Climate Convention Implementation: An Opportunity for the Pacific Island Nations to Move Toward Sustainable Energy Systems

This article does not focus on adaptation or mitigation policy directly but on an allied opportunity that exists for the Pacific Islands via the auspices of the Climate Convention, because the existing very costly energy systems used in the Pacific Island region are fossil-fuel dependent. It is argued here that efforts can be made towards the development of energy systems that are ecologically sustainable because Pacific Island nations are eligible to receive assistance to introduce renewable energy technology and pursue energy conservation via implementation mechanisms of the Climate Convention and, in particular, through transfer of technology and via joint implementation. It is contended that assistance in the form of finance, technology, and human resource development from developed countries and international organizations would provide sustainable benefits in improving the local Pacific Island environments. It is also emphasized that mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions is not the responsibility of the Pacific Islands as they contribute very little on a per capita global scale and a tiny proportion of total global greenhouse gas emissions.     

Integration of Environmental Assessment into the Regional Development Planning Process of the Galilee

/ The Galilee region on the northern edge of Israel constitutes more than 15% of the state's territory, supplies more than half of its drinking water needs, and is an important recreational resource and destination for Israelis. One of the main objectives of the plan for the Galilee was to devise a regional physical and economic development strategy for the years 1992-2007 that would arrest the trend of emigration of its residents, attract newly arrived immigrants to the region, and at the same time protect natural resources and environmental quality. This paper is limited to discussion of the environmental aspects of the plan. It analyzes spatial concepts for distribution of projected population growth, evaluates environmental impacts of alternative plans, and proposes a decision-making framework and tools for minimizing natural resources loss from development at the local level. Assessment of potential environmental impacts generated quantitative data of natural resources areas. Application of the data in the plan evaluation stage showed that the alternative that concentrated most of the new development in central Galilee was the second-best choice environmentally, but was preferred as the best choice for overall qualities. The planning study offers an alternative environmental impact assessment (EIA) process to the one presently used in Israel by incorporating environmental considerations at the initial plan-making stage and not at the plan-approval stage. It demonstrated that in order to be effective, environmental assessment and land-use planning should be seen as one effort that is integrated from the start and in each stage of the plan-making process.KEY WORDS: Environmental assessment; Development planning; Galilee     

Comparing EQM practices of small and large companies

There is some concern in the environmental quality management (EQM) community that small and mid-sized companies do not have the technical, economic, and personnel resources or expertise to carry out significant programs of pollution prevention or waste reduction in the way that large corporations do. Thus, a very significant proportion of the economy may not be contributing to or benefiting from EQM approaches. This article begins to clarify what small and mid-sized companies that are committed to EQM can actually do and how this compares with the efforts of larger plants or plants operated as part of large multiplant corporations.     

WASTE LOADINGS FROM A FRESHWATER ATLANTIC SALMON FARM IN SCOTLAND1

ABSTRACT: Recent studies suggest that waste generation from the freshwater phase of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) production varies considerably on an annual basis. A fish farm on the West Coast of Scotland was visited regularly during a two-year period to determine inflow and outflow water quality. Waste output budgets of suspended solids (SS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total ammonia nitrogen (TAN = NH₃+NH₄⁺), dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) were produced. The annual waste loadings obtained were 71 kg TN t fish^?1 yr^?1 (one year of data only), 10.9–11.1 kg TP t fish^?1 yr^?1, 1.2–2.1 kg DRP t fish^?1 yr^?1, 422–485 kg BOD₅ t fish^?1 yr^?1, 327–337 kg SS t fish^?1 yr^?1, and 30–35 kg TAN-N t fish^?1 yr^?1. Simple linear regression models relating waste parameter production to water temperature and feeding regime were developed. When compared to existing data for other salmonid production systems, greater ranges of daily waste loadings were observed. Wide variations in concentrations of these parameters during a daily cycle were also observed, suggesting that mass balance estimates of waste production will provide more robust estimates of waste output than frequent monitoring of outflow water quality.     

Starch- polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked film— performance and biodegradation

Starch-PVOH cast films were prepared with and without crosslinking agent (hexamethoxymethylmelamine) in the absence of plasticizer. Moisture absorption in films without crosslinking agent at a low relative humidity was similar to that of PVOH and increased as the relative humidity increased. Films with crosslinking agent showed moisture absorption linearly proportional to the relative humidity. Significant improvement in resistance to water disintegration for crosslinked starch-PVOH films was observed. While the tensile strength decreased with increased relative humidity, crosslinking significantly improved the tensile strength. Increased PVOH content improved elongation of films even when the relative humidity was 80% or higher. Biodegradation studies revealed that the degradation rate was negatively correlated with the PVOH content in films and crosslinking generated more converged degradation curves. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.     

Remediation of acid mine drainage leachate by a physicochemical and biological treatment‐train approach

Biological and physicochemical approaches were utilized in a treatment train for acid mine dis charge (AMD) waters. Anaerobic bioreactors, chemical precipitation reactors, and biopolymer chelation reactors, operated in static, semicontinuous, and continuous flow modes, removed significant quantities of metals and sulfates associated with AMD water. Static tests indicated accept able copper removal via precipitation by generation of hydrogen sulfide in anaerobic reactors. However, low pH affected the biopolymer coating in the chelation reactor, resulting in loss of bed surface. Corrections of AMD to pH > 7 resulted in some metal precipitationprior to biopolymer treatment. A series of static semicontinuous tests at pH 5.0 provided improved metal and sulfate removal. Copper (Cu⁺) was reduced to trace concentrations, while manganese (Mn⁺), although reduced, proved to be the most recalcitrant of the metals. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Modelling nitrogen fluxes at the landscape scale

The distribution and impacts of different nitrogen pollutants are inextricably linked. To understand the problem fully, the interactions between the different pollutants need to be taken into account. This is particularly important when it comes to abatement techniques, since measures to reduce emissions of one nitrogen pollutant can often lead to an increase in another. This project represents a step towards greater understanding of these issues by linking together new and existing nitrogen flux models into a larger framework. The modelling framework has been constructed and some of the nitrogen flows between fields, farms and the atmosphere have been modelled for a UK study area for typical farm management scenarios.     

Applying metabolic fingerprinting to ecology: The use of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for the rapid screening of plant responses to N deposition

The potential for metabolic fingerprinting via Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to provide a novel approach for the detection of plant biochemical responses to N deposition is examined. An example of spectral analysis using shoot samples taken from an open top chamber (OTC) experiment simulating wet ammonium deposition is given. Sample preparation involved oven drying and homogenisation via mill grinding. Slurries of a consistent dilution were then prepared prior to FT-IR analysis. Spectra from control, 8 and 16 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 treatments were then subjected to cross-validated discriminant function analysis. Ordination diagrams showed clear separation between the three N treatments examined. The potential for using Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull as a bioindicator of N deposition is further evident from these results. The results also clearly demonstrate the power of FT-IR in discriminating between subtle phenotypic alterations in overall plant biochemistry as affected by ammonium pollution.     

MODELING SEDIMENT AND PHOSPHORUS LOSSES IN AN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHED TO MEET TMDLs1

ABSTRACT: This paper studies the effectiveness of alternative farm management strategies at improving water quality to meet Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) in agricultural watersheds. A spatial process model was calibrated using monthly flow, sediment, and phosphorus (P) losses (1994 to 1996) from Sand Creek watershed in south‐central Minnesota. Statistical evaluation of predicted and observed data gave r² coefficients of 0.75, 0.69, and 0.49 for flow (average 4.1 m³/s), sediment load (average 0.44 ton/ha), and phosphorus load (average 0.97 kg/ha), respectively. The calibrated model was used to evaluate the effects of conservation tillage, conversion of crop land to pasture, and changes in phosphorus fertilizer application rate on pollutant loads. TMDLs were developed for sediment and P losses based on existing water quality standards and guidelines. Observed annual sediment and P losses exceeded these TMDLs by 59 percent and 83 percent, respectively. A combination of increased conservation tillage, reduced application rates of phosphorus fertilizer, and conversion of crop land to pasture could reduce sediment and phosphorus loads by 23 percent and 20 percent of existing loads, respectively. These reductions are much less than needed to meet TMDLs, suggesting that control of sediment using buffer strips and control of point sources of phosphorus are needed for the remaining reductions.     

CHEMISTRY OF COALBED METHANE DISCHARGE WATER INTERACTING WITH SEMI‐ARID EPHEMERAL STREAM CHANNELS1

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to examine the chemistry of Coalbed Methane (CBM) discharge water reacting with semi‐arid ephemeral stream channels in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. The study area consisted of two ephemeral streams: Burger Draw and Sue Draw. These streams are tributaries to the perennial Powder River. Samples were collected bimonthly from three CBM discharge points and seven channel locations in Burger Draw and Sue Draw. Samples were also collected bimonthly from the Powder River above and below the confluence of Burger Draw. Before sample collection, the pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured in the field. Samples were transported to the laboratory and analyzed for alkalinity, major cations, and anions. From the measurement of sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), practical sodium adsorption ratio (SARp) and true sodium adsorption ratio (SARt) were calculated. Results suggest pH and EC of CBM discharge water was 7.1 and 4.3 dS/m, respectively. The CBM discharge water consisted of higher concentrations of sodium and alkalinity compared to other components. The pH of CBM discharge water increased significantly (p = 0.000) in the downstream channel of Burger Draw from 7.1 to 8.84 before it joined with the Powder River. Dissolved calcium concentration of CBM discharge water decreased significantly (p = 0.000) in the downstream channel water. Subsequently, SARp increased approximately from 24 to 29. The SARt also increased significantly (p = 0.001) in the downstream channel water. For instance, SARt of CBM discharge water increased from 32.93 to 45.5 downstream channels after the confluence of Sue Draw with the Burger Draw. The only significant difference in water chemistry above and below the confluence of Burger Draw with the Powder River was pH, which increased from 8.36 to 8.52. The significant increase in SAR values of CBM discharge water in Burger Draw and Sue Draw tributaries suggest a careful monitoring of salinity and sodicity is needed if CBM discharge water is used for irrigation in semi‐arid environments. Results discussed in this study will be useful to downstream water users who depend on water for irrigation.