Investigation of equilibria involving carbon dioxide, carbonates and water

Several laboratory techniques are reviewed in this paper, which yield reliable data on carbonate equilibria. In particular, it is emphasized that pco₂ variation is necessary in order to potentiometrically distinguish between hydrogen carbonato and caronato complexes. The essential features of reliable solubility measurements of carbonate phases are summarized. A neglected autoclave technque is described which has been successfully applied for the synthesis of pure, crystalline, MnCO₃, FeCO₃ and CoCO₃. Details of a continuously operating solubility cell for experiments at 5–95°C are also given.Solubilty constants for different ionic media are related by the respective equilibrium vapor pressure of H₂O and the standard potentials of the respective metal electrodes. It is shown that a thermodynamic cycle can be exploited for an indirect determination of the Fe²⁺/Fe standard potential. The application of solubility data is discussed using the pco₂ control in the recent geologic past an an example.     

Global monitoring of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

The historic development of the scientific interest in monitoring CO₂ in the atmosphere is the subject of this article. Particular emphasis is placed upon activities initiated by the USA in the 1950s which led to the establishment of the Mauna Loa Observatory and further developed into the existing world-wide monitoring system for air constituents and air pollution operated under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization, a major contributer to the Global Environmental Monitoring System of the UN Environment Programme. Recent studies on the feasibility of monitoring the background level of CO₂ at stations throughout the world have indicated considerable difficulties resulting from the influences of the biosphere. These problems have led WMO to adopt new criteria for CO₂ monitoring station locations which are presented in a discussion of future needs and plans for global monitoring of CO₂ in the atmosphere.     

中国工业碳排放达峰的情景预测与减排潜力评估

实现2030年碳排放达峰不仅是中国为应对全球气候变化向国际社会做出的郑重承诺,也是中国未来经济结构转型与可持续发展的必然选择。基于中国实现2030年碳排放达到峰值的宏观目标为背景,本文以中国碳排放的主要行业工业为研究对象,首先运用拓展的STIRPAT模型对工业及其9个细分行业的碳排放达峰进行了情景预测,然后基于公平和效率的双重视角对工业细分行业的减排潜力进行评估。研究表明:(1)仅有低碳情景和抑制排放情景2可以实现中国碳排放2030年达峰,低碳情景是实现中国工业碳排放达峰的最佳发展模式,达峰时间最早(2030年),峰值最低(140.43亿t)。激进排放情景则是最差的发展模式,达峰时间最晚(2036年),峰值也最高(150.09亿t)。(2)工业内部各细分行业碳排放的最优达峰情景差别较大。建材和纺织制造业能够实现提前达峰,可以在这类行业率先实施达峰管理措施,使其带动其他行业陆续达峰。(3)最具减排潜力的行业是石油制造业,其次是电力行业,这些减排潜力较大的行业应该成为国家节能减排的重点对象。(4)基于工业各细分行业在减排公平性和效率性上的差异将工业9个细分行业分为四类。其中,石油、钢铁制造业和电力行业属于"高效高公平行业";化工、建材制造业属于"低效高公平行业";采掘业属于"高效不公平行业";纺织、轻工和机电制造业属于"低效不公平行业"。中国应针对不同类型的行业制定出相应的减排战略,将减排重点放在各行业最具潜力的方面。最后,文章对实现中国工业碳排放达峰管理提出了几点政策建议。     

配额免费分配法下市场结构对碳交易市场运行效率的影响

在产品市场和碳交易市场均为完全竞争的市场结构中,碳交易机制是一种有效的环境政策,但在现实环境下,产品市场和碳交易市场往往都是不完全竞争的。本文采用复杂适应系统仿真的方法,构建基于SWARM的碳交易市场仿真模型,建立碳排放权交易市场仿真系统,研究产品市场和碳交易市场结构对碳交易市场的运行效率的综合影响,同时为了降低产品市场垄断企业对碳交易市场运行效率的影响,本文通过增加碳交易市场配额缺口和增加参与交易的中小控排企业数量两种方式,探寻如何在产品市场不完全竞争的环境中设计合适碳交易机制。研究发现:1产品市场垄断会导致碳交易市场流动性不稳定,出现波动聚集等现象。2在产品市场处于相同结构时,碳交易市场垄断会导致成交量和成交额减少,流动性降低。3不同市场结构对碳交易市场的价格波动没有显著影响。4产品市场的市场结构会影响碳交易市场运行的有效性,完全竞争的产品市场下,碳交易市场的收益波动符合随机游走,而垄断力会改变这一特征。5市场流动性随着碳配额缺口的扩大发生显著变化,成交量和成交额随之显著增加,在产品市场垄断的市场结构中,通过加紧配额供给,可以增加碳交易市场的流动性,改变碳交易市场低迷的交易状况。6鼓励小企业参与市场交易对碳交易市场的流动性没有产生显著影响,但会在一定程度上降低垄断企业在碳交易市场上的支配力,从而改善碳交易市场的有效性。     

Mycogenic decomposition of wood and carbon emission in forest ecosystems

Problems related to biological decomposition of wood and volumes of mycogenic emission of carbon dioxide and carbon in forests of Western Siberia are considered. Annual C-CO₂ emission in the region reaches 31 million tons of carbon, which is equivalent to 116 million tons of carbon dioxide. With respect to the volume of emission, natural zones may be arranged in the following descending series: southern taiga (38%), middle taiga (29%), subtaiga (16%), forest-steppe (10%), northern taiga (6%), and forest-tundra (1%).     

A preliminary survey of household and personal carbon dioxide emissions in Ireland

A model specifically designed for Ireland was used to measure CO(2)e emissions (CO(2), CH(4) and N(2)O) from Irish households for the first time. A total of 103 Irish households with occupancy rates varying between 1 and 6 (mean 2.9) were surveyed. The average annual household emission was found to be 16.55 t CO(2)e y(-1), which is equivalent to an average personal emission of 5.70 t CO(2)e Ca(-1) y(-1) comprising 42.2% related to home energy use, 35.1% to transport, 20.6% to air travel and other fuel intensive leisure activities, and just 2.1% associated with household waste disposal. Air travel accounts for an average personal emission of 1.152 t CO(2)e Ca(-1) y(-1), although this is highest in single and two person households at 1.693 and 2.227 t CO(2)e Ca(-1) y(-1) respectively. Household energy consumption becomes more efficient when occupancy rate increases. The most energy efficient homes in the survey were terraced with a natural gas heating systems. The least efficient were detached house with oil fuelled heating system.     

Examining the effectiveness of low-carbon strategies in South Asian countries: the case of energy efficiency and renewable energy

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This paper examines the impact of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) on carbon emissions, using a panel data of South Asian countries...     

Sources and sinks of carbon dioxide in terrestrial ecosystems: Is the land's carbon budget balanced under the influence of man?

This contribution deals with the controversy between certain scientists on the role of terrestrial vegetation and soils in the global carbon cycle. The hypothesis of a significant net release from the vegetation, is rejected by geochemists because of the limited capacity of the ocean to take up this excess carbon dioxide. As for the man-influenced tropics, a comparison of the figures for the potential and the current phytomass, as well as plausible demographic arguments, support the assertion put forward by ecologists that the carbon budget of this zone cannot be balanced. The tropics lose about 1.7-3.9 × 10¹⁵ g/yr of carbon to the atmosphere; however, for several reasons, 0.5-2.8 × 10¹⁵ g/yr may be returned to land ecosystem, mostly in other climatic zones. Thus, a balance is achieved on combining low estimates for the losses with high estimates for the gains. From an ecological perspective, this solution is not a very probable one; nevertheless, it cannot conclusively be eliminated.     

中国省际碳排放强度的空间效应及其传导机制研究

供给侧改革和高质量发展的适时提出为中国低碳经济发展提供了新思路,调整以往过多的行政配置资源带来的要素扭曲,研究同一个国家不同省份之间资源要素协同问题的方法可以为提出有效的节能减排政策提供科学依据与决策参考。基于此,对我国碳排放强度空间面板数据进行测算,提出探索性时空数据分析框架,运用GeoDa软件刻画我国省际碳排放强度时空关联及其局部空间差异的波动性,将STIRPAT模型和EKC模型相结合检验我国碳排放强度影响因素的空间溢出特性,揭示我国碳排放强度时空演进的一般规律。研究结果表明:我国碳排放强度的局部空间自相关呈现集聚与分异并存的时空分布特征,碳排放强度水平相近的省区均呈现出先减弱后增强的空间集聚现象,我国省际碳排放强度存在俱乐部收敛的演进特征。我国省际碳排放强度存在空间溢出性特征,我国碳排放强度空间集聚、分异与跃迁的形成与演变是各地区资源禀赋以及经济发展水平等多种资源要素协同作用的结果。进一步提出分区域、有重点的区域协同减排措施,提升区域碳排放协同治理的效率。     

Relationship between carbon emissions and economic development: case study of six countries

There is much discussion within the sustainable development community regarding climate stabilization and particularly, finding environmentally equitable ways to address emission reductions. Knowing the current level of emission is only one variable in this complex picture. While the rate of emissions is clearly a problem, the overall increase in GHG concentration in the atmosphere is ultimately the main driver of anthropogenic warming. Therefore, it is also important to understand the cumulative emissions, those which have taken us to the current condition. This research presents a case study of six countries to compare the emissions per capita and cumulative emissions during the past 200 years. It is known that carbon emissions are closely related to economic activities, but here we show that some countries have reached per capita emissions plateaus at different levels while others are still rising. Specifically, one approach toward socioeconomic development, in terms of energy–economy, reaches a plateau at 10 Mt carbon per person, which the United Kingdom and South Korea have attained. The US occupies another emission regime at 20 Mt carbon per person. Developing economies such as India and China are considerably below these levels, and unless they follow other integrated economic/environmental solutions, they will continue to increase their per capita emissions during development.     

Effects of tourism on carbon dioxide emissions,a panel causality analysis with new data sets

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The study investigates the effect of international tourist advents on carbon dioxide discharges in a panel set of hundred countries ranked in order of...     

Experimental and numerical study of biogas,methane and carbon dioxide produced by pre-treated wheat straw and pre-digested cow dung

ABSTRACT

The biogas constituting majorly CH₄ and CO₂ has been produced by Ca(OH)₂ pre-treated wheat straw with pre-digested cow dung. Some of the key thermodynamic parameters like specific heat capacity, density and heating capacity of the biogas produced have also been calculated per day as well as throughout the hydraulic retention time. The governing equations of biogas with appropriate phase and interfacial conditions describing the physics of the biogas have been derived. The control volume approach has been used to predict the total volume (ml) of biogas, CH₄ and CO₂ throughout the experiment and on the daily basis. The effects of feedstock, temperature and pressure on the production of biogas, CH₄ and CO₂ in anaerobic digestion have also been studied. The average number of molar fraction and conversion ratio of CH₄ and CO₂ are correlated with number of carbon atoms available in feedstock. Numerical calculations by using developed model and Modified Gompertz model have shown proficient agreement with the experimental observations.     

中国碳排放强度的时空演进及跃迁机制

面对气候变化所带来的生存危机以及环境治理的复杂状况,对中国碳排放强度时空演进的动态监测与预警治理的研究是实现碳排放强度下降目标的关键。文章测算1997—2015年中国大陆30个省区碳排放强度的空间面板数据,采用探索性时空数据分析(ESTDA)方法对中国碳排放强度的空间相关性、集聚特征及其时空跃迁进行空间统计分析,借助分位数回归与时空跃迁嵌套模型,揭示在时间和空间推移的双重作用下中国各省区碳排放强度的时空跃迁机制。研究结果表明:(1)中国30个省区的碳排放强度在时空分布上并不是完全随机状态,各个省区碳排放强度之间具有显著的空间相关性特征,碳排放强度的变动趋势会受到其相临近省区碳排放强度的影响,省域间的碳排放强度在空间分布上呈现"集聚"与"分异"并存的时空演进特征。(2)中国碳排放强度空间集聚趋势增强,具有高度的凝固性和较低的流动性,10个高碳排放强度省区碳排放强度的稳定性将成为制约中国碳排放强度整体跃迁的重点省区,相关省区的跃迁性将成为驱动中国碳排放强度整体跃迁的关键省区。(3)各省区的碳排放强度空间集聚过程中存在时空跃迁的驱动模式和制约模式,分位数回归模型能够很好地解释各驱动因素对碳排放强度时空跃迁的驱动机制,不同响应阶段的驱动因素的分位数与碳排放强度时空跃迁类型之间具有很强的嵌套性。(4)根据各省区碳排放强度时空演进及其跃迁机制的分析结果,进一步提出加强对关键省区碳排放强度的有效监测与治理,加大碳排放的约束力度等差异化的碳减排调控措施。     

The long-term effects of carbon dioxide on natural systems: issues and research needs

Research on the responses of plants to increasing levels of carbon dioxide has largely assessed physiological, phenotypic, and community-level effects. Little attention has been directed to investigating the possibility that escalating levels of carbon dioxide may serve as a selection pressure altering the genetic diversity of plant populations. Plant populations exposed to elevated levels of heavy metals or ozone have been shown to undergo selection, and it is reasonable to consider that populations experiencing long-term exposure to escalating levels of carbon dioxide may show similar responses. Selection of this nature could be particularly significant because of the global extent of the effect.Genetic selection occurs when plants are subject to an agent of selection and three conditions for a property responsive to the agent are satisfied at the population level. In the population, variation must exist in the property, part of the variation must be genetically controlled, and variation in the property must affect reproductive fitness. If these conditions are satisfied, the frequency distribution of the property, and the gene frequency associated with it, will change over time in response to the agent of selection.Research on the selection pressure effects of carbon dioxide involves assessments that integrate across temporal, spatial, and biological scales, and embrace variation in the environment and genetics. To be effective, the research will have to adopt approaches that have not been commonly employed in previous air quality studies. The questions posed are biologically complex, and new research approaches and methods are required to answer them. Some of the new approaches that can be used to assess changes in gene frequency include use of natural carbon dioxide gradients, model plant systems, molecular markers, and DNA microarray technology.     

公平和效率维度下中国省际碳权分配原则分析

区域碳权分配原则决定了中国省际碳减排的压力,也是激励各地区转向清洁能源及减排技术创新的基础。本文运用非径向方向性距离函数(NDDF)测算了2011-2014年中国省际全要素碳排放效率(TFC)与技术差距比(CTGR),以分析各地区基于效率最优的碳减排潜力(CRC),进而确定中国区域碳权分配原则。结果表明,各地区减排潜力呈现出与经济发展水平相似的空间分布特征;"十二五"期间海南与安徽两地已处于减排的前沿面,但单一的公平原则挫伤了其持续减排的积极性,而其它低效率省市短时间内无法通过技术效率提升减排能力;无论是单一的公平原则还是单一的效率原则均无法保证各地区碳减排的合理性、稳定性与持久性;而兼顾公平与效率的原则在增加绝对碳排放效率的同时,减少了地区差异。公平与效率原则的动态混合机制更符合中国省际碳减排现状,初期应遵循"公平优先,兼顾效率",随着经济企稳,应转向"效率优先,兼顾公平"。     

Climate change,flooding in South Asia and implications

South Asia is one of the most flood vulnerable regions in the world. Floods occur often in the region triggered by heavy monsoon precipitation and can cause enormous damages to lives, property, crops and infrastructure. The frequency of extreme floods is on the rise in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Past extreme floods fall within the range of climate variability but frequency, magnitude and extent flooding may increase in South Asia in future due to climate change. Flood risk is sensitive to different levels of warming. For example, in Bangladesh, analysis shows that most of the expected changes in flood depth and extent would occur between 0 and 2°C warming. The three major rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna/Barak will play similar roles in future flooding regimes as they are doing presently. Increases in future flooding can cause extensive damage to rice crops in the monsoon. This may have implications for food security especially of poor women and children. Floods can also impact public health in the flood plains and in the coastal areas.     

Energy, environment and growth nexus in South Asia

The present study investigates the energy, environment and growth nexus for a panel of South Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The simultaneous analysis of real GDP, energy consumption and CO₂ emissions is conducted for the period 1980–2010. Levin panel unit root test and Im test panel unit root both indicate that all the variables are I (1). In addition, Kao’s panel Cointegration test specifies a stable long-term relationship between all these variables. Empirical findings show that a 1 % increase in energy consumption increases output by 0.81 % in long run whereas for the same increase in CO₂ emission output falls by 0.17 % in long run. Panel Granger causality tests report short-run causality running from energy consumption to CO₂ emissions and from CO₂ emissions to GDP.     

Spatiotemporal variation of radon and carbon dioxide concentrations in an underground quarry: coupled processes of natural ventilation, barometric pumping and internal mixing

Radon-222 and carbon dioxide concentrations have been measured during several years at several points in the atmosphere of an underground limestone quarry located at a depth of 18 m in Vincennes, near Paris, France. Both concentrations showed a seasonal cycle. Radon concentration varied from 1200 to 2000 Bq m⁻³ in summer to about 800-1400 Bq m⁻³ in winter, indicating winter ventilation rates varying from 0.6 to 2.5 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹. Carbon dioxide concentration varied from 0.9 to 1.0% in summer, to about 0.1-0.3% in winter. Radon concentration can be corrected for natural ventilation using temperature measurements. The obtained model also accounts for the measured seasonal variation of carbon dioxide. After correction, radon concentrations still exhibit significant temporal variation, mostly associated with the variation of atmospheric pressure, with coupling coefficients varying from −7 to −26 Bq m⁻³ hPa⁻¹. This variation can be accounted for using a barometric pumping model, coupled with natural ventilation in winter, and including internal mixing as well. After correction, radon concentrations exhibit residual temporal variation, poorly correlated between different points, with standard deviations varying from 3 to 6%. This study shows that temporal variation of radon concentrations in underground cavities can be understood to a satisfactory level of detail using non-linear and time-dependent modelling. It is important to understand the temporal variation of radon concentrations and the limitations in their modelling to monitor the properties of natural or artificial underground settings, and to be able to assess the existence of new processes, for example associated with the preparatory phases of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes.