Does regional energy consumption disparities assist to control environmental degradation in OBOR: an entropy approach

China launched the One Belt & One Road (OBOR) initiative to minimize the energy resource shortage. The China’s nearby countries are rich in energy resources especially Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asian countries which make them ideal locations to cooperate with China in terms of energy resources, as 42.8% of world energy consumption belongs to OBOR countries. The present study elaborates the spatial distribution pattern of energy consumption disparities and its impact on environment. To do this, an entropy approach is utilized to compute the energy consumption inequalities in OBOR and its regions. The spatial and Pareto analysis show that MENA, East, and Southeast Asian economies have the highest degree of energy consumption inequalities, while European and Central Asian economies show the lowest energy consumption inequalities in OBOR region. The long-run estimates indicate that energy consumption inequalities enhance the CO₂ emission in OBOR and its region except South and Southeast Asia. Financial development also has a significantly positive impact on CO₂ emission in all models for OBOR and its regions except East Asia. Based on findings, the spatial distribution analysis is applicable to maintain balance in regional energy consumption inequality within OBOR and its regions.

     

Assessment on the effectiveness of environmental regulation in China—evidence from a panel data analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the context of global warming and environmental deterioration, the environment impact assessment is a crucial institutional guaranty to assure less...     

NOx attenuation in flue gas by •OH/SO4•--based advanced oxidation processes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in rapidly increasing emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx), which has caused serious human health and...     

Functional wastepaper-montmorillonite composite aerogel for Cd2+ adsorption

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, a composite aerogel (WP-MMT) composed of wastepaper (WP) and montmorillonite (MMT) was prepared by ambient pressure drying technology...     

High crosslinked sodium carboxyl methylstarch-g-poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) resin for heavy metal adsorption: its characteristics and mechanisms

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A lower expansive heavy metal adsorbent, high crosslinked sodium carboxyl methylstarch-g-poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) resin (HCAA), has been...     

Integrated factor analysis of water level variation in geographically isolated ponds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Small geographically isolated ponds provide a multitude of ecological functions and services, but water table fluctuations alter the magnitude of...     

长三角地区"绿水青山"与"金山银山"的耦合协调水平测度及其影响因素

从"绿水青山"和"金山银山"两个方面构建耦合协调评价指标体系,采用主客观相结合的方法测算绿水青山指数和金山银山指数,对长三角15个核心城市2008—2017年"绿水青山"和"金山银山"的耦合协调度进行评价;在此基础上,采用固定效应面板模型对各影响因素进行回归分析。结果表明:2008—2017年间,长三角地区绿水青山指数呈现波动上升趋势,金山银山指数逐年上升;耦合协调度由初级协调阶段逐步提升为中级协调阶段,"绿水青山"和"金山银山"的协调发展程度逐步向好。影响因素分析发现,耦合协调度与经济发展呈现正U型关系;外商直接投资对耦合协调度呈现负向影响;技术进步能够提升耦合协调度;人力资本对耦合协调度的正向影响具有显著滞后效应,人力资本的积累有利于促进"绿水青山"和"金山银山"长期耦合协调发展。     

电厂屏式过热器弯头开裂原因失效分析

通过外观检查、硬度、金相等检测方法,从金属管壁超温运行、蒸汽侧氧化行为、析出相及冷弯变形对组织性能影响等方面分析了某电厂1 000 MW超超临界机组屏式过热器弯头开裂原因,得出TP347HFG弯头开裂的主要原因是弯头组织富含较多的σ相、NbC等硬脆析出相,同时冷弯加工导致管子内部产生残余应力,加剧了弯头脆性开裂的倾向。     

A comparative study of vocational education and occupational safety and health training in China and the UK

In order to enhance Chinese workers’ occupational safety awareness, it is essential to learn from developed countries’ experiences. This article investigates thoroughly occupational safety and health (OSH) in China and the UK; moreover, the article performs a comparison of Chinese and British OSH training-related laws, regulations and education system. The following conclusions are drawn: China’s work safety continues to improve, but there is still a large gap compared with the UK. In China a relatively complete vocational education and training (VET) system has been established. However, there exist some defects in OSH. In the UK, the employer will not only pay attention to employees’ physiological health, but also to their mental health. The UK’s VET is characterized by classification and grading management, which helps integrate OSH into the whole education system. China can learn from the UK in the development of policies, VET and OSH training.     

Are older drivers’ driving patterns during an on-road driving task representative of their real-world driving patterns?

Abstract

Objective: The current study investigated whether older drivers’ driving patterns during a customized on-road driving task were representative of their real-world driving patterns.

Methods: Two hundred and eight participants (male: 68.80%; mean age?=?81.52 years, SD?=?3.37 years, range?=?76.00–96.00 years) completed a customized on-road driving task that commenced from their home and was conducted in their own vehicle. Participants’ real-world driving patterns for the preceding 4-month period were also collected via an in-car recording device (ICRD) that was installed in each participant’s vehicle.

Results: During the 4-month period prior to completing the on-road driving task, participants’ median real-world driving trip distance was 2.66?km (interquartile range [IQR]?=?1.14–5.79?km) and their median on-road driving task trip distance was 4.41?km (IQR?=?2.83–6.35?km). Most participants’ on-road driving task trip distances were classified as representative of their real-world driving trip distances (95.2%, n?=?198).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that most older drivers were able to devise a driving route that was representative of their real-world driving trip distance. Future research will examine whether additional aspects of the on-road driving task (e.g., average speed, proportion of trips in different speed zones) are representative of participants’ real-world driving patterns.