Land use change and forestry climate project regional baselines: a review

Climate change programs have largely used the project-specific approach for estimating baseline emissions of climate mitigation projects. This approach is subjective, lacks transparency, can generate inconsistent baselines for similar projects, and is likely to have high transaction costs. The use of regional baselines, which partially addresses these issues, has been reported in the literature on forestry and agriculture projects, and in greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation program guidance for them (e.g., WRI/WBCSD GHG Project Protocol, USDOE’s 1605(b) registry, UNFCCC’s Clean Development Mechanism). This paper provides an assessment of project-specific and regional baselines approaches for key baseline tasks, using project and program examples. The regional experience to date is then synthesized into generic steps that are referred to as Stratified Regional Baselines (SRB). Regional approaches generally, and SRB in particular explicitly acknowledge the heterogeneity of carbon density, land use change, and other key baseline driver variables across a landscape. SRB focuses on providing guidance on how to stratify lands into parcels with relatively homogeneous characteristics to estimate conservative baselines within a GHG assessment boundary, by applying systematic methods to determine the boundary and time period for input data.

Assessing the potential for greenhouse gas mitigation in intensively managed annual cropping systems at the regional scale

We predicted changes in yields and direct net soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from converting conventional to alternative management practices across one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, the Central Valley of California, using the DAYCENT model. Alternative practices included conservation tillage, winter cover cropping, manure application, a 25% reduction in N fertilizer input and combinations of these. Alternative practices were evaluated for all unique combinations of crop rotation, climate, and soil types for the period 1997-2006. The crops included were alfalfa, corn, cotton, melon, safflower, sunflower, tomato, and wheat. Our predictions indicate that, adopting alternative management practices would decrease yields up to 5%. Changes in modeled SOC and net soil GHG fluxes corresponded to values reported in the literature. Average potential reductions of net soil GHG fluxes with alternative practices ranged from −0.7 to −3.3 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the Sacramento Valley and −0.5 to −2.5 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for the San Joaquin Valley. While adopting a single alternative practice led to modest net soil GHG flux reductions (on average −1 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), combining two or more of these practices led to greater decreases in net soil GHG fluxes of up to −3 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. At the regional scale, the combination of winter cover cropping with manure application was particularly efficient in reducing GHG emissions. However, GHG mitigation potentials were mostly non-permanent because 60-80% of the decreases in net soil GHG fluxes were attributed to increases in SOC, except for the reduced fertilizer input practice, where reductions were mainly attributed to decreased N₂O emissions. In conclusion, there are long-term GHG mitigation potentials within agriculture, but spatial and temporal aggregation will be necessary to reduce uncertainties around GHG emission reductions and the delivery risk of the associated C credits.     

Improvement of soil aggregate stability by repeated applications of organic amendments to a cultivated silty loam soil

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of repeated field applications of three urban compost amendments and one farmyard manure amendment over a 9-year period on aggregate stability in a silty loam soil initially characterized by low clay and initial organic matter contents and poor aggregate stability. Three different aggregate stability tests with increasing disruptive intensities (fast wetting > mechanical breakdown > slow wetting tests) and different disaggregation mechanisms, were used. All of the amendments, which were applied at approximately 4 Mg C ha⁻¹ every other year, increased the organic carbon content and improved the stability of the aggregates against the disruptive action of water, as determined by each of the stability tests. However, the year-to-year variations in the aggregate stability that related to factors other than the organic inputs were greater than the cumulative increase in aggregate stability relative to the control. The positive effects of the tested amendments on aggregate stability were linked to their contribution to soil organic C contents (r = 0.54 for the fast wetting test and r = 0.41-0.42 for the mechanical breakdown and slow wetting tests; p < 0.05). The addition of urban composts had a larger positive effect on aggregate stability than farmyard manure at the majority of sampling dates. The addition of biodegradable immature compost, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), improved the aggregate stability through an enhanced resistance to slaking. The addition of mature composts, such as the co-compost of sewage sludge and green wastes (GWS) or biowaste compost (BW), improved the aggregate stability by increasing interparticular cohesion. The MSW compost was the most efficient in improving aggregate stability during the first 6 years of the experiment (average improvements of +22%, +5% and +28% in the fast wetting, mechanical breakdown and slow wetting tests, respectively, compared to the control treatment); this result was likely due to the larger labile organic pool of the MSW compost that was highly effective at stimulating soil microbial activity. After the first 6 years, the two other composts, GWS and BW, became more efficient (average improvements of +25%, +61% and +33% in the fast wetting, mechanical breakdown and slow wetting tests, respectively, compared to the control treatment), which was probably linked to the greater increase in soil organic C contents. Therefore, the application of urban compost to silty soil that is susceptible to water erosion was effective at improving aggregate stability and thus could be used to enhance the resistance of soil to water erosion.     

Carbon footprint of food - approaches from national input-output statistics and a LCA of a food portion

The aim of the study, on which this paper is based, was to provide guidance to consumers to make environmentally responsible choices in their food consumption, to assist food supply chain stakeholders to identify the key areas for environmental improvements, and to provide policy makers with a tool for monitoring the potential impacts on climate change resulting from developments within the food sector. At the macro level, the EIO-LCA model was developed specifically for the Finnish food chain; at the micro level, LCAs were performed on 30 lunch portions. The contribution of the Finnish food chain to climate change was 14%, which comprised 40% CO₂ emissions, 25% CH₄ emissions, and 34% N₂O emissions. The share of impacts from domestic agricultural processes was the highest, at 69%. The impact of a single lunch portion ranged between 0.65 and 3.80 kg of equivalent CO₂. According to the EIO-LCA model, the average impact was 7.7 kg CO₂ eq/person daily. The consumer phase accounted for between 8 and 47% of the climate change impacts for homemade portions. In ready-to-eat portions industry and retail phases were emphasized, representing 25-38% of climate change impacts. We present an approach to steer the Finnish food sector onto an environmentally sustainable path; practical tools for consumers and farmers will especially need to be developed further.     

供碳源载体及其在低碳氮比污水处理中的应用研究

为解决低C/N污水的脱氮问题,本实验自行研制开发了一种新型碳聚合物载体.对该载体进行低C/N污水的生物膜脱氮研究,考察了HRT、pH、DO、温度等因素对系统同步硝化反硝化脱氮效果的影响.结果表明:在C/N比为4、pH=8、DO=1 mg/L、HRT=6 h,T=24℃的条件下,氨氮及总氮的去除率分别可以达到90%和70...     

低碳高氮污水处理应用技术研究

针对碳氮比小于7的污水,其碳源不能满足硝化与反硝化的要求这一问题,通过改变SBR工艺的运行方式、调解工艺参数等技术手段,使其能够达标处理此类工业废水,并通过某淀粉厂的工程实例进行了验证:采用改良的SBR工艺可以对低碳高氮污水进行有效的处理。     

Effect of oxide-based fluxes on mechanical and metallurgical properties of Dissimilar Activating Flux Assisted-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds

Present investigation is to study the “Effect of Activating Fluxes on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Dissimilar Activated Flux-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds”. Effect of current, welding speed, joint gap and electrode diameter on weld bead dimensions on 6 mm thick dissimilar weld between carbon steel to stainless steel, was studied under Activated Flux-Tungsten Inert Gas Welding process. During this investigation three different types of oxide powders were used-TiO₂, ZnO and MnO₂. After welding samples were subject to mechanical testing, in addition to characterization via micro hardness and microstructures of Normal Tungsten Inert Gas Welds and Activated Flux-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds. Activating fluxes TiO₂ and ZnO are effective fluxes for Activated Flux-Tungsten Inert Gas Welding of dissimilar weld between CS to SS. Highest depth/width (D/W) ratio reported under TiO₂ and ZnO fluxes compare to Normal-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds. Lowest angular distortion was observed under TiO₂ flux compare to Normal-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds. Mechanical properties, Joint Efficiency of Activated Flux-Tungsten Inert Gas Welds are higher than normal-Normal Tungsten Inert Gas Welds. Tensile Test specimens of both the processes failed from the parent metal (carbon steel side). Carbon migration from CS to SS, had occurred which led to failure of weld joints from CS side.     

铁路企业开发碳资产项目分析

在概述国际和国内碳交易市场发展现状的基础上,从企业获取碳资产途径及开展碳交易基础方面分析企业碳资产开发。探讨铁路企业开展碳资产项目的必要性和可行性,认为国内统一碳市场发展为铁路开发碳资产创造条件、铁路系统具有巨大的碳资产开发潜力、铁路系统相关碳资产开发方法学已较为成熟、改革为铁路碳资产开发提供助力、技术革新为铁路碳资产开发提供支持,进而提出铁路企业开发碳资产项目需解决的问题及建议。     

碳汇造林项目促进了当地经济发展吗?--基于四川县域面板数据的PSM-DID实证研究

林业是重要的碳汇资源,在减缓全球气候变化、改善自然生态环境、促进经济可持续发展等方面有着至关重要的作用。作为林业碳汇的重要实现形式,碳汇造林项目兼具生态保护、促进经济发展与贫困减缓等重要功能,其实施成效究竟如何需要进一步验证。为此,本文从理论上分析了碳汇造林项目对县域经济发展的影响机理,利用2000—2016年四川47个县域的面板数据,采用PSM-DID模型估计了碳汇造林项目对县域经济发展的平均效应和动态效应,并对其影响机理进行了验证。结果显示:①碳汇造林项目的实施显著地促进了地区实际GDP和人均实际GDP的增长,这一结论在进行稳健性检验后依然成立;②囿于项目周期较长,此促进作用在短期内尚不能立竿见影,具有明显的滞后效应,且实施的时间越长,对当地经济发展的促进作用越大;③碳汇造林项目主要通过优化当地产业结构、提高居民储蓄率、提升地区政府财政收支水平等途径促进当地经济发展。因此,为更好地发挥碳汇造林项目对县域经济发展的促进作用,应继续拓展碳汇造林项目的覆盖区域,加大专项投资力度,引导碳汇造林项目向生态脆弱的深度贫困地区倾斜;在更加注重碳汇造林项目的长期效应的同时,应建立完善项目运行的长效稳定机制,防范潜在的自然与市场风险,保障项目对地区经济发展的长期驱动力;加快改善地区的融资环境,鼓励居民和企业将储蓄和融资能力有效转化为投资能力,充分依托碳汇造林项目促进当地经济可持续发展。     

Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem

Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling. We highlight the importance of the Arctic benthic system in mitigating climatic and anthropogenic change and, with a focus on the Barents Sea, offer some observations and our perspectives on future management and policy.