Proposal of a simple indicator for sustainable consumption: classifying goods and services into three types focusing on their optimal consumption levels

We calculated optimal consumption patterns of Japanese households using a linear programming model, taking into account the different environmental burdens to be minimized. Ninety-four industrial sectors and 94 commodities were defined in the model. In terms of environmental burdens to be minimized, this study considered energy consumption, CO₂ emission, waste, and NO_x emission. According to the direction (increase or decrease) of adjusted final demand for a commodity in the household, commodities were classified into three types: (1) a commodity for which optimal demand should be decreased in all cases of reducing various environmental burdens; (2) a commodity whose optimal demand should be increased in all cases; and (3) a commodity whose optimal demand depends on the type of environmental burden. Among 63 commodities whose final demand was assumed to be adjustable, 47 were categorized as commodity type 1, nine were categorized as commodity type 2, and seven belonged to commodity type 3. This work also characterized each type of commodity from the viewpoint of economic and environmental properties.     

水泥窑共处置废白土的环境效益分析

以废白土为研究对象,应用生命周期评价法(LCA)对水泥窑共处置和焚烧炉处置系统3个类别的环境影响[人类健康(HH)、生态系统质量(EQ)和资源(R)]进行研究和对比分析.结果表明,水泥窑共处置废白土有利于环境的可持续发展,焚烧炉处置对环境的影响较大.水泥窑共处置和焚烧炉处置功能单位废白土的总环境负荷分别为-1.03,0.273Pt,前者的环境负荷比后者减少了477%,相应各指标的减少率为:HH 413%, EQ 479%, R 36.9%. EQ在2种处置方式的LCA中均为最敏感的影响指标.水泥窑系统中,避免了贡献率占97%以上的矿山开采阶段的环境影响,是降低整个系统环境影响的关键环节;焚烧炉系统中,电力消耗是造成环境破坏的重要阶段,对各影响指标都有很高的贡献率.二 、苯、重金属的排放是水泥窑共处置废白土的主要影响因子;粉尘和重金属排放对焚烧处置系统的影响较大.     

A geographically and socio-economically disaggregated local household consumption model for the UK

A key challenge for local environmental and economic planning is to predict resource flows and material waste arisings at a high level of geographical localisation. This paper presents an approach to household consumption modelling in which the material demands of small socio-economically homogeneous neighbourhoods are estimated on the basis of consumer expenditure data in conjunction with Census data. Household waste arisings are estimated through incorporation of a household metabolism model. Selected material flows of consumer commodities, such as household appliances, carpets and clothing, are examined in case study areas representing extremes of relative deprivation, and neighbourhoods representing typical examples of the UK National Output Area Classification (OAC). The model will be of use in sustainable consumption policy-making and local waste strategy planning.     

The energy consumption and environmental impacts of a color TV set in China

The present study analyses the different processes followed during color TV set production along with the energy consumption and the environment emissions in each stage. The purpose is to identify “hot-spots”, i.e. parts of the life cycle important to the total environmental impact. The analysis is performed using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which is a method used to identify and quantify in the environmental performance of a process or a product from “cradle to grave”. LCA methodology provides a quantitative basis for assessing potential improvements in the environmental performance of a system throughout the life cycle. The system investigated includes the production of manufacturing materials, transport of manufacturing materials, color TV set manufacturing, transport of color TV sets, use of color TV sets, discarding color TV sets and partial plastic waste energy utilization. The environmental burdens that arise from color TV sets are mainly due to air emissions derived from fossil fuel utilization.     

沼气建设对促进农村经济发展效益分析

针对河南省9个县(市)中9个乡(镇)的农户沼气使用情况,按比例选择不同生态模式,入户调查了沼气建设前后农户各类能源消耗情况,农业生产投入与产出等80多项指标,定量对比分析了沼气户与非沼气户在能源消耗量及消耗成本、种植业和养殖业发展以及主要气体污染物减排等情况。结果表明沼气建设项目的实施大大降低了传统能源消耗量和消耗成本,促进了种植业和养殖业的发展,减少了污染物的排放,改善了农户居住环境,提高了作物产量,增加了农民收入,具有明显的能源效益、经济效益、环境效益和社会效益。     

厦门城市化进程中的居民食物碳消费及其环境负荷

随着城市化进程的不断推进,城市对全球生态系统碳循环的影响越来越显著,其中城市家庭食物碳消费对全球城市生态系统碳循环的贡献日益突出,已成为城市生态系统碳循环的研究热点之一.以厦门市为例,通过分析1988～2010年居民食物碳消费的动态变化和家庭分布特征,评价并预测了由食物碳消费导致的环境负荷.结果表明,1988～2010年全市人均食物消费量和人均食物碳消费量分别下降了6%和25%,但由于厦门市人口的快速增长,食物消费和食物碳消费的总量均不断增加,分别增长了116%和70%.居民食物碳消费总量的增加导致环境负荷量不断上升,由9.88万t增长至16.62万t,特别是进入土壤的碳通量近年来快速增加.预测显示2011～2024年间厦门市居民食物碳消费总量以及环境负荷量仍将继续上升,2025年将有所下降,人均食物碳消费量则从2011年起持续下降.对厦门市居民家庭食物消费的分析表明,家庭户均食物碳消费主要受到家庭收入、食物消费费用、家庭用餐人数的影响,食物碳消费较高的家庭通常平均家庭用餐人数3人、平均食物消费费用约3 125元.月-1,户均食物碳消费为1 134.91 kg,人均食物碳消费量为378.30 kg,高食物碳消费的家庭人均食物碳消费量是低食物碳消费家庭人均消费量的4.84倍.     

乡村旅游诱导下农户能源消费模式的演变——基于六盘山生态旅游区的农户调查分析

以旅游业为主要产业业态的乡村已经成为我国乡村发展转型的4种类型之一。显然,乡村旅游业的发展必然会对乡村农户能源消费模式产生深远的影响。研究以六盘山生态旅游区农户调查数据为基础,从农户人均能源消费总量、结构以及最终消费用途为切入点,探讨了乡村旅游诱导下农户家庭能源消费模式演变的问题。结果表明:在能源消费总量上,乡村旅游农户家庭人均能源消费显著增加,比传统农户高42.96%,达到707.35 kgce。在消费结构上,乡村旅游农户商品能源占主导地位,新型能源(太阳能)广泛采用,传统能源比重逐渐降低,三者的比例93.10 ∶5.15 ∶1.75,而传统农户比例是46.30 ∶0.48 ∶53.22。在能源最终用途上,乡村旅游农户生活用能(炊事、取暖、家电、交通、热水、照明)总量大幅度增加,而与传统农业生产耗能有关的饲养和农机耗能已基本消失。传统农户能源耗能仍局限于炊事、取暖、饲养等基本的生产生活方面,与生活享受相关的家电、照明、热水、交通仍处于较低水平。研究还表明,农户能源消费模式的转变主要受家庭生产方式、农户用能方式、农户人均收入以及主观认知等因素的影响。在乡村旅游发展诱导下,六盘山生态旅游区乡村家庭农户能源消费正经历着由内向型"生活-生产系统"内部自循环模式向外向型"生活-旅游系统"外部输入型模式的转变。     

上海市浦东北部区域主体功能区划研究

主体功能区划是依据区域资源环境承载能力、现有开发密度和发展潜力,将国土空间划分为不同功能区的过程,是规范空间开发秩序并优化空间开发格局的有效手段.浦东新区是我国重要的经济发展中心,本文对该区域进行主体功能区划研究,旨在明确该区域社会发展与资源环境相协调的空间发展格局,并提出空间格局优化的建议.本研究根据国家和上海市主体功能区划技术方法,结合区域特征,建立主体功能区划指标体系,并通过网格分析和空间分析,获得各指标的空间分布数据.在此基础上,采用自下而上方法与自上而下方法形成并修正分区方案.本研究将该区域划分成5类主体功能区:禁止开发区、限制开发区、优化开发提升区、优化开发协调区和优化开发拓展区.研究结果表明,该区域在经济快速发展的同时,资源与环境存在较大压力,产业布局也存在一定的不合理,以期为政府未来规划修正提供借鉴.     

The recycling of plastic wastes from discarded TV sets: comparing energy recovery with mechanical recycling in the context of life cycle assessment

Two treatment options, i.e. energy recovery and mechanical recycling of plastic wastes from discarded TV sets, were compared in the context of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. An estimate for the environmental burden of each option was calculated as the sum of the depletion of abiotic resources (ADP), the global warming potential (GWP), the acidification potential (AP), the photo-oxidant formation potential (POCP), the eutrophication potential (EP), and the human toxicity potential (HTP). After calculating the environmental burden of each treatment option, a sensitivity analysis was conducted. The ultimate aim was to indicate which parameters of the system have the strongest influence on the results of the LCA in order to find ways for lowering the environmental burden, and ultimately suggest a “design strategy” for TV sets.The main finding of this study was that mechanical recycling of plastics is more attractive treatment option in environmental terms than incineration for energy recovery, which generates a larger environmental burden. Finally, based on the results of sensitivity analysis, a “design strategy” was suggested, i.e. reducing the number of plastic types being used in the manufacturing process of TVs – preferably excluding the PVC.     

Gold mining and the golden rule: a challenge for producers and consumers in developing countries

The environmental and social impact of gold mining is particularly acute and hence there has been a call on the part of numerous activists to reconsider the necessity of mining this metal when more supplies of gold are above than below ground. This is especially true since gold is eminently recyclable and is primarily used for ornamentation. However, the key issue with regard to the gold industry is that unlike most luxury commodities, the largest areas of gold consumption are found in impoverished developing countries. Cultural factors play an important role in gold consumption and Western anti-mining activists are often tepid on this issue to avoid being blamed for lack of sensitivity. Yet, if developing countries are to accuse developed countries of over-consumption and resulting environmental impacts, they must also evaluate their own consumption patterns of gold. This paper explores the ways in which this issue can be approached as an integrated societal concern. By following these measures, both developed and developing countries can avoid breaking the “golden rule” of personal accountability and reduce the potential for conflict.     

物质流管理的时空模型框架及应用研究

从物质流管理(MFM)的内涵出发,建立了物质流管理的时空模型,提出科学技术、经济结构和社会体系是影响物质流管理的关键因素;通过模型阐释了不同时空尺度物质流管理的特征;利用该模型分析了国家、地区、工业园区、企业等不同尺度下所适合应用的物质流管理策略与模式.研究认为,利用市场和行政手段分析、调控物质流时空曲线的环境影响,是物质流管理优化的关键.     

Climate change control: the Lindahl solution

The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate different burden sharing rules with respect to abatement of carbon emissions. We evaluate seven different rules both in terms of their redistributive impact and by the extent to which they realize the aim of optimal abatement. We show that the Lindahl solution, where the burden sharing rule of carbon abatement is determined by each region’s willingness to pay, is to be preferred above the non-cooperative Nash outcome. Poor regions however would prefer the social planner outcome with a global permit market, because then the burden sharing rule has a secondary role of income redistribution by means of transfers from rich to poor, on top of its primary role of assigning abatement burdens. Based on these findings, we argue that in order to control global greenhouse gas emissions, the level of individual country emission abatement effort should be a function of their willingness to pay to curb climate change, rather than their historical emissions or ability to abate.     

基于农户生计的乡村能源消费模式研究——以陕南金丝峡乡村旅游地为例

为探讨乡村旅游发展对农户生计转型及能源消费模式产生的影响,论文借鉴可持续生计理论,以陕南金丝峡乡村旅游地为例,通过入户调查与访谈,构建能源消费-生计多样性模型对农户分类,基于用能多样性矩阵与效益评估法,分析不同生计类型农户用能结构及其综合效益,继而依据灰色关联分析,识别影响农户能源消费的主要生计资本因子,并总结农户能源消费模式转变的驱动机制.结果表明:① 参与旅游经营与不参与旅游经营的两大类农户中,农户用能多样性水平随生计多样性水平的提高而上升;② 与非旅游经营户相比,旅游经营户商品能源消费大幅增加,新型能源迅速推广,传统能源消费有所降低,能源消费模式向优质化和商品化发展;③ 不同类型农户用能综合效益差异明显,旅游经营户用能综合效益(16.96 元/kgce)明显大于非旅游经营户(13.53 元/kgce),表明旅游经营户从能源消费中获益更多;④ 促使农户能源消费模式变化的主要影响因素是物质、人力和金融三大生计资本.乡村旅游业发展带来了农户生计资本与策略的变化,并成为农户能源消费模式转变的重要驱动力,最后为进一步改善环境政策和优化能源利用,提出了相应的对策和建议.     

Carbon footprint analysis for increasing water supply and sanitation in South Africa: a case study

This study investigates the environmental burdens due to the provision of potable water and sanitation in the eThekwini Municipality (Durban), South Africa. This was achieved by employing LCA studies for the individual parts of the urban water system (impoundment, water treatment, distribution, collection, sewage treatment and water recycling). Based on the results of the individual LCAs a base case was constructed.For the provision of potable water and sanitation to new customers, which have not been previously served, two different scenarios (200 000 new customers in an urban environment with waterborne sewage and in a peri-urban environment with on-site sanitation) and three different options (maximising use of existing assets, recycling water and building new infrastructure) were considered and analysed. With regard to the impact scores calculated for both scenarios (urban and peri-urban), the recycling of water is followed by maximising the use of existing assets as the most environmentally friendly options. The construction of new infrastructure carries a higher environmental burden and the use of bottled water for drinking (an additional scenario) carries the highest environmental burden.     

家庭绿色消费与可持续发展

绿色消费问题已成为国际上的热点问题。在论述绿色消费的涵义和内容的基础上，结合国内家庭的能源消费、水资源消费及拉圾排放对环境影响等方面的问题，进一步强调了家庭消费中可持续绿色消费的重要意义。     

中国城市碳排放核算研究——以无锡市为例

为分析城市温室气体减排潜力、比较不同城市的碳排放水平提供基本方法和数据,将城市温室气体排放源分成工业能源、交通能源、居民生活能源、商业能源、工业过程和废物等6个单元,建立了一套针对城市的温室气体排放核算方法体系,并以无锡市为例,对我国城市碳排放特征进行了探索.结果显示,无锡市工业能源单元碳排放量占全社会温室气体排放量的比例最大,为68%~71%;其次为工业过程单元和交通单元,分别为13%~19%和6%~10%.城市碳排放总量在2004~2008年间增长迅速,人均碳排放量和单位GDP碳排放量均高于世界水平.     

日本环境税及其在国内的反响

自《京都议定书》生效后,日本温室气体减排义务需在1990年基础上减少14%的排放量才能达到议定书规定的目标.日本政府、环境省等提出加速减排的观点和引入环境税的思路设计、税收措施等,然而政府制定的环境税收制度在日本受到很大的争议,实行得并不顺畅.     

环境权益及其市场化代理制度

提出了一个以新制度经济学方法分析环境问题及其控制方式的理论模型,并据此提出了当前环境保护工作实现制度创新的思考,其逻辑思路是：由环境资源的稀缺性引起的用于满足人类生存需要和生产需要这两种环境功能之间的矛盾,外化为人类生存性和生产性两型环境权益的冲突;解决这个冲突的两种制度安排─市场和政府─都存在着各自的“失灵”,因此,需要设计和实施一种使两者结合起来的更高形式的制度安排,途径之一是建立和实施以“法律框架、公众参与、代理公司”为要素的“环境权益之市场化代理制度”。当前我国环境保护工作正面临着这种制度创新的契机。     

On the confluence of city living,energy saving behaviours and direct residential energy consumption

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the connection between income, dwelling type, tenure type and city living, in terms of both a household’s energy saving behaviours and direct residential energy consumption. This study employs data from the Household Energy Consumption Survey, Australia. Using a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) system of equations the results reveal some key mechanisms which may allow householders to realise lower levels of energy consumption and hence lower carbon emissions. The results indicate that there are characteristics unique to living in a city that are linked to higher levels of direct residential energy consumption. On a number of measures (e.g. household income, tenure type and dwelling type), the results point to a lower likelihood of engaging in energy saving behaviours in cities. Also, depending on the number of energy saving behaviours, these actions have the potential to more than offset higher direct residential energy consumption of householders residing in separate houses. Coupled with these findings renters, a more vulnerable social group, are found to be significantly disadvantaged, suffering from a much lower adaptive capacity. Specifically, householders who rent their home are 77% less likely to have solar electricity. A result which may reflect differences in access to opportunity. Further, householders who rent are less likely to engage in energy saving actions. A finding which may reflect difference in ontological security and the greater psychological burden associated with undertaking energy saving behaviours (a barrier) borne by renters not shared with home owners.     

基于多区域投入产出(MRIO)的中国区域居民消费碳足迹分析

近年来,居民消费活动和环境的关系逐渐受到关注,而与温室气体排放相关的研究更是其中的热点.因此,本文采用“居民消费碳足迹”概念来定义特定居民消费活动所导致的直接和间接温室气体排放的总和,主要包括CO2、CH4、N2O3种温室气体;构建了基于环境扩展的多区域投入产出(Multiregional input-output,MRIO)模型的碳足迹核算方法,并以2007年中国8个区域为例对其居民消费碳足迹的数量、构成、分布及转移进行了分析.结果显示,2007年全国居民消费碳足迹总量达到31.74亿t(以CO2当量计).此外,碳足迹还呈现出区域差异明显、间接排放大于直接排放、城乡差距过大等特征.人均碳足迹方面,发展水平较高的京津、东部沿海地区明显高于相对滞后的西北、西南区域.研究还对碳足迹的区域分布和转移进行了深入探讨.结果发现,东北、京津、西北和西南区域转移收支为负,表示这些区域为其他区域承担的排放大于其他区域为其承担的排放;剩余的北部沿海、东部沿海、南部沿海和中部区域情况则正好相反.这些结果对现阶段中国制定具体区域消费政策或分配碳减排责任等具有参考价值;本研究的方法论也适用于研究其他环境因子及足迹因子与居民消费的关系.