Greenhouse gas scenarios for Austria: a comparison of different approaches to emission trends

In the present paper, national and externally organized projections of greenhouse gas emissions for Austria were compared to gain insight on the underlying scenario data assumptions. National greenhouse gas emission trends extend until 2030, an assessment of European Union (EU) countries to 2050. In addition, data for 2000–2100 was extracted from the global emission database described by the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP). By identifying trends in these projections, it was possible to produce (a) a long-term assessment of national scenarios until 2100, (b) an assessment of the ambition level toward national climate strategies, and (c) a standardized method to compare trends across countries. By extracting RCP data, Austrian’s methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions up to 2100 could be projected for all sources as well as specific sectors. With respect to the RCP scenario emission data, national projections did not seem to employ the mitigation potentials available for the most stringent RCP scenario, RCP2.6. Comparing projections that supported the EU Climate Strategy 2030 with national projections revealed similar trends. Because RCP2.6 is the only scenario consistent with a 2 °C global warming target, and it is much more ambitious than any of the national or European projections, further measures will be required if Austria is to adequately contribute to this widely accepted policy goal.     

Using shell middens to assess effects of fishing on queen conch ( Strombus gigas ) populations in Los Roques Archipelago National Park, Venezuela

Queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a commercially important gastropod that has been exploited throughout the Caribbean islands for thousands of years. Shell middens in the region are the physical record of a long-term fishery and their study can provide valuable information on selectivity patterns followed by fishermen and on resulting morphological shifts reflected by shells. In this study, we surveyed 27 middens located at Los Roques, Venezuela, to assess pre-Columbian and modern fisheries and measure their impact on local populations of queen conch. Pre-Columbian middens, covering a period of approximately 350 years of exploitation (1160–1540 A.D.), were mostly composed of adult shells (89%) and mean length of catch was estimated at 22.4 ± 0.2 cm (mean ± SE). A decrease in mean length of catch was observed throughout the modern fishery regime, estimated at 22.2 ± 0.3 cm in 1950–1971 and 20.0 ± 0.3 cm in 1990–1995. Higher proportions of immature individuals ranging from 48 to 67% were found in modern middens. Additionally, a decrease in mean length of mature individuals was detected throughout the modern fishery regime. The appearance of younger and smaller specimens is considered as a sign of heavy exploitation of local populations of queen conch during modern fisheries. Pre-Columbian middens in contrast, permitted to establish a relative baseline from which to compare values registered throughout modern times.     

Raumbezug in der ?kosystemaren Umweltbeobachtung Anforderungen an die modellhafte Umsetzung im Biosph?renreservat Rh?n

Am Beispiel des l?nderübergreifenden Biosph?renreservates Rh?n wurde das Konzept einer ?kosystemaren Umweltbeobachtung konkretisiert. Die Arbeiten dienten der Operationalisierung der hohen fachlichen Anforderungen des Rats von Sachverst?ndigen für Umweltfragen an eine ‘Allgemeine ?kologische Umweltbeobachtung’, die medienund sektorübergreifende sowie m?glichst weitgehend harmonisierte Datenerhebungen und eine integrierte Datenauswertung vorsieht. Es werden die Bausteine einer stufenweisen Harmonisierung der Datenerhebung und Auswertung vorgestellt. Vertiefend behandelt werden Fragen nach methodischen Ans?tzen für eine nachvollziehbare Auswahl von Beobachtungsr?umen und Messtandorten sowie für die r?umliche Verallgemeinerung von Beobachtungsergebnissen. Das Konzept der ?kosystemaren Umweltbeobachtung nutzt hierfür das Instrument der bundesweiten standort?kologischen Raumgliederung sowie geostatistische Verfahren zur r?umlichen Zusammenführung bestehender Beobachtungsprogramme und Messnetze. Ferner werden M?glichkeiten aufgezeigt, wie mit der Durchführung hydrologischer Gebietsanalysen und mit einem ?kosystemarem Wasserhaushaltsmodell auf der Grundlage verfügbarer Daten integrierende Aussagen zur Entwicklung von Wassereinzugsgebieten getroffen werden k?nnen.     

Bodenschutzverordnung bringt einheitliche Werte für Bodenbelastungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

火灾危险源与火灾隐患之辨析

通过归纳总结危险源定义和分类,引申出火灾危险源的定义和分类.就火灾隐患定义在不同领域的运用提出了广义和狭义火灾隐患之分,并就火灾危险源与火灾隐患之间的关系阐述了一些观点.     

Systems of innovation, the urban order and sustainable development.

Innovative cities are essential for the economic growth and development of countries. At the same time, however, social and environmental problems related to city growth can be serious threats to the full realisation of the socio-economic contribution that cities can make. City environments thus often provide both new problems and the creative and diverse environments, which make it possible to solve them. The question of whether or not sustainable development is possible largely will be answered in cities. This is also the case for problems related to waste management. Landfills may be located in the countryside, but if a country is to reduce environmental costs, the results will rest on the innovation power of cities. In this paper it is argued that the notion of a 'system of innovation' is helpful in understanding the factors that shape the processes of innovation and that determine the extent to which environmental problems may be solved. In this context, institutional innovation and political innovation as compared to technical innovation are of special importance.