Managing the cost of emissions for durable,carbon-containing products

We recognize that carbon-containing products do not decay and release CO₂ to the atmosphere instantaneously, but release that carbon over extended periods of time. For an initial production of a stock of carbon-containing product, we can treat the release as a probability distribution covering the time over which that release occurs. The probability distribution that models the carbon release predicts the amount of carbon that is released as a function of time. The use of a probability distribution in accounting for the release of carbon to the atmosphere realizes a fundamental shift from the idea that all carbon-containing products contribute to a single pool that decays in proportion to the size of the stock. Viewing the release of carbon as a continuous probabilistic process introduces some theoretical opportunities not available in the former paradigm by taking advantage of other fields where the use of probability distributions has been prevalent for many decades. In particular, theories developed in the life insurance industry can guide the development of pricing and payment structures for dealing with the costs associated with the oxidation and release of carbon. These costs can arise from a number of proposed policies (cap and trade, carbon tax, social cost of carbon, etc), but in the end they all result in there being a cost to releasing carbon to the atmosphere. If there is a cost to the emitter for CO₂ emissions, payment for that cost will depend on both when the emissions actually occur and how payment is made. Here we outline some of the pricing and payment structures that are possible which result from analogous theories in the life insurance industry. This development not only provides useful constructs for valuing sequestered carbon, but highlights additional motivations for employing a probability distribution approach to unify accounting methodologies for stocks of carbon containing products.     

Redox processes in water remediation

Groundwater is the main source of drinking water and water for agricultural and industrial usage. Therefore, groundwater contamination is prevented and contaminated groundwater is remediated to protect public health and the environment. Methods to remediate groundwater contamination have been recently developed. The use of redox processes in water remediation technologies has not been properly reviewed. Numerous water remediation technologies, such as ultrasonication, bioremediation, electrokinetics and nanotechnology, are closely related to redox processes. Redox processes control the chemical speciation, bioavailability, toxicity, mobility and adsorption of water pollutants in environment. Here, we review (1) general introduction of redox processes, (2) applicability of redox processes in water remediation, and (3) catalytic enhancement of redox potentials to explore its wide applicability in environmental remediation.     

Feeding behavior of adult <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vinciguerria nimbaria</Emphasis> (Phosichthyidae), in the tropical Atlantic (0°–4°N, 15°W)

Adult Vinciguerria nimbaria are the main prey of tuna during the tuna fishing season (late autumn and winter) in the equatorial Atlantic (0–4°N, and ~15°W). V. nimbaria trophic behavior in the fishing grounds was studied in relation to hydrobiological factors to determine its role in the trophic food web. Sampling stations spaced by 20 nautical miles were set up along a 15°W north–south transect from 4°N to 0°40S. At each station, the temperature and vertical fluorescence profiles were recorded. Nitrate and chlorophyll a analyses were performed on water sampled at different levels in the euphotic zone. Vertical plankton hauls were carried out at depths of 0–100 and 0–200 m using a standard WP2 net fitted with a 200-μm mesh gauze. Vinciguerria nimbaria adults were collected using a young-fish mid-water trawl net (10 × 15 m opening mouth, 10 mm cod end mesh). The weight of the stomach contents, the stomach fullness index, the number of prey, the frequency of occurrence and the prey preponderance were recorded for 20 fish from each haul. An oligotrophic typical tropical structure (TTS) was found between 1° and 4°N where small zooplankton was relatively abundant above or near the thermocline. In the TTS, V. nimbaria behaved as an epipelagic fish, feeding on the dominant small prey during the daytime. In turn, it was a prey for tuna. In the equatorial zone, where zooplankton was more abundant than in the north equatorial zone, V. nimbaria behaved as a mesopelagic fish and as an opportunistic mesozooplankton feeder. It consumed a wide range of sizes of food, feeding on the most abundant species of zooplankton as well as the largest zooplankton species, possibly while migrating towards the surface in the late afternoon or in the deep layer.     

Comparison of some quality properties of soils around land-mined areas and adjacent agricultural fields

When agricultural lands are no longer used for agriculture and allowed to recover its natural vegetation, soil organic carbon can accumulate in the soil. Measurements of soil organic carbon and aggregate stability changes under various forms of land use are needed for the development of sustainable systems. Therefore, comparison of soil samples taken from both agricultural and nearby area close to land-mined fields where no agricultural practices have been done since 1956 can be a good approach to evaluate the effects of tillage and agriculture on soil quality. The objective of this study was to compare tillage, cropping and no tillage effects on some soil-quality parameters. Four different locations along the Turkey–Syria border were selected to determine effects of tillage and cropping on soil quality. Each location was evaluated separately because of different soil type and treatments. Comparisons were made between non-tilled and non-cropped fallow since 1956 and adjacent restricted lands that were tilled about every 2 years but not planted (T) or adjacent lands tilled and planted with wheat and lentil (P). Three samples were taken from the depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm each site. Soil organic carbon (SOC), pH ,electrical conductivity, water soluble Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺, CO₃^-2{\rm CO}_{3}^{-2} and HCO₃^-{\rm HCO}_{3}^{-}, extractable potassium (K⁺) and sodium (Na⁺), soil texture, ammonium (NH₄⁺{\rm NH}_{4}^{+}–N) and nitrate (NO₃–N), extractable phosphorous and soil aggregate stability were determined. While the SOC contents of continuous tillage without cropping and continuous tillage and cropping were 2.2 and 11.6 g kg⁻¹, respectively, it was 30 g kg⁻¹ in non-tilled and non-planted site. Tillage of soil without the input of any plant material resulted in loss of carbon from the soil in all sites. Soil extractable NO₃−N contents of non-tilled and non-cropped sites were greatest among all treatments. Agricultural practices increased phosphorus and potassium contents in the soil profile. P₂O₅ contents of planted soils were approximately 20 to 39 times greater than those of non-tilled and non-cropped soils at different sites. FTIR spectra showed that never tilled sites had greater phenol, carboxylic acid, amide, aromatic compounds, polysaccharide and carbohydrates than other treatments.     

The Normative Limits of Consumer Citizenship

In political philosophy, citizenship is a key concept. Citizenship is tied to rights and duties, as well as to concepts of social justice. Recently, the debate on citizenship has developed a new direction in focusing on qualified notions of citizenship. In this contribution, I shall defend three claims. Firstly, consumer citizenship fits into the discussion of qualified notions of citizenship. Secondly, the debate on qualified notions of citizenship cannot be detached from the normative claims in the philosophy of citizenship more generally. In particular, duties and rights receive a distinct shape when debated in terms of “consumer citizenship”. Thirdly, I shall argue that further normative limits can be established by discussing qualified notions of citizenship as items of a list that need to cohere in normative terms. I shall pay particular attention to environmental citizenship.     

Vegetation dynamics and climate change on the Loess Plateau,China: 1982–2011

Monitoring the dynamics of vegetation growth and its response to climate change is important to understand the mechanisms underlying ecosystem behaviors. This study investigated the relationship between vegetation growth and climate change during the growing seasons on the Loess Plateau in China by analyzing the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the Land Long Term Data Record dataset from 1982 to 2011. Results showed that growing-season NDVI had increased at an annual rate of 0.0028, particularly in the semi-arid and semi-humid regions. By contrast, the NDVI first increased from 1982 to 1994 (0.0013 year^?1, P < 0.05) and then decreased from 1994 to 2011 (0.0016 year^?1, P < 0.05) in the arid region. Temperature had a positive effect on NDVI in most periods within and across seasons in the semi-humid region but had no significant effect in the arid region. Precipitation had a positive effect on NDVI in the arid region in summer and in the semi-arid region in autumn. Summer precipitation was important for autumn vegetation growth in the arid region, whereas summer temperature increased autumn vegetation growth in the semi-arid and semi-humid regions. Further analyses supported the lag-time effects of climate change on vegetation growth on the Loess Plateau. Precipitation shifts had 15- to 18-month time lag effects on vegetation growth in the three climate regions. Vegetation NDVI had a 17-month lag response to temperature in the semi-arid region. Human activities should not be neglected in analyzing the relationship between vegetation growth and climate change on the Loess Plateau.     

Entry points for climate-informed planning for the water resources and agriculture sectors in Cambodia

Incorporating climate change concerns into national development planning allows adaptation to happen in harmony with the sustainable development of a country. Cambodia has received international support to enable climate change-resilient development; “mainstreaming climate change” is one of the key recent strategies. This article aims to identify entry points for integrating climate change concerns into national development planning, especially for the water resources and agriculture sectors. The study uses institutional ethnography research methods with informants drawn from government organisations, local academic institutions, and development partners, together with content analysis of key policy documents. It was found that the Cambodian national planning process restricts the involvement of other actors such as researchers, civil society, and private sector; yet flexible, in that it provides opportunities for the inclusion of climate change and other related concerns. The study identified specific entry points in key policy documents, such as the National Strategic Development Plans, and ministries’ plans. Other entry points were identified in the development planning process, for example, in the process of development departments and ministries’ plans, and actors such as department planners, and departments of planning of line ministries. Climate-informed planning is now plausible; more significant integration of concerns with future climate change, however, will require more commitment and stronger connections among national planning stakeholders, adaptation actors, and research communities.     

Reducing external costs of nitrogen pollution by relocation of pig production between regions in the European Union

This paper tests the hypothesis that relocation of pig production within the EU27 can reduce the external costs of nitrogen (N) pollution. The external cost of pollution by ammonia and nitrate from agriculture in the European Union (EU27) in 2008 was estimated at 61–215 billion € (0.5 to 1.8% of the GDP). Per capita it ranged from more than 1000 € in north-west EU27 to 50 € in Romania. The average contribution of pig production was 15%. Using provincial data (224 NUTS2 regions in EU27), the potential reduction of external N cost by relocation of pig production was estimated at 14 billion € (10% of the total). Regions most eligible for decreasing the pig stock were in western Germany, Flemish region, Denmark, the Netherlands and Bretagne, while Romania is most eligible for increasing pig production. Relocating 20 million pigs (13% of the total EU stock) decreased average external costs per capita from 900 to 785 € in the 13 NUTS2 regions where pigs were removed and increased from 69 to 107 € in 11 regions receiving pigs. A second alternative configuration of pig production was targeted at reducing exceedance of critical N deposition and closing regional nutrient cycles. This configuration relocates pigs within Germany and France, for example from Bretagne to Northern France and from Weser-Ems to Oberbayern. However, total external cost increases due to an increase of health impacts, unless when combined with implementation of best N management practices. Relocation of the pig industry in the EU27 will meet many socio-economic barriers and realisation requires new policy incentives.     

Municipal solid waste composition and food loss reduction in Kyoto City

For 35 years, Kyoto City has conducted detailed household waste composition surveys under the guidance of Kyoto University by dividing household waste into approximately 400 categories. In addition, the city has conducted detailed composition surveys of commercial waste generated by businesses. These surveys show that food loss accounts for approximately 40% of total waste, of which leftovers and untouched food account for about 40% in both households and business facilities. Consequently, the annual generation of household and commercial food loss is estimated at about 30,000 tons. Various efforts have been made to reduce waste, including food loss, but further reduction in environmental burden is needed. Thus, Kyoto City revised the ordinance for waste reduction, and in March 2015, formulated a new municipal waste management plan. The plan not only includes the 2Rs (reduce, reuse), but also, for the first time in Japan, sets quantitative targets for reducing food loss. Kyoto City must ensure that the necessary waste reduction measures are clearly explained to the residents and business operators. To ensure that this plan is successful, it is important to clarify concrete actions that residents and business operators should implement, along with their effects.     

Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from Cheese Whey by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus megaterium</Emphasis> NCIM 5472

Microbial polyhydroxyalkonate such as homopolyester of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was produced from cheese whey by Bacillus megaterium NCIM 5472. Due to their numerous potential industrial applications, the focus was given to competently enhance the amount of PHB produced. The amount of PHB produced from whole cheese whey, and ultrafiltered cheese whey was first compared, and after observing a rise in PHB production by using ultrafiltered cheese whey, cheese whey permeate was chosen for further analysis. The presence of PHB was then confirmed by GCMS. Since the main aim of the study was to increase the amount of PHB produced through batch fermentation, various process parameters like time, pH, C/N ratio, etc. were optimized. After optimization, it was found that B. megaterium NCIM 5472 was capable of accumulating 75.5% of PHB of its dry weight and a PHB yield of 8.29 g/L. The chemical structure of the polymer was further analyzed by using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy methods. Also, the physical and thermal properties were studied by using Differential scanning calorimetry and Thermogravimetric analysis. It was found that the polymer produced had excellent thermal stability, thus allowing the possibility to exploit its properties for industrial purposes such as adhesives, packaging materials, etc.