用能值分析和本地生态足迹对传统生态足迹模型进行改进的基础上,以湖南省2000—2013年统计数据为依据,计算出湖南省2000—2013年的人均能值生态足迹、人均能值生态承载力以及人均生态赤字情况。计算和分析结果表明:1湖南省存在生态赤字,社会经济发展对自然资源和环境的压力逐年增大。2湖南省自然生态系统压力的增大绝大部分是由于耕地供给不足和能源消耗过大造成的。作为一个农业大省,湖南省对农业资源的需求量很大。能源问题和农业发展问题是湖南省可持续发展需要解决的首要问题。3湖南省生态承载力和人均生态承载力在一定范围内呈波动变化的状态,总体呈下降趋势,生态足迹和人均生态足迹在不断增加,呈明显上升趋势,说明该省的发展处于相对不可持续状态。其中耕地和化石能源地的足迹和人均足迹最大,其次是建筑用地,牧草地和水域、林地对湖南省人均生态足迹的影响程度很小。42000—2013年,湖南省万元GDP生态足迹呈现逐年显著下降的趋势,这表明研究时段内,湖南省的资源和能源的利用效率有了明显提升,湖南省因为经济发展而造成的生态代价在显著减小。针对湖南省的发展现状,提出以下政策建议:控制耕地面积和化石能源用地的需求量,提高土地利用的均衡性,增加对其他地类的利用以提高生物生态足迹的多样性。巩固和深化湖南省实施绿色发展的成果,努力提升生态系统的自我恢复能力,减缓生态足迹增速,增加生态容量。正确引导湖南省的人口流动,严格控制人口增长。提倡并鼓励绿色消费。     

Does economic complexity matter for environmental sustainability? Using ecological footprint as an indicator

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The current decade has witnessed the rise of empirical research in the domain of ecological footprint which has become a major scholarly area among...     

Dynamic analysis of the virtual ecological footprint for sustainable development of the Boao special planning area

The concept of the virtual ecological footprint (VEF) was proposed to overcome the drawbacks of existing ecological footprint (EF) calculations, and was applied to the dynamic prediction of development in the Boao special planning area. The restriction of ecological carrying capacity to the EF was quantified using the ecological carrying capacity occupation index, k, and this restriction was designed in the system dynamics model of EF. The modeling results revealed that the planning area presented 0.44 global ha ecological surplus per capita in 2004. However, a remarkable ecological deficit was predicted to occur after planning is implemented. According to the prediction, ecological deficit per capita would be 0.49 and 2.36 ha in 2010 and 2020, respectively. Strategies for regional sustainable development were proposed according to the results. To reduce adverse effects, measures related to EF and VEF, including population control, optimization of consumption pattern and land use, and ecological compensation, were proposed for the sustainable development of a planning area.     

基于水排污权交易的流域生态补偿研究

市场导向的流域生态补偿措施是政府补偿机制下的对流域水资源进行生态补偿的重要措施,市场导向的补偿措施之一是构建基于水排污权交易的市场体系,目前这一体系的理论构架尚未建立。本文尝试通过借鉴碳排放交易体系来构建流域内水排污权交易市场,探讨对中国现阶段以政府补偿为主要内容的流域生态补偿进行补充。本文在借鉴欧盟碳排放交易体系(EU ETS)三阶段改革内容基础上,结合水污染排放特征,构建了流域内水排污权交易市场,并通过建立流域生态补偿模型,基于考察流域内上、下游排污企业进行水排污权交易的内在动因,从理论层面分析水排污权交易市场运行机制。研究表明,水排污权交易市场同样可采用"总量控制与交易"机制,其基本要素包括水污染排放上限、覆盖范围、配额分配方式、交易保障体系、法律基础等;水排污权交易市场是对现有流域生态补偿机制的补充,形成了"政府宏观调控为主导、市场机制有效补充"的协同模式;上游地区企业获得的生态补偿主要源于分配得到的水排污权,市场机制能够激励上游地区污染减排。最后,本文提出水排污权交易市场体系应该从以下几个方面进行推进:制定排污权交易的相关法律法规,从法律上界定排放权的所有权和可交易性质;水排污权交易的市场定位仅是对现有流域生态补偿机制的有效补充,决不能忽视政府补偿在生态补偿中的主导作用;水排污权交易不局限于某个地区内部,而应该分流域建立水排污权交易,从而实现跨界流域生态补偿;流域生态补偿需兼顾补偿与惩罚机制,通过制度设计激励污染减排。     

Effects of energy consumption and ecological footprint on CO2 emissions: an empirical evidence from Pakistan

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study aims twofold; first, to analyze the effects of traditional energy, renewable energy, ecological footprint, urbanization, transportation on...     

Quantifying the limits of HANPP and carbon emissions which prolong total species well-being

Anthropogenic climate and land-use change are leading to irreversible losses of global biodiversity, upon which ecosystem functioning depends. Since total species' well-being depends on ecosystem goods and services, man must determine how much net primary productivity (NPP) may be appropriated and carbon emitted so as to not adversely impact this and future generations. In 2005, man ought to have only appropriated 9.72 Pg C of NPP, representing a factor 2.50, or 59.93%, reduction in human-appropriated NPP in that year. Concurrently, the carbon cycle would have been balanced with a factor 1.26, or 20.84%, reduction from 7.60 Gt C/year to 5.70 Gt C/year, representing a return to the 1986 levels. This limit is in keeping with the category III stabilization scenario of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change. Projecting population growth to 2030 and its associated basic food requirements, the maximum HANPP remains at 9.74 ± 0.02 Pg C/year. This time-invariant HANPP may only provide for the current global population of 6.51 billion equitably at the current average consumption of 1.49 t C per capita, calling into question the sustainability of developing countries striving for high-consuming country levels of 5.85 t C per capita and its impacts on equitable resource distribution.     

Quantifying disturbance effects on vegetation carbon pools in mountain forests based on historical data

Although the terrestrial carbon budget is of key importance for atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, little is known on the effects of management and natural disturbances on historical carbon stocks at the regional scale. We reconstruct the dynamics of vegetation carbon stocks and flows in forests across the past 100 years for a valley in the eastern Swiss Prealps using quantitative and qualitative information from forest management plans. The excellent quality of the historical information makes it possible to link dynamics in growing stocks with high-resolution time series for natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The results of the historical reconstruction are compared with modelled potential natural vegetation. Forest carbon stock at the beginning of the twentieth century was substantially reduced compared to natural conditions as a result of large scale clearcutting lasting until the late nineteenth century. Recovery of the forests from this unsustainable exploitation and systematic forest management were the main drivers of a strong carbon accumulation during almost the entire twentieth century. In the 1990s two major storm events and subsequent bark beetle infestations significantly reduced stocks back to the levels of the mid-twentieth century. The future potential for further carbon accumulation was found to be strongly limited, as the potential for further forest expansion in this valley is low and forest properties seem to approach equilibrium with the natural disturbance regime. We conclude that consistent long-term observations of carbon stocks and their changes provide rich information on the historical range of variability of forest ecosystems. Such historical information improves our ability to assess future changes in carbon stocks. Further, the information is vital for better parameterization and initialization of dynamic regional scale vegetation models and it provides important background for appropriate management decisions.