Climate change mitigation policy paradigms—national objectives and alignments

The aim of this paper is to assess how policy goals in relation to the promotion of green growth, energy security, pollution control and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions have been aligned in policies that have been implemented in selected countries during the last decades as a basis for discussing how a multi objective policy paradigm can contribute to future climate change mitigation. The paper includes country case studies from Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea and the United States covering renewable energy options, industry, transportation, the residential sector and cross-sectoral policies. These countries and regions together contribute more than two thirds of global GHG emissions. The paper finds that policies that are nationally driven and that have multiple objectives, including climate-change mitigation, have been widely applied for decades in both developing countries and industrialised countries. Many of these policies have a long history, and adjustments have taken place based on experience and cost effectiveness concerns. Various energy and climate-change policy goals have worked together in these countries, and in practice a mix of policies reflecting specific priorities and contexts have been pursued. In this way, climate-change mitigation has been aligned with other policy objectives and integrated into broader policy packages, though in many cases specific attention has not been given to the achievement of large GHG emission reductions. Based on these experiences with policy implementation, the paper highlights a number of key coordination and design issues that are pertinent to the successful joint implementation of several energy and climate-change policy goals.     

A screening procedure to measure the effect of uncertainty in air emission estimates

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Emission inventories are compiled at regional level. When these sources of information are used, uncertainty of emission estimates is never...     

Intraventricular haemorrhage in a fetus with cerebral cytomegalovirus infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading infectious cause of prenatal neurological damage, which is particularly severe when primary maternal infection occurs during the first 16 weeks of gestation, at the time of organ development and neuronal migration. Vascular involvement has been suggested to be among thepossible pathogenic mechanisms of virus-induced pathology, in addition to direct viral effects. We report on a fetus with cerebral CMV infection, which had intraventricular haemorrhage, together with oligohydramnios and hyperechogenic bowel, following maternal primary CMV infection. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

可持续建筑的驱动力

对可持续建筑进行变革的潜在影响关系到建筑产业的权利、需要的驱动力,也关系到对可持续性理念的接受.这些影响务国之间会有关别.本文对主流部门的辞海进行了思考(从日渐广阔的角度),号召那里的建筑产业要有所不同:在基础设施、商业财产和提供住房方面.这个产业面临的挑战是要确定--发达国家和发展中国家都有份--能够实际操作的可持续建筑的概念,以及能为夺取可持续性做出巨大贡献的行动领域.客户越来越认可可持续性作为投资决策驱驱动力的积极经济成果.     

Factors Affecting the Conservation of Nutrients in Estuarine Waters of the River Tiber

The estuarine processes which can influence the release of nutrients of the River Tiber into the Tyrrhenian Sea have been studied. A conservative behaviour has been found for silicate in different hydrographic conditions.

For nitrogen, positive increments in respect of the dilution values were found in summer, due to regeneration processes; on the contrary a conservative behaviour was observed when seawater did not intrude into the river.

Dissolved phosphorus showed, in all the hydrographic conditions, a positive deviation in respect of the theoretical dilution values. This deviation has been attributed to regeneration processes which take place during the summer period. The chemical release of phosphate from particulate matter is predominant when the saline wedge is absent.     

Simultaneous determination of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) by derivative stripping chronopotentiometry in Pittosporum tobira leaves: a measurement of local atmospheric pollution in Messina (Sicily, Italy)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the bio-accumulation of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) in Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) Aiton leaves sampled in different zones of Messina, in order to assess the level of atmospheric metal deposition in correlation with the traffic volume. Derivative stripping chronopotentiometry was used as a practical, precise and sensitive technique to determine simultaneously Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn levels in Pittosporum leaves. In the optimised electro-chemical conditions, detection limits lower than 0.05 microg kg(-1) were achieved, whereas the accuracy, expressed as obtained recoveries from certified materials, was in the range 93.5-102.7%. The obtained data provided evidence that Cd and Pb levels significantly decreased from high to low traffic density zones (p < 0.005, ANOVA), whereas Cu and Zn are accumulated by plants particularly from the soil and their contents is not related to the traffic volume.     

Brominated flame retardant concentrations and trends in abiotic media

BFR burdens in abiotic media have been less studied than in biota, despite their essential value as an aide to identifying sources, temporal and geographic trends and exposure routes. Many polymer products consist of several percent by weight of BFRs. Global trade in these can result in rapid and wholesale BFR movement. Loss from in-use products of nonreactive BFRs may be important, particularly in respect to indoor exposure. In the case of BDE-209, discharges from publicly owned treatment works may be substantial. BFR burdens in air, water and sewage sludge respond rapidly to changes in environmental BFR inputs. PBDEs have been the most widely studied. In many locales PBDE burdens in these media now surpass those of PCBs. Air and water near sources and urban areas are typically enriched relative to rural locales. The more volatile PBDEs dominate in the vapor phase, while BDE-209 typically predominates on particulates. Evidence exists for long-range transport of the more volatile PBDEs. A greater diversity of BFRs (mostly PBDEs, HBCD and TBBP-A) has been detected in sewage sludges. Land application of these sludges on agricultural fields is one conduit for soil contamination. In general, environmental concentrations of BDE-209 appear to be increasing, while penta-BDE burdens in Europe may have peaked. Sediments function as longer-term integrators of environmental burdens. Concentrations of common BFRs therein may be substantial near point sources. Evidence for debromination in the environment has been limited to date. However, some laboratory and field observations suggest it is possible to a limited extent.     

可持续建筑的驱动力

对可持续建筑进行变革的潜在影响关系到建筑产业的权利、需要的驱动力,也关系到对可持续性理念的接受.这些影响务国之间会有关别.本文对主流部门的辞海进行了思考(从日渐广阔的角度),号召那里的建筑产业要有所不同:在基础设施、商业财产和提供住房方面.这个产业面临的挑战是要确定--发达国家和发展中国家都有份--能够实际操作的可持续建筑的概念,以及能为夺取可持续性做出巨大贡献的行动领域.客户越来越认可可持续性作为投资决策驱驱动力的积极经济成果.