Dealing with uncertainty: a case study of controlling insect populations in natural ecosystems

This paper analyses the political process for handling an outbreak of an insect causing human allergic reactions. In the southern part of the Swedish island Gotland in the Baltic Sea, an outbreak of the northern pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pinivora, has occurred. With regard to the human nuisance and long-term effects on the tourist industry, demands have been raised for intervention to reduce and control the insect population. At the same time, there have been warnings against treating the insect population because there are knowledge gaps concerning the wider ecological consequences, including effects on biodiversity. This paper analyses the political process and its problem-solving efforts. Of particular interest is how it dealt with the issue of uncertainty. It was found that the uncertainty associated with the issue hindered the development of a shared understanding of the problem and a possible solution. There seems to be a growing need in society to develop the institutional capacity to handle complex issues that cross different sectors, regulatory frameworks and policy targets.     

Performance Evaluation of Land Use Regulation

Abstract

This article makes a quantitative study on economic performance of arable land protection and land use regulation with dummy variable model. It is shown that land use regulation is favorable for economic growth and protection of arable land and that there are still some problems in the implementation of land use regulation. Thus, it puts forward corresponding suggestion.     

When do you procrastinate? Sleep quality and social sleep lag jointly predict self‐regulatory failure at work

This study investigates antecedents of procrastination, the tendency to delay the initiation or completion of work activities. We examine this phenomenon from a self‐regulation perspective and argue that depleted self‐regulatory resources are an important pathway to explain why and when employees procrastinate. The restoration of self‐regulatory resources during episodes of non‐work is a prerequisite for the ability to initiate action at work. As sleep offers the opportunity to replenish self‐regulatory resources, employees should procrastinate more after nights with low‐quality sleep and shorter sleep duration. We further propose that people's social sleep lag amplifies this relationship. Social sleep lag arises if individuals' preference for sleep and wake times, known as their chronotype, is misaligned with their work schedule. Over five consecutive workdays, 154 participants completed a diary study comprising online questionnaires. Multilevel analyses showed that employees procrastinated less on days when they had slept better. The more employees suffered from social sleep lag, the more they procrastinated when sleep quality was low. Day‐specific sleep duration, by contrast, was not related to procrastination. We discuss the role of sleep for procrastination in the short run and relate our findings to research highlighting the role of sleep for well‐being in the long run. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

政府规制视角下我国环境信访成因解析

我国的环境规制在规制背景上先天不足,在规制手段上后天失调,在规制结构上倾斜失衡,在规制目标上好高骛远,以致在效果上低效、失效与无效,造成了环境信访问题的困局。针对当下环境信访的现状和问题,运用政府规制理论这个强有力的解释框架和分析工具探讨其成因较有说服力,也更令人信服。     

北京市2018年春季一次沙尘回流过程的污染特征

通过监测数据分析,结合轨迹模拟和特征雷达图的分析结果,对2018年4月14~19日北京出现的一次沙尘天气过程进行分析.结果显示：依据ρ（PM_2.5）和ρ（PM₁₀）及其比值PM_2.5/PM₁₀[ρ（PM_2.5）/ρ（PM₁₀）,下同]的变化情况,此次沙尘过程可分为沙尘期、中间期、回流期和回流后期4个典型时期.沙尘期ρ（PM₁₀）平均值达到（278.5±83.7）μg/m³,明显高于回流期和回流后期,回流后期ρ（PM_2.5）平均值达到（135.5±16.9）μg/m³,明显高于回流期和沙尘期.沙尘期逐小时PM_2.5/PM₁₀<0.2,回流期和回流后期PM_2.5/PM₁₀比值分别介于0.3~0.6和0.5~0.8范围内.SO₄^2-、NO₃^-和NH₄⁺等（SNA）水溶性离子沙尘期浓度占比仅为7.3%±2.5%,沙尘回流期和回流后期SNA占比分别增长至47.0%±6.3%和51.3%±5.7%.研究表明,受天气系统影响,回流沙尘可裹挟南部的细颗粒和气态污染物输送到北京后发生累积和二次转化,从而推高PM_2.5浓度,因此发生沙尘回流时,区域内应加强一次污染物排放的管控力度,同时北京市需进一步加强机动车氮氧化物的排放监管.     

基于“潜力—支持力—恢复力”框架的村镇可持续发展能力及其类型甄别

科学判断村镇可持续发展能力,精准定位村镇发展类型,对于实现乡村振兴多元目标具有重要价值。以重庆市江津区为研究区,2017年为研究时点,从潜力、支持力与恢复力三个维度解析村镇可持续发展能力,从而构建评价指标体系与评价模型,分析村镇可持续发展能力空间分异特征及其类型。研究表明：（1）村镇可持续发展能力的强弱是潜力、支持力与恢复力三者共同作用的结果。（2）江津区村镇潜力呈现“北高南低”;支持力呈现“北高南低”;恢复力呈现“南高北低”;可持续发展能力呈现“西南高东北低,组团状分布”。（3）江津区村镇可划分为发展潜力挖潜型、城乡融合促进型、安全质量提升型与能力全面发展型四种可持续发展类型,进而提出差异化调控策略,以引导村镇可持续发展、增强县域综合实力。     

ASSESSMENT OF METHODS FOR MEASURING EMBEDDEDNESS: APPLICATION TO SEDIMENTATION IN FLOW REGULATED STREAMS1

Abstract: Five commonly used methods for measuring embeddedness the — degree to which fine particles surround coarse substrate on the surface of the streambed — are assessed and used to evaluate the sedimentation pattern resulting from impoundment on tributaries of the Connecticut River. Results show that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method best reflects the sediment regime on these rivers. On the Ompompanoosuc River, regulated by a run-of-the-river/flood control dam, embeddedness increases significantly directly downstream of the dam. On the unregulated White River, no downstream trends in embeddedness are observed. The USEPA results on the Ompompanoosuc River reflect the movement of a local decrease in embeddedness, interpreted as a moving region of scour, with a calculated transport rate of approximately 5 to 25 m/day. Observed transport rates are similar to previously measured sediment transport rates and consistent with results from a multifraction sediment transport model. Application of the USEPA method to an additional regulated tributary demonstrates the effects of dam management on embeddedness. Flow regulation with high sediment trapping efficiency results in a decrease in embeddedness downstream of the dam. Results provide insight into the utility of available methods for evaluating the effects of management practice on streambed composition.     

Economics of "essential use exemptions" for metered-dose inhalers under the Montreal Protocol

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has led to rapid reductions in the use of ozone-depleting substances worldwide. However, the Protocol provides for "essential use exemptions" (EUEs) if there are no "technically and economically feasible" alternatives. An application that might qualify as an "essential use" is CFC-powered medical metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the US and other nations have applied for exemptions in this case. One concern is that exemptions are necessary to ensure access to medications for low-income uninsureds. We examine the consequences of granting or withholding such exemptions, and conclude that government policies and private-sector programs are available that make it economically feasible to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in this application, thereby furthering the global public health objectives of the Montreal Protocol without compromising the treatment of patients who currently receive medication by means of MDIs.     

空间溢出视角下的环境规制与绿色发展——困境还是协调？

绿色发展是未来经济发展的必然趋势,提升绿色全要素生产率是实现绿色发展的重要途径,环境规制是解决环境问题的有效保障。本文采用2004—2019年30个省级面板数据,构建动态空间杜宾模型,实证研究了环境总体规制、工业废气规制、工业废水规制、工业固体废物规制和光污染规制对绿色全要素生产率的空间溢出影响。研究发现,环境总体规制对本地绿色全要素生产率的影响呈U形,工业废气规制、工业废水规制和工业固体废物规制的研究结果存在同一规律,而光污染规制起抑制作用。总体规制对邻地绿色全要素生产率的影响呈倒U形,具体规制的影响各不相同,工业废气规制与总体规制的结果类似,而工业废水规制的空间溢出效应表现为负,工业固体废物规制和光污染规制的空间溢出效应不显著。本文从实证角度验证了“绿水青山”和“金山银山”的兼容性,环境规制和效率提升并不矛盾。在制定环境政策时,需考虑区域间的相互协调和实际产业情况。     

美国大气挥发性有机物控制历程及对中国的启示

鉴于大气挥发性有机物(VOCs)对中国区域大气复合污染的重要影响,基于大量文献调研,从政策、法律法规、标准和管理手段等方面系统梳理了美国VOCs的控制历程,并从VOCs总量削减和O3浓度变化等角度评估了控制效果.研究表明:美国的VOCs控制体系是卓有成效的,1970年-2010年间共削减VOCs 1 551.4万吨,降幅为50.6％;而且,通过控制VOCs的排放实现了对臭氧(O3)污染协同控制的初衰.该研究结果对中国VOCs控制具有重要借鉴意义.